Mike de Kock is now rare off-season visitor to KZN since shutting down his Summerveld satellite yard but he makes the trip to Greyville tonight where he saddles Kilrain in the Jonsson Workwear Michaelmas Handicap that heads a nine-race card – all races on the poly track.
The meeting is in support of the breast cancer awareness NGO Pink Drive and all the jockeys will be decked out in pink breeches as will the racecourse and patrons are requested to show their support by dressing up in pink.
Kilrain has taken a new lease on life since being relocated from the Western Cape where, in his last race at Kenilworth, he was pulled out of the event and reported to be severely fatigued post-race.
No Worries
His three outings on the Highveld have resulted in two close-up thirds and a win over the Turffontein stand-side mile.
He comes into tonight’s race with plenty in his favour including a good draw, handy galloping weight and De Kock has engaged Anton Marcus as his trump card.
Kilrain is also an acceptor for the R1 million Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile next weekend where he is badly in at the weights so victory here will not affect his weight for that race.
Duncan Howells sends out poly specialist Nicklaus and Chicago Beat, both in with decent chances. Stable rider Keagan de Melo has opted for Nicklaus who up-staged stable companion Wild Wicket in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m last time out but the choice may have been dictated by the weights rather than any preference with De Melo hard-pressed to make his absolute minimum of 52.5kg.
This has left the way open for natural light-weight Warren Kennedy. After going down by the narrowest of margins to Gone Baby Gone over course and distance, Chicago Beat was given a short break before coming back for a seven-furlong blow-out at Scottsville. He should strip very much at his peak tonight and as he receives plenty of weight from all except Techno Captain, he looks a serious contender for top honours.
Kennedy was aboard Mr O’Neill when Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding got the better of stable companion Last Tiger so will know exactly what he is up against while No Worries is a veteran who seldom gives less than his best and has his second outing for Mark Dixon. However, even though this is a handicap, the 63.5kg on his back could prove an anchor to his chances.
Matthew Lips is better known in racing circles as a popular, or unpopular, NHA Handicapper depending on which side of the fence you’re on, but given his contribution to the sport would probably be racing off a Merit Rating equivalent of around 130, not the 61 of his namesake who lines up in the first leg of the Pick 6.
Nicklaus
Matthew Lips is a lightly raced five-year-old gelding but has obviously shown enough for Sean Tarry to keep him in training and ran up a hat-trick of seconds in his first three starts. He then flopped at odds of 5-10 and subsequently given a three-month break.
He stepped out at Greyville last Sunday where he caught the eye in spite of finishing six lengths back to the winner and in this Highlands Stud sponsored Qualified Maiden he looks to have an outstanding chance of getting off the mark. Q Behind Me and Roy’s Piano look obvious threats.
Zinzara and Online were separated by a neck when last they met and the pair do battle again in the opening leg of the jackpot the World Sports Betting Handicap. They look to have the strongest current form but it is not a race to go light in when working out exotics as the race has the word ‘upset’ written all over it.
The Drakenstein Stud Handicap is a similarly open affair but the Paul Lafferty-trained Gat Henshaw has an opportunity to show his worth. He has been a touch disappointing for the stable since his maiden win but he has taken on some fair opposition in his last two over ground. Back in distance where the opposition consists of mostly modest handicappers, Gat Henshaw could land his second victory.
Capel Top heads another tough handicap in the Varsfontein Stud sponsored seventh and although shouldering top weight, he should have benefitted from his recent sprint-up and do better over this trip. Cool At Heart, although slightly under sufferance, does show some promise and may be the biggest threat to the top weight’s chances although the list of possible winners is a long one.
By Andrew Harrison
