Saving the best wine until the last? The Biblical phrase could ring true for punters at Kenilworth today when Vforvictory is taken to justify favouritism in the concluding 1 800m maiden.
This was the one, remember, who got that ringing endorsement on Winning Ways (Kevin Shea: “He could be a Derby horse”) when catching the eye on his debut in early November. In retrospect it doesn’t look that good a maiden and he was beaten five lengths. He finished pretty much the same margin behind the winner when fourth just before Christmas but that looked a much stronger affair.
Anton Marcus, who rode the Brett Crawford colt on debut, is back on board and that looks significant because this is not a Ridgemont horse. Draw 11 will present no problems to the four-time champion and at 5-2 the colt looks worth an interest.
Crawford also runs two of the main dangers: 6-1 shot Middle Wood who is ridden by stable jockey Corne Orffer while Greg Cheyne is on 9-2 chance Marauding. Cheyne rode Vforvictory last time and there are few better jockeys in the whole country. Big Fish (5-1), the only four-year-old in the field, and Retro Effect (13-2) also have claims.
Somewhere In Time was as short as 7-10 for the opening Juvenile Fillies with World Sports Betting yesterday morning and fellow newcomer Sweet Karma (the only other seriously considered in the betting) on 12-10. The three that have raced were all beaten a minimum of ten lengths and so, with first timer Orferd’s Flash available at 18-1, it seems safe to conclude that this is going to be between the two big guns.
The Justin Snaith-trained favourite was knocked down to Nick Jonsson for R1.2 million at last year’s Cape Premier and could hardly be better bred – he is by Captain Al out of a half-sister to Mother Russia.
In contrast his Candice Bass-Robinson rival cost only R15 000 at the CTS April Sale and is by Biarritz out of the Western Winter mare Tin Legs who was fourth in the Southern Cross and is the dam of the smart Olympian. This, coupled with the stable’s good record with first-timers, suggests that she can floor the favourite.
The consistent Fluttering may just be good enough to give M.J. Byleveld his comeback winner in race two while Gavin Lerena’s mount Merkaba can overcome his bad draw and justify 19-10 favouritism in the fourth.
By Michael Clower
