Explosive. Lightning Stakes winner Napoleon Dynamite will be charging through late in the race
The R 125 000 Autumn Sand Sprint will be run over 1200m at the Vaal on Thursday. With many of the runners enjoying claims to glory, it may pay to side with the in-form Napoleon Dynamite, who is one of the most enthusiastic 7yo’s around.
The barrier draw and a dollop of luck in running could be the key to the outcome of this tightly matched non-black-type sprint feature.
Storming
Napoleon Dynamite’s last win, when he stormed through on the wide outside to beat Commissionerstreet going away by two lengths in the Lightning Stakes, was spectacular stuff indeed.
Nooresh Juglall pressed the launch button well inside the final 200m of that 1000m event, and the acceleration shown by the son of Muhtafal bodes well over the extra ground here.
Kum Naidoo’s runner is a veritable model of consistency, and with the pace likely to be on from the start, Gavin Lerena will be able to settle him from his 4 draw for a late dash.
Tarry Coupling
Sean Tarry’s talented Mythical Palace has won 7 of his 18 starts, and this lightly raced 5yo gets the services of apprentice ‘Doctor’ Sifiso Lembethe, who has ridden him to 5 of those victories.
Mythical Palace reverts to the 1200m on the sand, a track where he is most effective. We can put a line through his last run, where he did not kick to finish some 5,30 lengths off Tiger Flash in a MR 94 Handicap over the turf 1400m. His stablemate Polar Moon will be ridden by Piere Strydom.
The son of Victory Moon showed his fitness with a solid 3,25 length third to Sharp Design in the Tommy Hotspur Handicap at his last start. He had excuses there after losing a shoe in running and then hanging out, and it is best not to underestimate Strydom. He is 2,5 kgs better off with Napoleon Dynamite on his Lightning Stakes eight length walloping, and should finish behind him again.
Purring
The serious danger to our top two could well be the consistent Boss Cat, who but for his shocking draw, would have been an outright top three selection. This multiple course and distance winner returned from an eight month rest and ran a cracking third in the Lightning Stakes . He moved up menacingly in that race, and only tired late.
Boss Cat meets Napoleon Dynamite on 2kgs better terms for a 2,25 length beating. If we make the assumption that Boss Cat will strip fitter here, then he could go very close, if Chase Maujean can overcame that awful draw.
Topweight
Leon Erasmus’ Prime Mover has drawn against the paint, but has to lumber a 63kg welterweight. The multiple course and distance winner will be ridden for the first time by Brandon Lerena in the absence of his regular pilot, Sherman Brown.
Prime Mover stayed on well in a Conditions Plate over the sand 1000m last time when beaten 3, 50 lengths by the superior pace of Azzie’s flying filly, Solarium. Paul Matchett’s Commissionerstreet is edging back to some better form after an extended dry patch, and lumps just 49,5kgs here. He ran a fair race to finish a two length second behind Napoleon Dynamite in the Lightning Stakes.
The Johannesburg gelding has won twice over the course and distance. He ran on well again in lesser company last time, when fourth behind Palace Town and may be finding his legs again.
Comical
The Bezrin gelding Dennis The Menace is often on the fringes of the action, and has managed 3 wins from his 26 turf starts. He tries the sand for the first time and could give them a fright if adapting. Mike Azzie’s Doowaley filly Larussa is the only member of the fairer sex in the race, and is another who has a first run on this surface.
Azzie is a master of prepping horses on the sand and if she takes to the new environment, she could well be a factor. Larussa won her last start in good style and has shown electrifying pace in the past. The rest should struggle to make their presence felt.
Blistering
If the 7yo Napoleon Dynamite comes racing in the same frame of mind and commitment as his Lightning Stakes run, he could win again. He has a blistering turn of foot, which could see him cut this lot down late in the race.
Mythical Palace needs to overcome his draw to challenge, while Boss Cat could be bowled by the second run after a rest bogey. It may be wise to go a little wider in the exotics.
• The R 125,000 Woodland Sprint, a non black type feature for fillies and mares will also be run over 1200m on the same afternoon. A competitive twelve strong field goes to post, with Mike Azzie’s Solarium looking the one to beat. Paul Matchett sends out topweight Raise The Bar in a race where the lighter weighted sorts could provide the upset.
