Value Bet. Mitch Wiese’s Silent Partner could upset the Snaith plans
Port Elizabeth trainer Mitch Wiese has done wonders with a good few Mike De Kock retreads over the years and he experiments with the gallant Silvano gelding Silent Partner in the R100 000 Fairview Merchants on Friday. The 6yo has never been regarded as a sprinter but must have a reasonable chance of stemming the Justin Snaith tide.
The bumper and very popular Friday nine race programme is bound to attract large month end pools and with punters looking to create live all to come bets into the J&B Met, the interest in an open looking race such as this is bound to be high. Twelve runners go to post for the 1200m event and a field selection would probably be the safe option in the Jackpot.
Revelation
Silent Partner has been something of a revelation with the blinkers and we have to go back to his second run in 2011 when he scored over 1200m the last time. He started at 66/1 there and he probably got home on class alone. Since then he has been campaigned over various trips and even tried his fortunes when unplaced behind Wagner in the 2012 Sansui Summer Cup.
Silent Partner has reached peak form at his last three outings with two seconds and a win. He has campaigned against strong sorts and has looked dangerous every time he has run.
Snaith Four
Snaith has a strong hand with his four runners. The Black Minnaloushe gelding Blackmalkin is bang in form and is something of a course and distance specialist. He has found form quickly after his rest and must go very close again. Bois De Var is 2kgs better off with Jamie Lee Jet after being well beaten into third last time out. As a 7yo, Bois De Var has lost some of his earlier spark, but remains a place consideration.
The Plunderer was a shock winner last Met day at Kenilworth and has campaigned over the polytrack at 3 of his last 4 starts. He won one of those, but looks to have a big task to win this. The Windrush gelding Breezing Through was scratched for reasons of soundness at his last start.
He is a course and distance winner who comes in on a handy galloping weight and could well challenge at best and if in good health. He enjoys a 7,5 kgs weight swing with Insearchofthesun for a 1,75 length beating over the course and distance in August last year. That said the Van Rensburg horse has continued to improve over the past six months.
Consistent
Wayne Agrella rides the impeccably consistent Insearchofthesun for Steven Janse Van Rensburg. The grey son of Whitechapel (one of his best) is bang in form and could have the measure of the majority of the field. He gave Jamie Lee Jet 7kgs last time and was comfortably beaten by the former Cape horse.
This time around he only gives 2kgs and that swing should be a great leveller. Hekkie Strydom’s Russian Mig carries top weight and is a fair sort, having won 7 of his 41 starts. A course and distance winner, Russian Mig has earned the highest rating in this field but often runs on when the race is over. With the speed prevalent in this race. He cannot afford to allow them any leeway.
Fast
Jacques Strydom saddles the former KZN based 7yo Tetelestai who is a very capable sort on his best day. The son of Bezrin has improved steadily in his four starts in the Eastern Cape and may just prefer the minimum trip. Aldo Domeyer rides the former Andries Steyn trained Jamie Lee Jet for Gavin Smith.
The Jet Master gelding won five races in the Cape and quickly added to that tally when scoring at his second outing in PE. He beat Insearchofthesun very easily over the course but now has a substantial weight turnaround to contend with.
Jockey Jump
Wayne Agrella has abandoned his regular partner London Perfect in favour of the more fancied Insearchofthesun. London Perfect is a kilo better off with Blackmalkin for a short head beating last tiem over the minimum trip.
Laing Duo
Tara Laing’s yard is in excellent form and she saddles a power coupling of Vauclair and Protest Song. Vauclair is a consistent 4yo son of Var and is a multiple course and distance winner who comes in with a galloping weight in this contest. His stablemate Protest Song scored a smart win over the mile at his last start when beating Lunar Emblem with ease. Protest Song took longer than average to win his first race in PE after relocating from KZN and may well prefer 200m further to show his best ability.
