Watching! Eye Of The World is one of the most consistent geldings around and will go close in Monday’s Flamingo Park Handicap
The national focus switches to the Northern Cape where the R100 000 Flamingo Park Handicap will be run over 1800m on Monday. The field of eleven includes four fillies, but Jaap Visser’s gallant warrior Eye Of The World could be the one to beat – despite his back breaking impost.
A shortened working week will put some pep into the national step and with the rest of the country on a bread and butter racing diet, Flamingo Park holds pride of place with a competitive non black type feature. But as any Kimberley fundi will realise, despite the generous stake on offer, the race has not attracted a vintage field.
Keep An Eye
Vintage is probably the wrong description anyway in these parts, but there is a core of hard knocking sand specialists that regularly slug it out. With a few missing, Eye Of The World could register a remarkable fourteenth win.
The Windrush gelding has been around the block. He has his 72nd run on Monday and doesn’t lack for any of the big three – fitness, heart and experience. And what an advertisement for experimentation on the sand!
Leaving Port Elizabeth almost three years ago as a fairly mediocre two time winner, Eye Of The World has racked up eleven wins and something like 23 place cheques as a four legged ATM machine .
He won his last start in sizzling fashion beating the very clever Jack Dan by a half length at level weights in a Pinnacle Stakes over a mile. The manner in which Eye Of The World went to fetch Jack Dan was most impressive, and as a course and distance winner, he will be at home.
In fact Eye Of The World’s last course and distance run was a 2,75 length second behind the filly Pearl Rush, whom he meets on 5kgs better terms here.
Arresting. The 3yo filly Fun Police has place aspirations with her light weight
Law And Order
The former Mike De Kock trained filly Fun Police is an interesting runner. She relocated to Jannie Borman at Kimberley after winning her maiden at Clairwood at her sixth start.
There was plenty of interest in her first start here a fortnight back. That was in a lowly rated MR 65 handicap over Monday’s course and distance, and she will have to improve dramatically on her 15,25 length beating by African Gladiator.
But the daughter of Mullins Bay has a paperweight of 48kgs in her favour, courtesy of young apprentice Jarryd Penny. Her draw of 11 is not a plus factor, but Fun Police showed good gate speed on her debut here, and she could overcome that adversity at nominal cost of energy.
Troubled
The troubled but talented Claverhouse is a winner of 3 of his last 4 starts, but has not run since 10 December, when a runaway winner beating Dynamic Dynasty. He is a half kilo worse off with Eye Of The World after beating him 0,75 lengths at his third last outing on Guy Fawkes day.
A lot will depend on Claverhouse’s fitness and race readiness, but he will go very close at best. Tienie Prinsloo’s Great Smokey has drawn against the paint, but has not carried his Vaal form to Kimberley.
He was beaten 9,75 lengths last time by Eye Of World, and meets the topweight on 8 kgs better terms. But he has not been himself in the Northern Cape, and has failed to produce the level of form that saw him run the top Lockheed Jetstar to 2,25 lengths when conceding 3,5 kgs.
Coerie Lensley’s White House has his second run in Kimberley, and made a poor start when finishing a no show 19 lengths behind Eye Of The World last time. The 4yo Windrush filly Pearl Rush has won 4 of her last 5 starts, and tries her luck in slightly stronger mixed company.
She won a cracker at her last start when beating Eye Of The World over the course and distance by 2,75 lengths in receipt of 14kgs. She is 5 kgs worse off here, and that could swing the pendulum in favour of the Shame runner.
Corne Spies’ Strike Smartly filly Keen Smartly has poor form and her run at the Vaal this Thursday should be monitored. We go to print as she races, and are unable to com-ment, although improvement appears highly unlikely.
Longshot. White House has his second run at Flamingo Park and could prove to be the value bet
Battled
Vernon Rugg’s Night Landing last won exactly a year ago, and the son of Newton has battled to assert himself at his last few outings. He should battle against the top three. The 8yo Kahal mare Phi pulled up distressed at her last outing at the end of January, and appears past her best.
Kum Naidoo’s Dolomite has his first try on the sand, but his form is shocking. He also has not won a race for over two years, and looks unlikely to change that record here.
Karlo is the third of the Visser runners, and while showing a spark last time, his form is generally poor. He showed pace in that last outing, before being outrun late by shock winner, Desert Rat, in a weak MR 71 Handicap over 2200m.
Consistent
Eye Of The World has been consistent and courageous, and even despite his 63kgs, looks the right one here. He may be good enough to peg back Claverhouse, with the filly Pearl Rush in third. The chances of an upset appear unlikely.
