Honest – George Scott’s front runner Without Malice goes for her eighth career win on Tuesday evening
The return to action of Vodacom Durban July winner Pomodoro, who faces up to Dom Zaki’s crack sprinter Deliver The Power in the jackpot opener over 1160m, is amongst the highlights of Tuesday’s Turffontein inside track night meeting. George Scott’s gallant mare Without Malice also bids for her eighth career victory in a competitive fillies and mares conditions plate.
Good horses and fascinatingly competitive racing should get the dinner and dance crowd out to Turffontein, where an eight-race programme promises a superb evening’s entertainment.
Sean Tarry’s July winner Pomodoro will naturally just be stretching the limbs after a deserved break, but his presence should nevertheless lift interest. And besides the well weighted likely banker bet Deliver The Power turning out in the fourth race, the Lithotech Conditions Plate for fillies and mares will be run over a mile to close off the jackpot. A small field of eight sees Uncle George Scott’s top-class trier Without Malice presented with an excellent opportunity to register her first win in almost six months.
Smashing
The Bassons own this smashing daughter of Jet Master who has earned in excess of three times her National Sale price tag in a career spanning 28 races to date. She only knows one way to run, and that is from the front, where she enjoys dictating matters and often just keeps rolling.
And she almost pulled it off in the recent Yellowwood Handicap where she led until the final 50m before being collared by the Peters’ shock winner Enchanted Kingdom.
It was a great run since Without Malice only went down 0,35 lengths conceding 8,50kgs and even more so when one considers that she did it from a 16 from 16 draw.
Without Malice’s previous run in the Joburg Spring F&M Challenge was also a great effort.
Giving the new star 3yo filly Festival Of Fire 8kgs, she did the donkey stuff and still held on for a cheque in fourth place, and only 2,50 lengths back. Festival Of Fire boosted that with an excellent win in the HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco Stakes last Saturday.
The mile trip should be right down Without Malice’s alley on Tuesday evening, and she could put it all together if she gets into a controlling position early.
That said , fifty percent of the field are carrying 52kgs, so Without Malice supporters will be hoping that throats aren’t cut early by overzealous jockeys capitalising on the subsidised ticket.
Improving – The Barend Botes trained Up Front looks overdue for her fourth win and will be a big runner under the lights on Tuesday
Out Front
Barend Botes-trained Up Front is a lightly raced three-time winning daughter of Count Dubois, who is a kilo better off with Without Malice on their Yellowwood Handicap clash.Up Front came storming through there and while Without Malice was not quickening, the Botes filly was still 0,65 lengths behind at the finish.
She presents a huge danger to the Scott runner.
Lucky Houdalakis’ Demanding Lady never runs a bad race, and the Festival Of Fire Joburg Spring F&M Challenge collateral form brings her strongly into the picture.
Festival Of Fire received 7,5kgs from Demanding Lady when beating her 1,25 lengths in that feature, and we all saw how De Kock’s Kahal filly spread-eagled her opposition in the HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco Starling Stakes on Charity Mile day.
Late Dash
Brian Wiid’s mare Varlet ran a cracker when bounding through from nowhere in the Yellowwood Handicap. She finished fourth at 50-1 and just under two lengths behind Without Malice, to give the lucky quartet winners an early Christmas bonus with a telephone number dividend.
Varlet should finish in arrears again as she meets the Scott Jet Master on 2kgs worse terms here.
The six-time winning Atlantic Oak is extremely capable on her day, but her two return runs after a rest have not inspired any confidence. The daughter of Singspiel faded right out of it in the Yellowwood Handicap when finishing 21 lengths behind Enchanted Kingdom.
She then ran in mixed company over the Vaal 2000m but never showed when not disgraced and 3,55 lengths off her stablemate Main Dane.
She will need to show substantial improvement to feature.
Lost Form
The Strelitzia winner Katy’s Lane was one length in front of Atlantic Oak in the Yellowwood, but has finished a combined dismal 42,55 lengths back at her last three starts.
She loses her regular pilot Piere Strydom for S’Manga Khumalo, and will need a miracle turnaround to have any chance. But she warrants inclusion for bigger exotic perms.
Ormonde Ferraris’ two runners Markofdistinction and Elodie are amongst the four 52kg bottomweights, and both are not without hope at best.
Oaks Trial winner Markofdistinction looked very promising at one stage of her 3yo career, but has battled in her three outings since running unplaced behind Ilha Bela in the SA Oaks.
She ran 11 lengths back in the Yellowwood Handicap after a four month rest, and may improve if that has served to bring her along.
Outsider Chance
The second of the Ferraris runners is the Silvano mare Elodie. Michael Broglio’s runner has not won in ages and at first glance she appears somewhat outclassed. She is also held by Without Malice.
Elodie ran a fair fourth to the classy Gorongosa in the Spook Express over 2600m, and has shown that she can still pace it over shorter with two fair recent runs.
Elodie finished with a rattle last time when giving the smart St John Gray mare Formation 4kgs and running within 4,25 lengths of her in third. If she can reproduce that here, she may have a shout with an in-form Muzi Yeni up.
Decision Time
All told, jockey Fanie Chambers knows Without Malice like the back of his hand. If the pair can get into a good position early, the 4yo’s Demanding Lady and Up Front could battle to get past her.
Then we have noted that Elodie is fit and well and showing some spark again, so could provide some opposition.
But the great thrill of backing Without Malice is that in the final 300m your hopes of standing in the payout queue will likely still be very much alive .
It all depends on that petrol guage in those final stages.
She has the heart of a lion, tremendous courage and plenty of ability to match it. She will be right there if repeating her Yellowwood run.
