Louis The King – returns to action
SASCOC Triple Crown champion Louis The King returns to the arena of his greatest triumphs when he starts in Saturday’s R1 million HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes. It won’t be a cakewalk though for Geoff Woodruff’s star.
An appropriate and fitting stamp of quality characterizes the field for one of our top Gr1 mile weight-for-age races that pays tribute to one of the best racehorses ever produced in this country – and the wonderful family whose passion and commitment made the fairytale possible.
There will be plenty of emotion and sadness as the quality field of thirteen line up in Saturday’s R1 million HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein. The sudden passing just two months ago of the champion racer shocked the local and international racing community.
King Returns
Geoff Woodruff
Louis The King is the top-rated runner in the field and at the level weights terms of the contest he comes in nicely.
The 2014 Sansui Summer Cup winner showed his prowess at a mile when running on strongly to be beaten just 0,75 lengths in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate by the high-class Futura.
Louis The King was then strongly fancied in the J&B Met but ran a disappointing race (as he has done away from home in the past) to finish sixth and 4,40 lengths behind Futura.
He has his first run back home and should strip fresh and ready to take on the challenge of the mile.
Pain Relief
King Of Pain – will be right there if travelling well
Joey Ramsden is in town with the Greys Inn gelding King Of Pain.
The grey ghost beat the cream in the KZN Champions season in 2014, when going all the way to win the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge in one of the last great contests at Clairwood.
He made no show in the Vodacom Durban July but bounced back for a 1,75 length second in the Beach Beauty Gr1 Champions Cup to close off a successful season.
His only outing this season was a decent and not disgraced third under topweight of 62kgs in the NBT Cape Mile.
King Of Pain has shown before that he needs very little racing to get fit and Bernard Fayd’herbe will be a big plus behind the wheel.
The Captain
Captain America – disappointing last time
Brett Crawford’s Captain America made a disappointing start as odds-on favourite to his Highveld campaign a fortnight ago when beaten 9 lengths by Paterfamilias in a Conditions Plate.
The 4yo gelded son of Captain Al froze into a one-paced gallop in the final 300m of that last start but is likely to have improved his fitness levels.
He will also be ridden by Anton Marcus for the first time and there is little question that he will benefit from a strong and focussed ride.
Tarry Trio
Halve The Deficit
Sean Tarry is riding the crest of a wave this season and his powerful and classy trio of Heavy Metal, Halve The Deficit and Whiteline Fever will have their supporters.
Both Halve The Deficit and Whiteline Fever ran in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes, with the former running on strongly for a head beating by the gallant galloper, Chekilli.
Halve The Deficit should finish in front of Ashton Park, Whiteline Fever and Readytogorightnow again at the weights and Sean Cormack takes the ride.
S’manga Khumalo partners the 2013 Vodacom Durban July winner Heavy Metal, who ran a cracking return fourth placed run over too short after a close on two year break.
He is a horse who won’t be pushed as he attempts to regain fitness but has enough class to be a serious contender in this field.
Not Far Off
Tellina – fair run in Met
Louis The King’s stablemate Tellina has drawn wide at 13 and returns from his very decent fourth behind Futura in the J&B Met.
He also ran a very commendable race when marginally over 2 lengths behind the same horse in the Queen’s Plate.
Tellina is a difficult sort to assess over the mile as he does tend to get into matters very late in the race. There also is no clarity as to whether Gavin Lerena opted to ride him above the 3yo Unparalleled – which could point to a measure of confidence.
Bass Runner
Anthony Delpech rides Ashton Park
It is interesting to note that Anthony Delpech has stuck with the Mike Bass runner Ashton Park after his promising recent Gr2 placing.
The son of Battersea Park has risen above expectations and regular produces decent feature race performances. He had no luck in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate but ran on nicely in the Hawaii Stakes behind pacy winner Chekilli.
Ashton Park had Whiteline Fever (who gave him 1,5kgs) beaten by 3,25 and appears to hold the Snaith’s Readytogorightnow who was 5,25 lengths behind him at level weights there.
Readytogorightnow will naturally be a fitter horse with that run under his belt but is drawn at 9 and has a few to beat.
The sad sequence of misfortune that saw Unparalleled land up as a reserve runner in the SA Classic has obviously forced his connections’ hand to give him a run here.
The Dingaans winner gets a 3kg allowance as a 3yo and could make his presence felt – but his draw of 11 is a deterrent.
All The Way
Bouclette Top – more to do here
Alec Laird’s recent Listed Drum Star winner Bouclette Top was an impressive end-to-end winner of his last start but off an MR of 100, will find this uphill against the likes of Louis The King and King Of Pain.
His 12 draw will also add no value to his cause, but on the deduction that he is improving and finding the promise he showed earlier, it is worthwhile incorporating him into quartets.
Deliver The Power is a decent enough sprinter on his day but has his first bash at a mile and is likely to find it very tough in this company on these terms.
Close
This race inevitably produces a thriller and it will be a tight contest yet again.
Louis The King has the class and is a much better horse in Johannesburg. King Of Pain won’t be travelling for fun and is another galloper who could stretch them.
The Tarry trio have class on their side, while Unparalleled could turn the Classic misfortune into a fairytale for his connections.
