They say one swallow doesn’t make a summer. So let’s put a line through the Gauteng Guineas debacle effort by the highly regarded Majestic Mambo. Trainer Paul Peter and SA Champion jockey Anthony Delpech have a plan to get the Mambo In Seattle colt back on to the high road on Saturday.
Majestic Mambo – tactical changes in pipeline
Every punter and his bookie had his eye on the unbeaten stakes winner Majestic Mambo earlier this year. They were talking the new Horse Chestnut. The SA Triple Crown. The July. Then the world.
All that fell in a dark hole when Majestic Mambo was all over the place near the rear of the field in the Guineas and ran over 13 lengths downfield, without raising a sweat.
This is what Paul Peter told us about a change of tactics on Saturday
Top of the SP charts will be Stuart Pettigrew’s Surcharge, who finished second and eight lengths in front of Majestic Mambo in the Guineas. Unfortunately the son of Gimmethegreenlight has not drawn too favourably again, but has shown his class with a cracking win in the Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes and will love the extra ground.
.Surcharge – has draw to beat
This is what Stuart Pettigrew had to say
The Mike de Kock quartet is headed by Guineas third and fourth placed Royal Crusade and Noble Secret. Both were running on strongly – a quarter length and length respectively – adrift of Surcharge and can only improve over the further 200m. Royal Crusade in fact finished well at his penultimate jump over the trip when beaten 2,25 lengths by a rampant Majestic Mambo.
Mike de Kock – 4 runners
Like A Panther returns from the Cape where he ran a cracking third to Tap O’Noth in the Guineas and then a quieter 6 lengths off Eyes Wide Open in the Derby. He has been off ten weeks but has the advantage of a pole position draw.
The last of the De Kock runners is Alshibaa, who won his first two starts like something special but has not really gone on with things.
Mike and Adam Azzie’s Greek Fire was beaten over 5 lengths by Surcharge in the Guineas but has won at 1800m and may be worth another chance after winning two of his first three starts. He has a wide draw to beat.
Roy Had Enough – joint top rated
KZN visitor Roy Had Enough was well beaten in the Dingaans at his last try here but has won his last two starts – including a solid effort to score against older horses in the Gr3 Christmas Handicap. The coastal form is difficult to compare but he is the joint highest rated runner in the race.
It looks tough for the balance.
Darkest Hour was well beaten in the Dingaans. His recent form is not good enough.
The well-bred Lobo’s Legend tries ground for the first time.
Silver God is another that ran downfield in the Guineas.
Hero’s Honour ran a fair post-maiden effort in a lowly rated handicap when beaten by Highway Eightyfive.
Throng won two on the trot but then never improved in a Vaal 2000m handicap last time. He is supported by a red-hot combination in Sean Tarry and Lyle Hewitson and may be a fair quartet kicker at best.
This race will define the local 3yo contingent further and we are siding with Majestic Mambo to bounce right back at the expense of Surcharge and the De Kock pair of Royal Crusade and Noble Secret.
