Geoff Woodruff’s Silvano colt, Tellina looks cherry ripe to set the record straight in the SA Derby on Saturday
Paul Lafferty’s Love Struck spoilt the potential SASCOC Triple Crown party and the marketing and PR spin offs that go with the event, by hanging on by the skin of the teeth to withstand the challenge by Tellina in the SA Classic at the end of March.
Tellina has top class consistent form and is highly rated by his regular pilot Robbie Fradd, a man who has ridden many outstanding horses all over the world.
Tellina was gaining rapidly in that tight SA Classic finish that afternoon, and he gets his opportunity to make amends here (without the big bonus sadly), together with just four other survivors of the SA Classic.
Battle Cry
War Horse finished closest of those that ran there and line up on Saturday.He is also the second highest rated runner in the race.
The son of Victory Moon has excellent form in his three runs so far this year, and looks overdue to score his first win as a 3yo after winning a Gr1 as a 2yo.
Corne Spies’ charge is out of a Deputy Governor mare who up to 2600m, and he seems certain to stay the trip.
The next up on SA Classic form is Spike Lerena’s American Storm, who moved up menacingly before finishing just 2,75 lengths adrift of Love Struck.
American Storm choked up in the Egoli Mile and his poor effort there can be ignored, but he was unlucky to go down a short head behind Alexandra Palace in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes.
Van Zyl Duo
Gavin Van Zyl sends out the coupling of Gray’s Champ and Balse. The former is probably the stable elect based on the engagement of Piere Strydom, and the son of Greys Inn has proven a touch disappointing after winning 3 of his first 6 starts. He was 9 lengths behind Love Struck in the SA Classic, and might need to be ridden a touch more conservatively. Balse looked upset potential in the final 400m of the Derby Trial, until stopping to finish under 2 lengths behind Wylie Hall. He has been placed over the course and distance, and is likely to relish the test on his breeding. The grey gelding could well prove to be something of a dark horse.
Mike Azzie’s Right Approach gelding Safe House registered the worst effort by Saturday’s runners in the SA Classic. He lost ground at the start and never showed to finish over 22 lengths behind. He has a mountain to climb to reverse the form.
Value
Weiho Marwing has a very smart sort on his hands in the Australian bred Redoute’s Choice colt Wylie Hall, who won a cracker when sweeping through late to win the Derby Trial beating Jeff Freedman’s Wild One by half a length. Owner Michael Leaf’s lightly raced 3yo has been a model of consistency and previously ran a eyecatching second to Bay Of Bengal in the Egoli Mile.
His stablemate Gothic appears to be crying out for this ground and was earmarked as a Derby candidate by trainer Marwing after running a fast finishing fourth in the Derby Trial. He has been placed at MR 84 Handicap level over 2600m previously, and looks a fair staying prospect in the making.
Shock
Wild One was a shock Clairwood 1400m debut winner but appears to be coming along the right way in his four runs since then. He ran an excellent second to Wylie Hall in the Derby Trial, and gets the services of Bernard Fayd’herbe from a 13 draw.
The Var gelding Sabadell is stablemate to the favourite Tellina. His form has tapered negatively in direct proportion to his step up in distance, and hardly appears likely to stay the distance.
Anton Marcus rides Mike De Kock’s progressive Captain Al gelding Tequila Sunrise, who was narrowly beaten by Yer Maan at the Vaal last week. That said he did cause some interference to the fast finishing Luminous Love, and may have been a touch flattered by the result. He was going very well into the final stages, and is worth considering against his own age group here.
Call The Tune
Chris Erasmus’ Announce gelding Antarctic Call registered his second win in good style at his penultimate start, but the n found things tough going when 7 lengths behind in the Derby Trial. He may enjoy some strong handling by Sherman Brown and it should be noted that he ran on well in the Egoli Mile when only 3 lengths behind Bay Of Bengal.
The Jet Master gelding Top Command ran 13 lengths behind Wylie Hall in the Derby Trial, and has little chance on that sort of effort. He is also poorly drawn on the wide outside of the field.
Joey Soma’s one timer winner Savage Wind has proven something of a disappointment after winning his maiden in good style at his second start. He is yet another well held by Wylie Hall on his Derby Trial run and needs big improvement to feature.
Unlucky
Tellina was a desperately unlucky loser of the SA Classic, and he seems destined to add to the trauma of that marginal defeat by winning the third leg of the Triple Crown.
War Horse is consistent and well drawn, and is way overdue to win again.
Of the rest, the Marwing coupling of Wylie Hall and and our value horse Gothic are worth including, while Wild One has a big shout if he stays.
