Sky Rise wins the 2013 Gauteng Racing Association Handicap
Weiho Marwing’s Fort Wood gelding Sky Rise returns to defend his title in the R250 000 Gr3 Gauteng Racing Association Handicap, which wraps up the bumper Pick 6 at Turffontein on Saturday. The 5yo has not set the world alight in the past year and the race has ‘result’ written all over it – as these rare 3200m handicaps often do.
We have had this conversation before.
The staying ranks provide the crowd spectacle and entertainment but seldom the stars and fireworks. The sixteen horse field is a mish mash of horses who can stay all day but often don’t put it all together.
Top Of The Scale
Jeppe’s Reef and Robbie Fradd power clear to win the Gr1 Gold Cup
Where do we start?
No better place than with joint topweight and former Gr1 Gold Cup winner Jeppe’s Reef, who races out of the Mike Bass mini satellite yard at Turffontein that has put some big results together recently.
Now a 7yo, the Jallad gelding is the class in the race but will need to up his game after compounding and falling away to some 34 lengths behind American Storm in the Listed Java Handicap at his last start.
Sean Cormack wouldn’t have taken the ride if this one was making up numbers and the old man only needs to put his best foot forward to have a serious say in the finish.
Gold Standard
But Mike De Kock will think otherwise and the master saddles the improving Archipenko 4yo Kingston Mines who is getting stronger and won his last start in a lower rated handicap in really smart style.
He should relish the test of the 3200m for the first time and it is worth noting that his dam won 4 races in the UK right up to 2600m.
He also looks rather comfortably weighted on the 52 kg mark.
Good Runs
Geoff Woodruff
Geoff Woodruff saddles the two fillies, Zephira and Sisters Of Mercy and both ran reasonable preps in the Yellowwood Handicap where they finished just over 3 lengths off Pine Princess.
Joey Soma’s Savage Wind joins Jeppe’s Reef in the dubious last run stakes after he returned lame on the near fore and trailed in 36 lengths behind American Storm in the Java Handicap.
Soma will have him ready for action again and is a runner off the 53kg mark if reverting to his consistent recent form that has seen him run a spate of places in these staying races.
Soma also saddles Rodeo Sioux, who faded late last Saturday to run 7 lengths behind The Centenary in a Pinnacle Stakes at the Vaal over 2400m.
She obviously takes a lot of getting fit but has always been a soldier over ground.
Java Form
There is a substantial amount of reference to the recent Listed Java Handicap form in this race, and besides a seriously bad run there by Jeppe’s Reef and Savage Wind, it may be worthwhile looking at who ran where behind American Storm.
The ultra-consistent Henry Higgins ran second there and now carries 3kgs more.If he stays, he should be concerned in the finish.
Sean Tarry’s Baracah showed flashes of a form return last time and was beaten 1,50 lengths – he jumps 1,5kgs in the weights.
Plenty To Do
Storm Warning has a wide draw to overcome
Last year’s RA Handicap winner Sky Rise was beaten 2 lengths and carries 1,5kgs more. He is drawn wide out but is a horse who gets dropped in for a late rattle. He is a genuine stayer.
Shimmering Gem was beaten 2,10 lengths and goes up 3,5kgs in the weights. The son of Dynasty won his subsequent jump over 2450m and being out of a Rakeen mare could relish the extra.
J’s Outsider was beaten 4,50 lengths and runs with the same weight. He is technically better off with Shimmering Gem who beat him 12,25 lengths last time but still looks to have it all to do.
Sil Vous Plait was beaten 9,50 lengths and is one kilo up. The 7yo stays well but has not won in over a year and may be lacking for genuine enthusiasm for his racing.
Storm Warning was beaten 10 lengths and is a half kilo up in the weights.
He will be ridden by Piere Strydom and has a wide draw to overcome – something that should not be an insurmountable obstacle given the track structure and his style of racing. He ran fourth in this race last year after moving up dangerously late.
Gruelling
A tough staying race that should provide Pick 6 players with a few grey hairs.
Jeppe’s Reef, Storm Warming, Kingston Mines and the Woodruff fairer sex pair look most likely. Then Joey Soma could also have a plan with his coupling.
