The progressive One Cool Dude could stake his Champions Season claims with a big run on Saturday
The stage is set for a gigantic Champions Season in just over a month from now in KZN and Saturday’s R200 000 Robert and Robin Muir Gr3 Kings Cup to be run over a mile at Clairwood has attracted a typically mixed bag pre – season field of eleven.
The local feature season launches on the first Saturday of May and there are more than a few hopefuls engaged here. While there are some gallopers reaching their sell by date, Ashburton trainer Duncan Howells sends out a promsing trio of four year olds who will be looking to stake their claims to better things.
Howells Trio
Heading the Howells attack is the very capable Strike Smartly 4yo One Cool Dude, who made a smart return to action after a three month break when flashing up to win a sprint at Clairwood two weeks ago.
One Cool Dude was a member of the Howells Cape Summer Of Champions string. After opening his account with a smooth MR 98 Handicap win, e followed up with a close up fifth behind the Drier superstar Master Of My Fate in the Gr2 Premier Trophy in mid December.
That was to be his last taste of Cape Town and he was shipped home only to reappear a fortnight ago. Carrying topweight of 61kgs over 1200m (a distance considered short of his premium trip), One Cool Dude impressed with a sizzling burst to beat the seasoned campaigner Midnight Run at his own game.
Solid Support
His stablemate King Of Torts is 2ks better off with Astro News on his penultimate start when beaten 3,90 lengths. The course and distance winning son of Mogok is highly rated by his connections and would not be winning out of turn.
The third of the Howells’ runners is the Spectrum gelding Zestful, who is tested with a step up in class again. The former Stuart Pettigrew runner had some excellent stakes race form in Gauteng last season and could prove a threat off his handy galloping weight.
Laird Trio
Charles Laird has three runners and saddles topweight Astro News, who has shown his liking for local conditions by winning his last two starts convincingly. The 2013 Cup Trial winner is a versatile sort who can run off or up with the pace and he could well achieve his hat trick against this field.
The Australian bred Rio Carnival returned after a long rest to win a sprint at Clairwood at end January and has not seen action in eight weeks since then. That is hardly an ideal prep but he will be distance suited and could surprise.
The lightly weighted Umbrella Thorn is in here marginally under sufferance and fits the lightly raced profile of his stablemate, Rio Carnival. A lightly raced horse, he is difficult to assess.
Tarry Duo
Sean Tarry saddles a duo headed by the evergreen Gr1 winner, Gold Onyx. The son of Black Minnaloushe ran third in this race in 2012 and meets the topweighted Astro News on marginally better weight terms than in his last two starts.
Gold Onyx has been runner up to Astro News twice and he may enjoy the mile. The struggling Roman Wall is the Tarry second string. The flashy son of Count Dubois is never far off and meets Astro News on close to 4kgs better terms than his last two starts.
The consistent Dynasty gelding Fourth Estate is 2kgs better off with Astro News for a beating of just over 4 lengths at his penultimate start. He ran on well at his last start over the course and distance behind Delaware Bay and comes in a fit horse.
Dynasty Duo
The second of the Scott runners is another Dynasty. The perennial underdog Sage Throne has not won a race in quite a while. This is also too short for him and he remains a frustrating talent.
Cape trainer Vaughan Marshall saddles an early runner in the Tiger Dance gelding, Tribal Dance. The 5yo ran a fair fourth behind King Of Pain in mid February at Kenilworth and has his first run since a failed 2013 July effort. He appears to have soundness issues and will need to show further improvement and fitness again.
Credentials
While Astro News is the runner with the proven credentials, One Cool Dude has the scope to build on his good sprint win. He is taken as the narrow first choice to beat Astro News and Zestful.
Rally Behind The Rhino On Saturday
The wanton killing of our precious rhino population in South Africa and the efforts to stop the senseless slaughter of the magnificent animals is the flagship theme of Saturday’s Clairwood meeting.
Gold Circle through their extensive social investment programme are holding a fundraiser racemeeting. Recognising the need to support the huge efforts already in place to save the rhino, the racing operator will be throwing its weight behind the cause this year in partnership with Project Rhino KZN.
All members of the horseracing fraternity are being invited to stand up for this critical plight through supporting this special racemeeting. All the races at the racemeeting were offered to interested parties for sponsorship with all the proceeds going directly to Project Rhino. Project Rhino KZN is an initiative of KZN’s conservation sector and unites the province’s state, private and civil society stakeholders.
By working together, Project Rhino KZN adds extra levels of support and protection. Rhino poaching threats are continuing to intensify, as consumer demand from Asian countries shows no sign of abating and is also driven by increasing numbers of local and international criminal syndicates.
