Marwing Magic. Here Comes Billy could get 2014 off to a great start for punters
The R 250 000 Gr3 Lebelo Sprint has attracted a classy field of speedsters in what should be a hotly contested 1000m showdown at Turffontein on Saturday. Weiho Marwing could hold the trump card with the 2013 Gr2 Merchants winner Here Comes Billy and he looks set to get the New Year off to a flying start.
Jockey S’manga Khumalo has retained the prized ride on the versatile Muhtafal gelding, despite picking up a ten day suspension for his liberal use of the whip in the Merchants. Khumalo had to pull out all the stops to hold the late charge of Snowdon in that feature, and it is heartening to see the connections staying loyal to him.
Here Comes Billy is a winner of five races, and probably would ideally have preferred an extra few yards at best. He won the August Stakes on the Vaal sand and also showed in both the Emerald Cup and the Charity Mile that sprinting is his A game.
Model Trainer
Danger. The talented Desert Sheik has been threatening to win a big one for some time
KZN trainer Pat Lunn has already forgotten what most of his modern day colleagues have yet to learn, and he makes the road trip with the promising Mogok gelding, Mr Whatever. The 4yo has won 5 of his 11 starts and takes his step into the big league in the hands of Anton Marcus. He will have plenty of supporters and based on winning times, he will not be too far behind the proven hotshots.
Mike De Kock’s Desert Sheik will be ridden by Marco Van Rensburg, and the son of Trippi has been threatening to win something of substance for some time. He ran 6,75 lengths behind Here Comes Billy in the Merchants, which was run over 160m further than Saturday’s race.
Danger Zone
Desert Sheik is a fellow who tends to run on late and he may be run off his feet early here. He does however meet Here Comes Billy on 4kgs better terms, and showed his fitness with a cracking second on the Vaal sand 1200m to Principled on Christmas Eve.
The Var filly Miss October has moved from Dennis Drier to Geoff Woodruff. She showed plenty of nice toe when fading late in the Merchants at her second start for her new yard. She only finished four lengths off Here Comes Billy and meets the Marwing gelding on 3,5kgs better terms. The rest did not contest the Merchants.
Peter Coupling
Paul Peter saddles a coupling of the topweighted Magico and 2012 Lebelo winner, Gold Site. The 6 time winning Magico is top class on his day and is the highest rated runner in the race. His recent form has shown flickers of a return to his best form, and he may have to lift his game a few lengths based on his recent course and distance efforts.
Gold Site was a shock winner of his penultimate start over the course and distance in an MR 88 Handicap, but has not maintained any level of consistency.
Two Ladies
Sean Tarry brings two ladies to the party, and both are serious runners. She’s A Stunner will have to make up some ground on Jade Bay, but the rather exciting Dolomiti is the girl that catches the eye. The Varsfontein Stud owned and bred daughter of Caesour has won 3 of her 7 starts and is yet to run a bad race.
She has run on smartly at her recent sprint starts and comes in with a handy weight that has danger written all over. If she has a trouble free passage, she will be chasing the leaders inside the final 100m.
Zak Attack
The in form Dom Zaki yard saddle a duo, which includes the champion Jackson’s half brother, Jade Bay. Jade Bay won the Umngeni Handicap at Greyville last season and ran a cracking second over the course and distance behind Sharp Design last time out. He looks to have the edge again on Magico thanks to a 2kg advantage, as well as a kilo over She’s A Stunner.
It is of concern that he was hanging and making a respiratory noise there, but looks capable of running a good race here. Rodeo Dandy looks a tad outclassed and has not run for ten weeks. Grant Maroun sends out the former Glen Puller runner Kayhaladin. The son of Kahal is a game sort, with fair recent form. While at 8 years of age he may be past his best, he must have a place prospect as one of the joint bottomweights.
Erasmus Quartet
Leon Erasmus holds the strongest hand in terms of pure numbers. He saddles a quartet of runners, spearheaded by the underrated Imperial Stride gelding, Nice Stride. Sherman Brown (no doubt in view of weight considerations) rides the six time winner, who is a versatile sort with turf and sand wins to his credit.
Nice Stride is a kilo better off with his stablemate Tiger Territory, whom he beat a quarter length at his penultimate outing. Tiger Territory coughed and made a breathing noise when finding the 1400m of the Secretariat Stakes a bridge too far last time. He finished a one paced fifth behind the impressive winner Lance. This will be much more his game.
Pressured
The Storm Bird Stakes winner Jimmi Choo was a fast 2yo, but he appears to have lost his form and he needs to show that he is capable of training on as a 3yo. He was disqualified in the Secretariat Stakes when the Clerk Of Scales lodged an objection against his rider. Roy Magner’s Count Dubois mare Kinematic Countess is a kilo better off with Dolomito, who beat her a length last time. That should bring them very close, but one senses that Dolomiti is the more progressive of the two.
Tight
The race should be a hard fought affair with luck at the break and in running, the unknown factors. Here Comes Billy knows what is required and looks to have an excellent chance of winning. Mr Whatever could surprise them if he adjusts to the rigours of the big league. He certainly has done little wrong and his trainer has won bigger races in years gone by. Desert Sheik and Dolomiti may be best of the rest.
