With an 80% chance of rain and thundershowers forecast, the first Turffontein feature action of 2018 could be in for a disrupted start today. But a man who will be hoping for a big day is Mike de Kock, after a Cape summer season of mixed fortunes.
Sir David Baird is better than recent form
The champion conditioner is back home and goes for a hat-trick of wins in the R250 000 Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes where he saddles a decent trio of runners.
The weights in this 3yo feature are structured with two-time winners and less carrying 53 kg, with an additional 2kg penalty for every win thereafter with a maximum of 57kg. Winners Gr1 races (there are none in the field) get 3kg, Gr2 winners get 2kg and Gr2 winners just 1kg.
Top of the ratings is the Bush Hill Stud bred Curved Ball gelding Seerite, who grabbed the attention when chasing Monks Hood home in a thrilling finish to the Dingaans. He won on debut and ran a cracking fourth behind Zen Arcade in the Graham Beck Stakes at only his second start. This fellow has done little wrong!
Secretariat Stakes winner Surcharge will be ridden by Piere Strydom
Piere Strydom partners Stuart Pettigrew’s promising Gimmethegreenlight gelding Surcharge, who won the Listed Secretariat Stakes over the course and distance last time out. A winner of 4 of his 6 starts, this good-looking galloper is likely to prefer 1800m in time to come and looks a genuine class act.
Anthony Delpech partners what appears to be the De Kock elect in the Teofilo colt, Yakeen. The promising Australian-bred has won two of his 3 starts by an aggregate of six lengths and impressed when beaten Soldier On going away last time. He has drawn on the paint.
After his Dingaans no-show, his stablemate Pietro Mascagni got his confidence back with a smart Vaal 1500m Handicap win last time. He was earmarked early on.
Sir David Baird was an emphatic winner of the KZN Guineas Trial at his penultimate start before fading out after leading in the Cape Guineas. He was scratched coughing from his last scheduled start and looks much better than his Guineas perfromance.
Wonderwall – not at his best
Wonderwall was not persevered with in the Diadem Stakes after an excellent fifth behind Tap O’Noth in the Cape Guineas. The in-form Grant van Niekerk gets the ride.
Mike Azzie’s Ideal Secret ran a fair fifth in the Dingaans when staying on behind Monks Hood and caught the eye when beating the very decent Social Order last time out.
The well-bred State Trooper has won his last two on the trot but takes a step up here.
Purple Diamond has never recaptured his 2yo form and won’t enjoy the widest of the draw.
The Puma and Huyssteen both recently won their maidens and ran fair follow-up races.
The Tin Man has been consistent without appearing to have classic potential.
Surcharge and Yakeen look the two most likely to fight this out. Seerite and Ideal Secret are above average, while Sir David Baird could prove the value if he finds his best form. Much has been written and debated about Pietro Mascagni. He is another worth including.
