In Step. Tara Laing’s good stayer Drill Sargeant is the first choice in Friday’s Lakeside Handicap
The astute and very popular Tellytrack presenter Gavin Venter gave us the heads up last Friday as to the prospects of the Dynasty gelding Drill Sargeant in the R90 000 NBT Lakeside Handicap at Fairview this Friday.
Venter has more inside stable information at his disposal than the average television tipster, but a blind man from a helicopter could point out the favourable prospects of the Jooste owned gelding, who is one of the best stayers in the region.
A winner of 6 of his 21 starts, Drill Sargeant is a veritable model of consistency and has won 5 of his last 7 starts, and impressively his last three, two of which were over Friday’s course and distance, in a row.
It doesn’t get too much better than that for this smart fellow, who cost what seems a bargain R170 000 as a yearling. He left the Justin Snaith yard a one time winner in the middle of last year, and has just not stopped improving.
He isn’t a massive horse, but is possessed of the heart of a lion and plenty of ability to match. His stablemate Parceval is another talented 4yo, who carries topweight and tries the trip for the first time.
The gelded son of Silvano seldom runs a bad race and won the Fiarview Mile at his penultimate start, before going down narrowly to the very high riding Iron Grey. He is fit and well, and there is little reason to doubt that he will get the trip.
Fader
The 8yo Alan Greeff trained October Club has won 12 of his 69 starts, but has faded at his last few starts. He ran second 0,75 lengths behind Drill Sargeant at his last course and distance outing, and is now 2, 5 kgs better off with him.
Regular pilot MJ Byleveld knows October Club like the back of his hand, and he certainly warrants quartet considerations. Grant Paddock’s Ice Flag has won 3 of his 25 starts, and stays well. He was not perservered with when fading badly at his last start in a moderate MR 78 Handicap..
Trio
Mitch Wiese sends out a trio of stayers, that may appeal to bigger Pick Six players. The first of these is the mare Inca’s Spirit, a solid staying 8 time winner. She is up against it though and is four kgs worse off with Drill Sargeant on their last outing, and she has over two lengths leeway to make up.
Wiese also sends out the 8yo Cape Town, who has his 67th run after travelling the length and breadth of South Africa through various yards and the Grey’s Inn filly Camden Borough, who is finding things rather tough in mixed company.
Smith Duo
Gavin Smith sends out Jervis and the recently improved Mucho Gold, who comes in under sufferance here on the handicap on the 50,5kg mark, but could be much better than he has shown.
Jacques Strydom Key Castle and Solo Flight probably fall into the optimist choices, but both are lightly weighted and capable of an upset given the correct set of conditions.
Top Form
All told, Drill Sargeant is in the form of his life and we feel he will be good enough to register his fourth win in succession. His stablemate Parceval, and the lightly weighted Mucho Gold, could follow him home. It should be a splendid race to watch, with October Club a ready made pacesetter.
