One Man’s Dream has class but lumps the weight
It is often said in racing that weight stops trains. But an exception to the rule could apply on the Vaal Express today, with Piere Strydom doing the driving and Louis Goosen the conductor.
Midweek racing returns to the Vaal outside turf track on Tuesday where a bumper ten race programme is bound to keep punters scratching their heads, with no obvious bankers putting their hands up.
Tricky
The day’s top liner is a R100 000 MR 94 Divided Handicap over 1200m, which is the final leg of a tricky Pick Six.
The red hot combination of Strydom and Goosen, on a high from their Gr3 Lebelo Sprint success of last Saturday, team up with the consistent Grey’s Inn gelding, One Man’s Dream, who goes for his fourth win from his last five starts.
Trainer Louis Goosen has done wonders with the 4yo who has lifted his game and struck top form over the sprints since winning an MR 88 Handicap in early September.
The world really sat up and took note at his last start in the Gr2 Joburg Merchants where he stayed on best of the rest behind facile winner Trip To Heaven, with some high class speedsters behind him. He gave the winner 2kgs.
Robust
Piere Strydom feels he has a decent chance
We asked the Wildekrans-sponsored Piere Strydom for an opinion as to whether he feels his mount will be able to lump the welter 63kg impost.
“He really has come well and I was pleased with his Merchants run. Although I do feel that he was really just staying on more than making any serious impression on the winner. It remains a really good effort.”
Now a winner of 6 races from 20 starts, the Rosedene Stud product has, in the space of four months and four runs, seen his merit rating rise from a modest 82 to 100.
A nice robust horse, if he manages the weight on Tuesday, he looks a winner.
Opposition
And the opposition hardly looks top class.
On the other end of the scale, looking for something capable of beating him, the handily weighted Var gelding October Eleventh was an impressive winner over the course and distance last time. He got the better with a strong late run of Dennis the Menace and Any Day Any Time, as well at Nice Stride, all of whom he meets again.
On the weight turnaround, Anyday Anytime, who finished 1,35 lengths behind October Eleventh catches the eye as he is all of 1.5kg better off and his saddle slipped in running.
It is of some concern that the Australian bred exhibits respiratory noise during his races and he may thus be capable of in and out performances.
Leon Erasmus’ Nice Stride who finished 5th and 2.35 lengths off the winner at that Vaal run, is all of 3.5kgs better off and has had a race in the interim. He failed to spark there.
Very Fast
Former PE campaigner Mod Barley, now with Paul Peter, showed electrifying pace over course and distance when beating Moofeed at his last start in a lower MR Handicap. He returned distressed there and needs to be monitored for consistency.
Leon Erasmus’ grey stage call gelding Stavinski has been fairly close up recently in his three sand runs but he is too inconsistent to recommend with any form of confidence.
Much the same applies to Approval Rating and the former Cape-based entire Depardieu who has battled to get his act together since joining his new yard.
Abbotsbury and Flag Of France have lost their form of recently and should not feature.
The Right One
Perfectly distance and surface suited, One Man’s Dream will strip fit and Strydom knows him well.
He will be ridden conservatively and will be swooping late. We feel he will be good enough to go very close to winning here.
