Inconsistent. The sometimes brilliant Link Man is overdue to put his best foot forward again (photo: JC Photos)
The handsome grey Toreador gelding Link Man is the epitome of the frustrating enigmatic talent. Something of a James Dean of the equine ranks, he can turn it on with the best on his day. But when he is bad, he is really quite ordinary.
His presence brightens Tuesday’s Turffontein night meeting, where he meets a field he really looks capable of beating in the MR108 Handicap. Dean, the famed cultural icon of teenage disillusionment has been gone 58 years now. But he once apparently said that the gratification comes in the doing, not in the results.
Up And Down
Mike De Kock’s Link Man probably lives up to that. A winner of 7 of his 23 starts, he has not tasted victory for over a year now, and has run some sparkling and equally dreadful races in between. He appears to have his medical issues.
Link Man’s last victory was in the 2012 Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge, when Anton Marcus steered him to a 1,25 length victory over Zorba’s Tale. He had a few ‘name brands’ behind him there, including the likes of Pierre Jourdan, and subsequent 2012 Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes winner, Zambucca.
Gr1 Winner
He ran a poor race in the Charity Mile, but shocked Potala Palace when storming through late to get within a length of the Azzie poster boy, in the Joburg Spring Challenge at his penultimate start. Link Man can run when he puts it in and as a former Gr1 winner, he would paralyse this field if ready. He has won his 7 races from 1200m to a mile, and gets 2,5 kgs relief, courtesy of apprentice Thabana.
As we go to print, Link Man is carded to be ridden by recently crowned UK champion jockey Richard Hughes in a sharpener in the Turffontein fifth race of the International Jockey Challenge first leg on Friday evening. If he comes through that unscathed, he is bound to line up here.
Unexciting
Form is probably the singular major factor missing from the majority of the eight runners that line up in this MR 108 Handicap over the Turffontein standside track 1400m. The Charles Laird trained Distinguished is consistency personified. The Listed Darley Arabian winner has the gate speed required to optimise the perks of his 2 draw and will be ridden by the bang in form former KZN jockey, Ian ‘Fish’ Sturgeon.
Australian
Piere Strydom rides the Australian bred Fastnet Rock gelding Adams Rock, for St John Gray. Drawn against the paint here, the 4yo patently did not enjoy the sand when one a one paced 8,50 lengths behind Storm Surf last time out. He ran very handily at his previous outing on turf when fading behind Flag Of France, and may enjoy being ridden quietly by Piere Strydom, and allowed to run on late.
The Ormond Ferraris trained Captain Haddock stayed on fairly well for a decent third behind Prince Jazeem last time, and while up in class, comes in with a galloping weight in the hands of the master, Robbie Fradd. He is drawn on the outside, but he can run handily, in need.
No Depth
Beyond Adams Rock, Distinguished and Captain Haddock, the rest have little to show for their recent exploits. The Woodruff trained Approachable has earned topweight, but has gone off the boil in his last three runs. He was rested for five months when reported lame after the Horse Chestnut Stakes, and appears to be battling to regain fitness and enthusiasm for his racing.
Fitness Question
Link Man’s stablemate Amur Affair has good course and distance references to recommend her. She has, however, been rested for four months, and should the need the outing before being fancied against the boys. Gavin Van Zyl’s Moon Of Rangoon was awfully drawn and slow away, when making no show in the Charity Mile.
That run is best ignored, and he did run a fair fourth behind Potala Place in the Joburg Spring Challenge at his penultimate start. He is 1,5kgs better off with Link Man for just over half a length deficit there.
Corne Spies’ Victory Moon gelding War Horse was hampered in the Charity Mile, and ended up running stone last. His previous run in the Emerald Cup was also poor, and he is battling to recapture the promise of his Gr1 2yo form. He has run out of excuses.
Missing Link
If he runs here, we fancy that Link Man will put it all together and go very close as the class horse in the race. But he can never be anticipated with any level of confidence. Distinguished is a dangerous forward galloper who is capable of going all the way, while Adams Rock could enjoy the sympathetic guidance of Piere Strydom.
Ed Note: Link Man finished sixth and 3,75 lengths behind in the fifth race at Turffontein on Friday evening.
