Impressive recent maiden winner Eurakilon looks to have plenty of scope
The feast of the Classic Day thrills last Saturday would have fired the passion for top quality racing, but punters go back to the staple diet this week with competitive racing the order of the moment.
Seasoned handicap-pers face lightly raced but possibly upwardly mobile sorts in the top-liner at the Vaal on Thursday where the equine ATM Henry Higgins should earn again.
The well bought Triple Crown pretender Louis The King would have probably inspired prospective owners in the direction of their bank managers on the eve of the National Yearling Sale later this month.
Having realised some 40 times his purchase price of R55 000, he is a glorious advert for the sale and the sometimes feel in the dark pursuit that is bidding on and buying racehorses. It is horses like the son of Black Minnaloushe that make this game look easy.
Staple Diet
But back to the bread and butter lunches, where two relative cheapies catch the eye in Thursday’s topliner. At R45 000 on the old version of the present day March Yearling Sale, Paul Peters’ Henry Higgins has won no triple crowns but has banked ten winning cheques and placed 13 times.
The Varsfontein Stud bred son of the deceased Caesour ran last Tuesday on the sand in the Riverside Handicap when the 3yo Tommy Gun gave all and sundry a solid galloping lesson when winning by ten lengths.
Henry Higgins followed in his wake and did best of the rest of a bunch of seasoned sandsters. Fair enough, The Mousketeer had no luck when walking out of his gate, but beyond the Spies 3yo, Henry Higgins was not disgraced.
He demonstrates his ver-satility and hardiness when switching to turf again this week. He won’t be far off again and is surely a place accumulator banker.
Down In Class
Geoff Woodruff trains Starspangledemblem
Geoff Woodruff trains the 4yo Starspangledemblem, who drops down in class after places against better at his last two starts. He won two races early on last year but things went pearshaped in the Derby Trial.
His runs to Meissa and more recently Gone Baby Gone last time in an MR 92 Handicap stamp him as one to be with here. He ran on strongly last time in a small field under Robbie Fradd, and top jockey Richard Fourie won’t be panicking from the 13 draw.
Lightly Raced
Ormond Ferraris’ R70 000 buy Eurakilon is lightly raced and unlike the aforementioned fancies, is well drawn at 2. The son of Classic Flag won his third start after a close on two year break in great style on very soft ground over the Vaal mile.
He now faces the second run after a rest bogey but could be just about anything having his fourth career start, as opposed to Henry Higgins’ number 42. Both Eurakilon and Starspangledemblem are likely to still be in front of the handicapper so should show up well.
Good Form
Tyrone Zackey’s Augustinus has come good recently and run two good seconds. The Wilgerbosdrift Stud bred son of Royal Academy steps up in class here but could challenge for place money. Gavin Lerena rides the topweight Flaming Forge for Brian Wiid.
The son of Jallad has won 6 of his 42 starts but his wins are too few and far between to suggest that he should be included in this turf contest with any genuine confidence. Lucky Houdalakis trains the former Dean Kannemeyer runner Noble Star, who ran a poor race on sand last time.
His turf form was not half bad before that and he actually meets Henry Higgins on 2,5kgs better terms for a half length beating over the Turffontein 1800m. Watch him for quartet value.
Fiery Family
Sean Tarry saddles a coupling of the out of form Perigrine and recent maiden winner, Gold Bay. The latter is ridden by Piere Strydom and shed his maiden over a mile at this track in February. The beautifully bred son of Western Winter hails from a family that has served Chris Van Niekerk and Tarry with pride and glory and it would be foolish to ignore Gold Bay.
Spectrum
The choice boils down to the proven experience of Henry Higgins versus the likes of the untapped potential of Eurakilon and Gold Bay. Perhaps Starspangledem-blem warrants inclusion too on his collateral to some promising racers. Then Noble Star for bigger quartets.
It isn’t easy.
