Heart Of A Lion – set to show he can stay the distance
It has been tough year in many respects but an attractive Turffontein night meeting programme provides punters with an opportunity to go out with a bang. Piere Strydom partners the Seul Amour gelding Heart Of A Lion in a 2450m Pinnacle Stakes and this could be the stamina test that the 4yo has been looking for.
While only a four-time winner, Heart Of A Lion has always promised plenty and struck in fine style at his last outing with a resounding victory in a Conditions Plate over 1800m when slamming Kingmambo’s Legacy.
Interestingly, he has never raced beyond 1800m but now tries a trip he should enjoy.
Stamina
Piere Strydom – rides Heart Of A Lion again
His dam Action Lady only won up to a mile, but there is some staying potential on his sire’s side.
Seul Amour is a beautifully bred son of Zabeel out of the champion filly Grand Archway, who was champion 3yo and champion 3yo female in Australia in 1999.
The daughter of Thatching stallion Archway was a multiple Gr1 winner and a versatile racehorse at that, registering her wins from 1150m to 2500m. Seul Amour’s sire Zabeel won the Gr1 Australian Guineas and is a sire of Gr1 winners and Champions.
Seul Amour raced in Australia and New Zealand and registered his six wins from 1400m to 2100m.
Earlier Form
Heart Of A Lion (rated 96) carries joint topweight with the Ormond Ferraris trained S’il Vous Plait (rated 93) who has not been at his best of late but has earlier form over the trip.
Paul Peter’s ever consistent Henry Higgins is a versatile eleven time winner who scored a nice win over the Turffontein 2000m beating Augustinus by 2 lengths.
Against him will be an awful 16 draw, but he is a horse who can be ridden with flexibility and has the gate speed to overcome that hurdle.
De Kock’s Two
Mike De Kock – saddles two
Mike De Kock saddles a coupling of Taarish and the recent maiden winner, Motoman.
Taarish has won 3 races from 1400m to 1800-m and while bred on lines that suggest he may stay, has generally flopped over ground.
Motoman ran 22 lengths off at his post maiden run.
Go Gold has some solid earlier staying form and has slowly tumbled down the ratings.
He will certainly enjoy this test of stamina again.
Soma Duo
Joey Soma’s Rodeo Sioux has drawn terribly at 15 and has maintained her consistent form through a tough campaign.
Her string of seconds suggest she could get lucky if things go her way and she will not lack fitness.
Her stablemate Savage Wind stays well but has been off the boil at his last three starts.
His earlier form suggests that he may be worthy of inclusion in bigger perms.
Errico Verdonese trained Lion’s Emblem ran a cracking 1,50 length second at his last start over the Vaal 2400m to Afterburner after producing a solid late effort and being hampered in proceedings.
He is 3,5kgs better off with Afterburner, who needs to prove that he can produce a consistent string of races.
Numbers Game
The Club King finished third in that race a further 0,75 lengths behind, but only drops 1,5kgs in the weights and has more to do here.
His stablemate, also a son of Fan Club’s Mister, Dancing Club has lost form at his last few starts but stays well.
Brian Wiid’s Royal Duo has no form to recommend and we have to go back six months to his one and only victory.
His stablemate Tiger Would also looks to be making up numbers.
Stay The Trip
As a maturing 4yo who has shown hints of top ability, we suggest that Heart Of A Lion will enjoy the test and could produce the double.
He is the class horse and his fitness is assured.
Let’s make it a winning end to 2014 and a running start to 2015.
