Promising – Ormonde Ferraris’ progressive 4yo Sharp Design looks something special in the making
The speed will be on from the break as fourteen sprinters fly under the Turffontein lights on Tuesday evening. A split second lost at the jump or a momentary hesitation before a final desperate surge, could make the ultimate difference in a race where the lightly-weighted Sharp Design stands out as a likely winner.
These closely matched sub-minute sprints inevitably provide an interesting spectacle and with the margin for error reduced to virtually nothing, a split-second either way often means the difference between winning and losing.
With a lot of pace here, a case can be made for a large proportion of the field, with a choice between a lightly– raced 4yo or some more experienced, but not always reliable, flyers.
Nice Form
Ormonde Ferraris’ Sharp Design is a son of National Emblem who has only raced four times in a year since his debut, for two seconds and two wins.
Sharp Design won a very strong Graduation Plate run at Turffontein at the beginning of this month, when disposing of such talented sorts as Mogok’s Desire, General Sherman and Lockheed Jetstar(who was slow away and won over further subsequently) with ease.
He carries just 52kgs here and looks an upwardly mobile sort who could take full advantage of the 5kg pull he enjoys with the likes of Chris Erasmus’ Legal Action.
Fast – Legal Action was only caught late by Pomodoro last time and could go one better over 100m shorter here
Speed
Legal Action is a speedy son of Second Empire who almost put the lights out at Turffontein a fortnight ago when he blitzed down the outside rail at double digit odds and was only caught in the final strides by a low-flying Pomodoro.
The Durban July winner produced a freakish burst in the final 50m there, and Legal Action would have won the race were it run on most of the other 364 nights of this year.
This race is over 100m less and if Legal Action comes to the office in the same fighting frame of mind, he could get away with it.
But there are some other hardknocking hares to consider.
Dominic Zaki sends out a three–way coupling that looks very good value for Pick 6 punters.
Bucking Bronco
The first of these is the Casey Tibbs gelding Rodeo Dandy, who bounced right back to best at his last outing when running on strongly over the Vaal 1000m to get the better of Turbo Tom.
Behind him there were six horses whom he meets here again on worse weight terms
They were all of Blue Nile(0,85 lengths now 1kg better off), Kayhaladin (1 length now 1kg better off), Benbow (4.50 lengths now 1kg better off), Vacherin (5,50 lengths now 1kg better) Legal Action (7,50 lengths now 1 kg better )and Maji Moto (8,50 lengths now 1,5kgs better off).
Zaki’s other two look less threatning. The 1000m may be a touch short for Dennis The Menace, while Oh Driscoll has lost form completely.
Sherman Brown rides Diane Stenger’s handsome Western Winter gelding Bermuda Winter.
Restraint – Sherman Brown gets back aboard Bermuda Winter and the pair warrant inclusion if things go to plan
Run Free
The three-time winner is a very pacy sort, but faded badly last time over the Turffontein 1160m when being allowed to stride a touch too freely by his international visiting rider. He could be a different proposition in the hands of a wily local who knows him well.
The course and distance winner Vacherin has lost his form after a booming start to his career when winning 3 of his first 5 starts.
Paul Peter’s Gold Site is a seven-time winner who is very fast and competitive when on song.
He won the Gr3 Lebelo Sprint over this course and distance where he beat the outstanding mare Mannequin by half a length. Interestingly Legal Action was beaten seven lengths into last there when receiving 1,5kgs.
In the ten months since though, Legal Action appears to just have held his consistency levels better than Gold Site.
Blow Away
The 6yo Edict reverts to sprinting after a blank spell over slightly further. He is another that may be run off his feet by the ample speed in evidence.
Leon Erasmus’ three-way coupling of Benbow, Maji Moto and Blue Nile is probably worth including in Pick 6 calculations, purely on numbers.
Maji Moto and Benbow are both very fast but probably best on the sand, while Blue Nile appears the strongest of the three.
The son of Fanatic Dane is a 1000m specialist, who stayed on well despite shifting his ground last time. That produced a 0,85 length third behind Rodeo Dandy and he is, as we observed earlier, now a kilo better off. Apprentice Akash Aucharuz rides him again.
Robbie Sage’s Forestation has won 3 of 18 starts, but returns from a break of over a year and should need the run.
Former Glen Puller inmate Kayhaladin is now based with Grant Maroun and was running on nicely when fourth and just one length behind Rodeo Dandy last time.
Kayhaladin is now a kilo better off with Rodeo Dandy , but needs to prove that he can maintain his consistency.
Speed Summary
Ormonde Ferraris’ Sharp Design appears to be a smart sprinter in the making and with a light weight and a promising jockey in the saddle, will be a popular first choice.
But he will have to be on his toes and his best behaviour to go with the likes Legal Action and Bermuda Winter, who are not likely to be giving any quarter.
There are also quite a few on the fringes, and here Gold Site, Rodeo Dandy and Blue Nile look most likely. If not bankering Sharp Design in the final leg of the jackpot, it may be safe to go with a few.
