Fit. Glen Kotzen’s Political Playboy caught the eye on his return run and looks the part
Nothing beats a long weekend just prior to Christmas and the Kenilworth public holiday eight-race programme on Monday gives punters an early opportunity to fill the stockings. The headliner poses some interesting a angles, with eight years bridging the divide between the oldest and youngest contestant on either end of the weight scale.
Trainer Mike Stewart is one of the few horsemen in this country capable of keeping an 11yo enthusiastic and enjoying his racing, and the Noordhoek-based conditioner has done a great job with the ten-time winning Grafton Street.
The son of Jallad shed his Maiden almost eight years ago to the day when winning with Piet Botha up over the course and distance.
Pensioner
In those days he was still trained by Darryl Hodgson, before moving on to Glen Kotzen, who interestingly won the this past weekend’s feature, the Gr2 Premiers Trophy in 2005 with him, amongst a host of other races. It was only after Grafton Street had ‘retired’ in 2008, that he landed up at The Dunes with Mike Stewart. Three years later, he is still racing!
After Grafton Street had overcome a bout of colic earlier this year, his two return runs have been fair, and he is bound to have a place chance here at his 49th start if able to dictate the pace. Visiting apprentice Daniel Muscutt, who has impressed some of his contemporaries, claims 4kgs,
Galloper. Justin Snaith’s M’Lords Throat is a versatile sort and dangerous if in the mood
Youngster
On the other end of the age spectrum, Glen Puller’s Surging River gelding Awesome Power has his fifth start and looks a fair sort in the making. He comes in on the 52 kg mark.
Awesome Power won on his Kenilworth 1200m debut and then ran a 1,45 length third behind Tevez in the Sophomore Sprint At his first start around the turn, he ran on quietly for an unplaced 3 lengths behind Chave De Oura in the Cape Classic over 1400m, and showed an appreciation for the mile when staying in strongly behind Silvano’s Jet in a Novice Plate last time.
Politics
Glen Kotzen’s Australian-bred Dehere gelding Political Playboy is blind in one eye, but this disability does not prevent him from winning his races.
The three-time winner was being touted as a potential July runner six months ago after winning three on the trot, but lost form towards the middle of Champions Season. After a non-threatening fifth behind Heavy Metal in the Listed Darley Arabian on Super Saturday, he was wisely rested.
Political Playboy came out two weeks ago, and caught the eye when running on well for a 2,80 length fifth behind the smart Guineas candidate Black Toga in an MR 94 Handicap over 1400m.
Form. Mike Bass’ Grasp Your Destiny appears to have hit peak form of late
Bass Coupling
The Mike Bass coupling of Lancelin and Grasp Your Destiny met each other when Justin Snaith’s M’Lords Throat won an MR 94 Handicap over Monday’s course and distance in mid November.
Another runner formerly with Glen Kotzen, M’Lords Throat narrowly got the better of Grasp Your Destiny, giving him 2,5kgs there and meets him on the same weight terms here. There should be little between the two.
He received 3 kgs and beat Lancelin 3,50 lengths, and now meets the Bass horse on 1,5kgs worse terms. There should not be much in it.
Both M’Lords Throat and Grasp Your Destiny have had another run since that clash.
Grasp Your Destiny beat Duke Of Beaufort narrowly in an MR 86 Handicap over a mile last time, and was fortunate to survive a Stipes review as he hung badly late in the race. It was a good effort though, as he had also run very wide,
M’Lords Throat ran a cracker at his last start over 200m further, when going down 1,50 lengths to the capable Brown Penny – whose run in Saturday’s Calulo Services Premier Trophy should be watched with interest.
It is worth noting that M’ Lords Throat had Grafton Street some 2,40 lengths behind him in that race when receiving 1,5kgs from him. There is only a half kilo between them here.
Longshots
Yogas Govender’s Caymen Island has lost his form and has not won a race since March 2011.
The fact that he moves into the eye of the prime racing season storm again , probably does not help his cause. He campaigned with little success in the past KZN Champions Season, and now moves South to bump the good horses again. He will need to improve substantially to have a shout.
The Vaughan Marshall-trained Brilliant Cut trades these days off a merit rating of 80, after scaling the heights of a 97 at one time. The son of Kabool was considered so talented at one stage that overseas interests were attempting to buy him. This was apparently stymied by matters veterinary.
Despite his fall from grace, he owes his connections little having won 5 races and cost just R20 000. He may warrant consideration in a small field, if in a galloping mood.
Pace
With Grafton Street likely to make the pace, there should be little dithering or options to turn the race into a 400m sprint, despite the small field.
The 3yo Awesome Power gets thrown into the deep end against some older hard-knockers, while a much fitter Political Playboy looks to build on his earlier promise. It should be a cracker of a race.
