Mr Black Tom is unbeaten with Anton Marcus on board.
MR96 Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein on Sunday
Whilst Anthony Delpech is taking a well deserved break after a gallant effort to secure the national jockey’s title, it’s been business as usual in the first week of the new season for champion jockey Anton Marcus. Top weight Mr Black Tom retains Anton’s services in the bill topping MR96 Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein on Sunday and together they have proven to be a formidable team, writes Steve Furnish.
A winner of five of his previous twelve outings, Brian Wiid’s charge has already won twice over today’s course and distance, and most notably, he ran a good second over the trip in the Gr2 Senor Santa Handicap here in April. Another interesting statistic is that he has found the winner’s enclosure in all four of his previous outings in which he has been partnered by Anton Marcus. He’s at the top of his game right now having run on stoutly to win over the course and distance in similar company last time out and looks sure to take some beating again here.
Fenerbahce
It’s always nice to see our top jockeys back on home soil and riding one of the joint second highest rated runners in the field Fenerbahce is former champion Weichong Marwing. A bit of an enigma, this 5yo son of Kahal has run some tremendous races earlier in his career, most notably when winning the Sea Cottage Stakes and finishing third in the Gauteng Derby. Since his success in the listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m at the inner track way back in 2009 though, Fenerbahce has failed to find the winner’s enclosure in 25 starts. He’s only raced once in 2011 thus far and although he has performed with credit in his very few starts around today’s distance, he would clearly prefer further.
Carlito Brigante showed real promise as a juvenile last season.
Carlito Brigante
The highest rated of up and coming trainer Paul Peter’s three runners in the field, is the 3yo Carlito Brigante. This son of Windrush impressed when winning his first two outings as a juvenile and as a result of those two successes was sent off a strong favourite to win the listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1000m here next time out. After stumbling at the start and finishing a runner up in that event though, Carlito Brigante has been reported as lame, and has finished down field in all three of his subsequent outings. He would no doubt be a factor in this race if at his best, but he is perhaps best just watched for now.
Starspangledbanner
Paul Peter also saddles the only other 3yo in the race Starspangledbanner. He’s been ultra consistent since finishing a runner up on debut and hasn’t missed a place in the quartet in six starts. It did take him six starts to shed his maiden tag though and on those performances he is rated eleven pounds inferior to his stable companion Carlito Brigante. Further improvement is sure to be forthcoming from Starspangledbanner during the course of the new season, but he is badly out at the weights here and seems unlikely.
Chip Shot
The 4yo son of Solskjaer Chip Shot makes up the trio from the stable of Paul Peter and with Francois Naude who regularly rides for the stable on board, he may well prove to be the stable elect on the day. A winner of two of his eleven starts to date, Chip Shot showed good improvement after returning from a short break in March and caught the eye in particular when running on stoutly from the rear to win a MR94 Handicap over 1200m at the Vaal in April. He was given another short break after that win and although he was then well beaten in his first two outings, he was again running on in his third run after the rest behind Mr Black Tom last time out. Interestingly, Chip Shot has run all of his best ratings in our book over 1200m at the Vaal. He is now 2,5kg better off with Mr Black Tom here and although he won’t find it easy to turn the tables, he should certainly finish much closer.
Commissionerstreet
The only other coupling in the race is that of Paul Matchett. He saddles both Gold Game and Commissionerstreet. Both are in under sufferance off their current marks in the handicap, but on earlier form Commissionerstreet in particular is very well in at the weights. Indeed, this son of Johannesburg was once rated some 23 points higher in the weights than he is today. He’s been a regular place getter since winning a Juvenile Plate way back in May ’08, but amazingly his success in a lowly MR73 affair last time out was his first win since. He’s back to the level in which he had been battling here and once again a place looks to be his best hope.
Gold Game
The son of Choctaw Ridge has also not found winning easy of late and interestingly, his best recent efforts have all come on the sand. He returns from a four month break here and that has to be a concern. His best recent effort on turf was in this class over today’s course and distance though, so if ready, he could well be thereabouts.
Fuzzy Cuzzy
A winner of seven races in total, the veteran Fuzzy Cuzzy has been a tremendous servant to connections. He’s proven to be at his best on the sand though, and is now without a win on turf in two and a half years. He’s been unable to fill a place in the Quartet on either surface in his last seven outings and on that alone is not easy to fancy.
About The Pace
Although just eight go to post, there is enough speed in the race to ensure a decent gallop. Regardless of what the rest decide to do though, Mr Black Tom is more than capable of making his own running if need be, and with most of his rivals battling to find their best form at the moment, or in under sufferance, he should take a lot of beating.
