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Mike de Kock has four good prospects coming to the races this weekend – two at tonight’s third leg of the GTH Team Challenge at Greyville and two at Sunday’s Scottsville meeting.
Tonight, it‘s the third heat of the Challenge between the KwaZulu Natal Royals and the Cape Stingers, the last event before the Grand Final on 2 September. The Gauteng Gijimaz have accumulated 836 points from two meetings and will be sitting out this round. Their tally will have to be surpassed by both teams if we are to see a Royals-Stingers Final and the Stingers, especially, have some ground to make up.
Jockey Sean Veale will be out to put the Stingers in contention on Paul Matchett’s in-form runner Tartarus in Race 1 over 1000m and has a plum draw, but Mike de Kock’s Arividicio opened up odds-on favourite for the Royals team member Kabelo Matsunyane and is the one to beat.
Mike cautioned that Arividicio has had a “fairly soft” preparation and said: “He comes off gelding and a splint injury so we have been easier on him considering his issues. I’d be weary of a very short price, but he is a horse who has clearly got ability and is one to follow for the future.”
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At 5-10, professional punters may consider Arividicio a good bet and an opening banker for multiples, but the smaller players may want to look for better value in the Box Exacta with Tartarus and possibly even I’ve Got Wings thrown in.
In looking at the other races, jockey Ant Mgudlwa is on another Royals favourite, Music Of Life (Race 4, 1400m), a gelding who has been knocking at the door and looks ready to win.
Veale has drawn Mike’s runner Sequioa in Race 5 over 1400m and has a chance to rake in some points for the Stingers as the trainer noted: “Sequioa showed up well when he needed his run last time. With a bit of luck in running he should go close in this contest.”
Veteran jock Mark Khan (Stingers) partners the form choice Secret Giver in Race 8 over 1800m, but there’re are a few ‘lurkers’ with chances including the often-backed Papa C, who has Keagan De Melo in the irons.
Mike could saddle a double at Scottsville on Sunday with Iphiko (Race 3, 1000m) and Angelsea (Race 8, 1750m). He said: “They’ve both been fairly disappointing, we expected them to have won their Maidens already but they are fit and well and we’ll be looking for good runs again. Iphiko’s had a couple of niggles but she’s enjoyed a good rest and has come back really well. Even though it’s on the sharp side for her I think she’ll be competitive. Angelsea ran nicely after her rest last time, we have her over the right distance and in the right race, she has a big chance.”
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Sandwiched in between is a Saturday meeting at Kenilworth at which it is interesting to note that top jockey Smanga Khumalo has taken three rides for Candice Bass-Robinson in the absence of her stable jockey, Aldo Domeyer. The stable’s Gold Poker Game is a leading contender in Race 2 over 1200m and On The Road Again tries 1000m in Race 7 and could spring a surprise.
Justin Snaith’s colt Future Turn, narrowly beaten in his last two, will be hard to oppose in Race 4 over 1600m and should come to light as a banker for the exotics.
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