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HWB Greyville has attracted a field of only seven runners – disappointing, although there is top quality in the line-up, including the odds-on favourite, Eight On Eighteen.
The dual Grade 1 winner is generally on offer at 4-10 with bookmakers (5-10 with Betway at the time of writing on Friday morning) and was described by a racing publication as a possible ‘chip-and-putt’ for Justin Snaith, who saddles four of the seven runners and has prospects of dictating the contest.
It may not be that clear-cut, however, with both Fabian Habib’s three-year-old, Confederate, and Mike and Mathew de Kock’s filly,
Spumante Dolce, likely to produce challenging efforts.
Confederate is a colt who is conceivably better than his rating of 118. He defeated Fire Attack in the Grade 1 SA Classic, and the runner-up franked the form with a win over Royal Victory in the Premier’s Challenge, earning a rating of 126. On that, Confederate is a few lengths superior to what is seen on paper, which brings him into the race with a big chance.
The De Kock team reckons that well-performed Spumante Dolce is not out of it, either. Mike de Kock commented: “Off her rating of 117 she is only out at the weights with one runner, Eight On Eighteen, which gives her a good money chance. She is fit and well. If she sees out 2000m, she will be right there, involved in the finish.”
Mike and Mathew have three other runners on the card, with two of them –
Destiny Of Fire and
Trois Trois Quatre – contesting Race 4 over 1800m.
Mike said: “Destiny Of Fire has won over 1600m and ran on well over 2000m last time in the Listed East Coast Cup when she was slow off the mark. She looks suited to 1800m, so we’re expecting a very good run from her, she has to be included in your play. Trois Trois Quatre runs his best races in a ratings bracket up to about MR88. He received a four-point penalty for his recent win and is now a 92, but he remains in a good place, he is doing very well and has a chance again of earning a stake.”
Marauding Horde is one of eight runners in the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m, but he has a tough task at the weights. Mike commented: “He has been penalised seven points in his last three runs, for two seconds and an unplaced run. The handicapper doesn’t want him to win. He is very fit and well, but he’s now a MR112 and it won’t be easy under 61kg.”
There are no meetings in Gauteng until next Thursday, when nine races will be staged at the Vaal and the big size of the fields are likely to ensure some healthy dividends. The De Kock team and jockey Callan Murray have one representative – two-year-old
Constellation in Race 2 over 1000m. He is a twice beaten favourite who made his debut in a Listed feature and is obviously a colt with ability. “He is in a competitive field which includes winners and a few well-bred first-timers, but we give him a good eachway chance. He is fit and well,” said Mike.
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Most racing fans would have expected trainer Piet Steyn’s up-and-coming three-year-old Garrix to run in the Daily News and other KZN features, but Steyn felt that the Cape Winter Series presented easier pickings and Garrix has proved him right, winning the first two legs. He looks set to complete all three legs for a series win in Saturday’s Listed Pocket Power Stakes at HWB Kenilworth, and can become the first runner since his former stablemate Katak (2020) to achieve this feat.
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