Ask not what you can do for Kennedy…

Warren Kennedy is setting a hot pace in the 2021-22 jockey championship race and looks likely to forge further ahead in his bid to regain the title he lost to Lyle Hewitson last term when he heads to the Vaal on Thursday.

Punters who fancy a theme to their All To Come bets might like to string together three or four of their preferred Kennedy mounts. Almost all eight of them are likely to go close.

With his retainer Paul Peter doing equally well in the trainer championship, the bulk of Kennedy’s bookings are for the Turffontein handler and the duo should get off to a winning start with Goddess Of Light in Race 1.

The three-year-old filly made an impressive debut up this straight 16 days ago in a work riders’ race. Despite swerving around in the run-in, she still got to within 0.50 lengths of fancied winner Shimmerlindt and was doing her best work at the end of the 1000m. Stepped up to 1200m, she looks a nigh-certainty and the best bet on the day.

Kennedy and Peter could complete a quick double with General Hancock in Race 2, although the opposition in this case is a little tougher.

In the fourth, Kennedy does duty for Mike de Kock on Waya Yire, a filly who hasn’t been out of the placings in her five runs and looks ready to secure a second victory.

Peter is back giving the jockey a leg up on Top Drawer in the fifth, but their expectations might be low after the filly’s leave of absence from competition for more than a year.

Balouchi in the sixth provides a lot more hope. The colt was a good runner-up in his post-maiden with Kennedy in the irons and looks good enough to dominate this Graduation Plate field.

Sergei in the eighth and final race might well cap a profitable trip upcountry for the Durban-based rider.

SELECTIONS

1: 8 Goddess Of Light, 1 Moonstrike, 5 Dancing Dora, 2 Beltway

2: 11 Manhattan, 1 General Hancock, 2 Coming In Hot, 4 Castle Of Glass

3: 3 Seemyvision, 6 Captain’s Run, 2 Muleta, 4 Slalom Queen

4: 5 Waya Yire, 2 Alabama Anna, 6 Hear The Trumpet, 8 Zodiac Express

5: 9 La Valliere, 8 Warship, 3 Midnight Gem, 7 Prairie Falcon

6: 6 Balouchi, 2 Funky Music, 1 Majestic Mozart, 3 Rock The Globe

7: 5 Ivalo’s Prince, 3 Nordic Rebel, 4 Purple Panther, 1 Theory Of Flight

8: 3 Sergei, 6 Big City Girl, 2 Waqaas, 15 Lonely Night

Pick 6: 2,3,6 x 2,5,6,8 x 3,6,7,8,9 x 1,2,3,6 x 3,4,5 x 2,3,6 (R2160)

PA: 1,11 x 3 x 2,5 x 8,9 x 6 x 3,5 x 3,6 (R32)