Gavin cuts out the cake for Sound Of Summer

He tucked into a couple of slices of chocolate cake after his Durban July heroics – when he famously shed 4kg in three weeks to make the 53kg allotted to Kommetdieding – but jockey Gavin Lerena has clearly managed to keep himself lean and hungry.

At Turffontein on Thursday, he is booked to ride at 54.5kg aboard arguably the best bet on the card, Sound Of Summer in Race 7, an MR104 Handicap over 1600m.

Lerena has spoken of the clinically planned but arduous process of dropping from his usual riding weight of 57kg so that he could partner the sensational July winner. It seems he reckons Sound Of Summer is also worth lightening up for.

The Paul Peter-trained three-year-old does look like he could be worth the effort – having won three of his four outings and been runner-up in the other. He has been kept away from feature races, but the manner of those performances indicated lots more to come from the son of Silvano.

Sound Of Silence takes on a battle-hardened bunch of older horses, so the race will be a good test of his potential. But there is nothing quite as dynamic as him lining up and, from a draw of 3 with that feathery 54.5kg to bear, the gelding looks a potential banker for the exotic bets.

A victory here could crown yet another very good day for Lerena. He has three or four other well-fancied rides – notably on Mike The Pilot in the first, Riverstown in the third and Warship in the fourth.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

8 Mike The Pilot, 4 Flinders Range, 7 Let’s Twist Again, 3 Angel Of War

Race 2:

2 McKenna Skye, 1 Look Yourself, 6 Gilda Gray, 7 High Flyby

Race 3:

1 Riverstown, 2 Full Velocity, 5 Bowie, 3 Leopold

Race 4:

10 Warship, 7 Meteoric, 8 Saint Anastasia, 3 Beaded Gown

Race 5:

8 Magic Dancer, 9 Eastern Belle, 5 Connection, 6 Eagle Strike

Race 6:

3 Alesian Chief, 6 Midnight Caller, 4 Successful Secret, 2 Marengo

Race 7:

8 Sound Of Summer, 3 Orpheus, 6 Kingsley’s Heart, 4 Promiseofamaster

Race 8:

8 Funky Music, 3 Supreme Dance, 6 Great Warrior, 11 Humble Tune

Pick 6:

1,2,5 x 7,8,10 x 5,8,9 x 2,3,4,5,6 x 8 x 1,3,5,6,8,11 (R810)

PA:

1,2 x 1,2 x 10 x 8 x 3,4,6 x 8 x 3,6,8 (R36)