Glen Kotzen is having a Magical time in KZN

Glen Kotzen has been a trainer to follow in KwaZulu-Natal in recent weeks, racking up a host of winners from both his permanent satellite yard in the province and his newly arrived winter-season sojourners from Cape Town.

On Wednesday, he takes two horses to Greyville for a Polytrack meeting and one of them looks primed to maintain the team’s momentum.

There might even be a bit of betting value about Magical Midlands, a three-year-old who goes in Race 5, a MR94 Handicap over 1900m.

The gelding has the sort of improving form line that hints at an imminent strike, carries just 53.5kg, is drawn No 3 and has log-leading jockey Lyle Hewitson in the saddle. The aforementioned value might lie in the fact that he has never tackled this distance in his six outings to date.

However, his father is Twice Over, whose blood carries stamina capabilities, and the way he has won and placed on different courses suggests he’ll handle the extra ground.

Since arriving in Durban in March, Magical Midlands has competed twice, both times on the Polytrack over 1600m, and finished a 3.30-length-adrift sixth and a close-up second.

Two fellow Capetonians, Look For Hounds and Lion’s Head, appear to pose the biggest threat to Magical Midlands. Handled by Vaughan Marshall and Dean Kannemeyer respectively, these two clashed in their KZN warm-up race on 21 April, finishing fifth and fourth respectively, and looked decidedly ring-rusty after four-month breaks from racing.

Magical Midlands should still be much fitter than them and might be considered as a Pick 6 banker on a tricky day that requires width in some other legs. Fight Song, Truly Wicked and Ibutho appear to be his most likely local challengers.

Another visiting trainer to follow on the day is Paul Peter, who fields four horses fresh off the float from Joburg – Promise Of Hope (Race 1), Frontline Fighter (2), Wine Tasting (3) and Baymax (6) – and all have serious winning chances.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

4 Promise Of Hope, 5 Perfect Appeal, 7 Lazuli, 2 Snow Tune

Race 2:

10 Grey Ocean, 6 Ride The Lightning, 1 Frontline Fighter, 5 Master Dancer

Race 3:

1 Wine Tasting, 5 Window To Africa, 6 Nikiya, 4 Retail Therapy

Race 4:

4 Rain Wear, 6 Miss Missouri, 2 Emerald Isla, 11 Noble Nova

Race 5:

3 Magical Midlands, 8 Lion’s Head, 4 Truly Wicked, 2 Look For Hounds

Race 6:

4 Baymax, 9 Fever, 8 Raiseahallelujah, 10 Banzai Pipeline

Race 7:

5 Chewbaca, 4 Mambo Symphony, 2 Tiger Tank, 9 Gavel Strike

Race 8:

4 Hamsa Grove, 1 Aalsmeer, 10 Star Choice, 12 Tango Time

Pick 6:

1,4,5,6 x 4,6 x 3 x 1,4,8,9,10 x 1,2,4,5,9 x 1,3,4,10,12 (R1000)

PA:

1,6,10 x 1,5 x 4 x 3 x 4,9 x 4,5 x 1,4,10 (R72)