Iconic victory beckons

The extremely well-bred Our Icon has blossomed since relocating to Port Elizabeth, and goes for a fourth successive victory in the Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m on the Polytrack at Fairview today.

He clearly has a great winning chance again, and seems likely to go off a warm favourite against many rivals he has accounted for in the past.

The now six-year-old Dynasty gelding has won two of three on this surface, and is best handicapped according to official merit ratings. The only negative he has to overcome is a wide draw, but would still be a fairly confident selection to take home first prize.

A very serious danger presents itself in the shape of Justin Snaith’s Razed In Black. He was off the track from November to May, and has since chased Our Icon home twice.

Under normal circumstances he would be my first selection, as on both those meetings he is now weighted to turn the tables.

A major dampener on any great enthusiasm over his winning chances however is the fact he burst a blood vessel last time, but if fit and firing he should be right in the thick of things and should be included in any exotics.

Sir Duke is another Eastern Cape stalwart, and can be excused a rare poor effort last time. This 11-time winner is arguably best over this trip and with an excellent draw and an up and coming young talent in Callan Murray aboard the veteran is another on his day well capable of upsetting the favourite.

In Race 4 Pepper Oak seems a very exciting prospect, and she is selected to make her first appearance as a three-year-old a winning one in the Novice Plate for females over 1000m. She took to the Poly like a duck to water last time, and could have any amount of improvement to come.