Viking Moon seeks more Poly Challenge plunder

The focus of attention will be on handsome chestnut Viking Moon when the second leg of the R80,000 WSB East Coast Poly Challenge 1400 is contested at Fairview on Friday.

The four-year-old won the first leg of the three-race series in fine style a month ago, over the slightly lesser trip of 1200m, and is likely to start as favourite to follow up.

A win would take him to five straight victories – and raise the question of whether trainer Alan Greeff will go for the third leg over 1600m in May and try to complete a Poly Challenge slam and claim the R250,000 bonus.

First things first: Apart from his hot form, Viking Moon has the great good fortune of the No 1 draw for Friday’s race, with the 1400m start being on apex of the top bend of the tight Polytrack. PE champion jockey Greg Cheyne will be able to travel handily placed and strike when the time is right.

But it won’t be easy. Stablemate Marmara Sea racked up no less than eight wins in a row on the Poly through the course of 2020. A dalliance on the turf last time out spoiled that extraordinary list of 1s in the form line, with the gelding only managing a fourth place. Back on the artificial surface, with mercurial Richard Fourie in the saddle, he presents a clear and present danger to Viking Moon.

Also looming are Juan Nel-trained Earth Hour with in-form Louis Mxothwa aboard and Gavin Smith’s front-runner The Highway Man, who could steal away from them under canny rider Marco van Rensburg. Both these horses contested Leg 1 of the Poly Challenge, with Earth Hour clearly finding the 1200m a bit short and finishing fifth, and The Highway Man going too fast from the gun and shooting his bolt.

Both will be more comfortable over 1400m. Greeff fields another two runners, in the shape of Philos and Dubula,
who are capable and must be considered for larger Pick 6 permutations. It’s a cracking race.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:
4 Carmela, 5 Paris Opera, 1 Time Off, 11 Keara

Race 2:
13 Emerald Floe, 2 Demonte, 6 Big Splash, 3 Private Initiative

Race 3:
2 East Coast Star, 3 Cianna, 5 Latifah’s Queen, 7 Queen Louise

Race 4:
2 Cerelia, 3 Quick Wit, 7 Noble Princess, 5 Ruby Rhythm

Race 5:
5 Ninjinsky’s Son, 6 Turn It Up Harvey, 9 Arabian View, 1 Mary Lee

Race 6:
2 Reef Knot, 4 San Verde, 1 Crystal Stream, 3 Take The World

Race 7:
1 Viking Moon, 3 Marmara Sea, 2 Earth Hour, 4 The Highway Man

Race 8:
7 Lumiere, 4 Victoria Tower, 3 Talia Al Ghul, 16 Law And Order

Race 9:
5 Frankie Two Shoes, 1 Rimini, 4 I Love Mambo, 13 Rock The Cot

Pick 6:

2,3 x 1,5,6,9 x 2 x 1,2,3,4 x 3,4,7,9,16 x 1,3,4,5,13 (R800)

PA:

2,3 x 2 x 5,6,9 x 2 x 1 x 4,7 x 1,4,5 (R36)

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