Zeus reaches for the sky at the Big T

Something special seems to be cooking in trainer Fabian Habib’s stables on the banks of the Vaal River – in the shape of three-year-old colt Zeus.

The son of Soft Falling Rain has won his first three races convincingly and goes for an unbeaten four in Race 3, an MR95 Handicap over 1800m, at Turffontein on Saturday, when racing is on the Inside course.

If Zeus pulls it off, he surely will be elevated to more godlike company, as befits his name – like the last two legs of the Triple Crown, the SA Classic and the SA Derby.

First things first: on Saturday he must deal with far stronger opposition than he’s faced thus far. But the way in which he has improved with each outing thus far suggests he has the wherewithal for this task.

On debut at the Vaal, showing inexperience, he recorded a 0.25-length winning margin. Next time, more confident and assertive, he was 4.25 lengths clear at the line; then it was 3.25 and barely raising a sweat. That last effort was over 1800m on the main Turffontein track, so he knows the surroundings and the trip.

Also familiar will be the man on his back, Gavin Lerena, and a young horse could hardly want for better assistance in making his way around the scary Big T.

Trying to put a spanner in Habib’s works will be those titanic twins from Randjesfontein, Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry. The former champion trainers saddle Run As One and Litigation respectively, two horses in cracking form who will test Zeus’s credentials for the big time.

Lerena has a promising book for the meeting and could have the first two races notched up before he swings a leg across Zeus.

In the first, he partners Aga Heat for Gavin van Zyl, whose Highveld satellite string is coming nicely into form. The second race teams Lerena with Erico Verdonese’s charge Wikkel Spikkel, who is due to break her duck any day now.

SELECTIONS

Turffontein Saturday

1: 2 Aga Heat, 6 Rio’s Kiss, 8 Special Variety, 1 I Am Royal

2: 3 Wikkel Spikkel, 2 Tracy’s Princess, 4 Miss Otis, 5 Devastator

3: 1 Zeus, 4 Litigation, 2 Run As One, 7 Super Silver

4: 4 Secret Giver, 3 Kool Baikal, 9 Absolute Value, 1 Flying Grace

5: 7 Go Dream Machine, 3 Atomic Blonde, 1 Ideal Wolff, 9 The Sash

6: 4 Masaaken, 3 Aryaam, 7 Cap Estel, 8 Zazu

7: 2 About To Storm, 4 Motor City Hitman, 8 Catchthegreenlight, 6 Indus Knight

8: 1 Abalus, 7 Imposing Angel, 3 Abbacadabra, 12 Mercer Girl

Pick 6: 1 x 1,2,3,4,6,9 x 1,3,7,9 x 3,4,7 x 2,4,8 x 1,2,3,4,7,12 (R1296)

PA: 2,3 x 1 x 3,4,9 x 3,7 x 4 x 2,4 x 1,3,7 (R72)

Kenilworth Saturday

Best: Race 1 No 2 Birdie And Bogey

Value: Race 6 No 2 Magnetic Dime

Scottsville Sunday

Best: Race 5 No 5 Madiba’s Cuppa

Value: Race 7 No 11 Keep On Dancing