Rock to victory at Fairview!
In most cases, when you study form for a Graduation Plate you will invariably select the better handicapped horses.
That is not always the case in a centre like Port Elizabeth where they race on turf and Polytrack as some horses may have set up their ratings on one surface but might not perform well on another.
That could well be the case in Race 6 at Fairview today where racing takes place on the Polytrack. This is a Graduation Plate over 1100m and the best handicapped runner is Silver Banshee. The problem is her rating is based on Western Cape performances where she has run on turf.
She has raced twice at Fairview and neither run has set the world alight. On debut over 1000m on the turf she faded out to finish 12th behind Bella Spumante and her nest run was on the Polytrack over 1200m. She raced up with the pace for a while and then faded to finish 9.50 lengths behind Struben.
Now she is taking on the colts again, as was the case in her last start, and one cannot have too much faith in her.
By the same token Rock Of Victory is not well handicapped in this event but he finished second to Struben last time in a Novice Plate, and with just 54kg on his back and a decent No 5 draw, Gavin Smith’s charge could beat this bunch.
Oriental Tiger, who ran four lengths behind Struben and 0.75 lengths behind Rock Of Victory, is the second best handicapped runner but he will jump from barrier No 14. He is now 0.5kg worse off with Rock Of Victory.
Jockey JP van der Merwe will have to contend with No 14 draw.
