GREAT WIN. Daffiq bounced back to best form after having been gelded and is expected to win again when he contests Race 8 at Turffontein tomorrow.
Trainer Mike de Kock has always had a high opinion of Daffiq but he has had his issues along the way and has been very lightly raced.
However, he seems to have put all his problems behind him and the manner of his last win a er having been gelded indicated the three-year-old son of Silvano is back on track.
Daffiq has only raced six times for two wins and three seconds. In his third start he was touched off by Palladium in the Listed Gatecrasher in June last year and a er that the wheels came off . He missed the remainder of the two- year-old season and only came back in January this year. He needed the run when beaten 1.60 lengths by Doosra over 1400m at Tur ontein and a er that run jockey Craig Zackey said he was looking forward to riding him again.
He ran a shocker in his second run back, beaten 6.65 lengths by Cumberland, and was again out of action for over four months. He was gelded on 1 May and when he came back on 4 June his performance was remarkable. He was reunited with Zackey in a Graduation Plate over 1450m on the Inside track and from No 10 draw there were few who gave him a chance.
He drifted from 3-1 to 9-2 and wearing a tongue-tie for the first time, ew up late to catch Machismo on the line, going away from his opposition.
Tomorrow he runs in a MR 91 Handicap on the Turffontein Standside track where he will try 1800m for the first time. The manner of his last victory leaves one with the impression that Da q will be be er suited to the more galloping track with the longer run-in and based on breeding 1800m should not give him any problems.
As he was weighted to win his last start Da q received no penalty for that victory and will be
racing o the same merit rating of 88. Anthony Delpech takes the ride for the first time.
There appear to be only two dangers and they are both from the Mike Azzie yard. Happy Pills looks quite decent but he has not raced against the same class of horse as Daffiq.
He also might be be er on the Inside track where he won very easily last time. Lyle Hewitson takes the ride.
Amsterdam has raced in de- cent company and has the bene t of No 1 draw. He has won two of his last three starts and has only gone up 4kg for the two victories,
This time Piere Strydom is not in the irons as he is serving a 10- day suspension but he will be ably replaced by Zackey.
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