Defender is the Main man

As the curtain rises on Highveld racing’s spring and summer season, the starring role goes to Main Defender. The four-year-old from trainer Tony Peter’s stable is a 16-10 hot pot to defend the Grade 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge he won so impressively in 2023.

A popular favourite is always a draw at a race meeting, but the fixture at Turffontein on Saturday has other compelling aspects to it.

For punters, a carryover Pick 6 with a likely pool of R5-million will be top of mind – with Main Defender tempting as a banker in permutations.

For owners and trainers, operator 4Racing’s 10% hike in stake money for the season – bringing the term’s overall pot to R90-million – will put a bounce in the step as they head for the Big T.

A raider from KwaZulu-Natal, in the form of the combative Gladatorian, adds spice to the springtime party.

One star missing from the bill is current leading jockey Muzi Yeni. The diminutive dynamo is in Singapore to represent South Africa on the sad occasion of the city-state’s final race meeting at Kranji. Also missing is another fan favourite, S’Manga “Bling” Khumalo, who is recovering from knee surgery after a race fall.

But there are plenty of great riders in top form to keep the show rolling – such as Gavin Lerena and Piere “Striker” Strydom, who were a formidable duo at Turffontein last weekend with seven wins in nine races.

Main Defender walloped rivals in last year’s 1450m Spring Challenge, with Equus Champion Sprinter Thunderstruck flailing 6.50 lengths back in second.

Word from the Peter yard is that Main Defender has been “flying” in his preparations for the season.

Coming off a 70-day hiatus should not be a problem for the gelding on his home track and his patent class will ensure him a big say. The assistance of Lerena from the saddle could be a clincher.

But racing is never cut and dried and some worthy horses line up alongside Main Defender. Gladatorian is one, course-and-distance specialist Unzen another, as are hometown boy Purple Pitcher and ultra-consistent William Robertson. Under-rated grey Barbaresco is another lurker, while Back In Business, the mount of the country’s sole female jockey Rachel Venniker, might be flying under the radar.

The support feature, the 1450m Grade 2 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge, also sees a Peter runner at the top of the boards. VJ’s Angel was priced up at 9-2 this week, despite having drawn the widest No 14 gate.

The three-year-old filly won a Grade 1 juvenile race last time out but this contest against accomplished older females will be a much tougher assignment.

FIELDS
(number, draw, name, weight, MR, (jockey) trainer)

BETWAY JOBURG SPRING CHALLENGE (Grade 2) R550,000 1450m. For all horses at weight-for-age + penalties (WFA: 3yrs-8kgs, 4yrs-0.5kgs)
1 8 Main Defender 60 131 (Gavin Lerena) Tony Peter
2 4 Purple Pitcher 60 123 (Kabelo Matsunyane) Robyn Klaasen
3 10 William Robertson 58.5 125 (Marco V’Rensburg) Corne Spies
4 6 Gladatorian 58.5 120 (Sean Veale) Stuart Ferrie
5 9 Melech 58.5 118 (Serino Moodley) Roy Magner
6 14 Unzen 58.5 116 (Denis Schwarz) Robbie Sage
7 2 Back In Business 58.5 106 (Rachel Venniker) Joe Soma
8 3 Barbaresco 58 120 (Raymond Danielson) J A Janse van Vuuren
9 12 Gimmeanotherchance 58 119 (Craig Zackey) Mike de Kock
10 5 Zinovi 58 114 (Piere Strydom) Mike de Kock
11 7 Joker Man 58 106 (……………) J A Janse van Vuuren
12 11 Grand Crescendo 50.5 114 (Kaidan Brewer) Candice Dawson
13 13 Dantonfromsandton 50.5 108 (Malesela Katjedi) Sean Tarry
14 1 Wild At War 50.5 100 (Philasande Mxoli) Candice Dawson

BETWAY JOBURG SPRING F & M CHALLENGE (Grade 2) R450,000 1450m. For Fillies and Mares at weight-for-age + penalties (WFA: 3yrs-8kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs)
1 8 Gimme A Shot 60 110 A Craig Zackey M G Azzie/A A Azzie
2 7 Celtic Rumours 60 106 A Gavin Lerena Sean Tarry
3 3 Captain Peg 60 104 BA Calvin Habib Stuart Pettigrew
4 13 Let’s Go Now 59.5 114 BA Sean Veale Sean Tarry
5 4 My Soul Mate 59.5 111 BA Raymond Danielson Candice Dawson
6 5 White Pearl 59.5 109 A Piere Strydom Mike de Kock
7 10 Key Element 59.5 101 A Philasande Mxoli Paul Matchett
8 1 Miss Hannigan 59.5 97 A Denis Schwarz Fabian Habib
9 14 Soldier’s Eye 59.5 97 BA Kaidan Brewer Weiho Marwing
10 2 Blue Horizon 59.5 89 A *Kobeli Lihaba Weiho Marwing
11 15 Vj’s Angel 54 111 A Kabelo Matsunyane Tony Peter
12 12 Little Ballerina 53 104 A Serino Moodley Candice Dawson
13 11 Fiery Pegasus 52 104 T A Malesela Katjedi Joe Soma
14 9 Frozen Fantasy 52 102 A #Rachel Venniker Robyn Klaasen
15 6 Sea Anemone 60 89 BA Reserve 1 Mike de Kock