Highveld raiders hit Durban well-armed

Trainers staging one of their lightning raids from the Highveld could carry off a sizeable bag of booty from Wednesday’s Greyville Polytrack race meeting.

Candice Dawson, Weiho Marwing and Paul Peter are seasoned travellers on the N3 to Durban and know what it takes to cover their expenses, so will have fit animals loaded in their floats.

Peter’s two runners both look probable winners: Sergei in Race 4 and So They Say in Race 7.

Sergei showed an aptitude for middle distance when he was stepped up to a mile last time out, following no-shows in two orientation sprints. The three-year-old stayed on stoutly to finish just 1.75 lengths off winner Eskimo Pie on the Vaal Classic turf.

The extra 100m of this 1700m contest should be ideal at this stage of his development, while the emerging wisdom is that Soft Falling Rain’s offspring love an artificial surface. Just for good measure, Sergei is drawn in gate No 2 and has the master of Greyville, Anton Marcus, to guide him around.

The locals will be trying to keep the dough at home with the likes of Mr Pigalle, Decorated and Patronage.

So They Say has shown much toe in his seven outings to date. He has gone on to win on just one of those occasions but has been in the money in most of them.

The 1400m of this FM77 Apprentice Handicap is clearly the trip Peter believes is the filly’s metier and the trainer figures the Poly might complete the winning picture. Also, a change to sea air might be the cure for some niggly breathing problems.

Xola Jacobs is the apprentice jockey engaged for So They Say, taking a chunky 4kg off the allotted 57.5kg. The young man has shown promise this season, racking up 10 wins from 159 opportunities and should have the run of the race from draw 3.

Peter’s fellow Gautenger Marwing saddles Bright Eyed Girl in the same race and will be hoping for a quick follow-up to an earlier successful raid with the same filly in February. That smash-and-grab was on the same course and over the same distance and she romped in by nearly three lengths.

This Australian-bred filly recently transferred to Marwing’s Turffontein barns from Cape Town trainer Paddy Kruyer, with three wins in her earlier career record. She clearly enjoyed the change of scenery, putting in her best effort in ages as a runner-up in a 1000m race at the Vaal. Her partner that day, Ryan Munger, is back in the saddle.

This race is another Highveld showdown, with Dawson fielding two of Freedom Seeker’s five opponents: Eskimo Kisses and Herstel. The latter has the sharper current form and gets the services of in-form Luke Ferraris.

With local hopes Candy Galore and Blush Of Dawn also having persuasive arguments, this shapes up as one of the more intriguing races of the day.

Dawson’s filly Princess Thiana steps out in Race 3 and is a must for all exotic-bet perms.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

9 Honokalani, 4 Catch The Tune, 2 Arnhem Land, 3 Lord Minver

Race 2:

3 Freedom Seeker, 6 Blush Of Dawn, 4 Herstel, 2 Candy Galore

Race 3:

3 Good Girl, 2 Simply Complicated, 5 Princess Thiana, 6 Papillon

Race 4:

2 Sergei, 6 Mr Pigalle, 3 Decorated, 8 Patronage

Race 5:

2 Theravada, 8 Sovereign Soldier, 6 Captain Turk, 11 A Whole New World

Race 6:

1 Herecomestherain, 2 Burning Wings, 9 Fly The Coup, 6 Tambora

Race 7:

3 So They Say, 7 Bright Eyed Girl, 4 Umzinduzi, 6 State Of Mind

Race 8:

3 Superior Leader, 10 Gimme A Rainbow, 1 Slightly Spanish, 2 Alma Mater

Pick 6:

2,3,5,6 x 2 x 2,8 x 1,2,6,9 x 3,4,6,7 x 1,3,10 (R384)

PA:

3 x 2,3,5 x 2 x 2 x 1,2,9 x 3,7 x 1,3,10 (R54)

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