Invidia to shine with strong form

Invidia was a very decent two-year-old who raced five times for two wins and two places. Among those placed runs was a third behind Eden Roc in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville on Durban July day.

This Ashley Fortune-trained runner has not been seen in action since that run on 7 July but he returns to contest a Graduation Plate over 1000m on the Vaal Classic track tomorrow.

In the time since that run – in fact, just three days later – Invidia was gelded and he hopefully will return a beer horse. But the reason for the length of that break is that he had billary.

“We’re just happy he is back,” said Fortune. “He was really sick but fortunately he is over that now.” So, he might need the run and 1000m could be a touch short but despite what the handicapper may think, this son of Twice Over looks the best-performed runner in the line-up. That run behind Eden Roc was top class.

Sean Tarry’s charge had come off a win in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m at Sco s-ville, and despite the fact he has disappointed in two runs since then, a lot will still be heard from the son of Var.

It is also interesting to note that Muzi Yeni, who must have had a number of options in a race of this nature, has stuck with Invidia. Corne Spies has regained his licence and he has thrown six runners into this event.

According to the merit ratings, two of his runners are particularly well handicapped and they are Snow Palace and Singforafa.

Snow Palace received most of her merit rating of 108 courtesy of a five-length maiden win at Scosville, in her fourth visit to the track and followed that up with a great 1.80-length third to Gabor in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at Greyville Had this been a handicap she would have been conceding 3.5kg to Singforafa and 7.5kg to Invidia.

However, somehow those ratings might not turn out to be all that accurate and secondly, she may well prefer further. This was another runner Yeni had ridden before – he rode her in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes – and yet he has stuck with Invidia. On the basis of the distance, Singforafa could be the preferred runner from the stable as she has plenty of speed and will enjoy this quick 1000m.

It is also nice to see Craig Zackey back in the irons having recovered from surgery and he will be looking to get back into the winner’s enclosure as soon as possible.

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