Model Bianca Schoombee with Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile favourite Noble Secret at the Mike de Kock stables at the North Rand Training Centre, Randjesfontein. Picture: Michel Bega
Noble Secret and Cash Time have run against one another on four occasions and the former leads the head-to-head 4-0.
Perhaps the two most relevant clashes came in last year’s Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m and their last meeting, the London News Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein on 6 January, be-cause they both ran well and at level weights.
Mike de Kock-trained Noble Secret finished a 1.75-length third behind Hero’s Honour in the Derby with Ashley Fortune’s charge just a head back in fourth.
In the London News they finished fourth and fifth respectively with Noble Secret 0.90 lengths in front.
Tomorrow night they line up in Race 5, a Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m at Turffontein, and this looks the perfect opportunity for Cash Time to pull one back on his rival.
Based on their Derby run Cash Time should turn the tables as he comes in getting 1.5kg from Noble Secret.
In addition, he will have Piere Strydom in the irons and that could well make the difference this time.
On the other hand, Randall Simons has ridden Noble Secret in 10 of his 11 runs and has been aboard for all three of his wins so he knows this four-year-old son of Dynasty very well.
Ironically, neither of these two is your best handicapped runner.
That role belongs to Arte who comes into the race carrying just 50.5kg so she will be getting weight from the other two.
This five-year-old mare has run against the boys on previous occasions and has been able to beat them. However, she has had 15 attempts at this distance and has only won once.
She is probably be er over a little further but one cannot write her off by any means.
Wonderous Climber was carded to race in a Pinnacle Stakes last week but the meeting was washed out.
This time trainer Sean Tarry has elected to run his charge in Race 4, a MR 72 Handicap also over 2400m.
This son of Dynasty is unbeaten in two runs over the distance and while he will be carrying a lot more weight, this race is a lot weaker than the Pinnacle Stakes.
He has beaten quite a few of these runners but will be tested as he is worse off at the weights.
The biggest threat could come from Tendre who is 2.5kg be er off for a 2.85-length defeat
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