LONG WAIT. It has been 387 days since Greasepaint’s last win in March last year. But there are signs that he could break the victory drought in Race 6 at the Vaal tomorrow. Picture: JC Photographics
One has to go back to March last year to find the last time Greasepaint paid a visit to the winner’s enclosure and although he has been ultraconsistent of late, has always found one or two too good for him when it comes to the finishing line.
Tomorrow at the Vaal he takes a slight drop in class and that could just be what the doctor ordered. He has not been far off the winner in his last two starts and has finished second in both the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint and the Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap, both over 1000m.
He found Alfolk too good in the first event while a flying Champagne Haze got the better of him in the Tommy Hotspur. There is nothing of their ability in this event and that should nally give Roy Magner’s charge a perfect chance to notch up his ninth success. Francois Herholdt has ridden him in his last four races and is back in the irons on this occasion.
There are two up-and-coming horses who could extend the seven-year-old son of Kahal and they are Seven Lives and Speedpoint. Seven Lives is from the Paul Peter yard and has notched up two wins from four starts. Last time the three-year-old son of Seventh Rock contested the Gold Rush Sprint (Non-Black Type) over 1100m at Turffontein.
He was up with pace for quite a while but faded late to finish h, 3.05 lengths behind Mrs O. Three winners have come from that form line, including Lobo’s Legend who went on to win the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m on Saturday 7 April.
That was Seven Lives’ second run after a layoff in which he was gelded so he may have gone a little at. More likely is that he is better suited to 1000m and will prefer this race.
Speedpoint is from Joey Ramsden’s Cape Town yard and will probably need this run but Ramsden has engaged Lyle Hewitson which could be signi cant.
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