Look to Ancestry to sign off with a big win

Although only a one- time winner, Ancestry has piping hot form, with a win and three seconds from as many starts, and although he looks held, there are good reasons to believe he can sign off his juvenile campaign with a win in the R750,000 Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on Sunday.

This Joey Ramsden-trained colt was rested a er his February debut and when next spotted on a racetrack, it was in Durban when he lined up in the 1400m Gatecrasher Stakes. Well backed, he was still mighty inexperienced and ran on into second behind Trojan Harbour. Monks Hood got closest of the five horses there who renew rivalry, finishing 0.75 lengths back in third with Borya, who hung under pressure, a head further behind in fourth.

Stepping way back down in class next time, Ancestry easily beat a fairly unspectacular field of maidens over 1600m at Scottsville. The runner-up did subsequently come out and win but it was probably Ancestry’s most recent start that put him in this field with the biggest shout.

He cast a shoe in running but still only just failed to tag Purple Diamond in the 1400m Golden Horseshoe on Durban July Day. Purple Diamond renews rivalry and will have many supporters, but on breeding, might battle to get the distance and Sean Tarry’s charge is drawn wide. He will, however, have a master jockey aboard in the form of Piere Strydom.

Captain And Master was the best-fancied of Tarry’s runners the Golden Horseshoe, swoop- ing late to get third, 1.30 lengths behind his stable companion. He should relish this longer distance and the booking of S’manga Khumalo suggests he is again the stable elect.

Monks Hood annihilated his rivals on debut and was backed in the Gatecrasher Stakes in his only subsequent start. However, he raced green on the bend and finished third behind Trojan Habour and Ancestry. That form has been well franked and he has scope for improvement even though he has drawn wide.

Eyes Wide Open was impressive in winning a Maiden Plate over this distance at Scottsville in his second career start and should give a good account of him- self, while his stable companion Sea King is another who has run well over the distance. He drifted in the be ing but still powered home to beat favourite Pack Leader at Scottsville. Pack Leader became unbalanced and could not justify the support. There should be little between the two.

Apart from Purple Diamond and Sea King, the only other two- time winner is Mujallad, who rep- resents Mike de Kock, a trainer whose runners should never be ignored.