Mabaya has the rides to catch Dadamasi in Challenge

Dadamasi holds an 18-point advantage over Chamu Mabaya going into Saturday but the challenger has a far better card of rides based on form and that could put a lot of pressure on Dadamasi if he wants to claim the R20,000 first prize. 

Riders score points for their finishing positions and the rider who scores the most points in each of the three legs gets R5,000. The rider who accumulates the most points over all three meetings gets R20,000. The runner-up is given R10,000 and the third rider gets R5,000.

Dadamasi does have some reasonable rides on the eight-race card but many of the so-called “gems” on the day have gone his rival. 

Mabaya has picked up three rides from the powerful Mike de Kock yard and two of them look particularly hard to beat – Hurricane Lass in Race 3 and Australian-bred Alnasl in Race 8. 

Hurricane Lass has been a consistent place getter but she has failed to get her head in front hen it matters most. She could not have found a better opportunity to shed her maiden tag than in this 1000m race. She has raced nine times for seven places but in both her starts over 1000m she has finished second – and not too far behind the winner.  

The only threat, on paper at least, Jaunita who has raced against Hurricane Lass twice before. Although De Kock’s horse finished in front of her on two occasions, just 0.15 lengths separated them in their race behind Sibusiso’s Path over 1000m in April. 

However, this the first time Hurricane Lass will be tried in blinkers and that could make all the difference.

Alnasl is probably the best bet on the card. She has only raced twice, finishing fifth behind Pretty Penny over 1160m on debut, and then touched off 0.30 lengths by Tia over 1500m on the Vaal Classic track, after conceding ground at the start.

This race is over 1600m, which looks right up her street, and she jumps from barrier No 5 which is also ideal. 

Most of her rivals have had plenty of racing and their form is very exposed. None has the form to beat Alnasl and only bad luck should be able to stop her.

Mabaya also rides Lady’s Knight in Race 7 for the De Kock yard who also saddle Yaamen who seems to have the better form. Mabaya has ridden her before yet has opted for a horse who has only had one run – over 1200m – in which she was well beaten. Presumably they are expecting dramatic improvement over this 1600m.