Racing Express, Friday 18 February: Reunion to lead the way

Despite the ratings indicating he has no chance, if in the mood Reunion will take a power of beating in Race 8 at Turffontein tomorrow, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m on the Inside track. The four-year-old son of Flower Alley does have his eccentricities and can at times be very difficult, but he loves to gallop freely and with just 52kg on his back, Warren Kennedy is likely to let his mount do just that.

Paul Peter’s charge won a very good race last time, beating Motown Magic by three lengths, giving him 5kg. The Mike de Kock-trained runner came out on Tuesday at the Vaal to win a Middle Stakes over 2400m by 3.50 lengths. In addition, Motown Magic will be off to Cape Town later this month to contest the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m at Kenilworth.

For the full version of Friday’s edition of Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, click here.

The form is there, and despite taking a jump in class, Reunion should rise to the occasion. Second Base came back to his best form when he won the Grade 3 London News Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein on New Year’s Day. And although finishing un[1]placed in the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met over 2000m at Kenilworth last month, he was only beaten five lengths by some of the best horses in the country in that Grade 1 race which is run at weight for age.

Johan Janse van Vuuren trained Second Base comes into this race as the best weighted runner, although by just 0.5kg. He also has a liking for this course as three of his six wins have been on the Inside track. He has the ability to quicken at the drop of hat and that always helps runners on this course with its shorter run-in. The one concern is that he has been down to Cape Town and back and that can take a lot out of a horse. Hopefully he has had enough time to recover from that lengthy trip.

Keagan de Melo has been engaged to ride this four-year-old son of Gimmethegreenlight and is his fourth jockey in his last four runs. However, De Melo could be an excellent choice as he is in top form currently and is riding winners consistently all over the country. Majestic Mozart has been is top form since moving up from Cape Town and joining Ashley Fortune’s yard.

For the full version of Friday’s edition of Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, click here.

He has won three of his five starts since arriving on the High[veld and also went on to finish runner-up in the Grade 1 WSB Summer Cup over 2000m. He finished unplaced behind Second Base in the Sea Cottage Stakes but was reported to be making a respiratory noise during the running so perhaps one should put a line through that race. Supreme Warrior ran way below his best in the Grade 2 WSB Gauteng Guineas on the Standside track at Turffontein on 8 February but there were excuses. He was reported to be over-racing and was blowing at the pull up.

The Mike and Adam Azzie trained runner is far better than that form suggests and is strongly expected to prove that run all wrong in Race 7, the Egoli Mile (Non-Black Type) over 1600m on the Inside track. The three-year-old Vercinge-torix colt won his first two starts impressively, both of them at this track.