Racing Express, Friday 4 March: Quest for glory continues

Mike de Kock knows what it takes to win a World Sports Betting Triple Crown. Of the four horses who have prevailed – Horse Chestnut, Louis The King, Abashiri and Malmoos – De Kock has trained two – the first and last. At Turffontein tomorrow Safe Passage will continue his quest to conquer the three races when he lines up in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting SA Classic over 1800m on the Standside track.

By the same token trainer Sean Tarry will be hoping Rain In Holland can keep her chances alive of capturing the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara for fillies when his charge takes her place in the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, also over 1800m. Both horses won their respective first legs, the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas just four weeks ago. There is li† le doubt both horses have an undeniable chance of heading into the third leg, the Grade 1 SA Derby for Safe Passage and the Grade 2 SA Oaks for Rain In Holland, on Saturday 2 April, unbeaten.

De Kock has made no bones about the fact his biggest concern for Safe Passage was the 1600m of the Guineas, which he felt could be a touch sharp. But the son of Silvano swept aside and opposition and won the race with authority, comfortably defeating Pyromaniac by 1.50 lengths. He has been priced up at 14-10 to triumph in the SA Classic and there is li† le doubt he is the horse they all have to beat.

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

S’manga Khumalo has ridden him to victory in his last two starts and he is back on board again. Stablemate Aragosta looks his main danger. He lost ground at the start in the Gauteng Guineas but stayed on resolutely to finish fourth. He is unbeaten in both of his starts over 1800m which includes the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes. He is far better than his last run suggests and will finish a lot closer to his stable companion on this occasion. Richard Fourie rode him to victory in the Sea Cottage Stakes and will continue that role at Turffontein tomorrow. A number of eyes will be on unbeaten Zeus but he will have to run quite a bit above his current merit rating of 99 if he is to trouble the likes of Safe Passage.

However, trainer Fabian Habib believes his charge is better than his rating. “He hasn’t met this calibre of field, so this is a true test. “I never ran him as a two-year old because he was such a big baby, so I took my time with him. But this race has been his mission since he started racing,” said Habib yesterday. The son of SoŒ Falling Rain has run four times for four wins and has been impressive from the start. Many people felt he battled to win last time against much weaker opposition and this jump in class will find him out. But Habib refutes this.

“Last time he was only 65 to 70% fit. I never had any work in him so he was really underdone. “Since then, his prep has gone well. Gavin (Lerena) worked him the other day and was really happy with him. The horse is in a good space, and I think he’s a big runner.” Having said that, Habib has no illusions as to the enormity of the task. “You have to respect Safe Passage. If I look at the field, Safe Passage is the horse to beat, although I do see one or two other lurkers.

“I think any rain will help us. He seems to grow an extra leg in the wet. “But at the end of the day, however well he’s working he has to prove it on the course. This is the highest calibre of field he has met, and he has to confirm he is up to it.” It will be interesting to see whether he can live up to his name and become the “king of the gods”.

Rain In Holland has also been priced up at 14-10 but the bookmakers still have a lot of respect for Desert Miracle who is also at 14-10. The latter went off at a very short price to win the Fillies Guineas but after hitting the front quite a long way from home, faded out late to run third. She is questionable over 1800m and will have to be ridden with a lot of patience by Khumalo, who picks up the ride for the first time. On breeding Rain In Holland, who is by Duke Of Marmalade, should have no issue with the additional 200m. Interestingly enough a bigger danger could come from Paul Peter-trained Sprinkles who finished second in the Guineas. Two runs back she beat Rain In Holland but that was over 1400m. Tarry’s charge has improved with blinkers and with Fourie up again, is the runner they will all have to beat.