Strydom has Seven Lives

Jockey Piere Strydom is back from an enforced break as the result of a fall and he has picked up some decent rides from trainer Paul Peter tomorrow when mid-week racing makes a rare visit to the Standside track at Turffontein.

Best of his rides looks to be Seven Lives in Race 6, a MR 102 Handicap over 1000m.

Strydom was carded to ride this three-year-old gelding in his last start but because of the fall had to be replaced. On that occasion he finished second behind speedy filly Kissable.

This son of Seventh Rock has only raced six times for three wins and that second place and he does look handily weighted in what is not a particularly strong handicap.

In his last race Seven Lives got run off his feet by Kissable but finished strongly to earn the runners-up berth, ending up 1.40 lengths behind the winner.

He carries 57.5kg this time, 1.5kg less than last time despite having got a 1kg penalty for that second place.

Three of his seven opponents contested the race with Kissable and they all finished behind Seven Lives. Brigtnumberten ended up in fifth spot, a further 2.40 lengths back with Greasepaint in eighth, beaten 3.50 lengths by Seven Lives, with Queen Laurie a further 5.40 lengths back.

On that basis Seven Lives should have all of those well beaten even though Brigtnumberten is 1.5kg better off. In addition, based on their runs in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint, Queen Laurie should have the beating of top-weight Wrecking Ball. In theory Seven Lives should be a very good bet on the card.

Peter could have another winner in Race 7 when he saddles Rebel’s Champ in a MR 88 Handicap over 1000m. The three-year-old gelding last contested the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over this course and distance and finished 10th, beaten 4.45 lengths by Attenborough.

He is carded to carry 64.5kg but apprentice Dylan Lerena is a 4kg claimer and that could make this son of Rebel’s Champ another good bet.

Two runs back he beat Great Shaka by 4.10 lengths, giving him 6kg, Great Shaka has gone on to win another race while last time out he finished second. In both of those races he received a penalty so on this occasion Grant Maroun’s charge will get just 4kg from Rebel’s Champ.

Great Shaka should also have the edge over Pillaroftheearth on their last run but the unknown quantity is Sir Spencer, who has won his last two starts and could have further room for improvement.