Jockey S’manga Khumalo may only be 31 winners shy of log leading Warren Kennedy (at the time of writing), but the former champion seems to be putting in a very serious effort to ensure the jockey title for this season is not a one-horse race.
Khumalo has a full book of rides at the Vaal come Thursday 6 January (two more than Kennedy), and it won’t surprise if he makes multiple visits to the winner’s enclosure.
‘Bling’, as Khumalo is affectionately known, should open his account for the day in Race 2, a Progress Plate over 1000m, when he gets aboard Bartholdi.
Trained by Mike and Adam Azzie, this Act Of War gelding has already scored twice under Khumalo.
In his penultimate, the Grade 3 Merchants, he was beaten into second less than a length when sporting blinkers. On that day he was the lowest rated of the 16 runners and carried the lightest weight at 52kg.
This time round he’s the highest rated of the seven runners carded to face the starter and will have to shoulder 61kg, but despite this burden, he’s still the second best weighted. And the blinkers are back.
In Race 7, a FM94 Handicap over 1000m, Khumalo teams up with the Lucky Houdalakis trained Alabama Anna for the first time.
This filly’s maiden win, at the second time of asking, was a pillar-to-post affair and one can’t help but wonder if Khumalo was tasked with the ride to try and emulate that feat.
She’s only tried front-running tactics once again since, but that was over 1200m when she ran out of steam after suffering a cut.
Over the shorter sprint she should be very hard to peg back if given the opportunity to open up any sort of lead.
Strangely, Alabama Anna will also be sporting blinkers – for the first time in her career.
Khumalo’s other best winning chances are in races 4-6, where he rides Quest From Afar for the Azzies, Duke Of Rain for Houdalakis, and Fantastical for trainer Alec Laird respectively.
Preview By Clive Robinson
