Two horses who have thrived since moving up to the Highveld from the coast are Marchingontogether and Majestic Mozart, and they look set to fight out the finish of Race 5 at Turffontein on Sunday, a Pinnacle Stakes over 2000m on the Standside track.
Marchingontogether was trained in KwaZulu-Natal but moved to trainer St John Gray last September when he got involved in the ownership.
The six-year-old gelding has thrived under his tutelage and in six starts has won three times and placed on the other three occasions. The most impressive of those victories came on 4 December when he literally sailed home by 11.25 lengths over the same course and distance as Sunday’s race.
He followed that up with a very decent 3.85-length third behind Sparkling Water in a Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m at this course, giving the Mike de Kock-trained filly 3.5kg. Considering she is now favourite to win the Grade 2 Cape Stayers over 2800m at Kenilworth on Saturday, that was a decent effort from the Pathfork gelding.
He also comes into this race as the best weighted runner, just 0.5kg ahead of Majestic Mozart.
Gavin Lerena has ridden him twice since Marchingontogether arrived in Joburg, for a win and a one-length third behind Shangani and has been engaged to ride him again.
Majestic Mozart was trained in the Western Cape by Candice Bass-Robinson and although the Bass family still retain an interest in the six-year-old son of Dynasty, he was moved to Ashley Fortune’s yard at the Vaal. One of the strategies was presumably to give him a run in the Grade 1 Summer Cup where he put up an excellent challenge to run a 0.25-length second behind Flying Carpet.
But he has performed well on the Highveld and has recorded two wins among his four starts since his move. He has been carded to carry 60kg but with apprentice Kaidan Brewer aboard, it will take 4kg off his back and that should make him a massive runner.
On the Summer Cup form horses like Golden Pheasant and Johnny Hero should be right on their tails so it should be a thrilling contest.
Preview by Clive Robinson
