Trainer Tony Peter has some seriously fast two-year-olds. Well supported Pistol Pete, first runner for sire Buffalo Bill Cody, made some decent horses with good form look ordinary with an unchallenged win on debut.
But the confidence for him may have come because of the exploits of stablemate Almond Sea who was a facile debut winner on Summer Cup Day. The lightning-fast filly is back in action on the Classic track at the Vaal on Tuesday and should be a difficult horse to beat.
Almond Sea was well backed to make a winning even though taking on a 17-runner field of unexposed individuals, some with potent pedigrees. The Canford Cliffs filly more than confirmed her stable’s confidence, waltzing in by over five lengths. There might not be much between her and Pistol Pete, and Black Type status can’t be far away for both.
What is interesting is that there looks to be no creditable opposition for her to take on in Race 1 which is a Fillies Juvenile Plate over 1000m. Five of the six have raced but have not shown her level of ability and the comment on the first-timer, Nordic Ice, is ‘needs further’. That makes Almond Sea a banker in all bets.
Peter could also dominate Race 7. He has the two bottom weights, Runway Bomb and Vix Princess, in the MR 94 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m. The pair have both won their last two starts and it is anybody’s guess which is the right one. It might just pay to follow the money.
Atarime was a winner just past the finishing post last time. He was trying 1600m and looks to have got the timing only just wrong as the line came in time for Mike de Kock-trained La Moohal.
Atarime is coming along the right way but meets another De Kock improver in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1600m. Marauding Horde, a R750,000 purchase, turned in a promising debut when charging late at the wire after coming from last behind progressive Presley over 1400m and he could relish the longer distance.
Atarime has drawn in gate No 1 while Marauding Horde is in stall No 8 and it could be worth siding with the former as he could get away at the right time. However, the boxed Exacta looks to be money in the bank.
Both Fulliautomatix (Race 5) and Courageous (Race 6) rate solid value options on the day. The former found a new lease on life when tried over 1400m and 1450m. He went start to finish in both starts and then didn’t shirk the issue when dropped in distance to 1160m but was caught late by sudden improver Max The Otter.
Fulliautomatix is back over the course and distance on which he is one win from one run and it looks the right race for him to get his head back in front.
Courageous was earlier beaten by My Lady Soul who admittedly brings some strong form into the event. However, at the time Courageous was dropping in distance and after not getting the best of starts was not disgraced to finish under two lengths off the winner.
She is 2kg better off and after an impressive maiden win could be the one with more to come now matured.
Clive Robinson
