There are several attractive betting propositions at Turffontein on Saturday, including three of Gavin Lerena’s rides on the nine-race card on the Inside track.
Rafeef filly Queen Of Love finished a close-up second under Lerena on debut over 1400m and, with improvement expected, given the benefit of that experience, the Roy Magner-trained two-year-old could challenge Volare E Mambo for victory in Race 1, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m.
Mastership, however, is good value to open his account with a deserved maiden success with Lerena aboard for the first time in Race 2 over 1600m. This three-year-old son of Master Of My Fate improved to finish a career-best second over 1400m on the Standisde track four weeks ago on his return from a rest, during which he was gelded, and the step up to this extended distance is likely to unlock further progress from Dianne Stenger’s charge.
Mastership is one of the better bets on the card and worthy of a confident punt on the nose!
As is Springer, who Lerena rides again for Magner in Race 4, a MR 72 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m, having steered the three-year-old to a maiden victory in her last start over 1700m.
On that occasion this well-bred daughter of Vercingetorix improved for the fitting of a tongue-tie after choking up in her previous start and unsurprisingly, Magner repeats that recipe for success with Lerena retaining the ride and Springer again to be fitted with the tongue-tie.
It is also worth noting that Lerena rode Zenobia’s Gold, one of three last-start maiden winners in the race, to victory last time for Sean Tarry but has opted to ride Springer instead which, given his impressive record when riding for Magner (at a strike-rate of almost 33% with 12 wins from 37 associations), is hardly surprising.
Better, though, is Lerena’s record with Fabian Habib, for whom he has ridden 10 winners from 21 rides, and that bodes well for the chances of William Longsword filly Ice Star whose consistency ought to be rewarded with victory in Race 8 over 1000m.
Apprentice Trent Mayhew, with the aid of a 4kg allowance, finished second aboard this Habib-trained sprinter in a similar race on the Standisde track last time behind well-handicapped Time Fo Orchids who, since relocating to Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Highveld base from KwaZulu-Natal trainer Alyson Wright, has eluded the handicapper and recaptured the promise she showed as a juvenile by winning four consecutive outings.
Ice Star, who copped a two-point rating rise for finishing second to Time Fo Orchids, will not benefit from an apprentice allowance on this occasion but is still good value to give weight and a beating to her rivals under 61kg with Lerena a notable jockey booking from stall gate No 3.
Elsewhere on the card, including the Tony Peter-Calvin Habib runners in Race 5 and Race 6 in a TAB Double that should pay dividends.
Safe Space makes his Highveld and stable debut over 1800m in Race 5 after relocating from KZN where Timothy Pretorius trained him. This versatile Elusive Fort gelding brings good recent form to Turrfontein – with a turf victory and three seconds on the Polytrack in his last four starts. Stablemate Judgement Day is also a contender for race success in Race 6 over 1800m, having improved significantly for the fitting of blinkers. He won a similar course-and-distance handicap three weeks ago and a resultant four-point penalty is unlikely to halt his momentum.
Clive Robinson
