The Inside track at Turffontein hosts a nine-race card featuring several attractive betting propositions on Sunday 12 May and it’s no surprise that title-chasing jockey Richard Fourie – in his continued pursuit of Anthony Delpech’s record number (334) of winning rides in a season – rides three of them.
Kabelo Matsunyane, who shot to prominence after winning last year’s Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July aboard Brett Crawford-trained Winchester Mansion, also has two plum rides at the meeting.
Weichong Marwing-trained American Rebel relished the step up in trip to finish second in his first outing over 1600m last month, and this three-year-old gelding need only confirm that improvement on his reappearance over the same course and distance to shed his maiden tag under Fourie in Race 2.
Like American Rebel, two-year-old Panning Gold also improved to finish second when stepped up to a 1600m in his most recent start, so this Heavenly Blue colt trained by Alson Ndzilana represents an enticing Swinger and Exacta bet inclusion.
A TAB Double with American Rebel in Race 2 and Mastership, Fourie’s mount in Race 3 over 1600m, will also appeal to bettors after Dianne Stenger’s charge opened his account over the track and trip last time out.
Gavin Lerena was aboard this Master Of My Fate gelding on that occasion but, as retained jockey for prominent owner-breeder Laurence Wernars, is engaged to ride Happy Mo for trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren instead. As such, this jockey change shouldn’t deter supporters of Mastership who has made encouraging improvement in the two starts since he was gelded.
Interestingly, Mastership beat American Rebel when winning his maiden from start to finish over the course and distance so a victory for that runner in the preceding event will only increase the likelihood of another Fourie-ridden winner in Race 3.
The pick, however, of his eight rides is Marwing-trained filly Dimako’s Jet, who caught the eye with a staying-on third over 1800m in a handicap at a higher level on the Standside track last month. She lines up in Race 6 over the same distance but drops in class and races off a reduced mark so the well-related daughter of Ideal World should resume winning ways with a repeat of that performance, especially with Fourie at the reins.
Matsunyane rode Van Vuuren-trained Bingwa to victory over 1600m on the Standside track when reunited with this son of Pathfork in his last start four weeks ago. Unsurprisingly, ‘KB’ retains the ride aboard the six-year-old gelding in Race 4 and is a good bet to replicate those heroics in Race 4.
Bingwa has yet to win on the Inside track but has finished second four times, third twice, and fourth once in eight appearances on the tighter inner circuit at the Joburg-based racecourse. He gave Captain Peg 9kg when finishing third – beaten 2.10 lengths – behind that rival in a similar contest over 1450m in September last year and races off the same mark he did on that occasion, despite a recent four-point penalty for his last-start success.
Matsunyane’s reunion with Crawford-trained last-start winner A Place In The Sun should also yield success in Race 5 over 1800m. This Flower Alley filly, who has improved markedly since fitted with cheekpieces, won a shallow staying event over 2600m under veteran jockey Piere Strydom on 20 April and despite incurring a three-point rating rise, should remain competitive over this shorter distance.
She does have a tricky No 10 barrier to overcome but is course-and-distance suited, boasting a win and two seconds from three outings over the track and trip.
Clive Robinson
