It should pay to follow jockeys Gavin Lerena and Craig Zackey at the eight-race Turffontein Standside track meeting on Sunday 30 June, as both riders look to hit top form ahead of the Hollywoodbets Durban July raceday at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 6 July.
Zackey is engaged to ride ruling race favourite Green With Envy in next weekend’s showpiece event with Lerena set to resume his partnership with Barbaresco, who is 2.5kg better off with Grade 1 Daily News 2000 winner Green WIth Envy for a 2.60-length beating.
Each rider has a strong book of rides at the Highveld’s weekend meeting and should head to Durban in winning form, with Lerena good value to win three races on the day while Zackey is expected to deliver the goods in another two events on the card.
Fabian Habib-trained Bacchus showed good pace on debut before, understandably, tiring late to finish third over 1200m at the Vaal earlier this month. This Master Of My Fate gelding would’ve benefitted appreciably from that experience and is, on pedigree, likely to be better suited to 1400m in Race 1 with Lerena engaged to ride from gate No 7.
The United States filly Rodeo Drive was outrun late in the closing stages when finishing second behind Quid Pro Quo in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship at Hollywoodbets Scottsville over 1200m. Sean Tarry’s charge need only repeat that performance to resume winning ways under Zackey in Race 2 over 1160m.
Lerena continues his association with Johan Janse van Vuuren inmate Strewn Sky in Race 6 over 1800m, having steered this son of Potala Palace to a maiden victory over 2000m on the Standside track before finishing a creditable third aboard the three-year-old gelding on his handicap debut in a stronger race last month – also over 2000m on the same course.
Despite his wide draw and top-weight 61kg, Strewn Sky could be hard to beat eased in grade off an unchanged mark. And the same could be said of his stablemate, progressive last-start winner Chasing Happiness, who produced a career-best effort to win over 1200m on the Inside track under Lerena earlier this month.
This daughter of Rafeef impressed on debut in her only appearance over 1000m, running out a facile 4.10-length winner, so she’ll have little trouble continuing her form and momentum reverting the shorter trip in Race 7.
Van Vuuren has two strings to his bow in Race 8 over 1000m and riding arrangements suggest highly rated two-year-old Master Caper is the stable elect, with Lerena engaged to ride.
While this well-related Querari gelding, who cost R900,000 as a yearling, ought to be competitive on his handicap debut, he will be tested by older hard-knockers to whom he must concede weight.
Year-older stable companion Lovegrass is unexposed and receives 1kg from Master Casper so this Gimmethegreenlight filly could represent the value in the race under Zackey.
She boasts an unbeaten course-and-distance record and will strip fitter after a pleasing comeback run in a similar contest on the Inside track five weeks ago following a two-month absence.
Clive Robinson
