Veteran jockey Piere Strydom had only two rides at the eight-race Vaal meeting last Thursday, but he went home with a double.
Seven days later, on Thursday 12 September, he could repeat that feat. The “Blonde Bomber” is booked for just two rides, and again both have serious winning credentials.
Strydom has forged a formidable partnership with Joe Soma recently, scoring five winners and five places from 15 rides for the conditioner.
In his only start on the Soma-trained Avoontoast, Strydom steered the daughter of Twice Over to an eye-catching last-to-first 1600m victory down the Vaal straight. He is reunited with the consistent six-year-old mare in Race 4 over 2000m and can be confidently backed to preserve his 100% record aboard Soma’s charge.
Avoontoast has won again and finished fourth in two subsequent starts over 2000m since Strydom last rode her. She is in good form and, having been sparingly raced remains open to improvement in just her 17th racecourse appearance.
I Am Regal, who finished ahead of Avoontoast last time, last-start winner Ariel’s Jet and unexposed three-year-old filly Party Punch appear the main dangers so must be included in Exacta, Trifecta and Quartet bets.
Partnering with trainer Clinton Binda, Striker Strydom boasts an even better record of five wins and two places from 14 starts. He has only ridden Black Egret once but exhibited his prowess in the saddle that day by finishing second on the son of Rafeef over 1200m. On that occasion, the then-four-year-old gelding raced handy throughout and responded to his rider’s every urging by staying on well under pressure to be beaten 3.25 lengths by Raven Black to whom he conceded 6kg.
Binda’s charge went off the boil for a three-start spell but has rediscovered his form and consistency recently which augurs well for his chances in Race 7 over 1200m with Strydom back in the irons.
Black Egret has acquitted himself well at a higher level in 1000m races on both the turf and Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville in his last two outings, though his record suggests that this extended trip is more to his liking, with three of four of his career wins coming over 1200m.
He was beaten only 3-lengths when finishing a creditable fifth in the Listed Umgeni Handicap on Champions Day in Durban on 28 July and need only perform to that level to make a winning seasonal debut.
Trainer Tony Peter is likely to dominate proceedings earlier on the card. Both Palace Dancer (Race 1) and Blizzard Snow (Race 2) finished second in their respective debut appearances and both should come on appreciably with the benefit of that experience.
Clive Robinson
