Jockeys Muzi Yeni and Gavin Lerena appear to have a stranglehold on the eight-race Highveld weekend fixture on the Inside track at Turffontein on Saturday 14 September, with those leading riders likely to be in the saddle aboard five race winners on the card.
Fanie Bronkhorst-trained City Lights has been costly to follow but her pursuit of that elusive maiden victory could end in Race 3 over 2000m with Lerena in the irons. The consistent Pomodoro filly has finished second four times, third twice, and fourth once in her last seven starts so she wouldn’t be winning out of turn in Leg 1 of the Pick 6.
She stayed on well to fill the runners-up berth in an 1800m maiden on the Inside track carrying 60kg a fortnight ago under Lerena, who may have had something to do with the decision to run the four-year-old filly against male opposition with the benefit of a sex allowance.
In her only outing over 2000m, City Lights finished a close-up second to progressive younger rival Party Punch to whom she conceded 4.5kg.
With 56.5kg to shoulder from a favourable No 2 gate, City Lights could belatedly open her account and get the ball rolling for Lerena.
Hard-knocking stayer Prime Example was an impressive last-to-first winner of a 2600m Middle Stakes last month, beating Candice Dawson-trained veteran Raiseahallelujah by a widening 3.25 lengths.
However, the well-performed Raiseahallelujah, ridden by Lerena that day, renews rivalry on 6kg better terms in Race 4 over the same track and trip with Yeni taking over the reins aboard the seven-year-old son of Querari.
Raiseahallelujah was game in defeat under 62kg last time but with only 50kg on his back this time round so he ought to reverse the form.
Progressive Atarime has, seemingly, benefited from having been gelded. Paul Matchett’s charge has won back-to-back 1600m races since returning to action and the hat-trick may well be completed in Race 5 over 1800m, especially with the extra 200m likely to unlock further improvement from the son of New Predator.
Yeni partners Atarime for the first time in a racecourse appearance but that shouldn’t deter followers of the lightly raced improver whose momentum is unlikely to be halted by the handicapper’s five-point penalty.
Matchett’s runner was steered to victory in his last start by Philasande Mxoli who sticks with Tyrone Zackey-trained Apache Son, himself a last-start scorer of his first outing as a gelding. The latter is awkwardly drawn in gate No 10 but does receive 4kg from Atarime. So, including the pair in Swinger and Exacta bets could pay handsome dividends.
Versatile Rafeef gelding William Robertson has a good record racing fresh after a break so he can be expected to acquit himself competitively on his return from a 28-week absence in Race 6 over 1000m, especially with Lerena booked to ride the Corne Spies inmate with whom he boasts a 50% Win strike-rate (three wins from six associations, to go with a second and a fourth).
Lerena has forged a particularly potent partnership with Roy Magner’s yard, booting home 15 winners from his last 46 rides for the stable. He steered Max The Magician to victory in a MR 91 Handicap over 1400m on the Standside track in mid-August and will be bidding to repeat that feat switched to the Inside track in Race 7, a similar contest over 1450m.
The What A Winter gelding, a former course-and-distance winner, finished third (beaten two lengths) behind Atarime over 1600m in his most recent outing so that form – and his chances of victory – could be boosted by the earlier success of that runner.
Clive Robinson
