It was not long ago that jockeys Piere Strydom and Gavin Lerena dominated a 10-race card at Turffontein by winning six races on that weather delayed fixture, and the good form of both leading Highveld riders looks set to continue beyond the weekend’s Summer Cup showpiece at the eight-event Vaal programme meeting on Thursday 28 November.
Veteran Strydom put retirement plans on hold after steering See It Again to Grade 1 victories in the Cape Derby and Daily News last year and has since partnered the Michael Roberts-trained star to three seconds and two third-place finishes at the highest level.
‘Striker,’ as he is affectionately known, is an astute judge of form and – at 58 years old – rarely has a full book of rides at any meeting, though boasts an impressive strike-rate, opting instead to ride horses with legitimate chances in their respective races.
Thursday’s Vaal meeting is a case in point. Strydom has five mounts on the day but four are genuine contenders for race honours.
Fabian Habib-trained Dylan’s Champ has been held in high regard from Day 1 (started a well-backed 5-2 on debut) but only since he was gelded has the son of Rafeef come to hand. He finished fourth in his first start back from the unkindest cut and confirmed that improvement when only touched off over 1700m at the Vereeniging-based circuit four weeks ago.
With Strydom aboard, Dylan’s Champ needn’t make much progress in his peak outing to belatedly open his account in Race 2 over 1600m.
It could pay to follow the same jockey-trainer combination in Race 5 over 1400m as Confederate, like Dylan’s Champ, is good value to atone for a last-start second by going one better with Strydom in the irons.
This son of Fire Away hasn’t finished worse than second in four starts but won only once and been costly to follow after consecutive runners-up finishes, prompting connections to geld the highly rated three-year-old.
Confederate is open to any amount of improvement on his reappearance as a gelding and a wide No 13 draw down the straight Vaal course is also in his favour.
Striker boasts a 100% record aboard What A Winter mare Nettleton and the partnership’s hat-trick beckons with Johan Janse van Vuuren’s charge likely to defy top-weight in Race 7 over 1000m.
The lightly raced five-year-old was a gutsy winner of her last start off a career-high mark in a similar 1000m contest on Turffontein’s Inside track last month. She copped a five-point penalty for that courageous performance but is, clearly, in rude health and at the top of her game so carrying 61.5kg shouldn’t halt her momentum, especially under the master tactician.
A Lerena visit to the winner’s enclosure will likely be aboard Fanie Bronkhorst’s filly One Party who had legitimate excuses for a sub-par recent display over 1450m. She will enjoy the return to 1000m in Race 6 and, unlike in her last start, takes on female-only opposition which she should appreciate.
Veteran mare Samoa makes her 98th appearance in Race 8 over 1000m and is reunited with Lerena, under whom she has won four times and finished second four times – to go with 10 other minor places – in 27 previous associations.
Despite growing long in the tooth, this 10-year-old daughter of Global One has lost little zest for racing and maintains her form and consistency at this level, for which deserves to be rewarded with an eighth career victory.
Clive Robinson
