Craig Zackey and Gavin Lerena have set out their stalls for the 2024/25 season, with both Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-sponsored riders targeting National Jockeys Champion honours.
At the time of writing, Zackey’s 158 winners since 1 August leads the current standings ahead of Lerena, whose 147 winners had been achieved from almost 300 fewer rides.
They resume rivalry at a nine-race Vaal Classic track fixture on Thursday 6 March and it could pay to take advantage of four attractive betting propositions on the card, with both riders likely to bag a brace at the Vereeniging-based course.
Lerena should strike first in Race 2 over 1000m aboard Tony Peter-trained Mister Wilson, an Act Of War colt that needn’t improve a great deal on his encouraging debut fourth over the same distance to land the spoils in Leg 1 of the Bipot.
However, Fanie Bronkhorst’s Danon Platina filly Dondoyaki fits a similar profile and will likely settle the score for Zackey in Race 3 over 1000m.
Roy Magner-trained It’s Personal is one of the better bets on the card in Race 4 and this improving son of What A Winter ought to open his account under Lerena in Leg 1 of the Pick 6 over 1000m.
It’s Personal was returning from a rest, during which he was gelded, when finishing a close-up third over the same distance in his latest appearance. He would’ve come on with the benefit of that comeback outing and will prove hard to beat if exhibiting that improvement at the races.
But Zackey is likely to hit back immediately in Race 5 over 1000m on Gimmethegreenlight filly Green Extreme for trainer Lucky Houdalakis, whose improving three-year-old runner has made giant strides from one outing to the next.
With a tongue-tie fitted for the first time, Green Extreme finished a career-best second over the same course and distance in her last start.
She stayed on encouragingly to clock the fastest 400-to-finish and a similar performance should be enough to shed her maiden tag.
Clive Robinson
