Clive Robinson
Raymond Danielson is one of those jockeys who has the uncanny knack of getting a horse to switch off totally and then produce an electrifying burst.
That is what he did aboard Team Gold last time to win a Graduation Pate over 1500m on the Turffontein Inside track. The Roy Magner-trained runner found himself lying some seven lengths off the leader in sixth place with 400m to run and his plight looked hopeless.
But Danielson, despite the shorter run-in on the Inside track was not too concerned. He knew what he had under him and once he asked the three-year-old son of Twice Over for an effort, Team Gold took off, mowed down the opposition and went on to win quite comfortably in the end, beating Another Level by 1.25 lengths.
So, it comes as no surprise Danielson will be back in the irons of Team Gold at on the Inside track Turffontein on Sunday. The line up in Race 6, a Graduation Plate over 1450m.
The gelding definitely has a liking for this track as he has run there four times for that victory, two close seconds a third, and if things go according to plan, Team Gold could add another notch to his win pole.
He is drawn No 6 of the eight runners but that should not be an issue if the plan is to run hi from off the pace again.
The main threat is likely to come from either Flashy Apache or Castletown. Flashy Apache has been racing over further but he has run well against some good horses and could be running on when other have cried enough.
Things could not have gone worse for Castletown last. He went off a strong 7-10 favourite but his saddle slipped which made it difficult for jockey Kabelo Matsunyane to hold him. Then, to add even further to his predicament, some weights dropped out of his saddlebag. He managed to finish second, but the stipendiary stewards had to option but to disqualify him from the race.
He is the best weighted runner in this line-up and hopefully the Stuart Pettigrew-trained runner has better fortune this time.
