Clive Robinson
Jockeys Richard Fourie and Louis Mxothwa are the riders to be with when racing returns to the country course at Durbanville for an eight-race midweek meeting on Wednesday 29 June.
Both have been riding the crest of a wave this season and their followers are likely to boost their coffers substantially ahead of the Hollywoodbets Durban July betting bonanza next Saturday by siding with the pair at a meeting they’re expected to dominate.
Mxothwa landed the gig as Brett Crawford’s stable jockey this season – after Corne Orffer and Callan Murray left for pastures new – and has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
He is among the country’s Top 10 riders this season, boasting a Win strike-rate above 10% with a Place strike-rate nearing 50%, and his numbers should read even better after he lands himself what looks a likely treble on the card – including a double to bookend the meeting.
Capitaine Maurice should get the ball rolling for Mxothwa and Crawford in the opener if confirming the improvement of his last start when third (at level weights) behind multiple winner and Nursery scorer We’re Jamming in a sales race just 14 days ago.
That was his first run after gelding so there should be more to come from the two-year-old son of Captain Of All on his track debut from gate No 8.
Crawford is double-handed in Race 7 but Mxothwa’s ride, Gallic Tribe, could represent generous eachway value in a competitive heat. He has finished second four times in his last five starts and was only 0.25 lengths off the winner when third over 1400m last time out.
He finished behind re-opposing rivals Tout A Fait and Path Of Choice on that occasion but should turn the tables on the revised weight terms. His wide No 10 draw is of little concern as he is likely to go forward and has the gate speed to get across to do so.
Exciting two-year-old colt Seeking The One is highly regarded by the yard and he confirmed the promise of his debut third behind an unbeaten colt by running out an impressive winner of his only subsequent outing over 1200m. He reappears in Race 8 over 1250m and it could pay to follow the progress of the What A Winter colt who looks well placed to continue his winning ways under bottomweight in what appears a winnable contest.
Fourie recently equalled Jeff Lloyd’s longstanding record of seven Grade 1 wins in a single season and – given his rich vein of form and horses he’ll be riding during Champions season in KwaZulu-Natal – it would take a brave man to bet against him bettering that mark.
He should open his account at the meeting in Race 3 on War Banner for Eric Sands. He rode the son of William Longsword to finish second two starts back and is reunited with the three-year-old gelding who finished third under Craig Zackey last time out.
After back-to-back seconds under Grant van Niekerk over 1200m and 1400m, Mike Stewart-trained Simply Beautiful should go one better under Fourie in Race 4 over 1250m.
Autumn Moon, himself a three-year-old gelding by William Longsword, should follow suit and complete a quick hat-trick for Fourie in Race 5. He has improved in recent starts and, seemingly, enjoyed racing beyond sprint distances again. A third, second and fourth from his last three starts suggest his maiden win is just around the corner.
He caught the eye when running on from a hopeless position (wide draw) to finish fourth over 1400m last time out and, on that evidence, the step back up to 1600m could be just what the doctor ordered for Vaughan Marshall’s runner.
