Clive Robinson
Jockey Louis Mxothwa has hit the ground running to start the new 2022/23 season. At Kenilworth last weekend, the “X-Man” booted home a double on the eight-race card to go with a second and a third from five rides.
And he ought to pick up from where he left off when racing returns to the Cape Town track on Saturday 20 August.
Mxothwa should get the ball rolling in Race 3 aboard Brett Crawford-trained Teatro who reverts to 1200m for the first time since his debut. This son of Canford Cliffs was gelded ahead of his second start and has raced around the bend in all five of his subsequent starts, which have yielded four placed efforts, including a second and three thirds.
He showed early pace in each of his four outings over 1400m, suggesting the drop back to 1200m will hold no fears.
Improving Bullitt and likely improver Doubling Up, who was a promising second on debut over 1000m, appear his biggest dangers and should be included in Swinger, Exacta and Trifecta bets, but Teatro’s greater experience and rider’s red-hot form should stand him in good stead.
For players of TAB’s Double, Justin Snaith’s runner Future Turn is the one to be with come Race 4 over 1600m. This three-year-old Futura colt has finished second in both starts beyond 1200m (over 1600m and 1500m respectively) and should open his account under Keagan de Melo in Leg 1 of the first Jackpot.
Mxothwa, in the absence of Ricard Fourie and Grant van Niekerk, has picked up the ride for Snaith on Royal Aussie in Race 6 over 1400m and is likely to double his tally for the day aboard the three-year-old colt who shed his maiden tag over the track and trip 10 weeks ago.
This promising son of Royal Mo had finished second in his first two starts over 1200m then relished the extra 200m in his third start, beating a decent field on that occasion by a comfortable 2.25 lengths – and the form of that race has held up well since.
The level of competition Royal Aussie faces on his handicap debut is, admittedly, significantly stronger but Snaith’s charge is open to any amount of improvement in just his fourth start under an in-form rider who should coax the best out of him.
Progressive Faire Advantage, another last-start winner over the course and distance, should keep his younger adversary honest. He beat Gaudis Masterpiece and Path Of Choice in a similar contest last time and those rivals should once again make their presence felt on 1.5kg better terms.
So, boxing those four runners in Exacta, Trifecta and even Quartet bets could pay handsome dividends.
Another last-start winner to follow is Mxothwa’s ride for Crawford in Race 7 over 1000m, well-bred Dynasty filly La Vida. She proved costly to follow from 1200m to 1400m in six previous starts before being tried over 1000m for the first time in her most recent outing, when racing prominently throughout before finding another gear in the finish to win by 2.25 lengths.
Crawford’s runner may have found her niche racing over this distance and could have more to offer at handicap level off a lenient opening mark of 71.
Bettors of TAB’s Double should again cash in with another of De Melo’s rides, Gimmie’s Lassie, in Race 8 over 1200m. This daughter of leading sire Gimmethegreenlight disappointed at short odds when runner-up for the second time from as many starts over the track and trip almost three weeks ago. She bumps the right field on this occasion and should reward her followers by opening her account at the third time of asking.
