Tony Peter has only had his trainer’s licence for six months but his success so far has been remarkable.
At the time of writing, he had saddled 161 runners for 41 winners, a percentage of 25.47%, and despite not training in the first five-and-a-half months of the season, is already in 10th place on the national trainers’ log.
While a remarkable feat, it is not particularly surprising as he was assistant to his father Paul who is the current champion trainer. Paul opted to hand in his licence early in the season and the family pulled out of the racing business. However, after a short break Tony was itching to get back and has done so in style.
Once he started churning out winners (in fact, his first runner was a winner), he started to get more horses and has done particularly well with runners moving up from Cape Town.
Stratospheric is one of those horses and this son of What A Winter has run four times for the stable for three wins and a fourth place. He will line up again in Race 8 at the Vaal on Tuesday in a Middle Stakes over the straight 1400m.
He is not one of the best weighted runners and is 2kg out with Terra Time who heads that table. However, Terra Time has not been in the best of form lately and generally is better over further.
After winning his first two races on the Highveld, Stratospheric faded late over 1600m on the Vaal Classic track to finish a 5.25-length fourth behind Trident King.
The three-year-old gelding was given a short rest and when he returned last month Peter corrected the problem of his last start by fitting a tongue tie. That remedy worked in no uncertain manner and Stratospheric romped to a two-length victory over Bey Suyay.
The tongue toe stays on and with Gavin Lerena taking the ride for the first time, he looks the runner to beat.
Bard Of Avon will be having his first run for the Roy Magner stable and stands out as the main danger. While he has yet to win beyond 1300m, perhaps the fact they will be racing up the straight will suit him.
While Magner has only had Bard Of Avon since June, jockey Muzi Yeni knows the horse well and has been the most successful rider of the horse. Yeni has ridden the four-year-old Var gelding four times for two wins, a second and a third.
If close to his best form Bard Of Avon should fight out the finish.
Clive Robinson
