Racegoers should be in for a treat on Thursday 27 July when Raffles and Millahue go head to head for the third consecutive time.
Trained by Roy Magner and Johan Janse van Vuuren respectively, the two runners renew their rivalry in Race 8, a Middle Stakes for horses with a nett rating of 101 and below.
Raffles got the better of Millahue in their penultimate run over 2000m at the Vaal track when carrying 4kg more.
Last time out, over 2000m on the Turffontein Inside Course, the weight difference stretched to 5kg, and that contributed to Millahue turning the tables on his younger competitor.
Round three between these two sees the weight difference back to 4kg after Millahue was penalised 3 Merit Rating points for his victory, so Raffles should have the edge thanks to that 1kg when they meet over 1800m on the Turffontein Standside Track.
But that is not the only reason Raffles gets the nod. Last time out, the three-year-old jumped awkwardly and stumbled at the start, giving his nemesis a three-length advantage, which proved too much to make up.
Both runners have been highly consistent lately and with the score at 1-all between them, another cracker is on the cards.
In Race 9, a MR80 Handicap over 1800m, Robbie Sage’s Free Movement must be followed.
It took this son of Master Of My Fate six months and seven runs to finally open his account in his penultimate and he followed up with a demolition job last time out to double his tally.
Before breaking his duck, he did record a quartet of runner-up finishes when heavily backed on each occasion, so his two consecutive victories were a just reward for followers.
Aiming to complete a hat-trick moving up to Class C, Free Movement is expected to jump at very short odds again, but he could be a banker bet despite a seven-point penalty.
Earlier in the day, Napoleon can finally taste a second career victory 519 days in the making. He lines up in Race 7, a MR68 Handicap over 1600m.
This Rafeef-gelding has been host to no less than 14 jockeys in his 20-race career, and that tally will go up to 15 when Gavin Lerena gets a chance to throw a leg over the four-year-old.
Napoleon has not only been threatening to land another victory lately, but he has also been well backed since moving to the yard of Tony Peter seven runs back.
It’s definitely time for him to deliver and reward his faithful.
Clive Robinson
