Jockey Muzi Yeni has been firing on all cylinders since the start of the season and, at the time of writing, had already amassed 29 winners, placing him comfortably at the top of the jockey championship log after the first month of the season.
On Thursday 7 September he looks set to add to his tally when he has seven rides on the eight-race card at the Vaal – sitting out only the opener which is reserved for work riders.
Yeni’s best chances of success will be aboard Kind Judy in Race 4, a FM75 Handicap over 2000m, and Crimson Princess in Race 5, a Middle Stakes for horses with a nett rating of 101 and below over 1600m.
Kind Judy, trained by Barend Botes, seems to have been underperforming since her last victory a year ago. However, a closer inspection reveals that she has run in the money on eight occasions from 14 attempts.
Perhaps she just needed some relief from the handicapper, which has finally come and sees her racing off a rating of 75, one point lower than when she last won.
If Yeni does manage to let some of his hot form rub on to Kind Judy, they will be serious contenders.
Although beaten 5.5-lengths by reopposing stable companion Burmese Tiara last time out, Kind Judy is only marginally better off at the weights this time round, as Botes has tasked 2.5-kg claiming apprentice jockey Siyanda Sosibo to ride Burmese Tiara. That race was over 2600m.
It must be noted that Kind Judy did get the better of het stable companion in their penultimate when travelling 2000m, so she is expected to repeat that performance over a much more suitable distance.
Crimson Princess will be having her second run for trainer Roy Magner having been relocated to Randjesfontein after the departure of Ashley Fortune.
Her first run for Magner was obviously a let’s-see-what-she’s-got-run over 1450m after a break.
Now back over her best distance of 1600m, a sixth career win is on the cards.
This six-year-old daughter of Silvano is in the form of her life and boasts a career high merit rating of 99 – which explains why Magner has tasked Yeni to ride her for the first time. Hot horse, hot jockey, expect a hot result.
The Candice Dawson-trained Perfect Witness is the biggest danger having scored two wins from her last three outings – both with Gavin Lerena in the irons who retains the ride.
Clive Robinson
