Having had just four career runs to date, winning the last two of them, it’s difficult to assess exactly how good four-year-old Raven Black really is.
On Thursday 26 October, he will most probably prove that he is way, way better than his merit rating of 82 suggests when he lines up in Race 6, a MR95 Handicap over 1200m at the Vaal.
Trained by Brett Crawford, Raven Black made his debut in a Juvenile Plate contest over 1100m. Despite bleeding, he managed an excellent runner-up finish behind Magic Tattoo, who recorded his second career win that day. Magic Tattoo went on to win a third career race and has contested three graded events.
Raven Black’s return to the track shortly after turning three was disappointing, finishing sixth in a field of 12 when jumping as favourite at odds of 11-10. That run, however, was over 1450m.
After an eight-month hiatus, during which he was also gelded, Raven Black unsurprisingly ticked the right box when tested over 1200m against a rather mediocre field. The handicapper wasn’t overly impressed and rated him 76.
Last time out, however, Raven Black produced a jaw-dropping performance.
The lowest-rated runner in a Graduation Plate, where the average rating of the 10 carded runners was 88, Raven Black screamed in by 5.3-lengths despite being a ton out at the weights.
On Thursday Raven Black makes his handicap debut now rated 82. Again, he will be lowest rated runner in the field, and with just 53.5kg on his back, a hat-trick victory is on the cards. Regular rider Kabelo Matsunyane is in the saddle again.
Earlier, in Race 2, Matsunyane will be aboard the Crawford-trained maiden Weather Wizard over 1600m.
This Rafeef-gelding made a very pleasing debut and was the fastest finisher over 1450m, beaten just 1.25-lengths.
Over further, and perhaps starting his final assault a tad sooner, he looks hard to oppose.
In Race 5, Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Covert Operator should follow up and record a sixth career win.
The five-year-old is in the form of his life, as attested by his rating having gone up 15 points in his last five outings due to three wins. Another increase will leave Janse van Vuuren no option but to push this son of Coup De Grace up in class.
Clive Robinson
