With just 12 winners between Craig Zackey (207), Richard Fourie (201) and Gavin Lerena (195), the race to be crowned this season’s National Champion Jockey is sure to go down to the wire.
Zackey and Lerena renew acquaintance on a bumper 10-race weekend fixture on Turffontein’s Standside track on Saturday 17 May when the deficit will likely be reduced, as the latter’s competitive book of rides on the day includes several mounts with particularly strong winning chances.
Elsewhere on the card, jockey Raymond Danielson is another jockey likely to visit the winners’ enclosure on more than one occasion.
Last-start runner-up over 1000m Raceway need not improve much over the extra 160m to open her account at the third attempt in Race 2 and get Lerena off the mark for trainer Fanie Bronkhorst. On the evidence of her last outing, the extended will be more to the liking of this two-year-old New Predator filly.
Bronkhorst’s stable could be onto a race-to-race double with Time Will Tell in Race 3 (Danielson), also over 1160m. However, any market support for one of the several well-bred newcomers in the contest could speak volumes for that runner’s chances on debut.
Pay careful attention to Sean Tarry-trained Shadowfox (Zackey), a well-bred One World colt bought for a cool R900,000 at last year’s National Yearling Sale.
With Zackey riding for Tarry throughout the card – expect Race 8 in which Piere Strydom is contracted to ride for owners ASSM Racing Syndicate – Danielson has picked up the ride on promising three-year-old Crescendo, a well-bred What A Winter gelding trained by Lucky Houdalakis, in Race 7 over 1600m.
Zackey partners improving War Reporter after riding Crescendo in both starts, the latest a comeback victory over 1400m when Houdalakis’ charge was returning from a rest during which he was gelded.
On pedigree, the extra 200m is expected to unlock any amount of improvement from Crescendo whose progress it could pay to follow.
Pick 3 players will be tempted by Lerena’s rides in the remaining races and they could maximise their potential winnings by including Mastership (Race 8), Fastnet Filly (Race 9) and Hong Kong (Race 10) in a straight line permutation that could well please plenty punters.
Clive Robinson
