Nothing went right for the Tony Rivalland-trained King Of The Gauls on a recent trip to Cape Town for their summer season. The stable rate him as more than useful and the two well below par efforts at Hollywood Kenilworth could well have played in his favour for the Gr2 Golden Horse Sprint, fourth leg of the R500 carryover jackpot at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday.
Had King Of The Gauls finished close-up in the two Cape Town feature sprints that he contested, he would have incurred a penalty. As it now stands he still races off a 109 rating which could still be below his true potential and as this race is a handicap he has a relatively handy galloping weight.
What is more encouraging is that on his comeback run in KZN he finished a creditable fifth behind O’Tenikwa, running on strongly without being unduly pressed in the finish. Granted, this is a much stronger field but given that it is a handicap, some expected improvement should at least see King Of The Gauls in the shake-up if not winning.
But he faces a daunting task as one can make out a case for most of the runners. Biggest threat could come from Tenango who has smart form over the trip at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and should make a bold bid. He will be ridden by Andrew Fortune who was aboard King Of The Gauls last time out but surely not able to make the weight.
Outlaw King finished a neck ahead of King Of The Gauls when last they met and there should not be much between the two again although I expect more to come from the latter. Surjay seldom runs a bad race. He has run two smart races in Group company of late and this course will suit while Ziyasha is highly regarded by Clinton Binda and won well last time out. However, his best form has been over 1000m and he was beaten four lengths in this race last year.
The Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint sees Double Grand Slam and Rascova renew rivalry and both are top class fillies. However, all of their recent meetings have been over a mile and further and although class always comes through it may prove prudent to look for the tried and tested over the trip. Asiye Phambili was a game second last run over course and distance giving the winner 8.5kg. She comes with smart Cape form and Duncan Howells knows what it takes to win this race having saddled the smart mare Via Africa to victory. Sean Tarry has an exceptional feature race record at this track and saddles Mia Moo who is unbeaten in two since returning from the Cape and is sure to have been aimed at this race.
It is seldom that fillies take on males in the Gr1 Gold Medallion but Tarry looks to have a gem in Green Diamond. She takes on the colts but has not been tested at her last two including the SA Nursery against males. She looks to be way above the average and Tarry behind her is a bonus. Peter Muscutt saddles a brace in Military Command and Little Boy Blue, with the former likely the stable elect . Military Command was disappointing last run but may have needed the outing after his trip back from the Cape where he reeled off two straight victories. Mike and Mathew de Kock send out I’m A Fireball who ran a disappointing race after winning smartly on debut. He is likely to improve on that showing and may be worth watching in the betting. There should not be much between Highveld raiders Zalatoris and Charming Cheetah although both look held by Green Diamond on their SA Nursey showing.
Fairview is no longer the backwater of South African racing that it was in the past and Alan Greeff can ram home the point with Direct Hit in the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship. She is unbeaten in three starts including the scalps of some of the most forward of the Western Cape runners in the Cape Nursery. She has hardly been tested in her three starts and looks to be a serious filly. If she handles the sometimes tricky Hollywoodbets Scottsville straight she should be right there again although she takes on another Tarry filly with useful Highveld form in One Fine Winter. She was a comfortable winner of her last start but Greeff will know what he is up against as One Fine Winter played second fiddle to the Greeff filly Golden Palm in the SA Nursery. Mike Miller sends out the unbeaten Comic Relief who goes the extra furlong but is unbeaten in two on this track which is in her favour. Justin Snaith had a red letter day at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Saturday with Eight On Eighteen and Little Suzie landing the features and he pins his hopes on Wild Wild Green who may just have needed her last run on this course and should benefit from the outing. She looks more than useful.
