Sunday’s racing at Hollywoodbets Scottsville may look routine, but the finale promises plenty of excitement with the appearance of a promising colt, Exocet, from the Mike and Mathew de Kock yard.
The three-year-old, boasting a strong European pedigree, made an eye-catching debut over Sunday’s course and distance, winning decisively despite modest opposition. Richard Fourie takes the ride, and while the form behind him hasn’t worked out strongly, the manner of his victory suggested he has plenty more to come.
His main danger looks to be Chapbook, trained by Clinton Binda for Hollywood Racing. After running second to recent Gr1 winner and Equus Champion Jan Van Goyen on just his second start, Chapbook shed his maiden next time out in style. With Jan Van Goyen hailing from the same De Kock stable, they should have a reliable measure of Chapbook’s ability, even if the Gr1 win came over a longer trip.
Adding further intrigue is Tripping Thunder, a year older and lightly raced. He won well on local debut after showing solid Cape form and is expected to progress. Another worth noting is Now I Got You, trained by Nathan Kotzen, who has been consistent in recent starts and could play a role with his handy galloping weight.
The rest of the card offers competitive racing. In the opener, Thingamabob returns from a break with smart Cape form and could be hard to beat if fit, though Belligerent and Light Of Gabriel are improving types. Later races feature strong contenders such as Holy Star in the second, Escapologist in the Pick 6 opener, and a host of in-form handicappers across the middle events.
But all eyes will be on the last, where Exocet has the chance to confirm his early promise and stamp himself as a colt to follow.
