Sunday’s nine-race Standside track meeting at Turffontein may not carry any Black-Type fireworks across the programme but it does present punters with several attractive betting propositions, headed by a fascinating rematch in the Betway-sponsored Mythical Flight Stakes (Race 6) over 1100m.
The Non-Black Type sprint for three-year-olds (known formerly as the Gold Rush Sprint) is effectively a rematch of the Grade 3 TAB National Currency Sprint, run over the same course and distance on 21 February, though the evidence points strongly toward Miami Mountain confirming his superiority.
The Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained son of Canford Cliffs overcame a sluggish start that day before unleashing a devastating turn of foot – with first-time blinkers applied – to win going away under Jeffrey Syster.
An underwhelming subsequent display over 1400m can safely be forgiven. Without the headgear fitted, Miami Mountain over raced early and ran out of fuel long before the business end, leaving little for the finish. Returning to the sharper 1100m with the blinkers reapplied, the key ingredient to his Grade 3 success over track and trip, the stage is set for Miami Mountain to resume winning ways.
Stable jockey Callan Murray takes over the reins this time and even off a five-point higher mark, the De Kock inmate rates the horse to beat.
Familiar rivals Charming Cheetah and Zalatoris will not go down without a fight. Both were hot on his heels in the National Currency Sprint and met again recently over 1160m. Zalatoris had the edge but the revised weight terms in favour of Charming Cheetah puts him firmly into contention.
Even so, if Miami Mountain reproduces the same late surge that carried him to Grade 3 course-and-distance glory, the rest will again be left fighting out the minors.
Another runner worth strong consideration back over the preferred trip is Vanakkam in Race 7. The Mano Pandaram-trained daughter of Vercingetorix looks ideally placed to strike under favourable conditions in this Middle Stakes over 1000m.
Her last two appearances came in stronger Grade 3 company over slightly further and the drop back to 1000m, a distance over which she has been beaten only once in four starts, is a strong positive. With the useful 1.5kg allowance of French rider Mickaëlle Michel, Vanakkam is one of the better value bets on the card.
Earlier, Heath House should get punters off to a winning start in Race 1. The unbeaten youngster returns from a 16-week break and is open to any amount of improvement in his first appearance as a gelding. His perfect record looks set to remain intact.
Later, highly regarded Pivotal Role is another progressive type whose upward trajectory it should pay to follow in Race 8, even under a penalty for his last-start victory.
Clive Robinson
