The Flamingo Park programme today has managed to attract more than double the amount of runners than the Kenilworth card last Tuesday. That makes for attractive mid-month punting and with the R100 000 Kimberley 1400 as the headliner, we should be in for some quality entertainment.
Just A Jag
The Northern Cape is always capable of delivering results out of left field. How do we forget the 55-1 White Feather at our last meeting here? The trainer explained that bomb away with a distance variation and the magic of equipment, and hindsight remains an exact science.
The non-black type feature on this Monday’s card has the makings of a possible upset but with the two ‘Jags’ bumping heads again, they may be good enough to dominate.
Scotsman Duncan McKenzie has been churning out the winners and he saddles the handily weighted A P Answer gelding Just A Jag, with Karl ‘The Zechner Machine’ in the saddle.
This 4yo has been a model of consistency since shedding his maiden five runs ago and ran on well when stepped up 200m to Monday’s trip last time.
Sure, he was beaten a comprehensive 3,25 lengths by Jaguar, but the weight turnaround could make the difference here.
Just A Jag comes in 4kgs better off and Zechner may have a plan to have him a little bit closer to the action.
The year older Jaguar is no slouch at best and bounced back strongly to win his last start.
JP van der Merwe
Something of a course-and-distance specialist, he has put in some dicey performances but must go close in the hands of Met jockey, JP van der Merwe.
His stablemate Razzle My Tazzle steps back into mixed company after showing well for a second to The Berry Lady in an MR 80 Handicap at her last start.
With the additional 2kgs weight swing (she is ridden by a claimer) in her favour, she must have a reasonable prospect of getting a bit closer to Jaguar than the 6,25 lengths of her last start.
Stef Miller’s Kent Rock is very talented but may need the outing after a 14 week break, following his having suffered an epistaxis.
He had won five of his six Kimberley outings prior to that, so needs to be considered – and the betting may be the best guide to his fitness.
Louis Goosen
Louis Goosen makes a rare trip to these parts. He saddles the Daylami 6yo Move Like Jagger, who seems to be battling in the stronger centres.
A winner of 5 of his 41 starts, he could be effective if he adapts to the diamond dustbowl and is well drawn with a decent weight on his back.
Evergreen local Cliffie Miller saddles Seattle Sunset and Emerald Mackay.
The latter was the subject of some high praise from his veteran conditioner last time when beating Taso The Sailor in an MR 77 Handicap over 1200m. His 15 draw is something of a deterrent here.
Seattle Sunset may be the better and has won two of his four Kimberley starts. He will be ridden by the high-on-confidence recent Gr3 Tommy Hotspur hero Jarryd Penny and is a horse with a decent turn of foot. He is also nicely drawn.
S’manga Khumalo
S’manga Khumalo rides Jack Friday, one of a quartet from the Bill Human stable.
A bit widely drawn, the son of Greys Inn has won his last two on the trot but is probably more effective over 200m further.
Course and distance winner Taso The Sailor looks best of the balance. He chased Emerald Mackay home last time in a form return after a quite spell. He is another with a handy looking 52kgs on his back and capable of a big effort.
Leon Erasmus and regular stable jockey Sherman Brown are in town with the topweighted Stage Call gelding, Stavinsky.
His form shows that he has been running against much stronger and on his best sand performances, he would have an undeniable shout – but his wide draw looks a serious dampner.
Tienie Prinsloo’s Lord Victorious showed up last time for a fair third to Sub Shaawes, but is rather in-and-out to be taken too seriously.
We are going to go for the recent winner Jaguar to maintain his form and overcome the weight turnaround. He is the choice to beat Just A Jag, with Jack Friday and Seattle Sunset the quartet fillers.
In view of the decent sized exotic fields, decent payouts could be on the cards – so go wide and lean on the fractions.
