Black Toga – won well at first try on the PE polytrack
Trainer Tara Laing swept the boards at last Saturday night’s East Cape Racing Awards and after a solid start to this season, a subdued past Monday meeting will see her sharpening her pencil for this Friday’s Fairview meeting. She saddles the classy Black Toga and Distinguished in a competitive field contesting the R100 000 Founders Trophy.
Tara Laing – enjoying a great run
Ms Laing’s association as private trainer to SA champion owners Ingrid and Markus Jooste has created a powerful , albeit relatively new, force in East Cape Racing and the high-riding team went up on stage six times on Saturday evening.
Their awards included Horse Of The Year with the Trippi gelding Sir Duke and one common thread runs through most of her runners – they are all major centre retreads, who have not yet reached their shelf life.
And so it is that she saddles the former Vaughan Marshall trained Black Toga, and former Charles Laird resident, Distinguished in Friday’s polytrack mile feature.
Black Toga was a promising youngster who captured the 2012 Listed Gatecrasher Stakes as a 2yo.
Now a 6yo, he broke the ice on his PE debut on 10 July with a good win over 1400m, but then possibly found the 1200m on the short side, when going a 2,25 length fifth to Mesmerize last time.
He was not striding out there and if Tara has him back to something like his best form, he will be very competitive.
Distinguished has lost form but has the ability to upset
His stable companion, 2013 Listed Darley Arabian winner Distinguished, has not shown much since relocating to this centre.
The 7yo has had two turf runs in PE – running handily and dropping out when it counted, on both occasions.
His KZN form was not much better and he has not won a race in over a year. That said, he should strip a fitter horse and his Greyville polytrack efforts showed that he could well adapt to the Fairview all weather track.
Gogetthesheriff was recently voted Polytrack Horse Of The Year
The topweighted Gogetthesheriff is the first of a trio of runners from the in-form Jacques Strydom outfit.
The son of Go Deputy won a cracker on the turf last time out when flying up late to lower the colours of PE Horse Of The Year, Sir Duke.
The 5yo is a course and distance winner and very effective on this surface and will be given every chance to settle and turn it on late under Greg Cheyne.
The former Stuart Pettigrew and subsequently Duncan Howells trained Zestful is a four-time winner, who looks capable of adding to his win tally in this centre.
He was outgunned at his last start when unplaced in the Listed Darley Arabian but could lift his game if not in need of it at his first run here.
His new stablemate King Jace (formerly with Garth Puller), may have his measure on a previous clash though.
King Jace appeared to be battling to win again in Durban, but his last two runs showed a definite spark of hope.
He last run, on the Greyville polytrack, was a neck third to the very well performed Stormy Eclipse. On that level of performance, he could be the dark horse in this field – although may need a run or two, to adapt to local conditions.
Astro News – has the ability if producing his better form
Justin Snaith has hit top form with nine winners over three meetings last weekend and he saddles the 2013 Gr3 Cup Trial winner, Astro News, who is always worth including.
It is a bit worrying that the 7yo son of Silvano has not quite been his best at his last four starts and may just have lost some of his enthusiasm for competition.
Andrew Fortune is not riding at this meeting, and young Donovan Dillon deputises for him.
Dorrie Sham is another yard that has been in sparkling form. She sends out the coupling of last Friday’s course and distance winner, Way Clear, and the ever consistent Symbolik – who jumps from a 1 draw.
Lockheed Jetstar – now with Grant Paddock
The former Geoff Woodruff 7yo Lockheed Jetstar was purchased by Mark Paddock for R85 000 at the Michael Holmes Super Sale.
He has his second run in PE after a quiet sprint prep at his last start.
While he is unexposed to the all-weather, the 2014 Listed Thukela Handicap winner has run to some good ratings and can be expected to improve dramatically.
Trainer Hekkie Strydom has not been in the best of health lately, but he has done a terrific job with the ultra consistent Qu Danzig 7yo Russian Mig.
The Ambiance Stud-bred galloper has his 74th outing here and achieved his last win over the cpurse and distance.
He is not very well drawn at 10 and it is a worry that the astute judge Wayne Agrella abandons ship to ride Paddock’s Lockheed Jetstar.
Gavin Smith’s Samhaan has excellent course and distance form, and SA champion apprentice Craig Zackey knows him well.
The son of Encosta De Lago comes in with a handy galloping weight and is 1,5kgs better off with Way Clear – after his 2,20 lengths sixth placed finish last Friday.
His biggest issue is his tardiness at the start – but he will be running on at them late and cannot be discounted.
Black Toga is the choice in a competitive race.
The topweighted Gogetthesheriff is always a danger and is fit and well at present. Lockheed Jetstar and Zestful could be best of the rest.
