Drier’s Seventh Plain seen winning his first feature in style
Summerveld-based Dennis Drier goes for an extraordinary fourth consecutive victory in today’s R600 000 Tsogo Sun Gr1 Gold Medallion. A win for the Klawervlei Stud-bred Seventh Plain would not only be a golden moment for Drier but also a second Gr1 winner for the smart colt’s sire.
Only nine colts and gelding line up for this barometer of future excellence on the track and with a varied, albeit sparse, mix of interprovincial form at play, an upset is on the cards.
Anton Marcus – rides Seventh Plain
Anton Marcus was interestingly aboard Delago Deluxe, the last non-Drier horse to win this race (in 2011) and he is the right man to boot home Seventh Plain.
This fellow was a member of the 2014/15 Drier Summer Of Champions party to the Cape.
He made an impressive winning debut over 800m at Kenilworth a few days prior to Christmas when beating the Snaith’s Buckinghampshire.
The two met again in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes on Met day and with a 2kg pull at the weights the Snaith galloper turned the tables.
While Buckinghampshire has been disappointing since, Seventh Plain returned to action on 26 April when winning over the Scottsville 1100m.
He will strip a fitter horse on Saturday and Dennis Drier has never allowed the second-run-after-a -rest hoodoo to stop him.
After a neat debut win, Gavin Van Zyl’s Redcarpet Captain won the Gr3 Protea Stakes in soft going at his second outing, beating subsequent Gr1 SA Nursery winner Arabian Beat by 2,50 lengths.
The Zaki runner then turned the tables on him by over six lengths next time when things went slightly pear-shaped for Brian Burnard’s goodlooking Captain Al colt.
Redcarpet Captain – major threat
If adapting to the Scottsville track, Redcarpet Captain must be a massive threat to Seventh Plain from his 1 draw.
Three smart debut winners are largely unknown quantities in this field.
Muwaary – won by a mile on debut
Mike De Kock’s O’reilly colt Muwaary simply doddled in on his Vaal 1200m debut at end April when beating Ziggy’s Boy nine lengths.
That was an impressive win at 16-10, but we have no idea of how good this fellow really is – and could find out on Saturday.
Recent SA Nursery boom combination Zaki and Zackey team up with the Toreador gelding Prospect Strike.
He was backed from 7-2 to 22-10 to win his Vaal 1200m debut just over a week back and is another where the betting could indicate confidence.
The second of the Seventh Rock progeny is Sean Tarry’s Donny G, the third of the debut-winning trio. He will now be ridden by Piere Strydom after the withdrawal of Isca.
He was backed into 16-10 when beating Shot over the Vaal 1200m. The runner-up was beaten 9 lengths by Malak El Moolook a week ago, so Donny G will need to show he is special before we recommend him.
It is good to see the Argonaut progeny making inroads and Alastair Gordon’s Beat The Retreat has run two good races at this track.
He won by 3,50 lengths in a small field on debut but then had to play a 1,50 length second fiddle to Seventh Plain next time out.
That could mean he will be held again – but he cannot be discounted for place money.
Paul Peter – saddles Just Africa
Paul Peter’s Just Africa became the first winner for his KZN-based sire Just As Well when shedding his maiden over 1000m recently.
Just Africa showed blistering pace to win there by four lengths and makes for an interesting outcome as his sire was expected to get them to go 2000m plus.
It is a worry that this little fellow may find the Scottsville 1200m not exactly to his liking.
Mike Bass – saddles Jet Air
The Cape trainers have been helping themselves to the feature race spoils in KZN and Mike Bass is the sole representative of that province with recent maiden winner, Jet Air.
The Team Valor-bred son of Visionaire improved nicely to win his second start over the Kenilworth 1400m beating Imperial Dancer by 1,25 lengths.
There are no winners to have emerged from behind him, so the strength of the form (a few placed subsequently) is unknown. After an eight week break and having his first run at a strange venue, Jet Air is likely to need it.
Alyson Wright saddles the well bred Mr Roy, who boasts a serious Lammerskraal pedigree being a son of Western Winter out of a Rakeen mare.
A winner and placed twice from his three starts, he is held by Seventh Plain who beat him 3,50 lengths at their last clash.
Dennis Drier looks difficult to oppose.
However Gr1 trophies don’t come easy and his Seventh Plain will need to be at his best to go with the likes of Redcarpet Captain and De Kock’s debut winner Muwaary.
