“Both Anton Marcus and I have no doubt Cue The Music will get the 1400m. He is fit and well, his blood picture came back perfect. His prep has gone without a hitch. Let’s put it this way – he is no good thing. But whatever beats him will win.”
Cue The Music – goes 1400m for the first time
A top-class jockey of yesteryear and a veteran trainer who can hold his own against the best, the Summerveld-based Dennis Bosch has never boomed up ordinary horses.
But he is categorical when he tags Cue The Music a ‘serious racehorse’ with a bright future. He feels that in the long run, he will be at his best over the sprints.
The son of Oratorio lines up in Saturday’s Gr2 Golden Horseshoe at Greyville.
Dennis Bosch – to man
“I have been in this game for 49 years so am too experienced not to always respect my opposition. Especially with 2yo’s! But my boy has the form. And I know many observers will see his high cruising speed as a reason to think he may not stay the 1400m. We have a game plan and Anton is a top jockey who will ride the race as it unfolds,” Bosch told the Sporting Post.
Avontuur sire Oratorio came within a whisker of producing the winner of the R600 000 Gr2 Golden Horseshoe in 2017 when Ancestry was pipped by Var’s son Purple Diamond. The Danehill international stakes producer can set the record straight on Saturday when the very progressive Cue The Music jumps from a decent draw.
Two Oratorio ‘s fight it out – Van Halen beats Cue The Music in Gr1 Gold Medallion
The inevitable trap with 2yo’s, as hinted at by Dennis Bosch, is that the unexposed youngsters often improve lengths from run to run and when stepping up in trip, with the added curved ball of adaptation to the Greyville turn an unknown for many.
But the seasoned horseman and his top owner Mario Ferreira can’t be blamed for harbouring a measure of confidence with Cue The Music, who has won at the track. The Godolphin Barb winner came into the Gr1 Gold Medallion unbeaten in two starts at the end of May, when going down narrowly to a low-flying Van Halen – coincidentally also a son of Oratorio. Cue The Music had the rest – certainly those that raced down the inside – well beaten, and he will be a popular choice to register his first Gr2 success.
If Dennis Bosch has one man to respect, it is his colleague and Gauteng raider Mike de Kock who last won this race in 2009 with the top-class Musir. De Kock has course and distance winner Barahin and the unbeaten Australian-bred Soqrat in the line-up.
Barahin wins the Gatecrasher
Barahin followed up on his Vaal maiden win with a facile victory in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over Saturday’s course and distance.
Soqrat is undefeated in two starts and with a winning margin of 4,45 lengths he looks a decent youngster. The son of Epaulette beat Cyber Special with ease when stepping up to the 1400m at Turffontein last start.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Clifton Crusher is another with a wide draw to beat and stayed on well 3,75 lengths behind Barahin in the Gatecrasher Stakes.
Cue The Music is the narrow first choice to beat the De Kock duo, in what could be a race for Pick 6 players to go light.
