With just seven runners carded the rain delayed 1800m Gr3 London News Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday remains a competitive affair.
Romany Prince – consistency is not his forte
One of the seven is Stonehenge, rock-solid front runner who will stretch them out from the start. Riding such a tear-away requires skill to judge pace, and not too many have succeeded in doing that.
Stonehenge gets the services here of JP van der Merwe, who won on him at his penultimate start.
Stonehenge’s stable mate Samurai Blade won his last two races in style, going either handy or with the pace. So no guessing where he’ll be positioned this time.
Craig Zackey, who won on him at his penultimate jump takes over from Piere Strydom, who won on him last time – and is away down at Kenilworth riding Talktothestars in the feature.
Although his recent race ratings would leave him some way short here, his best 3yo form tells a different story – he ran third to Abashiri both in the Classic and the Derby. That form would put him firmly into the picture here.
Talking of the Derby, there’s Rocketball, who by only a nose lost that race to Triple Crown winner Abashiri.
He ran a good one again next time out, in the Daily News 2000, but his subsequent form has been uninspiring. His last effort was almost eight lengths behind Romany Prince over a mile at Turffontein, where he’d uncharacteristically attempted to make all the running.
His best form is from off the pace, and he’ll be allowed to race that way here. If at best he’s a runner. Romany Prince’s win was eye-catching, and up with his best form in terms of ratings. A repeat will see him go close, but consistency is not his forte.
SA Derby runner-up and 2015 Supreme Cup winner Deputy Jud – not at his best recently
SA Derby runner-up Deputy Judd, now a 5yo, has not shown his best form in two starts this term so it’s hard to know what to expect.
His stable companion Amsterdam ran over a mile at the Vaal last Tuesday, finishing well in a slow run affair. If nothing else it confirmed his well-being and was a good sprint-up for this race, where he looks to have quite a bit to do.
Deo Juvente – lame last time but will improve
That leaves Deo Juvente, who finished lame at his last start, in the Summer Cup when well-fancied. He’d shown top-class form prior to that, which would put him right into the firing line here.
Sean Tarry’s pair of Stonehenge and Samurai Blade hold the aces in terms of the pace of this race. Which should see to it that all the runners can reproduce their true form based on ratings.
Romany Prince and Deo Juvente could well be the ones to be with.
