Disappointing. That’s the first impression of the R150 000 Listed Glenlair Trophy field with three of the seven runners painfully in under sufferance. On the positive side Tara Laing’s gallant stayer Crown Of Gold goes for a hat-trick in the marathon feature. That really would be no mean achievement.
Crown Of Gold stays all day
The ten time winning Crown Of Gold is a genuine stayer of the top order in the Eastern Cape and is a credit to trainer Tara Laing who has kept him ticking over for many racing moons since his relocation from Joey Ramsden in Milnerton in mid 2013.
The well related 7yo has won this race for the past two years and has an excellent chance of achieving this rare hat-trick.
He doesn’t have to get past too much – even though he was beaten eight lengths by the former Snaith runner Current Event last time out – and is a kilo worse off.
There were excuses for Crown Of Gold as he was having his first run back home since a less than disgraced 4,30 lengths off Ovidio in the Urban Honey (formerly J&B Reserve Stayers) on Met day.
Current Event – changed stables and is in form
Current Event has changed hands and stables and won his first start for that astute conditioner of stayers Jacques Strydom beating the accomplished Drill Sargeant by 5,50 lengths at level weights last time.
Yet another son of Go Deputy to be doing well, Current Event was 17 lengths behind Crown Of Gold in the Urban Honey, where things did not exactly go his way.
He stays this trip – and besides his 3,55 lengths behind King Of Pain in a small field in the 3200m Gr3 Chairman’s Cup in February, he also ran second in SA’’s longest race, the East Cape Gold Cup last term.
At the weights, the Renate du Plessis runner Oh So Modus must be a big runner.
The son of Modus Vivendi is 4,5 kgs better off with Current Event for a six length beating last time and tries the 3200m for the first time.
Richard Fourie – rides Oh So Modus
He is a dour one-pacer who could get his own way if dictating out front and we like the engagement of ace pace judge, Richard Fourie.
The Silvano mare Lucky Gambler is likely to be heading for the breeding paddocks at the end of this season and has relocated from Gauteng.
She has settled in quickly into the Eastern Cape placing twice and winning her third start here.
She has never beaten the males and there is marginal evidence that she got 2600m earlier on – this is a good chance for her to try and get some black type on the board.
The Shadwell Stud bred Mulaazem has not done anything to suggest he has the enthusiasm or the ability to win a race of this nature over 3200m.
The Hekkie Strydom trained son of Kahal has been battling to assert himself and cannot be fancied.
Jacques Strydom – has Current Event well
The balance of the Jacques Strydom trio look to be making up the numbers and so heavily in under sufferance that they are no hopers.
The 6yo Familiar Chat has won once in 50 racecourse outings – and that in Flamingo Park almost three years ago.
There is nothing to suggest he could run in the top four and a reversal would be the shock of the season.
The very modest Badger’s Trail has not won a race in a year and has terrible recent form.
He would have to improve double digit lengths to have any sort of a chance of finishing in the top four – even in a field of seven he seems unlikely to earn.
The race looks a straight shootout between the top three – and the muddling recent form shows that reversals are possible.
Crown Of Gold is fitter and has the class to hold them at bay and despite the small field, the pace could be on with the longshot lightweights and Oh So Modus leading the charge.
