The National Emblem gelding Hard Rock has plenty of frustrating unfulfilled potential and could be ready to win again
The lack of recent form amongst most of the runners in the Turffontein Tuesday evening topliner creates an excellent value bet opportunity for the astute punter. Being April Fools’ Day, it may prove prudent to look beyond the obvious on the night.
Low ranking merit rated handicaps dominate the exotic bets on the nine race Turffontein standside programme and the jackpot opener, the R100,000 MR 88 Handicap run over 1400m, presents a serious challenge for punters.
Rock Hard
A runner that jumps out of the page though as a potential value bet is the National Emblem gelding Hard Rock, who has his second run for trainer Ormond Ferraris. He will be ridden by Weichong Marwing, who returned on Guineas Day to ride for Ferraris, but who is yet to open his account, admittedly from limited riding opportunities.
Hard Rock ran 9 lengths behind the very smart Trip Tease over what would have been a too short 1000m two weeks back and should come along lengths for the benefit of that run. Ferraris is his third trainer, and he may also prove third time lucky.
Been Around
A horse who has been around the block, Hard Rock was formerly trained by Mike De Kock, and in his earlier dayswhile still in the ownership of Roets Racing , by Deon Visser. Hard Rock has won only twice from 19 starts and it is interesting (and puzzling) to note that his last win was way back on 24 April 2011 when he won the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes run over 1000m at Clairwood in the hands of Anton Marcus.
That was only his second outing after he had caught everyone unawares when he won his Clairwood 1200m debut at odds of 66/1 a month earlier.
Bred by Riverton Stud and bought for R150 000 at the 2010 National Yearling Sale, Hard Rock’s booming two race winning streak came to an abrupt end when he ran a not disgraced fifth and 5,10 lengths behind Delago Deluxe in the 2011 Gr1 Gold Medallion.
Talented
He changed owners and moved stables to Mike De Kock at the end of 2011, but has only ever managed eight place cheques since his second and last win.
He has run though to a highest lifetime rating of 101 and if he gets anywhere near that level must have a big chance here at his second run for Mr Ferraris.
At his penultimate run (his last start in KZN) he ran the capable sprinter Midnight Run to a quarter length giving him a half kilo. That was achieved on Midnight Run’s favourite strip, and there are not too many horses around who can do that.
Irony
There isn’t too much recent form anywhere else here, but it is probably ironic that Hard Rock’s former trainer Deon Visser saddles a horse who won his last start over the course and distance and probably represents the topweight’s major challenge.
He is the lightly raced Windrush gelding Singing River, who has won 2 of his 5 starts. Craig Zackey takes 1,5kgs off his back and the promising youngster produced Singing River with a sustained finish to beat Principled in an MR 80 Handicap last time.
Solid Combination
Sherman Brown and Leon Erasmus are a dangerous combination at the middle levels and they team up with the Western Winter gelding Zanzibar Man, who boasts some fair recent form to stronger.
Zanzibar Man ran the promising year younger As You Like to just under a length over a mile at end January, and the Laird colt subsequently ran third behind Triple Crown pretender Louis The King in the Gauteng Guineas last month. Sean Tarry saddles Piere Strydom’s mount Money Doesn’t Count and the one time winner Golden High.
Cash Dispenser
Money Doesn’t Count runs in the same silks as Hard Rock but has ordinary recent form. He is a course and distance winner though and jumping, as he does, from a good draw against formless sorts, it would not be the first time that Strydom has produced some magic.
Golden High won his maiden impressively at the second time of asking, but his four runs since have been quiet. He should improve on his return run after a four month break and could be one for the notebook at his next start or two.
Not Fantastic
The 2013 Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes winner Fantastic Mr Fox has never won another race and appears to be ruining his prospects at the start. He is not well drawn either. Alec Laird’s Pyrotechnics is a strong frontrunner, who has faded at his last two starts in this province.
Gavin Van Zyl saddles Regal Stride and the ten week rested course and distance winner Kashan. It looks tough for both of them, but it is an open race and place cheques are there for the taking.
Class Sort
Hard Rock has the class and ability to win this. Zanzibar Man could chase him home, with anybody for third.
