Doing It For Dan ticks all the right boxes
Been there, done it. That’s the Vodacom Durban July story of a classy Right Approach gelding who has kept the racing world guessing about his optimum performance trip. A versatile galloper, Whiteline Fever won’t be at Greyville next month after three gallant attempts to win Africa’s greatest race, and instead steps out in a sprint at Turffontein on the Youth Day public holiday.
Competitive six horse fields for Place Accumulator first legs are notorious bear-traps for seasoned players of the place exotic and there will be few that are bold enough to anchor any of the sextet lining up in the R120 000 Pinnacle Stakes to be run over 1160m.
Quite A Mix
Whiteline Fever – genuine and classy sort – could surprise
The field hosts a mix of potentially unfit and unsound sorts and Louis Goosen’s Doing It For Dan in the hands of Piere Strydom ticks more boxes than the rest.
But there is no substitute for genuine class and, while not a recognised sprinter, Whiteline Fever is all heart and as a seven time winner of close on R2 million in stakes, he has been campaigned in the strongest company over his four seasons of racing.
It is no secret that his top trainer has always believed he would be a horse who would stay 2000m – and that was a very fair conclusion based on his late-run style finish and superb turn of foot.
The 6yo runs on Tuesday after two flat efforts in the Betting World 1900 and the Cup Trial down in KZN and the fitment of the blinkers may well be a flash of inspiration – or a sign of pure desperation. Judging from his winning performances, 1400m is probably his best distance, but with plenty of natural pace here, he could be storming through and cutting them down late.
Topweight
Deliver The Power – impressive turn of foot – but out of sorts lately
Whiteline Fever carries joint topweight with the rather out-of-sorts, but talented, Deliver The Power. The unsound 6yo son of Toreador, one of two Zaki runners, is a nine-time winner and a speedball of some note on his day – as his highest lifetime MR of 114 will attest.
His best recent run was his four-length fifth (carrying 61,5kgs) behind Aurum Pot over the course and distance on Hennenman Memorial day. He had Approval Rating 1,25 lengths behind him and meets that one on the same weight terms.
Approval Rating has had three runs since, culminating with a win at his last start – and that with the added recommendation of being over the course and distance. It is worrying thought that he has had respiratory issues reported at some of his starts.
Fast
The quicksilver Doing It For Dan ran a 2,05 length fourth there and is now 2,5 kgs better off with Approval Rating.
Piere Strydom – worth a few lengths
Piere Strydom (who probably also had the option of riding Whiteline Fever) jumps aboard Louis Goosen’s consistent 3yo son of Windrush, who boasts some top-class recent form to good horses.
Doing It For Dan has run against the likes of his outstanding stablemate Trip Tease, Willow Magic and the class filly Carry On Alice, and has not been disgraced.
With the turnaround in the weights and Striker in the irons, he looks to be a serious contender.
Apprentice Craig Zackey and his boss Dominic Zaki have been in scintillating form and Deliver The Power’s stablemate Victorious runs fresh after a 21 week break, when running unplaced behind Dollar Dazzler.
The speedy son of Antonius Pius is another who appears to have his breathing problems.
Weichong Marwing is down to ride Burg for Ormond Ferraris.
Another son of Toreador, the 3yo returns from a 16 week break and may need the run.
Size It Up
They say that the smaller the field, the bigger the upset.
We are going against that for now and suggesting Doing It For Dan will carry too many guns and he should be good enough to hold Whiteline Fever And Approval Rating.
