Across The Ice and Piere Strydom – a lethal combination
Our multiple champion jockey Piere Strydom broke through the 5000 winner on SA soil stratosphere at the Vaal last Thursday. The legend of the saddle returns to the same venue, but on his less favoured sand surface today, where he partners the equine stalwart, Across The Ice.
The two veterans could team up to win the day’s topliner,a R120 000 Pinnacle Stakes over the Emerald Cup trip.
Very Lucky
Piere Strydom -a true legend of the saddle – 5000 winners on SA soil
Strydom broke the 5000 winner ice on Allegorical for Lucky Houdalakis in the first race last Thursday and now that he has that psychological hurdle behind him, he will no doubt be riding with his characteristic flair and self confidence.
Across The Ice has his 66th run, but at 8 years of age is showing the kind of enthusiasm and zest reserved for those half his age.
The full brother to exciting new sire prospect Cape Town Noir has run three excellent second at his last three outings, including a brave level weights effort when narrowly toppled by Louis Goosen’s top-class speedster Trip Tease at his penultimate start.
Across The Ice has won eleven times, and with Striker having been aboard at seven of those, they know each other well enough to overcome another courageous soldier.
Our Uncle
7yo Uncle Tommy – plenty of ability when in good health
He is the joint topweighted Weiho Marwing-trained 7yo Uncle Tommy, who comes out at the top of our SP ratings.
That despite feeling the aches and pains at his last two starts, where he failed to bank a cheque.
He was reported not striding out at his last start when running close on ten lengths behind Stavinsky in the Listed Highveld Sand Challenge. Uncle Tommy was out at the weights that day and drifted ominously in the betting – a sign that he may be showing some wear and tear.
Uncle Tommy and Across The Ice last clashed in the Emerald Cup where the former ran second and three lengths ahead of the Tarry runner.
With apprentice Wesley Marwing’s claim, Uncle Tommy enjoys a 5,5kg swing in his favour – but Across The Ice looks the more appealing on the wellbeing front.
Longshot
Stavinsky wins the Listed Highveld Sand Challenge
Trainer Leon Erasmus caused something of a stir in the Listed Highveld Sand Challenge when the 40-1 Stavinsky tried the mile for the first time (at his 57th career start) and stormed home to beat The Royal Rumba by 3,50 lengths.
He beat an unsound Uncle Tommy by 9,80 lengths there and the old man is 3,5kgs better off on Thursday.
Whether Stavinsky will be as effective over the 150m shorter remains open to debate – and he needs to prove that the last win was no flash in the pan.
De Kock’s Choice
Mike De Kock’s Redoute’s Choice 3yo Mootahadee showed pace on the Vaal turf last time before fading out to run unplaced.
He was better at his penultimate jump when beating Across The Ice over the Vaal sand 1200m by a half length. That was a decent effort as Mootahadee was bumped but he meets Across The Ice on 3kgs worse terms now and may battle to hold the revitalised gelding.
A further 2,10 lengths back in that same race was Tyrone Zacley’s Royal Academy 5yo Augustinus, who should prefer the extra 250m.
He is 1,5kgs worse off with Mootahadee which could bring him into the place money reckoning.
Brad’s Surge is one of the best Surging River progeny around and this 4yo gelding seldom runs a bad race.
His best form has been on this surface and was only 1,25 lengths off Mootahadee at his last sand start – and Bradley Maroun’s charge is as much as 4kgs better off with the De Kock runner.
Captain Haddock has beaten Across The Ice on the sand but his recent form is uninspiring and he faces a massive weight turnaround hurdle with the Tarry runner. He looks unlikely to feature.
Class
Across The Ice and Uncle Tommy represent the obvious class in the race.
The Tarry gelding is of an advanced age- but is on the up and fit – while Uncle Tommy needs to prove his health again.
On the balance of probabilities, we are siding with Across The Ice to get the better of this lot and he is selected at the expense of Stavinsky and Uncle Tommy.
Mootahadee has some ground to make up, but it makes no sense to leave a De Kock runner out of the exotic calculations.
