Francis Semela
Francis Semela takes a slender one-point lead into the second leg of the Work Riders’ Challenge at the Vaal today and looks likely to battle to hold his advantage.
Semela won the first leg of the event, which took place late last year, and walked off with the R5,000 first prize with a total of 28 points. But Calvin Habib, Charles Ndlovu and Lyle Hewitson are breathing down his neck and a glance at their rides on the Vaal turf track seem to point to Hewitson having the edge in the second leg.
Hewitson, just three points behind Semela, has picked up plum rides from the Mike Azzie yard as well as an extremely good mount from the Sean Tarry stable.
He kicks off the Challenge in Race 2 where he rides Aleut for Tarry. This is undoubtedly one of the best rides of the day and should be a banker in both the BiPot and Place Accumulator. The three-year-old colt has raced just once and was sent off second favourite at 18-10.
Lyle Hewitson – capable young rider
Favourite for the race was Forest View who undoubtedly benefited from having raced on the Vaal sand before and ran out a 5.50-length winner.
The son of Sail From Seattle will no doubt improve on that run and even though he will be racing on the turf this time, looks an outstanding bet in this field.
Semela rides Flash Park, who had an inauspicious debut run last Thursday at this track, finishing 12.85 lengths behind Heavenly Express over 1200m. He found betting support and went off at 6-1 and there were excuses for the run as he made an abnormal respiratory noise during the running.
Flash Park obviously shows some ability at home and could improve on that run.
Hewitson rides Love Without End in Race 3 for Azzie and has a winning chance while in Race 4 he is on a first timer called Apple Crumble. This gelding might have had a few problems as he is already four-years-old and has moved up from the Mike Bass yard in Cape Town without having had a run.
However, he is beautifully bred and is a full brother to Abercrombie, who was highly rated by the Bass yard as a three-year-old.
Hewitson appears to have another top ride in Race 5 where he rides Netherby Hall for Azzie.
Mike Azzie saddles Netherby Hall
The three-year-old gelding had an impressive debut when racing over 1600m on the Vaal turf and after leading most of the way, was caught late and ended up a 1.05-length third behind Pyramus. It was a very good effort and he should improve markedly in this Maiden Plate over1700m.
The main threat looks to be his stable companion Quid Rides, who will be ridden by Semela. In spite of going off at 100-1, this three-year-old gelding ran on very well last time over 1600m at Turffontein to finish a 2.50-length second behind Stonehenge.
Hewitson also rides Awesome Adam for Azzie in Race 8. He went off at 9-20 on the Vaal sand last month and after showing up well in the early part of the race trailed in 35 lengths behind Wellesley. He also made an abnormal respiratory noise and pulled up fatigued. That was his first run on the sand and Awesome Adam looks certain to improve with his return to the turf.
Azzie has two others with definite chances in this race – Intandokazi, with Semela up, and Grand Opera to be ridden by Ndlovu. Semela has ridden Intandokazi before and it will be interesting to see whether he enjoys this increase in distance to 2000m.
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