Kimberley’s hot wet summer provides an unpredictable ambush element that saw the demise after two races of the last scheduled meeting at the track. The rejigged R100 000 Kimberley 1400 is now the headliner on this Monday’s bumper ten race programme.
The infrequent summer rains tend to take the form of occasional severe thunderstorms and the meeting of Monday 15 February was a shock victim on a day that had dawned beautifully.
The one benefit of the surplus of the shelved meeting is that we have 156 runners carded at this week’s meet and with entries re-opened for the feature, even that event has taken on a slightly different complexion.
The two ‘Jags’ bump heads again, and while they may be good enough to dominate matters, there is some competition in the wings.
Scotsman Duncan McKenzie has been churning out the winners in PE and the Northern Cape and he saddles the handily weighted A P Answer gelding Just A Jag, with Karl ‘The Zechner Machine’ in the saddle.
Just A Jag – never runs a poor race
This 4yo has been a model of consistency since shedding his maiden five runs ago and ran on well when stepped up 200m to Monday’s trip last time.
Sure, he was beaten a comprehensive 3,25 lengths by Jaguar, but the weight turnaround could make the difference here.
Just A Jag comes in 4kgs better off and Zechner may have a plan to have him a little bit closer to the action.
The year older Jaguar is no slouch at best and bounced back strongly to win his last start.
Something of a course-and-distance specialist, he has put in some dicey performances but must go close in the hands of Met jockey, JP van der Merwe – but he has a 10 draw to overcome.
Stef Miller’s newly gelded Kent Rock is very talented but may need the outing after a 16 week break, following his having suffered an epistaxis.
Recently gelded Kent Rock may need it
He had won five of his six Kimberley outings prior to that, so needs to be considered – and the betting may be the best guide to his fitness.
Tienie Prinsloo has a power coupling to saddle and both are capable of challenging.
Andrew Fortune rides the topweighted Quid Rides
The son of Modus Vivendi has finally found his niche after spells with Mike Azzie, Gavin Smith and Eric Sands and he is in peak mettle after winning his last three starts by an aggregate 16 lengths.
The only negative is that this may be on the short side for him.
His companion Lebeoana looks to have a few lengths to find and will definitely find this pace a bit fine for his best effort.
Louis Goosen makes a rare trip to these parts.
He saddles the Daylami 6yo Move Like Jagger, who seems to be battling in the stronger centres.
A winner of 5 of his 41 starts, he could be effective if he adapts to the diamond dustbowl and is well drawn with a decent weight on his back and a nice barrier gate.
WGC “Cliffie’ Miller
Evergreen local Cliffie Miller saddles Emerald Mackay.
The latter was the subject of some high praise from his veteran conditioner last time when beating Taso The Sailor in an MR 77 Handicap over 1200m. His 15 draw is something of a deterrent here.
S’manga Khumalo rides Jack Friday, one of a quartet from the Bill Human stable.
The consistent son of Greys Inn has drawn beautifully at pole position and won his last two on the trot –but is probably more effective over 200m further.
Course and distance winner Taso The Sailor looks best of the balance. He chased Emerald Mackay home last time in a form return after a quite spell. He is another with a handy looking 52kgs on his back and capable of a big effort.
We are going to go for the recent winner Jaguar to maintain his form and overcome the weight turnaround. He is the choice to beat Just A Jag – but don’t ignore Quid Rides and the newly gelded Kent Rock.
In view of the decent sized exotic fields, healthy exotic payouts could be on the cards – so go wide and lean on the fractions to try and get some money in the bank.
