Leading the Johannesburg raiders in the Gr1 Gold Medallion at Scottsville Saturday is Frosted Gold, priced up as the 5-2 favourite. This New Zealand-bred won the Gr2 SA Nursery.
He has all the credentials of a horse who will enjoy Scottsville – enough pace to stay in touch as they hurtle down the hill in the early part and a resolute gallop for the tough climb to the finish line from the 500m mark onward. And he has the advantage of Anton Marcus aboard.
Mike De Kock
It will no doubt be a humdinger of a race – possibly the day’s classiest event, and Mike de Kock said: “He has a winning chance, for sure.”
While the four Grade 1 sprints will rightly garner most of the attention at Scottsville on Saturday, the best betting opportunities are to be had in less glamorous surroundings, writes Ken Nicol of TAB News.
Chief among those is Stage Dance in Race 1, a Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1600m.
Mike de Kock’s charge made good improvement second time out a few weeks ago to score from off the pace over this trip at the Vaal, beating a reasonable looking maiden field.
He now meets a formless looking bunch, apart from fellow Gauteng raider, and the only previous winner, Shivers.
But Stage Dance finished a couple of lengths ahead of that one when both made their debut behind Rio’s Winter, and is strongly fancied to do so again.
www.mikedekockracing.com
