It will be interesting to see if INNAMORARE can translate its excellent Hollywoodbets Kenilworth form over 1400m at the Hollywoodbets Durbanville race meeting on Saturday.
While Justin Snaith’s runner won at Hollywoodbets Durbanville earlier in his career, he’s notched five victories in the Southern Suburbs and is highly competitive when handicapped in the rating band between 88 and 92. This versatile son of Master of My Fate is particularly game – jockey Grant van Niekerk regrets not positioning him handier last time when he closed willingly, but too late, to get within a length of reopposing rival, SOLAR POWER.
Snaith reports his charge is “flying” at the gallops, so INNAMORARE is the pick in Race 7. Apart from the dangerous, SOLAR POWER, HAT’S PRIDE for the red hot Kotzen stable is also a big threat after a sharp try at Fairview three weeks ago.
CHARLIE CROKER, ZOOMIE, SCALINI and MAGIC VERSE might cause the selection some bother but are prejudiced by wide barriers. BARDOLINO, locked in at gate 1, can conserve early energy and should be running on strongly making him a must use in single race exotics.
ICE RAIN is teed up in Race 6, a F&M Class 4 over 1600m. She raced as if just short of match fitness when two lengths off SUDDEN SONG in a key race three weeks ago and with Andre Nel showing intent by slapping blinkers on the Vercingetorix filly, she should run boldly from the favourable inside alley under Corne Orffer.
KAMIKAZI sports neat form yet returns after three months off track, making fitness a query for the Candice Bass-Robinson trained entry. EUREKA DIAMOND won her Maiden fluently at long odds and has scope, while HAMPSTEAD HEATH is weighted to finish quite close to ICE RAIN.
Later, Bass-Robinson steps out her highly promising One World filly, ROCCAPINA in Race 8, a sprint at the Class 4 level for Fillies and Mares. She’s already earned nice figures at her two juvenile starts to date in May and June. Much will hinge on her fitness – if she returns in good physical order then she has the natural ability to see off zippy older foes like SHE’S MY CAPTAIN, HEAR MY VOICE and hat-trick seeking, stable companion, GRANDIOSA.
Punters’ patience in SPIRIT’S UNITE must be wearing thin. Piet Steyn’s entry has placed at six of his last seven dips, but without a win to show for his efforts. In fact, it’s 433 days since he recorded a solitary success from 19 starts. That’s hardly the sort of horse you want to be the ranch on, yet he shapes as if he must surely win soon in a bargain basement, Class 5.
Interestingly Piet Steyn drops him down in trip to a 1200m race with plenty of cheap speed signed on. If Aldo Domeyer can get him out the stalls to secure a decent tracking spot in midfield, then SPIRIT’S UNITE may rally past tiring rivals for a long awaited, 2nd score.
Course winner, SHIFTING PATH could be the biggest threat. Piet Botha has this consistent performer in good nick and jockey, Luyolo Mxothwa gets on well with the gelding – they’ve won twice and finished second this year from three starts.
Punters looking to trim P6 costs can go short in Leg 1, Race 4, a Maiden Plate over six panels. LET IT BE SAID and EMPIRE STATE come in off respective second place finishes and with expected improvement could fight it out – unless one of the firsters becomes known.
LET IT BE SAID was backed at his second start and finished well clear of the third horse so is trending in the right direction. Draw 1 obviously aids his cause. And EMPIRE STATE produced the fastest come home sectional on his debut after being reluctant at the jump, so should be much wiser to the task this time around.
By Mark van Deventer
