Trainer Comments - Tsogo Sun Maverick Medallion & Allan Robertson
Journalist – David Thiselton: Gold Circle Publishing
Deon Visser is a name that is becoming increasingly prominent and the Clairwood-based trainer is bullish about his two runners, Hard Rock and Liquid Motion, in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Maverick Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville Racecourse tomorrow.
Hard Rock, unbeaten in two starts, ran on very well to win the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1000m at Clairwood last time out, pipping the Justin Snaith-trained Soweto Slew, from whom he received 2kg.
Visser said, “The 1000m is way too short for him. You could see that by the way he won. His work has been very good and I give him a chance. But don’t write off Liquid Motion. His work has been exceptional.”
Liquid Motion finished a 2,75 length third in the Grade 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over the Medallion course and distance last time out after returning from a three month layoff.
The time of that race, won by the Jeff Freedman-trained Silver Age, was very good, but the form is a touch confusing as Soweto Slew, giving away 2kg all around again, was beaten 3,5 lengths by Silver Age, who lost by 5,5 lengths to Soweto Slew in the Godolphin Barb.
However, the explanation is simply the trip as Silver Age, who doesn’t run on Saturday, was crying out for the 1200m, while Soweto Slew is perhaps vulnerable over 1200m.
Liquid Motion might have needed that run and stayed on well from near the back of the small field.
The Paddy Lunn-trained Storm Bringer finished a 0,5 length second to Silver Age.
Lunn, who won a big race on this day, the Allan Robertson with Legally Blonde in 2004, said, “It is a competitive race. He’s improved with every run and his advantage is that he knows the course. But, he’s a cheap purchase and I’d be happy if he runs a place.”
Snaith said about Soweto Slew, “I don’t think it was that he didn’t stay in the Umkhomazi, it was rather just a flat run after a tough campaign. He is a precocious sort and this will be his best chance of winning a Group 1. But it will be very hard and I would be very happy with a Group 1 place.”
The horse that stands out as the likely winner of the race is the impressive Charles Laird-trained Delago Deluxe, who has been priced up as 8-10 favourite by Betting World.
Laird has been in tremendous form and his stable jockey Anton Marcus said, “Delago Deluxe would already be more effective over slightly further, but his class gets him through sprints.”
Delago Deluxe had to fight off the Dianne Stenger-trained Midnight Serenade in the SA Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein on April 30, winning by 0,25 lengths with the rest of the field well beaten.
Midnight Serenade is joint second favourite with Soweto Slew at 7-1 and Stenger said, “He is very well and if he travels well will be a big runner. He is a sprinter and the 1200m shouldn’t be a problem.”
He will travel down today (Friday).
Paul Peter has Carlito Brigante, who finished 1,25 lengths behind Midnight Serenade in a Listed race over 1000m at Turffontein in early Match. However, he followed that by fading right out of it in the Grade 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m at Turffontein at the end of March in slightly soft going after showing excellent early pace, finishing 11,75 lengths behind runaway winner Delago Deluxe, who had Midnight Serenade beaten five lengths into third, although Delago Deluxe did receive 2kg from the other pair that day.
Carlito Brigante could therefore be vulnerable over this trip and Betting World have him at 10-1 fifth favourite.
However, Peter was pleased to have engaged Bernard Fayd’herbe and said, “He is doing well. We have galloped him at Scottsville and he’s a big runner if he doesn’t need it.”
Visser was also bullish about his Allan Robertson contender, the 1000m Strelitzia winner She’s A Stunner, as he felt she was also looking for 1200 to 1400m.
However, she faces a very strong Cape challenge together with Paul Matchett’s impressive SA Fillies Nursery winner Hidden Beauty.
One of the horses to beat will be the highly impressive Glen Kotzen-trained Princess Victoria. Kotzen took her to Scottsville last week and said, “She’s in it to win it.”
Kotzen had done very little with her before her Durban pipe opener and that she won it proved how good she is.
He believes Hidden Beauty is the main danger.
However, Darryl Hodgson was bullish about the chances of his filly in the race, Lady Var.
She put up some exceptional work on Tuesday, finishing upsides eight time winner Casey Cool. Karl Neisius rides her in the race, but MJ Odendaal was aboard for the workout up and felt she still had another gear left.
Jeff Freedman’s Lavish Gal worked well on Tuesday and he said she would do better than her fifth place in the Debutante over the Allan Robertson course and distance if allowed to use her stride this time.
Paul Lafferty has an outsider in the contest, Supalicious, but was confident she would see out the trip and hoped that with her apparent liking for the course she could earn a cheque.
The unbeaten Joey Ramsden-trained Trinity House, who touched off Lady Var in very soft going over 1200m at Kenilworth last time, is very highly thought of and is Betting World’s joint favourite with Princess Victoria at 3-1.
Hidden Beauty wasn’t stopping in the Nursery so should get this trip and is next best at 9-2 with Lady Var at 7-1.
Mike de Kock reckoned the best will be seen of Amanee when she goes over a mile and he reckoned third or fourth would be a good effort for her, while the Charles Laird-trained Martinalli filly Aspen Angle, in-bred 2x3 to Fall Aspen, has 1,25 lengths to make up on Princess Victoria on their recent 1200m Clairwood meeting.
Amanee and Aspen Angle are both at 8-1 although the former has shortened from 10-1.
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