Jack Milner: Trainer Mike de Kock is apprehensive about the effect soft going could have on top-rated Mount Pleasant in WSB Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein on Saturday.
Heavy rains last week resulted in the Grade 2 having to be held over for a week. Although the weather has improved over the past few days the tracks have had a lot of rain and if the going remains soft, it might result in Mike de Kock rethinking the participation of Mount Pleasant.
The Australian-bred colt ran an inexplicably poor race in the Grade 2 Dingaans over this course and distance, finishing 10.50 lengths behind Catch Twentytwo.
Nothing physical has surfaced to explain the run. “I just got the feeling he is either a sprinter and does not see out 1600m, or he doesn’t like it soft,” said De Kock yesterday.
“But he was beaten too soon in the Dingaans to deduce he doesn’t stay. The minute he was asked for an effort he had nothing.
“He ran so well below his form that it makes me think the soft going was the issue. As a result, if the going remains soft, we might consider taking him out.
“Between myself and (owner) Dave (MacLean), we will make the call on Saturday morning.”
If they do decide to run him, De Kock confirmed his charge, the highest rated runner, was vey well. “I’d love to run him, he’s in good form. But he’s too valuable to take a chance with him.”
De Kock also has Malmoos who is fit and will take his place. “Both have had good preps. He ran a flat race in the Cape Guineas, but we gave him a bit of holiday after Cape Town. I don’t foresee any problems for him with the soft going but I believe he will be better over further.”
De Kock shrugged off any detrimental effects of the one-week delay. “Nothing has been ideal, but then everybody is in the same boat.”
Hopefully Mount Pleasant does take his place as he adds to the quality of the field. He won the Grade 2 SA Nursery over 1160m last year and in October won the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m on the Inside track in a star performance, beating the likes of Cirillo and Chimichuri Run.
Malmoos reeled off four successive victories, including the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein and the Grade 2 Concorde Cup over 1600m at Kenilworth. He started a 14-10 favourite to win the Cape Guineas but never looked comfortable and finished ninth.
Perhaps the horse with the best current form is Paul Peter-trained Catch Twentytwo, who has started to produce his best form after having been gelded. He won the Dingaans and then added the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m to his record.
Peter also spoke about how the delay has affected his runners. “It’s different for ever horse, but luckily Catch Twentytwo doesn’t take a lot of work. He’s is very good shape and so is my other horse, Namib Desert.
The runner who could throw a spanner in the works is Second Base. Johan Janse van Vuuren’s charge has done little wrong, winning five of his six starts with ease.
And for those who do fancy him and stablemate Copper Mountain, Janse van Vuuren gave supporters a lot of confidence after the stable won Race 2 at Turffontein yesterday. “The horses are in great shape.
“Actually, it made no difference to me whether we raced last week or this week. As a matter of fact, if anything, it’s probably slightly better this week.
“Second Base has had an extra week to freshen up a bit and Copper Mountain is horse who cannot do anything wrong at home, he’s just a fantastic work horse.
“I don’t have a lot of runners, but they are in fantastic shape,” he said.
This R525,000 race is also the joint first leg of the WSB SA Triple Crown. The other two legs are the Grade 1 WSB SA Classic over 1800m and the Grade 1 WSB SA Derby over 2450m.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 5 Ace Of Spades, 1 Eyes On Tiger, 8 Gold Storm, 3 Blue Eyes
Race 2: 10 Lee Express, 1 Dalgety Bay, 7 Greenhill, 9 Just Judy