La Moohal for winning return to Inside track

Jack Milner

La Moohal did not have a favourable introduction to racing when making his debut on the Turffontein Inside track, but a lot has changed for this Mike de Kock-trained gelding and his second visit to that track on Thursday could prove substantially more lucrative.

On that occasion over 1200m, in September last year, the son of Vercingetorix lost ground at the start, jumped a patch and clearly had no idea what was expected of him. As a result, he trailed in more than 35 lengths behind Barbaresco.

De Kock wasted no time in starting corrective action. Two days after his debut La Moohal was gelded and when he returned to the track late in November it was over 1400m up the Vaal straight.

There was immediate improvement in the three-year-old who on this occasion finished fourth, but just 1.90 lengths behind the winner, Warhawk Bomber.

The next modification was the introduction of blinkers and the gelding’s follow up race was over 1600m on the Turffontein Standside track. Although La Moohal finished unplaced, beaten 9.25 lengths by Just Nuisance, much of the excuse for that disappointing run resulted from having to be eased shortly after the start.

He did run second in his next start but was well beaten 7.75 lengths by Storm Brasco. There was no disgrace in that because the winner looks quite decent as he demonstrated in his next start when going down by the narrowest of margins to Taegan’s Champ and then finishing 5.50 lengths behind Sandringham Summit in the Grade 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas last Saturday.

La Moohal finally broke the ice in his next start, clinging on in a tight finish to beat Atarime by a head. The further positive from that effort is that Thunee Playa, who started odds-on for that race, came out to win his next start.

Racing for the fourth time over 1600m on the Standside track, La Moohal kept up the good form to finish a 0.75-length second behind Presley.

Tomorrow the gelding returns to the Inside track to line up in Race 7 where he will contest a MR 72 Handicap over 1600m and De Kock appears to have found the ideal race for his charge. This is not the strongest of fields and from No 2 draw, jockey Kabelo Matsunyane, who rides him for the first time, could get the run of the race.

Putting his first run at the track aside, La Moohal’s should be suited to the course and looks the best banker on what is a highly competitive card.

Once you look past him, one could make a winning case for almost all of the remaining nine runners.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 2 Guardia Regine, 3 Breath Of Magic, 1 Galladorn, 5 Phala Millions

Race 2: 4 Positive Attitude, 1 Battleground, 6 Fushimi Inari, 2 Banha Bridge

Race 3: 4 Bossy Boots, 5 Waitforgreenlight, 6 Jumping Analia, 3 Trippis Tune

Race 4: 1 Quick Trip, 2 Empressofnormandy, 3 Sound Machine, 5 Lady Greensleeves

Race 5: 2 Princeofgreen, 3 Richard The First, 6 Fully Loaded, 12 Mitch Got His Wish

Race 6: 6 A Place In The Sun, 7 Carnelo, 2 Toffas, 8 Manz Knight

Race 7: 1 La Moohal, 8 Tree Fairy, 5 Godfather, 4 Diesel's Shadow

Race 8: 7 Lady Crusade, 8 Circus Lights, 11 Smelting, 10 In The Ether

BEST BET

Race 7 No 1 La Moohal

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 2 Princeofgreen

BEST SWINGER

Race 3 4x5

BIPOT

R288

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 5

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4

Leg 3: 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 2

Leg 5: 2, 3, 6

Leg 6: 6, 7

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4

Leg 2: 4, 5

Leg 3: 1, 2

Leg 4: 2, 3, 6

Leg 5: 6, 7

Leg 6: 1

Leg 7: 7, 8, 11

PICK 6

R1500

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3

Leg 3: 2, 3, 6, 12, 13

Leg 4: 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 5: 1

Leg 6: 3, 7, 8, 10

JACKPOT 1

R75

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3

Leg 2: 2, 3, 6, 12, 13

Leg 3: 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 4: 1

JACKPOT 2

R125

Leg 1: 2, 3, 6, 12, 13

Leg 2: 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 3, 7, 8, 10