Passage back to Joburg for De Kock runner

Jack Milner

Prior to the running of the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville all the talk was about Safe Passage.

Mike de Kock’s charge was joint favourite for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, topped the betting for the Drill Hall Stakes and the word was he was putting up some decent work at home.    

It all went wrong in the race. Safe Passage did receive a bump at the start but he uncharacteristically dropped to the back of the field and was tailed off behind the pack.

The veterinarian was asked to take a look at the gelding and found “nothing obvious”. The stipes then questioned jockey Richard Fourie and put the following into their report. “Jockey Fourie explained that he was somewhat surprised by this gelding’s indifferent performance and he felt Safe Passage had never taken the bit during the running and hence raced detached from the field throughout. He added the gelding was returning from a lengthy lay off and that in his opinion, today’s trip of 1400m may be on the short side at this stage of his career.”

Safe Passage is much better than that performance so it is interesting to note that De Kock has brought the son of Silvano back to Joburg and will run him on Thursday in Race 5, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m on the Turffontein Standside track.

It is worth noting that four of his six wins have been over 1600m and two of them have been at this course – the Grade 2 Dingaans and WSB Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas.

Safe Passage was having his first run since the Betway Summer Cup in November last year so hopefully it will turn out he was just in need of a run.

Craig Zackey gets the ride on this occasion.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 2 Spring Of Elixir, 1 Miss Christmas, 4 Ideal Heart, 3 Kit Kat Katie

Race 2: 6 Royal Guide, 2 Archimides, 7 Twenty Drachma's, 1 Kambulu

Race 3: 1 Magic Prince, 3 Saka Gold, 9 Capsaicin, 8 Turbo Power

Race 4: 7 Duenna, 5 Law Of Success, 8 Francine, 3 Simply Magic

Race 5: 1 Safe Passage, 7 Whafeef,  6 Cirillo, 4 Outofthedarkness

Race 6: 4 Cleaver Greene, 1 Quantum Theory, 3 Wind Water, 8 Mrs Browning

Race 7: 5 Coldhardstare, 7 Golden Aspen, 3 What A Honey, 10 Berengaria

Race 8: 4 Nettleton, 7 Tiz Magic, 3 Time For Charity, 2 Samoa

BEST BET

Race 2 No 6 Royal Guide

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 4 Cleaver Greene

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 1x7

BIPOT

R96

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 2: 6

Leg 3: 1, 3, 8, 9

Leg 4: 7

Leg 5: 1, 7

Leg 6: 1, 3, 4

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R108

Leg 1: 6

Leg 2: 1, 3, 9

Leg 3: 7

Leg 4: 1, 7

Leg 5: 1, 4

Leg 6: 3, 5, 7

Leg 7: 3, 4, 7

PICK 6

R1200

Leg 1: 1, 3, 8, 9

Leg 2: 7

Leg 3: 1, 6, 7

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 8

Leg 5: 3, 5, 7, 10, 11

Leg 6: 2, 3, 4, 7, 16

JACKPOT 1

R60

Leg 1: 7

Leg 2: 1, 6, 7

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 8

Leg 4: 3, 5, 7, 10, 11

JACKPOT 2

R300

Leg 1: 1, 6, 7

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 8

Leg 3: 3, 5, 7, 10, 11

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 7, 16