Jack Milner
There was no doubt disappointment in the Peter camp when The Ultimate King was beaten last time out. The confidence expressed by both the yard and jockey Gavin Lerena prior to the race was very positive but the gelding was run out of it on the closing stages by Luce Verde from the James Crawford yard.
The latter was only having his second run since transferred from their yard in the Western Cape and could still have more to come.
Going into that race, The Ultimate King had won three out of three races after having been gelded and one would imagine the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup could well be in his sights.
Perhaps Tony Peter’s charge did not produce his best form racing on the Turffontein Inside track for the first time and will far prefer the condition of the Vaal Classic track where he is due to line up in Race 7 on Thursday to contest a Middle Stakes over 1800m.
The four-year-old son of Vercingetorix has not raced on this track since finishing a two-length third behind Chariots Of Fire over 1500m in only his second start, but he has improved vastly since then.
The Ultimate King could not have been more impressive when winning two runs back when sitting comfortably off the pace and accelerating like a top horse to run away from the opposition.
He will be taking on Luce Verde again but will have a 0.5kg pull for that 0.70-length defeat so he should be capable of reversing that last defeat.
Lerena is suspended so Calvin Habib will take the ride for the first time. Of course, he is also in top form so the jockey change should not be a concern.
However, while Luce Verde might not necessarily be his main danger, and other threat has emerged in the form of Irish Flame gelding Enflame.
Trained by Candice Dawson, this gelding was beaten 2.10 lengths by The Ultimate King at Turffontein and then went on to beat Damova by 2.30 lengths over 2850m. This time he will meet The Ultimate King on 3kg better terms so that could bring them close together.
However, the main concern is the 1050m drop in trip this time. But, he has just 52kg on his back and will be ridden by in-form Serino Moodley.
One horse of Peter’s that Habib does know a lot about is Kisshoten, with whom he has forged a formidable partnership, and they team up in Race 5 a MR 98 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m. He was aboard this daughter of Erupt in her two most recent outings, both over the same track and trip, for a win and a second.
Kisshoten lost little in defeat last time out as she raced off a career-high mark following a nine-point penalty for winning her penultimate start and conceded 5kg to the well-handicapped winner who outsprinted her in the final 400m.
The handicapper, not satisfied with the hefty penalty handed out to her previously, raised the five-year-old mare a further two points for her recent runner-up finish.
But all those penalties could prove costly and she might have a lot to do to get the better of David Niewenhuizen-trained Ceuta who, on a line through Accept Cookies, could be the better weighted of the pair.
Ceuta is currently in top form and two runs back scored an impressive win over Accept Cookies over this distance.
Callan Murray rode her on that occasion and he will be back in the irons for this event.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 11 Tempranillo, 3 Vanakkam, 9 Princess Of All, 5 Power Of Pearls
Race 2: 7 Pivotal Role, 3 Bingo, 9 Winter Belle, 2 Ringho
Race 3: 3 Windsor Silk, 2 One Tiger, 5 Inafix, 8 His Lordship
Race 4: 6 Chantilly Dream, 7 Sigrid Swing, 3 Daisy Jones, 1 Lady Sabrina
Race 5: 2 Ceuta, 4 Kisshoten, 5 Across The Pond, 6 It's Her Way
Race 6: 9 Circle Of Grace, 2 Trident King, 3 Rosy Lemon, 6 Michael Faraday
Race 7: 2 The Ultimate King, 9 Enflame, 3 Hawkbill, 4 Luce Verde
Race 8: 3 Futurewolff, 2 Eiger Sanction, 4 Follow The Master, 5 Coppola
BEST BET
Race 2: 7 Pivotal Role
VALUE BET
Race 6: 9 Circle Of Grace
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 2x9
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 3, 9, 11
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 2, 3, 5
Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7
Leg 5: 2, 4
Leg 6: 2, 3, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R162
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 2, 3, 5
Leg 3: 3, 6, 7
Leg 4: 2, 4
Leg 5: 2, 3, 9
Leg 6: 2
Leg 7: 2, 3, 4
PICK 6
R2400
Leg 1: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7
Leg 3: 2, 4
Leg 4: 2, 3, 6, 7, 9
Leg 5: 2, 9
Leg 6: 2, 3, 4, 5
JACKPOT 1
R100
Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7
Leg 2: 2, 4
Leg 3: 2, 3, 6, 7, 9
Leg 4: 2, 9
JACKPOT 2
R80
Leg 1: 2, 4
Leg 2: 2, 3, 6, 7, 9
Leg 3: 2, 9
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5