Jack Milner: We are almost a quarter of the way through the 2020/21 season and it is Paul Peter who currently finds himself at the top of trainers’ log.
Last year the Turffontein-based trainer finished the year in fifth position overall and while it is still early in the season with almost all of the feature races still to come, Peter will be looking to do better that this year.
The reason for that is he really does have some outstanding horses in his stable and he is expecting them to be competitive this season.
One of those horses is Sworder Street, who Peter is hoping to qualify for the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein on 26 November. Sworder Street had a setback after winning his maiden by nine lengths in September last year and was out of action for almost a year.
He ran a decent enough race in his comeback when third behind Sell High over 1800m on the inside track at Turffontein and then Peter found a Graduation Plate at Greyville for his charge.
Unfortunately, the meeting was moved to the Polytrack and Peter scratched his charge but on Sunday he could have found the ideal race for the four-year-old son of Judpot – the Listed Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m in the Greyville turf.
It will certainly test him as he will be running against some decent sorts but a victory for Sworder Street will undoubtedly bring his performance to the attention of the handicappers.
It will be a massive jump in class, but he does come in with just 52kg and champion jockey Warren Kennedy on his back, as well as a perfect No 2 draw.
His main danger will be Crown Towers from the Justin Snaith yard, who is the proven class act on the card. His last start was in the Grade 1 Champions Cup where, giving 1 kg to Golden Ducat, he finished 3.15 lengths back after making the pace.
However, he does have to give 10kg to Sworder Street but he will have Anton Marcus in the irons.
Carl Hewitson, father of former champion jockey Lyle, sends out his first runners since taking out his trainer’s licence. He has many of the horses formerly trained by Yvette Bremner and he will be hoping for a good start to his career.
He could come up trumps in Race 9, a MR 89 Handicap over 1400m, where he sends out Brazil Nut, who won three of his four races in Port Elizabeth. This will be Brail Nut’s first attempt at the distance, but he is nicely drawn at No 3 and he will have the assistance of – you guessed it – Lyle Hewitson in the irons.