Jack Milner
Once again there is no racing on the Highveld this weekend, so we have a meeting at Turffontein on Thursday on the Standside track.
Owner Laurence Wernars has some really decent horses running in his colours at the moment and with three-year-olds like Pure Predator and some highly talented two-year-olds making their mark, he should be in for a really outstanding 2024/25 season.
Chatting to jockey Gavin Lerena at the Highveld Awards banquet, he as first choice jockey for Wernars, confirmed that he was excited about with the quality of horses he has been riding for the prominent owner who is highly invested in the sport.
Wernars’ runners are trained predominantly by Johan Janse van Vuuren but he has spread his wings of late and we are now witnessing those familiar colours racing with other trainers all over the country.
One of those trainers is Sean Tarry who sends out The Africa House in Race 5 at Turffontein tomorrow, a Graduation Plate over 1400m. While only a one-time winner, The Africa House acquitted himself well against two of the country’s highest-rated three-year-olds, Grade 1 winners Main Defender and Purple Pitcher.
He started his career well enough when winning on debut in February last year and it is hard to believe that din spite of some excellent runs, he has not paid a visit to the winner’s enclosure for 476 days.
By What A Winter, The Africa House confirmed his obvious ability with an eye-catching comeback run over 1450m on the Classic track at the Vaal early last month when a 3.25-length third behind Barbaresco in a Graduation Plate.
The winner was very well weighted for that race and if one considers that Barbaresco went on to run third behind Green With Envy in last Saturday’s Daily News 2000, despite suffering major interference just before turning for home, the performance of The Africa House was highly promising.
Tarry’s charge finished 1.50 lengths ahead of Wyzeact who renews rivalry on identical weight terms and is thus unlikely to reverse that form.
Lerena takes over the reins from last-start rider Kabelo Matsunyane and with improved fitness on his side and scope for further progress, The Africa House is good value to resume winning ways and be rewarded for his consistency.
It is also probably worth noting that he is the best-weighted runner in the race, so need only run to his rating to register an overdue second career victory.
Wernars’ silks will be seen to the fore again in Race 6, a MR 96 Handicap over 1000m, as he is represented by three runners.
Lerena rides Karangetang for Janse van Vuuren but is likely to play second (if not third) fiddle to smart Lancaster Bomber gelding Dreamland, who Richard Fourie rides again for trainer Lucky Houdalakis.
Fourie booted home the rapidly improving three-year-old on the Inside track five weeks ago to complete his sprint hat-trick, having won his previous two starts over 1160m and 1100m.
Janse van Vuuren also saddles lightly raced Rainbow Reward, the third of Wernars’ trio, who finished second to Dreamland last time out. This four-year-old Rafeef-gelding meets his last-start conqueror with a 2.5kg swing in the weights, so is weighted to pose more of a threat.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 1 Chocolate Soldier, 3 Gorgeous Klein, 5 Simply Majestic, 2 Dantonfromsandton
Race 2: 4 Panning Gold, 2 Zip Code, 3 Miss Scaletta, 1 Moonlight Trader
Race 3: 1 Rossore Finale, 7 Final Try, 3 Pike Place, 2 Viva La Victor
Race 4: 1 Kylie's Angel, 10 Queen Of Love, 2 Rainbow River, 3 Ice Cap
Race 5: 4 The Africa House, 1 Wyzeact, 2 Richard The First, 7 Kyomai
Race 6: 3 Dreamland, 5 Rainbow Reward, 1 Ice Star, 2 Karangetang
Race 7: 5 Total Surrender, 8 Strewn Sky, 7 Master Ariano, 4 The Brief
Race 8: 4 Gimmealight, 1 Champion Warrior, 7 Gimmeachoice, 6 Pocket Watch
BEST BET
Race 5 No 4 The Africa House
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 4 Gimmealight
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 1x7
BIPOT
R162
Leg 1: 1, 3, 5
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4
Leg 3: 1, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 10
Leg 5: 4
Leg 6: 1, 3, 5
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4
Leg 2: 1, 7
Leg 3: 1, 10
Leg 4: 4
Leg 5: 3, 5
Leg 6: 5, 7, 8
Leg 7: 1, 4, 7
PICK 6
R1440
Leg 1: 1, 4, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 10
Leg 3: 4
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5
Leg 5: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
JACKPOT 1
R96
Leg 1: 1, 2, 10
Leg 2: 4
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5
Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
JACKPOT 2
R160
Leg 1: 4
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 5
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7