UNDER-rated Tshwaro Appie will be telling Mike and Mathew de Kock that he is the stable’s new ‘strike’ jockey.  Successful on Guy From Dubai from a single ride recently, he booted home Olympic Bolt on sand at the Vaal on Tuesday to keep the ball rolling from limited opportunities.

“Tshwaro is in good form and he deserves his chances,” said Mathew after Olympic Bolt had carried 62kg to victory in a MR87 Handicap over 1600m.

This was the four-year-old son of Asiatic Boy’s fourth win on sand, a specialist on the surface like his sire, but with sand racing soon to be discontinued here he will have to be aimed at handicaps on turf, for which his merit rating is much lower.

“His turf form is okay, he hasn’t won a turf race yet but he’s more mature now and we’ll be looking for a suitable race soon,” said Mathew.

Olympic Bolt’s record on the alternative surface shows some decent runs behind the likes of Afrikaburn and Mootahaadee, so don’t be surprised if he picks up a turf handicap off a competitive mark in the not too distant future.

Olympic Bolt races for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Al Aiyaat (South Africa).