Champions Day runner comments

The Highveld Autumn Racing Season draws to a close with a spectacular day of racing on Saturday as Johannesburg’s showstopper WSB Championships Finale takes place at the Turffontein, with seven Graded races on the card.

The Championships Finale will be headlined by the R2-million Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m, with big guns Puerto Manzano, Nebraas, Aragosta, Red Saxon, Second Base, Rain in Holland, Billy Bowlegs, Litigation, MK’s Pride and Zeus all among those lining up in one of Johannesburg’s showpiece races.

Mike de Kock will be at the track to saddle seven runners on the day, with two in the Champions Challenge, namely Aragosta (Craig Zackey) and Golden Ducat (Diego De Gouveia). Both will have their work cut out, and Mike reported: “They haven’t had the best of preparations. Two months ago, Aragosta picked up a virus and he was out of training for three weeks. He missed two prep runs that we had planned coming into this race, so we’ve had to cram his fitness work into five weeks. It’s a pity, because we had this major race earmarked as his mission for the season. Be that as it may, he seems in a good space. He has a lot of ability and tries hard. He is capable, but goes into the race without an ideal prep.

“Golden Ducat ran well below his best in his first run for us. He has lost his form a little of late. I’ve taken the blinkers off him, we’re looking for improvement but I have to be cautious in trying to predict how he will run. That poor showing last time was not a good prep.”

Mike is upbeat about his runners in Race 2, a Juvenile Plate over 1600m in which his three Maidens will be running against a single winner, Max The Magician, so none can be discounted. He said: “Holocene ran a cracking race last time, stayed on well in a race over 1450m won by Bom Bom. I’m expecting a similar good finish over the extra 150m. He’ll be well suited. Sugar Blast wasn’t given much of a chance last time, allowed to rip and die. Richard Fourie will give him a more patient ride and he is better than his form, can place. Much the same for Tenstar, he had no chance on the way he was ridden last time. He too, is better than his form and with a different ride tomorrow it will be no surprise to see him in the money.”

Mike has always had a high regard for two-year-old filly Red Hot Rose, who steps up to G2 company in the SA Nursey over 1200m, in which she is up against stakes winners American Graffiti, Mrs Geriatrix and Leaving Las Vegas. “While it’s still a bit short of her best, I’m putting blinkers on Red Hot Rose. She won well last time, but she was shifting under pressure and hopefully blinkers will make a difference. She’s a nice filly, her form looks good, I’m hoping for a first four result.”

Littlemarysunshine contests the G2 Gerald Rosenberg over 2000m, a race Mike has won several times, but she does face stiff opposition. “I thought she could have been a lot closer last time. She encountered some trouble in the race, she didn’t need to. But we’re under the pump here with ratings, she is lowest rated in the field. She is in good form, worth adding to your Quartets.”