Runner comments, Turffontein 8 July

Mike de Kock has two runners on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday. 

He has booked in-form, July-winning jockey Kabelo Matsunyane for the ride on Destiny Of Souls in Race 6, a competitive merit rated handicap over 1600m. This two-time winning gelding was rested for most of the winter, but he put up a fair showing on his comeback just last week, placing third to Stratospheric over 1400m.

Mike said: “Destiny Of Souls took his run well last week, he is coming along nicely. This is his minimum effective trip, he’s looked best over 1800m so far, but I’d include him here, he has a money chance.”

Piere Strydom takes a rare mount for the stable on Sea Anemone in Race 9 over 1400m. This daughter of Dynasty is another who returned from a rest with a respectable 1450m run last week and she drops a division in class. She has a big weight, but gives the impression that she will win a few races and Mike joked: “I nearly fell of my chair when Piere’s agent phoned for the ride and I thought yes, why not, let’s run her with Striker up.

“If one goes back to her 1400m feature run in January, she ran on nicely, a good performance. This is slightly short of her best, I believe, but it’s been maybe 20 years since Striker phoned me for a ride, so maybe he knows something. I give her a chance, don’t leave her out.”