Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock’s Marauding Horde looks hard to beat in Race 6 over 2000m on the standside track at Turffontein on Saturday. An effortless winner of the recent Listed Hawwaam Stakes over this track and trip, he has already been priced up third favourite for the WSB SA Derby. While Mike is not keen to run him in the Derby due to his low rating, punters are able to cash in while this smart colt takes a few handicaps on his way through the divisions.
Mike commented: “I was suitably impressed with Marauding Horde’s win in the Hawwaam Stakes. One could argue that there wasn’t much quality in the field, but we couldn’t have asked for more in the way he did it. Off his rating of 89, the Derby is not on the cards right now, given the way horses are penalised for losing in Graded races. He needs to get over this hurdle first, a big weight in a handicap against a few hard knockers. He looks capable of doing so.”
Mike’s comments for his other runners are:
Race 1, 1400m: “Arabian Red has been disappointing so far and is obviously limited. We’re hoping for a place with Strydom up.”
Race 5, 1000m: “It’s not always ideal backing up sprinting fillies like Woman Of Power so soon after their previous runs, but she won’t have another eligible race for a month so we’ll try here and hope she runs as well as she did in second to Cosmic Star last week. She has an outside draw which looks to suit and you can’t leave her out, but it is competitive.”
Race 7, 2000m: “Trois Trois Quatre is in good form, but needs a change of luck when it comes to draws. He is in a pretty good space, should run well again but he still lugs an earlier rating penalty and you have to include other runners with him.”
Race 9, 1600m: “Mary’s Greenlight is also drawn deep. She has displayed an off-the-pace style of running when winning her best race over this course and distance. She has won racing handy, but from this draw her off-the-pace tactics will probably come into play. She has won racing handy, but from this draw her off-the-pace tactics will probably come into play. She is very well and has a winning chance.”