‘Kommet’ family to dish up more joy for Lerena

How’s this for coincidence? The first horse Durban July jockey Gavin Lerena will ride after his Greyville triumph is a half-brother to the winner, Kommetdieding.  

Lerena travels to Turffontein on Tuesday for six mounts and one of them is Quantum King, a half-brother by Querari to Kommetdieding.

The July winner was a bargain buy at R55,000, but Quantum King was more expensive and was bought from Klawervlei Stud for R240,000. It may be money well spent as the colt ran second on his debut at Turffontein at the end of May.

Lerena studies the form so he will know that he faces a tough rival in Paul Peter’s runner Vegas Hi Rise. The Vercingetorix colt will have benefited from his debut run behind Anytime Champ last month.

Warren Kennedy, unplaced on She’s A Keeper in the July, rode Vegas Hi Rise, but he is not riding at the meeting and the mount goes to Craig Zackey.

Lerena’s fourth race partner, On A High Note, is appropriately named and it is surely significant he is booked for the three-year-old rather than juvenile Bon Vivant. Even so, trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren will be encouraged by the latter’s start to her career, which have yielded a win and two placings so far.

Roy Magner’s runner The Makwakkers has drawn in pole position and rates a danger to the Van Vuuren duo. Denis Schwarz takes the ride on the five-year-old.

Champion trainer Sean Tarry had two winners at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Saturday and he will be hoping his three-year-old Bowie can end a frustrating run of seconds by winning the fifth race. A second career win for the Twice Over gelding is overdue.

Once again, Gavin Lerena should take a hand in the finish — this time on Paul Peter’s runner Trying Times. He has also had to settle for second place in three of his past four starts so falls into the same category as Bowie.

Though Candice Dawson will be disappointed her two Greyville raiders failed to place last Saturday, her representative in the fifth race, Stone Cold, rates an each-way shout with Muzi Yeni in the saddle.

Dawson’s runner in the first race — a Work Riders event — is Pride Of Paris who should appreciate the step up to 1,600m. Tshepiso Matsoele will partner the son of Captain Of All.

The likely favourite in this race is Nussply, who is battling to leave the maiden ranks. The inmate of the Paul Peter stable has been placed eight times in his 18 starts.

S’manga Khumalo also had a disappointing July day with Belgarion failing to shape in the big race, but he has prospects of a double at the city track on Now You See Me (sixth race) and Blue Spark (eighth).

A favourable draw will boost Now You See Me’s chances in the sixth race in which Lerena’s mount El Romiachi has been priced-up favourite.

El Romiachi will be bidding to follow up last week’s Vaal win and — in the final leg of the Pick 6 — trainer St John Gray saddles three runners, Sitting Bull, Manitoba and Hey Bennie. Despite a wide draw, the latter may prove the pick of the trio.

Blue Spark is Alec Laird’s only runner at the meeting and the son of Capetown Noir should be competitive in this 1,800m contest.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (5) Pride Of Paris (2) Nussply (6) Stay The Course (8) Ablueazure

2nd Race: (8) Quantum King (9) Vegas Hi Rise (6) Buck's Fizz (5) Andaman

3rd Race: No Selection

4th Race: (1) On A High Note (3) Bon Vivant (8) The Makwakkers (11) Eastbrook

5th Race: (4) Bowie (5) Trying Times (2) Stone Cold (1) Tillieangus

6th Race: (2) Now You See Me (7) El Romiachi (3) Dark Travel (10) Theroseofbecharre

7th Race: (8) South Boy (5) Ballon D'Or (3) Dark Tide (1) Nordic Rebel

8th Race: (6) Hey Bennie (4) Blue Spark (1) Black Thorn (2) Twin Turbo