Sprinter Rio Querari set to end season on a high note

Could the country’s top speedster Rio Querari put his hat in the ring for the “horse of the year” title with victory in next Saturday’s grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Hollywoodbets Greyville?

That is the intriguing question with the Equus awards due to be announced in the middle of August. The vote usually goes to a middle-distance horse, but sprinters must also be considered.

If bookies have got their sums right, Rio Querari is poised for his fifth win of the season which includes his important victory in the grade 1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein in May.

The four-year-old will be a popular Pick 6 banker with punters in a Pick 6 which is predicted to reach R15m.

Paul Peter’s talented four-year-old, MK’s Pride, is rated 8-1 second favourite for the Mercury and this could be largely because his regular pilot Warren Kennedy has opted to partner the Gareth van Zyl inmate Chantyman.

Rio Querari’s stablemate Kasimir, who beat Chantyman last time out, has enjoyed an outstanding career, but the six-year-old looks held on their running in the Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth in February.

A bigger threat to the favourite could be Mike de Kock’s raider Al Sakeet. The three-year-old son of Var makes the trip to KwaZulu-Natal with a record of four wins from five starts and scored by four lengths on his last outing.

This will be Al Sakeet’s first run over 1,200m but a bigger concern is whether the young horse will handle the tight Greyville track.

Gavin Lerena overcame the worst draw to win the Durban July on Kommetdieding, and he will have to do the same on True To Life in the Mercury Sprint. With Rio Querari drawn in stall three, the best Johan Janse van Vuuren’s sprinter can hope for is a place.

However, Lerena looks the man to bet on in Tuesday’s second race at the Vaal in which he partners True To Life’s stablemate Ultra Quick.

Bred at Lammerskraal Stud, this youngster, like Rio Querari a son of Querari, lived up to his name with a five lengths debut win at the Vaal last month. The colt looks the best bet on the eight-race card.

Paul Matchett’s youngster Cavalier King has been priced up joint-favourite with Ultra Quick, but he made no show in a Greyville feature on July day and since then has had the long haul back to Gauteng.

Lerena has every chance of riding a double at the meeting as his sixth race mount Boleto is certain to start a hot favourite to leave the maiden ranks.

A two-year-old son of Var, Boleto was heavily backed to win his last start at Turffontein, but had to settle for second place behind Letsdoit. The colt will be out to recoup those losses even if he is taking on older rivals.

The pick of his eight opponents could be Muzi Yeni’s ride Light Warrior. The four-year-old ran second last time out and has a favourable draw.

On Cue’s second behind the speedy Sheila suggests Ashley Fortune’s filly has a good chance of notching her third win in the seventh race. The youngster also has the advantage of a good barrier position.

Nevertheless, a wager which could pay a decent dividend is to couple On Cue in swingers with Phillip Labuschagne’s filly Midnight Gem. The 1.5kg claim of apprentice Jeffrey Syster will reduce the three-year-old’s weight to 57kg.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (1) Franca (5) Highest Honour (7) Ontheverge (4) Golden Aspen

2nd Race: (3) Ultra Quick (1) Cavalier King (2) Kuuma (7) Al Borani

3rd Race: (1) Successful Ruler (2) Stay The Course (7) Top Wesselton (4) Touched By Stars

4th Race: (1) Lady Of The Flame (2) Smelting (5) Kissed By Fire (4) Oceans Pride

5th Race: (9) Sing Girl Sing (8) Nice Move (3) Willow Lane (4) Shikuru

6th Race: (6) Boleto (4) Light Warrior (1) Parker Getrix (2) Signals

7th Race: (6) Midnight Gem (9) On Cue (8) The Makwakkers (2) Money Fighter

8th Race: (7) Fire Flower (10) Senescence (6) My Kingdom (4) Blue Moon City