Aussie import tested at Vaal en route to Charity Mile
Trainer Mike de Kock tries out Al Muthana against eight rivals
11 October 2021 - 14:18
byDAVID MOLLETT
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If Al Muthana is going to be a leading player in the R400,000 grade 2 Charity Mile — scheduled for October 30 — the Aussie import must beat his eight rivals at the Vaal on Tuesday with the minimum of fuss.
Trainer Mike de Kock, who saddled three winners last Saturday, pencilled in the popular Turffontein race after Al Muthana won by five lengths at the city track in September.
His opposition in the Charity Mile is likely to include grade 1 winner Got theGreenlight, but there are no opponents with that sort of ability in the 1,500m Vaal race.
The only horse who could stop the son of Deep Field in notching his third win is Candice Dawson’s runner Eliud. The four-year-old’s latest win had to be seen to be believed, the gelding established a huge lead and kept up a relentless gallop to win by six lengths.
Eliud — the 5-2 second favourite for Tuesday’s race — will not find it easy conceding 6kg to De Kock’s runner.
Approach Control — stablemate of Eliud — is strong backup for Dawson as the six-year-old finished third behind Paul Peter’s top-class performer MK’s Pride on his latest start.
Sean Tarry and Lyle Hewitson team up with the five-year-old mare Seeham. She is a four-time winner, but has been sidelined since finishing unplaced in the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes in May.
Tarry and Hewitson may fare better in the final event on the card in which Bit Of Fun — a R500,000 son of Querari — may pose a threat to the likely favourite My Kingdom.
With four seconds in his past six outings, My Kingdom is overdue for a second win but Bit Of Fun is better drawn and should contest the finish.
Motown Magic has been a friend of bookies rather than punters in his five starts and the De Kock inmate will again start favourite for Tuesday’s third race. The son of Uncle Mo is given a last chance to get it right though Muzi Yeni is likely to mount a strong challenge on Wave Warrior.
Rafeef has made a promising start to his stud career and his son Moya Wa Laliga makes plenty of appeal in the first race after a close second behind Edward Longshanks on his debut.
The three-year-old is out of the unraced Galileo mare Mrs Everest and Yeni rode the gelding first time out. However, the ride goes to Ryan Munger this time with Yeni switching to Paul Matchett’s runner Angel Of War.
It is unusual for Cape trainer Brett Crawford to have a runner at the Free State track but the stable is represented by the lightly raced four-year-old Grand Escape in the sixth race. The son of Global View is still a maiden but will not have to be anything special to take top honours in merit-rated 66 handicap.
Evening Rise is sure to have her supporters in this 1,450m contest and her stablemate Theroseofbecharre could also go well as the filly takes a drop in class.
Hewitson has got the call to partner recent Turffontein winner Un Deux Trois in the fifth race and the champion jockey is likely to feel Ashley Fortune’s filly can score again.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (7) Moya Wa Laliga (3) Angel Of War (9) Baby Dont Hurt Me (4) Arverni Warrior
2nd Race: (4) Lucy English (1) Captain’s Run (5) Eastern Belle (2) Gifted Gal
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Aussie import tested at Vaal en route to Charity Mile
Trainer Mike de Kock tries out Al Muthana against eight rivals
If Al Muthana is going to be a leading player in the R400,000 grade 2 Charity Mile — scheduled for October 30 — the Aussie import must beat his eight rivals at the Vaal on Tuesday with the minimum of fuss.
Trainer Mike de Kock, who saddled three winners last Saturday, pencilled in the popular Turffontein race after Al Muthana won by five lengths at the city track in September.
His opposition in the Charity Mile is likely to include grade 1 winner Got theGreenlight, but there are no opponents with that sort of ability in the 1,500m Vaal race.
The only horse who could stop the son of Deep Field in notching his third win is Candice Dawson’s runner Eliud. The four-year-old’s latest win had to be seen to be believed, the gelding established a huge lead and kept up a relentless gallop to win by six lengths.
Eliud — the 5-2 second favourite for Tuesday’s race — will not find it easy conceding 6kg to De Kock’s runner.
Approach Control — stablemate of Eliud — is strong backup for Dawson as the six-year-old finished third behind Paul Peter’s top-class performer MK’s Pride on his latest start.
Sean Tarry and Lyle Hewitson team up with the five-year-old mare Seeham. She is a four-time winner, but has been sidelined since finishing unplaced in the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes in May.
Tarry and Hewitson may fare better in the final event on the card in which Bit Of Fun — a R500,000 son of Querari — may pose a threat to the likely favourite My Kingdom.
With four seconds in his past six outings, My Kingdom is overdue for a second win but Bit Of Fun is better drawn and should contest the finish.
Motown Magic has been a friend of bookies rather than punters in his five starts and the De Kock inmate will again start favourite for Tuesday’s third race. The son of Uncle Mo is given a last chance to get it right though Muzi Yeni is likely to mount a strong challenge on Wave Warrior.
Rafeef has made a promising start to his stud career and his son Moya Wa Laliga makes plenty of appeal in the first race after a close second behind Edward Longshanks on his debut.
The three-year-old is out of the unraced Galileo mare Mrs Everest and Yeni rode the gelding first time out. However, the ride goes to Ryan Munger this time with Yeni switching to Paul Matchett’s runner Angel Of War.
It is unusual for Cape trainer Brett Crawford to have a runner at the Free State track but the stable is represented by the lightly raced four-year-old Grand Escape in the sixth race. The son of Global View is still a maiden but will not have to be anything special to take top honours in merit-rated 66 handicap.
Evening Rise is sure to have her supporters in this 1,450m contest and her stablemate Theroseofbecharre could also go well as the filly takes a drop in class.
Hewitson has got the call to partner recent Turffontein winner Un Deux Trois in the fifth race and the champion jockey is likely to feel Ashley Fortune’s filly can score again.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (7) Moya Wa Laliga (3) Angel Of War (9) Baby Dont Hurt Me (4) Arverni Warrior
2nd Race: (4) Lucy English (1) Captain’s Run (5) Eastern Belle (2) Gifted Gal
3rd Race: (4) Motown Magic (5) Wave Warrior (6) Leshawes (1) Joe Harman
4th Race: (4) Tuuletar (5) Wisteria Avenue (10) Miss Otis (1) Stunning Kitten
5th Race: (1) Un Deux Trois (4) Lady Calavera (3) Smiley River (2) The Sash
6th Race: (2) Evening Rise (5) Grand Escape (7) Theroseofbecharre (1) So They Say
7th Race: (8) Al Muthana (2) Eliud (4) Approach Control (5) Seehaam
8th Race: (1) Bit Of Fun (3) My Kingdom (5) Master Of Law (7) English Primrose
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