Wernars can keep notching up wins with young horses

Award-winning owner Laurence Wernars will not only look back on the 2021/2022 season with much satisfaction, but he will also be aware he’s got a number of promising young horses for the new campaign.

Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren has played his role in this success with more than 50 winners and is in 11th place in the national log.

Outofthedarkness — a three-time winning son of Gimmethegreenlight — runs in the fifth race at Turffontein on Saturday and Lord Of Light rates an each-way chance from pole position in the opening event.

Then — in the sixth race — Wernars’ five-year-old has been priced up second favourite to notch the fourth win of his career.

Wernars’ two-year-old, Drop Of Time, may prove he was a bargain buy at R200,000 and has been entered for the Premier’s Stakes at HollywoodbetsGreyville at the end of the month.

Van Vuuren will also be optimistic that his two-year-old Ridgerunner — owned and bred by Ridgemont Highlands — can go on to better things in his second season.

The son of Canford Cliffs boasts a win and two seconds from his three starts this term and has been priced up 19-10 favourite for the seventh race at Turffontein on Saturday.

Jockey-of-the-moment Keagan De Melo will partner the colt for the third time and — from a handy draw — his mount should do well despite taking on his elders.

Paul Peter’s three-year-old, Mathis, justified favouritism on his debut in December and the grey reappears after a 30-week absence. The market will be the best guide to the grey’s chance though the stable aren’t shy to put the money down if they feel they can win.

Sean Tarry has snapped up the services of Richard Fourie for his five-year-old Constable — the jockey knows the gelding having partnered him into third place in a race on the inside Turffontein track in May. The question is: can he give 6kg to Ridgerunner?

Tuscan Winter sports the Wernars colours in this 1,200m contest and the son of What A Winter probably needed the outing when unplaced behind Rollwiththepunches. No surprise to see Gavin Lerena’s mount in the places.

Warren Kennedy’s many fans will be pleased to see the champion-elect back in action after missing a few meetings and he should go close on Sound Of Summer in the fifth race.

The Peter inmate is a five-time winner and is 4kg better off with Castletown compared to their recent clash. Top-weight Sovereign Spirit — having his fourth start for Ashley Fortune — may pose a bigger threat to Kennedy’s mount.

Origami, who takes on nine rivals in the fourth race, is another possible winner for Kennedy though this 2,000m looks wide open with Youcanthurrylove and Wernars’ Green Haze on the shortlist of possible winners.

Peter has a strong hand in this race as — apart from Origami and Green Haze — he has booked Muzi Yeni for SA Derby third, London Roads. This first leg of the Pick Six looks a field race with Ridgerunner a possible banker in the seventh.