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Similar to a little-known golfer leading the field after the first round, it’s something of a surprise to see Kabelo Matsunyane at the top of the national jockeys’ log at the conclusion of the first month of the season.
The betting on the title race chiefly concerns S’manga Khumalo, Muzi Yeni, Richard Fourie and Keagan De Melo, with Matsunyane not expected to challenge this quartet.
However, the young jockey, who rode his first winner at the Vaal in June 2018, has made the best of the opportunities he has been given and has ridden 20 winners from 105 mounts.
Last season Matsunyane rode 53 winners and many were for former champion trainer Sean Tarry. He hasn’t saddled many runners in the first four weeks of the season so this proves his services have been in demand from a variety of stables.
In 2018, Matsunyane was one of two SA Jockey Academy students to be invited to go to the UK to gain experience with the British Racing School. That sojourn will have given him some insight into some of the world’s best racing.
There’s an eight-race programme at Turffontein on Thursday and Matsunyane has four booked rides — all look to have chances of finishing in the money.
Perhaps the pick of the quartet will be Lady Regent who reverts to maiden company after finishing sixth in the BSA Sales Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Durban July day.
The daughter of Master Of My Fate — trained by Candice Dawson — runs in the third race in which Princess Ilaria may pose the main threat.
Trainer Fanie Bronkhurst has his team in good form and Princess Ilaria belied his odds of 40-1 when finishing third on debut at the Vaal last month.
In the sixth race, trainer Stuart Pettigrew has booked Matsunyane for his Silvano filly, Quiet Rebellion. The youngster has ridden the four-year-old four times so will be hoping she can notch the second win of her career.
Quiet Rebellion should start at attractive odds as her rivals include a number of in-form fillies including Kind Judy (Khumalo), Summerland (Van Rensburg) and Castle Durrow (Zackey).
Another Dawson inmate, Run For Isla, will have to brush aside a recent poor effort if Matsunyane is to finish in the placings in the seventh race.
The hot favourite in this race will be Paul Peter’s five-year-old, Silver Stardust, who has a long way to go to recoup his R800,000 purchase price. The gelding is weighted to turn the tables on the top-weight, Southern Blaze.
A good draw is vital over 1,000m on the Turffontein inner track which is why Clinton Binda’s runner, Phinda Mzala, is the selection in the final leg of the Pick 6. Owned by the Hollywood Syndicate, the gelding has been placed in his last three outings.
Matsunyane has a chance of finishing the meeting on a high as his mount, Sky Glitter, went close when second behind Laetitia’s Angel last time out. The worry is that the form took a knock when that winner ran unplaced behind Cocoa Hill last week.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (5) Drop Of Time (1) Lebanese Pound (6) Southern Style (2) Pendragon
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.
Matsunyane surprise leader of jockeys’ log
Similar to a little-known golfer leading the field after the first round, it’s something of a surprise to see Kabelo Matsunyane at the top of the national jockeys’ log at the conclusion of the first month of the season.
The betting on the title race chiefly concerns S’manga Khumalo, Muzi Yeni, Richard Fourie and Keagan De Melo, with Matsunyane not expected to challenge this quartet.
However, the young jockey, who rode his first winner at the Vaal in June 2018, has made the best of the opportunities he has been given and has ridden 20 winners from 105 mounts.
Last season Matsunyane rode 53 winners and many were for former champion trainer Sean Tarry. He hasn’t saddled many runners in the first four weeks of the season so this proves his services have been in demand from a variety of stables.
In 2018, Matsunyane was one of two SA Jockey Academy students to be invited to go to the UK to gain experience with the British Racing School. That sojourn will have given him some insight into some of the world’s best racing.
There’s an eight-race programme at Turffontein on Thursday and Matsunyane has four booked rides — all look to have chances of finishing in the money.
Perhaps the pick of the quartet will be Lady Regent who reverts to maiden company after finishing sixth in the BSA Sales Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Durban July day.
The daughter of Master Of My Fate — trained by Candice Dawson — runs in the third race in which Princess Ilaria may pose the main threat.
Trainer Fanie Bronkhurst has his team in good form and Princess Ilaria belied his odds of 40-1 when finishing third on debut at the Vaal last month.
In the sixth race, trainer Stuart Pettigrew has booked Matsunyane for his Silvano filly, Quiet Rebellion. The youngster has ridden the four-year-old four times so will be hoping she can notch the second win of her career.
Quiet Rebellion should start at attractive odds as her rivals include a number of in-form fillies including Kind Judy (Khumalo), Summerland (Van Rensburg) and Castle Durrow (Zackey).
Another Dawson inmate, Run For Isla, will have to brush aside a recent poor effort if Matsunyane is to finish in the placings in the seventh race.
The hot favourite in this race will be Paul Peter’s five-year-old, Silver Stardust, who has a long way to go to recoup his R800,000 purchase price. The gelding is weighted to turn the tables on the top-weight, Southern Blaze.
A good draw is vital over 1,000m on the Turffontein inner track which is why Clinton Binda’s runner, Phinda Mzala, is the selection in the final leg of the Pick 6. Owned by the Hollywood Syndicate, the gelding has been placed in his last three outings.
Matsunyane has a chance of finishing the meeting on a high as his mount, Sky Glitter, went close when second behind Laetitia’s Angel last time out. The worry is that the form took a knock when that winner ran unplaced behind Cocoa Hill last week.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (5) Drop Of Time (1) Lebanese Pound (6) Southern Style (2) Pendragon
2nd Race: (1) Thunderstruck (2) Prophet (3) Ridgerunner (4) Kalahari Blue
3rd Race: (1) Lady Regent (8) Princess Ilaria (2) Gimme The Flame (3) Memorial Day
4th Race: (1) Sir Tallin (3) Flag Bearer (2) Pottinger (6) Skyfull
5th Race: (1) Ballroom Bliss (2) Flame Flower (3) Terra Time (5) Ideal Jet
6th Race: (2) Quiet Rebellion (5) Summerland (1) Kind Judy (3) Castle Durrow
7th Race: (4) Silver Stardust (6) Sacred Valley (5) Berengaria (2) Run For Isla
8th Race: (2) Phinda Mzala (3) Sky Glitter (6) Stormy Lass (1) Jet Cat
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