Both Princess Calla and Billy Bowlegs have strong winning chances
27 April 2023 - 18:50
byDAVID MOLLETT
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Keagan De Melo has hogged the jockey headlines this season, but Gavin Lerena has a chance of landing a grade 1 double at Turffontein’s big meeting on Saturday. Both Princess Calla (Jonnson Workwear Computaform Sprint) and Billy Bowlegs (WSB Premier's Champion Challenge) have strong winning chances.
It is the WSB Championships finale at the city track, with seven graded races expected to lure a bumper crowd.
When it comes to the Computaform Sprint, there is no better person to ask about the possible outcome than Lerena. The 37-year-old has ridden the two leading fancies — Master Archie and Princess Calla — a number of times in the past 12 months.
Lerena partnered Master Archie when the colt ran sixth behind Captain’s Ransom in the Mercury Sprint in July and Princess Calla three times during the recent Cape season.
Importantly, one of those three wins came over 1,000m at Kenilworth in December — the distance of the Computaform Sprint.
Following his impressive recent win, Master Archie is the 18-10 favourite on Saturday but the suspicion is the market may have got it the wrong way round.
Princess Calla finished four lengths in front of Master Archie in the Cape Flying Championship at Kenilworth in January though it must be noted the latter started at 16-1 in that race.
This time the draw could have been kinder to Master Archie and Sean Tarry will be happy owner Mario Ferreira’s mare has drawn one slot from the outside.
Interestingly, Ferreira did not seem interested in Princess Calla’s half-brother at last week’s National Yearling Sales with the Vercingetorix colt bought by Bjorn Nielsen for R1.25m.
Both Sheela (S’manga Khumalo) and Isivunguvungu (Richard Fourie) will be out to spoil the party for the two fancied contenders and the first-named will have been tuned to the minute by the Azzie stable.
The booking of Fourie is a plus factor for Peter Muscutt’s runner, Isivunguvungu, but it’s probable the four-year-old may have to settle for a minor placing.
Rain In Holland heads the market in the WSB Premier’s Champions Challenge with Tarry’s filly back to form in her last start after a spell in the wilderness.
Nevertheless, Lerena’s mount, Billy Bowlegs, looks great each-way value at 13-2 and Alec Laird’s three-year-old has to be on the shortlist of every pundit after his second in the SA Derby.
A son of The United States bred at Wicklow Stud, Billy Bowlegs cost R300,000 as a yearling and it is looking money well spent. He earned exactly his purchase price when runner-up in the Derby.
Rain In Holland did not trouble the judge in the Paddock Stakes or Cape Met and beat only three home in the Acacia Handicap at Turffontein in February. She did win her latest start but seems unlikely to shorten much from her current price.
It’s been a memorable campaign for Johan Janse van Vuuren who is in fifth place in the national trainers log. Victory for Puerto Manzo (4-1) would be no surprise for this course suits him as he proved in the Summer Cup in November.
De Melo will know this and — as the Argentinian-bred gelding did not shape in last year’s Durban July finishing 16th — will surely be shopping around for a better mount in this year’s Greyville race.
The clash between unbeaten Lucky Lad and filly Amber Rock, could produce a thrilling finish in the SA Nursery and the boxed exacta is the safest bet. Three kilograms better off, this column is siding with Tarry’s colt.
In the Camelia Stakes, it might pay to take on the favourite, Kiss Me Captain, with Brett Crawford’s runner, Stiptelik. A check of the form book reveals the daughter of Snitzel has twice finished less than a length behind Princess Calla this term so Louis Mxothwa’s mount gets the vote.
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.
Lerena has good mounts at big Turffontein meeting
Both Princess Calla and Billy Bowlegs have strong winning chances
Keagan De Melo has hogged the jockey headlines this season, but Gavin Lerena has a chance of landing a grade 1 double at Turffontein’s big meeting on Saturday. Both Princess Calla (Jonnson Workwear Computaform Sprint) and Billy Bowlegs (WSB Premier's Champion Challenge) have strong winning chances.
It is the WSB Championships finale at the city track, with seven graded races expected to lure a bumper crowd.
When it comes to the Computaform Sprint, there is no better person to ask about the possible outcome than Lerena. The 37-year-old has ridden the two leading fancies — Master Archie and Princess Calla — a number of times in the past 12 months.
Lerena partnered Master Archie when the colt ran sixth behind Captain’s Ransom in the Mercury Sprint in July and Princess Calla three times during the recent Cape season.
Importantly, one of those three wins came over 1,000m at Kenilworth in December — the distance of the Computaform Sprint.
Following his impressive recent win, Master Archie is the 18-10 favourite on Saturday but the suspicion is the market may have got it the wrong way round.
Princess Calla finished four lengths in front of Master Archie in the Cape Flying Championship at Kenilworth in January though it must be noted the latter started at 16-1 in that race.
This time the draw could have been kinder to Master Archie and Sean Tarry will be happy owner Mario Ferreira’s mare has drawn one slot from the outside.
Interestingly, Ferreira did not seem interested in Princess Calla’s half-brother at last week’s National Yearling Sales with the Vercingetorix colt bought by Bjorn Nielsen for R1.25m.
Both Sheela (S’manga Khumalo) and Isivunguvungu (Richard Fourie) will be out to spoil the party for the two fancied contenders and the first-named will have been tuned to the minute by the Azzie stable.
The booking of Fourie is a plus factor for Peter Muscutt’s runner, Isivunguvungu, but it’s probable the four-year-old may have to settle for a minor placing.
Rain In Holland heads the market in the WSB Premier’s Champions Challenge with Tarry’s filly back to form in her last start after a spell in the wilderness.
Nevertheless, Lerena’s mount, Billy Bowlegs, looks great each-way value at 13-2 and Alec Laird’s three-year-old has to be on the shortlist of every pundit after his second in the SA Derby.
A son of The United States bred at Wicklow Stud, Billy Bowlegs cost R300,000 as a yearling and it is looking money well spent. He earned exactly his purchase price when runner-up in the Derby.
Rain In Holland did not trouble the judge in the Paddock Stakes or Cape Met and beat only three home in the Acacia Handicap at Turffontein in February. She did win her latest start but seems unlikely to shorten much from her current price.
It’s been a memorable campaign for Johan Janse van Vuuren who is in fifth place in the national trainers log. Victory for Puerto Manzo (4-1) would be no surprise for this course suits him as he proved in the Summer Cup in November.
De Melo will know this and — as the Argentinian-bred gelding did not shape in last year’s Durban July finishing 16th — will surely be shopping around for a better mount in this year’s Greyville race.
The clash between unbeaten Lucky Lad and filly Amber Rock, could produce a thrilling finish in the SA Nursery and the boxed exacta is the safest bet. Three kilograms better off, this column is siding with Tarry’s colt.
In the Camelia Stakes, it might pay to take on the favourite, Kiss Me Captain, with Brett Crawford’s runner, Stiptelik. A check of the form book reveals the daughter of Snitzel has twice finished less than a length behind Princess Calla this term so Louis Mxothwa’s mount gets the vote.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (9) Vivacious Vicky (11) Phantom Express (10) Cala Muretta (3) Copper John
2nd Race: (2) Battle Of Kursk (1) Max The Magician (8) Dakota Kat (3) Holocene
3rd Race: (2) Free Movement (1) Mo The Man (4) Kambulu (7) Royal Guide
4th Race: (2) Cullinan Blue (1) American Graffiti (11) So Seductive (4) Leaving Las Vegas
5th Race: (5) Lucky Lad (7) Amber Rock (6) Pure Predator (2) Guy Gibson
6th Race: (9) Princess Calla (1) Master Archie (10) Sheela (4) Isivunguvungu
7th Race: (12) Billy Bowlegs (11) Rain In Holland (1) Puerto Manzano (5) Aragosta
8th Race: (3) Stiptelik (8) Kiss Me Captain (5) Cold Fact (4) Sweet Pepper
9th Race: (5) Terra Time (8) Bless My Stars (6) Bureau Des Legende (3) Gilded Butterfly
10th Race: (4) Future Pearl (1) Shanganil (7) Apache Fighter (2) Arumugam
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