De Kock has strong hand in Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville

Trainer Mike de Kock will have four runners in Saturday’s Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville with Safe Passage and Desert Miracle giving the former champion a strong hand in the 1,400m contest.

Safe Passage has his first outing since running second in the Summer Cup in November and the booking of Richard Fourie — riding the four-year-old for the first time — suggests he could partner the gelding in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

There was talk of Desert Miracle being retired after her victory in the Empress Club Stakes, but she remains in training and Craig Zackey has been booked for the talented filly.

That Dean Kannemeyer runs Gimme A Prince means the De Kock duo will not have matters their own way with this season’s leading jockey, Keagan De Melo, faced with overcoming a wide draw on the son of Gimmethegreenlight.

Surprise Cape Met winner Al Muthana is in the line-up and will be partnered by Grant van Niekerk. Ricky Maingard’s five-year-old has not been nominated for the Durban July.

De Kock also saddles Humdinger (Diego De Gouveia) and Forever Mine (Raymond Danielson) and the former has done his connections proud this term.

Candice Bass-Robinson runs Charles Dickens in the Guineas and it will be interesting to see how Durban July favourite Cousin Casey fares against the six-time winning son of Trippi.

Cousin Casey’s merit-rating is 122 compared to that of 132 of Charles Dickens and trainer Michael Roberts understandably keeps faith with Piere Strydom for his surprise Cape Derby victor, See It Again.

Mary Slack’s colours were carried to victory by Red Maple at the Vaal on Tuesday and another of her fillies, Sharapova, makes plenty of appeal for the eighth race at Turffontein on Thursday.

Sharapova, who may have most to fear from Call Me Master, is out of the mare Nother Russia and Craig Zackey partners the daughter of Querari for the first time.

Muzi Yeni has a ride in all eight races and one of his best mounts could be Otto Luyken in the sixth race. Tyrone Zackey’s Flower Alley gelding is better off at the weights with his conqueror, Willow’s Wish.

Yeni should also go close on Roy Magner’s runner, Pashasha, who has earned close to R200,000 for enthusiastic owner Gerald Sadleir.

Midnight Crystal is bidding for a hat-trick but it looks a tough call as the Sean Tarry inmate is 6kg worse off compared to her clash with Pashasha at Turffontein in March.

Earlier in the meeting, Gimmeanotherchance, an R800,000 son of Gimmethegreenlight, will be fancied to open his account in the first race. The colt’s half-sister, by Master Of My Fate, made R325,000 at last month’s National Yearling Sales.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (6) Gimmeanotherchance (4) Dreamland (5) French Impact (2) Captain Wara

2nd Race: (11) Woodland Glade (7) Sugary Sweet (2) Be Real (6) Shilpa's Moon

3rd Race: (11) My Soul Mate (2) Just Var (4) Mocha Frappe (1) Feel All Right

4th Race: (2) Saka Gold (1) Raptor Island (3) Captain Tik Tok (10) King Of The Seas

5th Race: (5) United We Stand (8) Inevitable (2) Someday Maybe (1) Poursomesugaronme

6th Race: (5) Otto Luyken (2) Willow's Wish (7) Climate Control (1) Flashy Apache

7th Race: (3) Pashasha (2) Midnight Crystal (10) Winning Queen (8) Gilda Gray

8th Race: (3) Sharapova (1) Call Me Master (8) Twosidestoastory (4) Libeccio