Hot duo of Matchett and Mxoli poised for more success at Vaal
The stable went to 14th on national trainers’ log with a treble at the Vaal
10 July 2023 - 14:12
byDAVID MOLLETT
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Punters love to follow a “hot” stable and — on the highveld at present — there is no hotter yard than Paul Matchett and his regular jockey, Philasande Mxoli.
A former champion trainer in Zimbabwe, Matchett’s winning statistics this season make for impressive reading. In the 2021/22 campaign, he saddled 37 winners and ended in 20th place on the national trainers’ log.
A treble at the Vaal last week — all three ridden by Mxoli — took Matchett’s tally this term to 60 and he’s 14th on the national log.
Mxoli joined the SA Jockeys Academy in 2019 and the 23-year-old is enjoying his best season. He needs three more winners to bring up his half century for the season.
It’s on the cards that Mxoli will get two more winners for Matchett at Tuesday’s meeting at the Vaal as both Hazlo Grande (fourth race) and Queen Bomi (fifth) have good chances in their respective events.
Saudi Arabian owner Majed Mahil W Albugami has been introduced to SA racing by bloodstock consultant Robin Bruss and Hazlo Grande carried his colours to victory on his second start at Turffontein in March.
More recently Hazlo Grande finished a close fourth behind Millashue and that winner franked the form when scoring again on his next outing.
In the fourth race at the Vaal Hazlo Grande faces two tough opponents in Mo The Man and Greenlight Magic. The former hails from the powerful stable of Johan Janse van Vuuren and has Gavin Lerena in the saddle for the first time.
Mxoli will have a good idea where he stands with Mo The Man as he rode the son of Royal Mo on his most recent outing.
The Botes/Vosloo partnership have booked Siyanda Sosibo for Greenlight Magic so the weight for the three-year-old comes down from 63.5kg to 61kg. This R200,000 son of Gimmethegreenlight looks a progressive sort.
In the case of Matchett’s runner Queen Bomi, who runs in the fifth race, the mare is a seasoned campaigner and will be having the 36th outing of her career. However, the five-year-old has placed in six of her last seven starts and she rates a solid each-way chance in this 2,000m contest.
Another Botes/Vosloo inmate, Ballroom Bliss, boasts consistent form but does have 62kg to shoulder. This means she will be giving 7.5kg to Queen Bomi, which looks no easy task.
Angel’s Wish represents Weiho Marwing’s stable and the filly has a chance of turning the tables on Ballroom Bliss as she is 3.5kg better off at the weights this time.
Earlier in the meeting backers could build up a kitty for the jackpot and Pick Six by backing Lerena’s mount, Cliff Hanger, in the second race.
A son of Canford Cliffs, the youngster won his first two starts so it was understandable that Janse van Vuuren had a crack at the Gold Medallion at Scottsville in early June. Unfortunately, the colt was never a factor behind Lucky Lad.
Cliff Hanger is back in calmer waters at the Free State track and can notch his third win by beating Muzi Yeni’s mount, Global Thunder.
Yeni has a shout on What A Tiger in the final leg of the Pick Six, but the three-year-old will have to be at the top of his game to beat the Tony Peter duo of Insatiable and Mia Regina.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (1) Magic Prince (5) Full Go (2) Uncle Lucky (4) Broadway
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.
Hot duo of Matchett and Mxoli poised for more success at Vaal
The stable went to 14th on national trainers’ log with a treble at the Vaal
Punters love to follow a “hot” stable and — on the highveld at present — there is no hotter yard than Paul Matchett and his regular jockey, Philasande Mxoli.
A former champion trainer in Zimbabwe, Matchett’s winning statistics this season make for impressive reading. In the 2021/22 campaign, he saddled 37 winners and ended in 20th place on the national trainers’ log.
A treble at the Vaal last week — all three ridden by Mxoli — took Matchett’s tally this term to 60 and he’s 14th on the national log.
Mxoli joined the SA Jockeys Academy in 2019 and the 23-year-old is enjoying his best season. He needs three more winners to bring up his half century for the season.
It’s on the cards that Mxoli will get two more winners for Matchett at Tuesday’s meeting at the Vaal as both Hazlo Grande (fourth race) and Queen Bomi (fifth) have good chances in their respective events.
Saudi Arabian owner Majed Mahil W Albugami has been introduced to SA racing by bloodstock consultant Robin Bruss and Hazlo Grande carried his colours to victory on his second start at Turffontein in March.
More recently Hazlo Grande finished a close fourth behind Millashue and that winner franked the form when scoring again on his next outing.
In the fourth race at the Vaal Hazlo Grande faces two tough opponents in Mo The Man and Greenlight Magic. The former hails from the powerful stable of Johan Janse van Vuuren and has Gavin Lerena in the saddle for the first time.
Mxoli will have a good idea where he stands with Mo The Man as he rode the son of Royal Mo on his most recent outing.
The Botes/Vosloo partnership have booked Siyanda Sosibo for Greenlight Magic so the weight for the three-year-old comes down from 63.5kg to 61kg. This R200,000 son of Gimmethegreenlight looks a progressive sort.
In the case of Matchett’s runner Queen Bomi, who runs in the fifth race, the mare is a seasoned campaigner and will be having the 36th outing of her career. However, the five-year-old has placed in six of her last seven starts and she rates a solid each-way chance in this 2,000m contest.
Another Botes/Vosloo inmate, Ballroom Bliss, boasts consistent form but does have 62kg to shoulder. This means she will be giving 7.5kg to Queen Bomi, which looks no easy task.
Angel’s Wish represents Weiho Marwing’s stable and the filly has a chance of turning the tables on Ballroom Bliss as she is 3.5kg better off at the weights this time.
Earlier in the meeting backers could build up a kitty for the jackpot and Pick Six by backing Lerena’s mount, Cliff Hanger, in the second race.
A son of Canford Cliffs, the youngster won his first two starts so it was understandable that Janse van Vuuren had a crack at the Gold Medallion at Scottsville in early June. Unfortunately, the colt was never a factor behind Lucky Lad.
Cliff Hanger is back in calmer waters at the Free State track and can notch his third win by beating Muzi Yeni’s mount, Global Thunder.
Yeni has a shout on What A Tiger in the final leg of the Pick Six, but the three-year-old will have to be at the top of his game to beat the Tony Peter duo of Insatiable and Mia Regina.
SELECTIONS
1st Race: (1) Magic Prince (5) Full Go (2) Uncle Lucky (4) Broadway
2nd Race: (1) Cliff Hanger (3) Global Thunder (2) Qhawe Lami (6) Stormy Choice
3rd Race: (8) Gocekwithlove (1) Sola Diva (3) United’s Ransom (2) Countess Danza
4th Race: (4) Hazlo Grande (2) Mo The Man (1) Greenlight Magic (5) Little Prince
5th Race: (8) Queen Bomi (4) Angel’s Wish (1) Ballroom Bliss (11) Winning Queen
6th Race: (1) Monsieur Chevelle (2) Absolute Value (4) Manz Knight (7) Go Dream Machine
7th Race: (9) Rockingthetimeaway (1) Fort Lauderdale (3) After Hours (6) Green Sceptre
8th Race: (2) What A Tiger (1) Insatiable (3) Mia Regina (8) Mandalay
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