BEST IN ON RATINGS
| LION TAMER |
7 |
| OMAHA BEACH |
7 |
| AFRICAN APPEAL |
6 |
| SUSHISAN (AUS) |
6 |
| RIVER PLATE |
4 |
| EQUAL IMAGE (ARG) |
3 |
| BISHOPS RICK (AUS) |
2 |
| CUP OF GRACE |
2 |
| DUNFORD |
2 |
| EUROVISION |
2 |
| RED BADGE |
2 |
| FORK LIGHTENING |
0 |
| CANDY CRITIC (ARG) |
-1 |
| EYEOFTHETIGER (BRZ) |
-1 |
| JAGGED ICE |
-1 |
| MONEY BAGS |
-1 |
| JAMAICA |
-2 |
| ELUSIVE FORT |
-3 |
| HUNTING TOWER |
-3 |
| ZEBRA CROSSING |
-4 |
CLASS INDICATOR
| LION TAMER |
126 |
| ELUSIVE FORT |
125 |
| EYEOFTHETIGER (BRZ) |
125 |
| HUNTING TOWER |
125 |
| JAGGED ICE |
125 |
| MONEY BAGS |
125 |
| RED BADGE |
125 |
| SUSHISAN (AUS) |
125 |
| ZEBRA CROSSING |
124 |
| BISHOPS ROCK (AUS) |
124 |
| JAMAICA |
123 |
| DUNFORD |
122 |
| AFRICAN APPEAL |
121 |
| CANDY CRITIC (ARG) |
121 |
| CUP OF GRACE |
121 |
| EUROVISION |
121 |
| FORK LIGHTENING |
121 |
| EQUAL IMAGE (ARG) |
120 |
| OMAHA BEACH |
119 |
| RIVER PLATE |
118 |
HOW THEY RATE TO FINISH AT BEST.
| Each horse icon = 1 length |
 |
| LION TAMER |
0 |
 |
| OMAHA BEACH |
0 |
|
| AFRICAN APPEAL |
-0.67 |
|
| SUSHISAN (AUS) |
-0.67 |
|
| RIVER PLATE |
-2 |
|
| EQUAL IMAGE (ARG) |
-2.67 |
|
| BISHOPS ROCK (AUS) |
-3.33 |
|
| CUP OF GRACE |
-3.33 |
|
| DUNFORD |
-3.33 |
|
| EUROVISION |
-3.33 |
|
| RED BADGE |
-3.33 |
|
| FORK LIGHTENING |
-4.67 |
|
| CANDY CRITIC (ARG) |
-5.33 |
|
| EYEOFTHETIGER (BRZ) |
-5.33 |
|
| JAGGED ICE |
-5.33 |
|
| MONEY BAGS |
-5.33 |
|
| JAMAICA |
-6 |
|
| ELUSIVE FORT |
-6.67 |
|
| HUNTING TOWER |
-6.67 |
|
| ZEBRA CROSSING |
-7.33 |
|
LION TAMER - 3-y-o bay colt by Western Winter - Blushing Dove by Comic Blush: Rated 126 minus 7 Pounds weight-for-age allowance: Race FMR 119. Receives his high rating from his 11lb wfa beating of smart 4-y-o Dollarmaton over 2000m at Turffontein on 29 April. In that race he gave 3-y-o Mount Aoraki 6kg and beat him 1,75 lengths = a 15lb beating. Mount Aoraki franked the form by finishing 6,5 lengths behind Elusive Fort in the SA Derby.
At his next and only other start to date Lion Tamer started 12/10 favorite for the Astrapak 1900 but was beaten a head by Bishops Rock who met him on 4lb worse terms than wfa. That form was 7lb inferior to his defeat of Dollarmation. Possibly needed that race and ran green first time Greyville. Dam was a sprinter with a speed pedigree.Will he stay 2200m? Will he reproduce his Dollarmation form? Will he run up to Charles Laird's high expectations? Will Anton Marcus be able to overcome no.15 draw without being caught wide? Only the race will tell.
OMAHA BEACH - 4-y-o bay gelding by Alleid Flag: Rated 119lb. Very smart stayer. Good trial when close up despite being hampered in the Astrapak 1900m. Has a bad draw to beat. Will be running on at finish. Would definitely prefer it further.
SUSHISAN (Aus) - 3-y-o ch gelding by Fuji Kiseki (Jpn) - Meine Tochter(Aus). Has only run 5 times for 3 wins (1200,1400,1400m) and an impressive 3rd in the Gr.1 Gold Challenge. Rated 125 minus 7lb weight-for-age allowance. In the Gold Challenge he beat Gr.1 sw's Express Way by 0.5 length and Zebra Crossing By 1,5 lengths. Rates 4lb better than Zebra Crossing at true wfa and represents that smart colt with 52.5kg in this Vodacom July field. In conformation this inexperienced colt looks like a middle-distance runner and is certainly bred to stay the trip. Should he reproduce his Gold Challenge form here he will be very hard to beat from No.4 draw. Ran a tremendous trial and has scope for big improvement.
AFRICAN APPEAL - 4-y-o bay gelding by Model Man: Showed merit 8lb behind Rabiya in Cape Derby last year. Won the Peninsula Hcp(1800m) in fine style in his J&b Met trial. Raced very wide when 6.3 lengths back in the J&B Met. Has made gradual improvement in his 3 prep runs in April, May , June winning the Gr.3 Cup Trial over 1800m at his last start. A 4-y-o who is peaking at the right time, is well drawn and should prefer this extra ground. Makes appeal as a low weighted progressive 4-y-o.
RIVER PLATE - 6-y-o ch gelding by Keefah. Very useful older horse who has bottom weight and is well drawn. Good recent form from 1600 to 2000m and could well improve over this extra ground . In a normal year he would be outclassed.
EQUAL IMAGE (Arg) - 4-y-o gray gelding by Equalize: 3 good trials over 1400 and 1600m. Showed merit 4lb behind Zebra Crossing in Gold Circle Derby 2400m a year ago. Deserve the greatest respect with good draw and 53kg after eye-catching workout at the official gallops.
BISHOP'S ROCK (Aus) - 4-y-o bay gelding by Redoute's Choice: Was in receipt of 3 half-kilos from Equal Image when beating him 2,75 lengths in Colorado King Stakes over 2000m on 8 April. I now 7half-kilos (5lengths) worse off at the weights. However ran one of the best trials when winning Astrapak 1900 and may be an improved horse since the Colorado King Stakes. Definite contender from a good draw with Strydom up.
CUP OF GRACE- 5-y-o bay gelding by Royal Chalice: Very useful 8 time winner. Good consistent recent form. Chance from No. 2 draw with 54kg in this substandard July.
DUNFORD - 5-y-o ay gelding by Shalford: Last year's winner won his penultimate start in fine style; had a valid excuse when hit in the eye by a sod of turf in the Astrapak 1900: another older horse who is weighted with a chance in a very open race over his favorite course and distance.
EUROVISION - 6-y-o bay gelding by Sportsworld: Finished strongly when 2,6 lengths behind Zebra Crossing en J&B Met. Gr.2 winner over 3200m at his last start; working well and likes Greyville. Chance with 54kg in a very open race as long as it is a fast run race.
RED BADGE - 7-y-o Bay gelding by Badger Land: has come to hand with renewed enthusiasm since being gelded. Defied 58kg to win the Lonsdale Gr.3 over 2400m at Greyville at last start. Weighted with a chance at 56kg, but has a very bad draw to beat.
FORK LIGHTENING - 4-y-o bay gelding by Rambo Dancer: Could be badly under-rated at 121lb. Ran Rabiya to a hard ridden head in Cape Guineas last season. Has run some very good race since then without quite reproducing that level of merit. Could surprise at best.
EYEOFTHETIGER (Brz) - 3-y-o bay colt by Royal Academy: Rated 125lb less 7lb wfa allowance. Has shown top-class form at 7 of 8 starts. Good draw will be a big plus factor as he faces a difficult task at weights for a 3-y-o..
JAGGED ICE - 3-y-o ch. colt by Western Winter, Annie by Trigger Finger. Like Eyeofthetiger, Money Bags, Hunting Tower and Elusive Fort, he represents the best of the 3-y-o crop racing against a big task at the weights: Bang in form. Badly drawn.
MONEY BAGS - 3-y-o ch. colt by Rich Man's Gold: Same rating and weight disadvantage as Eyeofthetiger, Hunting Tower, Jagged Ice and Elusive Fort. Well drawn.
CANDY CRITIC (Arg) - 3-y-o ch. f. by Candy Stripes: won The Oaks in facile manner by an unextended 4 lengths at her third last start. Below pan at next 2 starts. Big task at weight for 3-y-o filly.
ELUSIVE FORT - 3-y-o bay colt by Fort Wood: Courageous victories in SA Derby and Daily News 2000 make him a contender for Champion 3-y-o and earn him a rating of 125lb. He may be better than this as he is making late improvement. A 7lb wfa allowance bring his rating down to 118lb and like Hunting Tower he looks to face a very big task under 55kg, particularly from a bad draw.
HUNTING TOWER -3-y-o ch. gelding by Fort Wood. High class young colt in the same boat as Elusive Fort, but even worse drawn. Because of their superior class and because lady luck could be with either or both of them, these 2 colts could finish in the money.
JAMAICA -6-y-o ch. m by Sportsworld: as a winner of 11 races and R2,4 million, this iron mare can be counted on to run her usual courageous race. If they go slow and give her a soft lead, she could gallop them into submission, but she does face a huge task at the weights.
ZEBRA CROSSING - 4-y-o ch. gelding by Jallad: Beaten 2,25 lengths under 51kg in this race as a 3-y-o last year. Winner Dunford has gone up 2,5kg in the weights, he has gone up 7kg? ie. 3.5kg more than the wfa progress!!