whipping boy
Fort Wood, sire of sensational Horse Chestnut, has been easily the most inspirational force in the local breeding industry in recent years.
The American-bred stallion has also produced a number of big-race winners and continues to spawn quality horses.
Mike de Kock, who trained Horse Chestnut for the Oppenheimers, attacks with a fair sampling of Fort Wood progeny at Gosforth Park on Saturday.
In the listed Aquanaut Handicap over 2?700m De Kock saddles three Fort Woods four-year-old fillies Dog Rose and Strelitzia and five-year-old gelding Reef Road. Any of the three could win on best form but the lightly weighted Reef Road could just be the one to score from Dog Rose. It’s a tricky handicap, though, and all of Cyber Cento, Harvest Rose, Drum Point and Amabutho could prevent a Fort Wood clean sweep.
In the ninth, a progress plate for fillies over 1?700m, De Kock sends out another trio. Chinchuna, a three-year-old full sister to Dog Rose, was placed in the Fillies Guineas last week while Cork Wood is another three-year-old with very promising form. Welsh Pagan, a four-year-old by Al Mufti, completes the troika and could easily win. She has been backed at each of her four starts. Despite the weight of numbers, though, the stable will have to be wary of challengers like Pirate Lady and Leisure Guide. The latter, especially, ran a top-class second to Mythical Play in the South African Fillies Guineas last May and has invariably had excuses in her four starts since. She could rough up a few punters.
The best bet for a Fort Wood victory is in the fifth, a maiden plate over 2?000m, which De Kock contests with three-year-old colt East Wind. He put up a fair sprint after a 10-month rest and should leave this field trailing over this distance. The consistent Hitmaker, Al Rosario and Safe Conduct could complete the quartet behind East Wind.
Ave Julius will be a warm order in the third, but “Handbrake” van Wyk could blow followers of this odds-on favourite out of the water. He rides the appropriately named Stalker, which came in third despite a very slow start on his debut last month. He could show major improvement and any betting move should receive the utmost respect.
Cape racing shifts to Durbanville this week. Talented Ziggy Stardust in the fifth, an allowance plate over 1?800m, could pop up. Ziggy is ridden by ice-cool Karl Neisius, who could also score on Forest Emperor in the second.
Decade in the sixth is worth a look.
Racing in KwaZulu-Natal has been cancelled due to a strike by trainers, so Turffontein in Jo’burg takes up the reins on Sunday. But good betting propositions at The Big T are hard to spot.
The Geoff Woodruff-trained Universal Actress could sprint to victory in the seventh, a novice plate over 1?200m.
In the ninth, another novice plate, Hail Caesour will be a short-priced favourite and seems a very good thing. He’s had only two runs and last time out thrashed Woodruff’s Azzuri by almost three lengths. That one won well on Saturday and Hail Caesour should have little to fear in this field.