Twelve useful-looking three-year-old males go to the post for the R125000 Falcon Sprint, a handicap over 1200m at Turffontein on Saturday, and a number of them have chances of taking home the winner’s stake.
The David Ferraris-trained Appeal Process, a son of Australian sire Volksraad, has been allocated joint top weight by the handicapper and could be the one to side with.
At his penultimate run Appeal Process dwelt at the start but still got to within a head of fellow top weight Kansas City.
These two meet on the same weight terms, with both having won their subsequent races. Appeal Process’s slow start at that last meeting between the two seems to have been an aberration and, with a win over the course and distance under his belt, he could get the better of Kansas City, who goes beyond the minimum distance for the first time.
There is lots of scope for an upset, though.
Blitzkrieg, a half-brother to smart Cape sprinter Ladyboro, has raced just once, six months ago, when supported to 16-10 and finishing well to win narrowly.
This son of National Assembly has obviously shown ability at home and could be anything.
Ivanhoe, who is to be ridden by champion jockey Piere Strydom, has improved with every run and beat a very promising older horse, Meritorious, on the sand of The Vaal last time. It must be noted, though, that his regular jockey, Barend Vorster, has the ride on stable companion Starmark, who has raced just twice and has plenty of scope for improvement.
Waves Of Argosy has finished lame twice in his past three starts but still did very well. He can still improve significantly if over his troubles and raced against far stronger when fifth in the Gold Medallion at Scottsville in May.
His stable companion, What A Prophet, showed tremendous promise as a two-year-old but has been nowhere close to best for a while. Note, however, that his last run was better than the previous few and he might be recapturing form.
Strydom can get the pick six off to a good start aboard the Gary Alexander-trained California Calypso, who has run two good races recently. The Model Man gelding is out of sprinter Gay Tune, though, and tries a stiff 2450m for the first time. He’ll win if he stays.
Chilean rider Guilermo Figueroa has a nice mount in the first, a maiden plate over 1 100m. Miss Deville got within a head of hot favourite Princess Polly a fortnight ago and could just hold off Strydom on Lady Marianne.
In the second, a work riders’ maiden plate over 1400m, Bold Heart looks every bit a good thing. He just failed to haul in the much-vaunted Martinelli last week and should go one better here.
At Clairwood in KwaZulu-Natal ultra-promising sprinter Consent to Conquer goes for his fifth win from just eight runs and should get it, despite a 59kg burden. Alec Laird’s La Scala could chase him home.
In the seventh, a graduation plate over 1 400m, Scent Of Supremacy, a grey son of promising sire Shalford, looks set to complete a hat-trick after easy wins at maiden and novice level.
Espanada in the first should take a power of beating.