Unbeaten National Currency enjoys a huge reputation after just two visits to the track and if trainer Michael Azzie’s spontaneous burst of rhyme in the winners’ enclosure after his facile victory in the Storm Bird Stakes is anything to go by, the two-year-old should come home lonely in the R150 000 Grade 2 Protea Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
“He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee,” waxed Azzie, “Everybody take note, here’s National Currency.”
The conditioner immediately dubbed the National Assembly colt the best horseflesh yet placed in his care, which is a mouthful when one considers that he also trained champion filly Harry’s Charm (an aunt to National Currency) and any number of above-average performers. It all means Azzie will look decidedly silly if his charge gets beaten but it certainly wouldn’t be the first time that a horse humiliated his trainer!
That said, the R320 000 national sales purchase seems to have a better-than-average chance of justifying Azzie’s ebullience. He has beaten good-looking fields with authority and it might be significant that Piere Strydom has retained the mount despite champion trainer David Ferraris sending out six (!) of the 12 runners.
Ferraris runners must pose the main threat to the rising star: Noble Knight (Rhys van Wyk) was the runner-up to National Currency last time and enjoys a 2kg swing for the 1,25-length defeat. It is unlikely to be enough as Currency seemed to have something in hand in his victory.
Mark Khan rides Australian-bred Suntagonal, whose saddle slipped on his debut when two lengths behind the Azzie horse. He has since won and is undoubtedly on the upgrade. At this stage of his career, who is to say how good he is?
These three look the pick, but nothing in the race has had more than three starts and big improvement from any runner is possible. Tread carefully.
In the R100 000 grade 3 King’s Cup at Greyville on Saturday night improving Irish-bred filly Dancal could be the pick. She has won seven of her nine starts and has not yet looked likely to stop winning.
Owned by cricket lover Marlon Aronstam, the four-year-old meets a useful field but it is distinctly possible that the handicapper has not caught up with her yet. The likes of Whacky Lad, Key Of Destiny, Danzenita and Nino’s Mistral shape as the main threats.
Turffontein best bets: Storm Warrior (race 4); Simply Salmon (race 6) Vaal best bets: Sense The Magic (race 5); Monyela (race 6); Carolina Cherry (race 7)