GR1 ALLAN ROBERTSON & GR1 GOLDEN HORSE SPRINT

RACE 5 – Allan Robertson Championship (Grade 1)

Kindred Heart

The Brett Crawford-trained Erupt filly, Kindred Heart, takes her place today in the Grade One Allan Robertson Championship over the 1200M on the turf at Scottsville Racecourse. At her last start on the Highveld, she displayed her speed and class, finishing a quarter of a length off the much-vaunted Little Ballerina over 1200M at the Vaal Racecourse. Pierre Strydom tracked Little Ballerina through to the 400M when he asked for her effort, and she ran on strongly to get within a head of the winner.

The ASSM Syndicate ((Nom: Mr A Chadha) owned filly is quoted at 8/1 in the betting but with continued natural improvement and her racing experience, she must be good value in this prestigious race. Pierre retains the ride today on the two-year-old filly, and at level weight and drawn in the centre of the track, if she reproduces the run to Little Ballerina in her last run, she must have as good as a chance as any of her rivals.

RACE 8 – Golden Horse Sprint (Grade 1)

I Am Giant

On pure Merit rated terms, I am Giant seems to have it all to do in this graded race. However, this colt is very consistent, having finished in the top two in 67% of his runs and stable jockey Kabelo Matsunyane takes the ride tomorrow which could be a pointer to his chances.

He finished 0.4 lengths off Lucky Lad at his last start in the Senor Santa Stakes, and today meets the same horse on four kilograms worse terms than what they met last time. He will therefore have to improve on his last run to match Lucky Lad, but the last run was his first after a three-month layoff, so should strip fitter today.

Despite racing under sufferance, the Hollywood Syndicate owned colt is very consistent, is drawn well on the inside of the track and has a top jockey in the saddle. His last run was a particularly good one to one of the better runners in this field, and there is no reason to think that he cannot improve today and give the higher merit rated horses a run for their money

Surjay

Surjay’s last run was also in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes, where he had to concede two kilograms to Lucky Lad, taking up the running 200M from home before going down narrowly to Lucky Lad and I Am Giant. This was his first run after a three-month layoff and will strip a much fitter horse today.

Jumping from a three draw, with top jockey Smanga Khumalo in the saddle, this Sunette Viljoen owned colt will have ticks in all the right boxes. He ran at level weights with Lucky Lad in their last run, and with Dyce heading up the weights at 60kg because of its merit rating of 130, all the other horses come in at 54kg which means there is a two-kilogram swing in his favour today.

The 1200M is his absolute forte, having only run out of the first three once in the nine times he has run over the distance, with many of those runs being in feature races. He finished third in this race last year, and coupled to his consistency, a good draw, and a top jockey in the saddle, he should be in the firing line when the whips are cracking in the last 200M

At My Command

This could be the dark horse of the race. Yes, he has raced very well over the middle distances in graded races, and now reverts to a Grade 1 sprint race, but he is not to dismissed just on that premise. In Cruise Control, Cliff Top and Pray for Rain, this race has multiple speedy frontrunners.

The quick pace expected in this race could set up this race up for a horse that could come from off the pace, and that horse could be At My Command. He might not have the toe to go with them from the jump, but this Khaya Stables owned gelding has one of the better jockeys to bring horses from off the pace, Craig Zackey, in the saddle.

This will also be his third run after the rest, his two comeback runs being in the Horse Chestnut and Hawaii stakes, won by potential superstars Main Defender and Sandringham Summit. With the strong pace expected, a handy galloping weight and the Scottsville 1200M being one of the toughest in the country, if At My Command gets the gaps at the right time, watch out.