Oh So Squish home ‘Like The Clappers’
Alight weight and a stiff tailwind are often a lethal combination, especially if the recipient is allowed to dictate terms as was many the case on the poly at Hollywood Greyville yesterday.
Apprentice Keratile Katjedi used all to his advantage as he dictated a modest gallop aboard Oh So Squishy and skipping for home at the top of the straight.
“I maybe went a little bit early,” said the youngster, “but I knew I had a light weight and the others jockeys are much stronger than me.”
Buckler
It all paid off as John Buckler, stable assistant to Glen Kotzen, saddled his third winner in two days with Imposing and Osceola obliging on Sunday.
South African trainers are often accused of gelding colts too early.
The reality is that in most cases it’s comes down to having a well-bred stallion, with no race record and no support flopping at stud, as opposed to a well-bred gelding who does what he is bred to do – race!
Like The Clappers looked to be the right horse and duly started favourite in the third but it was a close-run thing as he looked to shirk the issue all the way up the straight. It took some hard driving by apprentice Kyle Strydom to get him home and being “two stones” lighter could make the difference between a racehorse and a show pony.
Ashburton training centre outside of Pietermaritzburg is a long way from the bright lights of Kloof and Umhlanga which probably accounts for trainers not all that keen on its location but the few trainers stationed there punch well above their weight given their percentage of winners and the quality of their strings.
In short, it’s an over-looked gem. Duncan Howells and Kom Naidoo raised the percentages yesterday with three winners between them, Like The Clappers for Howells and One Too Many and Pewter Sky for Naidoo, the latter given an enterprising ride by Kabelo Matsunyane who like Katjedi before him, scooted to the front and was not for the catching.
“I rode it like a claiming apprentice,” quipped Matsunyane, post-race.
The combination were back in the winner’s box a half-hour later as Pewter Sky cut down the opposition, this time coming from off the pace as Capetown Affair set a suicidal gallop.
Matsunyane
Matsunyane declared his intentions of trying for the national title.
Given his ability, all he needs is support to make himself competitive as he booted home his third consecutive winner on the Sean Tarry-trained Track Commander to underline his intentions.