No. 1740 ISSN 1023 / 6996
MONDAY 20th - THURSDAY 23rd JUNE 2011
4
SCOTTSVILLE
11:50am (Monday) p.4
VAAL SAND 12:10pm (Tuesday) p.12
SCOTTSVILLE
11:45am (Wednesday) p.23
VAAL TURF 12:00pm (Thursday) p.31
2
inside............pg
Vodacom July Final Fields Reconcile - unbeaten at Scottsville
PINNACLE STAKES over 2400m at Scottsville on Monday Somewhat unusually, the four meetings in midweek are being staged at just two venues. Scottsville and the Vaal share the honours with the hightlight at the Pietermaritzburg track on Monday being a Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m, writes STEVE FURNISH.
J
ust seven go to post and as is often the case in these types of events some are much more favoured at the weights than others.
Reconcile The runner with the highest merit rating in the field, and indeed best in at the weights, is Reconcile. At her peak at this stage of the season last year, Glen Kotzen’s charge picked up two listed handicaps on her sortie to Natal and in the process rose some 19 points in the handicap. She was given a five month break after gaining the latest of those successes and when running on best of all to take fourth in the Gr3 Victress Stakes over 1600m at
Kenilworth on her return in December, it looked as if further improvement would be forthcoming. She failed to show when pitched in against the best of her sex in both the Gr1 Majorca Stakes and the Gr1 Paddock Stakes though and was then given another three month break. Reconcile has clearly not been at her best in her three latest outings, but she has shown enough in our book to suggest that she will still be a factor here. This daughter of Silvano has won both of her previous outings at Scottsville and with Anton Marcus now in the saddle, and already proven over the distance, she could regain winning ways.
Salutation Also very nicely treated at the weights is the Stuart Pettigrew trained Salutation. This daughter of Requiem is as consistent as they come and she is at her best around today’s distance. She was running on stoutly when only beaten three quarters of a length by Power Lord over 2600m at the sharp Turffontein inner track last time out and looks sure to be involved in the finish again here.
Gibson Girl The lightly raced Gibson Girl has come to hand very nicely since returning from a five month break in February, and she has done well on both courses at this Pietermaritzburg circuit. She’s won each of her last two starts
going away and was particularly impressive when easily accounting for her seven rivals over today’s distance on the old course here last time out. On paper, she has a bit to find if she is to complete a very smart hattrick here, but she is clearly still improving and with the title chasing Anthony Delpech on board, a bold effort can be expected.
Rapid Flow Formerly with David Nieuwenhuizen in Gauteng, the Modern Day mare Rapid Flow has shown good improvement during the course of this season and fully deserved her win in the non black type Allez France Handicap over 2200m at Turffontein in February. She’s been coming to hand nicely since joining the stable of Paul Lafferty and although she was beaten fair and square by Gibson Girl last time out she was running on at the finish. Rapid Flow has her third outing since changing stables here and she is now 2kg better off at the weights with Mike De Kock’s charge.
Rosie Tibb The dark horse of the race is the Casey Tibbs filly Rosie Tibb. Yogis Govender’s charge commands a fair turn of foot on her day and when winning two in row earlier in the year, it looked as if she might be destined for better things. She was returning from a two month break when fifth in the listed East Coast Handicap last time out and should now strip fitter. She can still improve and although she has no easy task at the weights here, she should be thereabouts.
Sweet Talk The confirmed front runner Sweet Talk has been very consistent and is sure to give of her best. A seasoned handicapper though, she is pretty much in her place at the moment and badly out at the weights here, a place looks to be her best hope.
Keep On Dreaming The only 3yo in the race, Keep On Dreaming was pitched in against the mighty Igugu in the Gauteng Oaks last time out and although she was
beaten out of sight, the fact that she was there would suggest that she had been showing up well at home. She did win well in handicap company in her penultimate start, but that was in much weaker company and badly out at the weights here, she has clearly been set another very stiff task.
About The Pace With just seven runners going to post over a distance of 2400m, there has to be a chance that the race will develop into a 500m sprint. Sweet Talk is usually found setting the fractions though, and she will need to be there if she is going to pick up some prize money. The race is by no means as clear cut as the merit ratings would suggest, but even so, Salutation and Reconcile do look the most likely to fight it out. Reconcile has caught the eye finishing like a train on several occasions during the past twelve months and has given the impression that she is better than currently rated. She gets the vote.
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