Latest news with #WhisperingDeath
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Early birds to score at Vaal
Tenjiku and World Tour stand out in races 2 and 3 respectively Punters will have to contend with a competitive 10-race card on the Vaal Classic track on Thursday, with a number of low-level handicaps on the day. However, there look to be some decent opportunities early on the card for racing fans to build up a kitty. This Pick 6 appears to be quite tricky but the rewards will be great for anybody who can catch it. In Race 2, Tony Peter-trained Mighty Eagle and Alec Laird's runner Tenjiku square off over 1500m after recent victories over slightly shorter distances. The former, a Danon Platina colt ridden by Gavin Lerena, won by four lengths in open company last time over 1450m and could have more to offer over the extended trip against two-year-old opposition. Tenjiku, on the other hand, beat Whispering Death last time and that has turned out to be a very strong form line. Since then Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Whispering Death has gone on to win twice and once again that form has been franked. He was sent off a 4-10 favourite after that second on debut and beat Chronicle King, a winner of his next start by 2.25 lengths. ALSO READ: Snaith sextet top entries for Daily News 2000 Whispering Death, a half-brother to Grade 1 SA Derby winner Aragosta and six-time winner Mrs Browning, went on to win his next start as well, going off at 4-10 in that field over 1600m and beating Ideal Summer by 2.40 lengths. Even that form was franked as the Alec Laird-trained runner-up went on to win his next start by 3.25 lengths. For the record, Whispering Death is among the entries for the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 31 May. Laird has a good line of form through Ideal Summer and that should make Tenjiku very hard to beat. In Race 3, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1800m, Mike and Adam Azzie send out three-year-old World Tour. This daughter of One World has run four times, and there was a lot to like about her last run when third behind City Lights. It was her first attempt at 1800m and she did suffer some interference at the start, so it was a promising effort. World Tour is a half-sister to Sheela, a six-time winner from four 12 starts, also trained by the Azzies. Diego de Gouveia took the ride last time and he will be back on board this time. ALSO READ: Callan puts Dave back on throne The Azzies could also be in on the mark in Race 10, a MR 66 Handicap over 1000m, where they send out promising two-year-old and last-start scorer One Tiger. The One World colt opened his account at just his second time of asking and should improve appreciably with race experience, especially with blinkers fitted for the first time. He makes his handicap debut and looks good value to get the better of his older hard-knocking rivals. The father-and-son training team have engaged Craig Zackey to take the ride. Value Bet of the day could lie with James Crawford-trained Sorceress Supreme in Race 8, a MR 96 Handicap over 1000m. The last seven of her eight races have been in a feature race company and this three-year-old daughter of Erupt takes a drop in class for the first time in quite a while. While her recent form has not been all that encouraging, her last start, which was in the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, saw her finish just 3.20 lengths behind Mai Sensation. That form looks strong enough to make her a contender in this field.
The Citizen
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Form favours the King
Chronicle King has run against potent opposition. Last week trainer Candice Dawson was extremely disappointed that she was forced to pull Chronicle King out of Race 2 at Turffontein. Her charge had a bruised foot and that left her with little option but to give the son of Vercingetorix a break. Fortunately, Chronicle King has overcome that injury and he has been declared to line up in Race 2 on the Vaal Classic track on Thursday, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1600m. Chronicle King has only raced once, in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track. He was easy to back and went off at odds of 25-2, but that was mainly because Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Whispering Death was sent off a 4-10 favourite after finishing an excellent second on debut. Whispering Death, a half-brother to Grade 1 SA Derby winner Aragosta and six-time winner Mrs Browning, went on to win his next start as well, going off at 4-10 in that field over 1600m and beating Ideal Summer by 2.40 lengths. Even that form was franked as the Alec Laird-trained runner-up went on to win his next start by 3.25 lengths. ALSO READ: Selukwe proving patience is a Plattner virtue So overall, those look to be extremely potent form lines and that augurs well for Chronicle King. What is even more relevant is the fact that Gavin Lerena has elected to ride Dawson's charge over the De Kock-trained Fire Starter, who he rode on debut and who he steered to a very encouraging third on debut. Lerena has also been aboard Whispering Death in his two victories so he clearly values the respective form lines. In fact, Race 2 and Race 3 look the two races on the day to help build up a kitty for the rest of the meeting which does not look easy. In Race 3, trainer Paul Matchett could be on the mark when he sends out Matcha Mint in a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1600m. This filly is a half-sister to Tyrconnell by Gimmethegreenlight and finished third on debut and followed that up with a second place in her next start. Those two races were over 1160m and 1200m respectively and on breeding she should be looking for this kind of distance. Matcha Mint will be assisted by the news that there are three scratchings in the race, Far Beyond, Fire On Fire and Opera Fan. Craig Zackey will be taking the ride this time and a TAB AllTo-Come bet on the pair, or a double, looks the way to go. NOW READ: Local jockeys good enough for world league
