Night racing: Bass to reign supreme
Night racing returns to the Highveld today and racing under the stars will be ushered in with the running of the Grade 3 Racing Association Yellowwood Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m and the Listed Egypt Air Java Handicap over 2450m.
IMPROVEMENT. Supreme Sunset can show further improvement when she runs in the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein tonight.
Both races look extremely thorny but with the form shown by the Mike Bass yard in the past few weeks it could be worth going with Supreme Sunset to win the Yellowwood. The four-year-old daughter of Western Winter caused a massive upset when winning the Grade 2 Johannesburg Fillies and Mares Spring Handicap over 1450m on the inside track at Turffontein.
The introduction of night racing means the horses will be running on the standside track which has been relayed during the winter months. Robert Fayd’Herbe, who is taking care of the Bass runners at Turffontein, may have been surprised by his charge’s victory over a distance too short for her but has expressed the opinion that their horses will be better on the standside track with the longer straight.
Supreme Sunset is being aimed at the Sansui Summer Cup and if she is to have any chance in that company she will need to be able to beat a field of her own sex. Bernard Fayd’Herbe is making the trip to Turffontein to ride the Bass horses but will have one serious concern about Supreme Sunset – the need to overcome No 16 draw. However, while a bad draw remains a bad draw at any course, if you are have a wide draw this track and distance is the place to have it. The runners have at least 400m of back straight to travel before they hit the turn, so Fayd’Herbe will have ample time to place her.
The combination of trainer Ormond Ferraris and jockey Weichong Marwing has been formidable of late and they have to have a huge chance with Erin. She has won four of her last seven starts, two of them over this distance.
She also is drawn wide so Marwing will also be fighting to get his mount well placed.
Mohave Princess ran well in the Joburg Spring Challenge, finishing well to end up 3.80 lengths behind Supreme Sunset. The Gavin van Zyl-trained filly is 4kg better off and, over the extra distance, should contest the finish.
Once again jockey Keagan de Melo will need to overcome a wide draw.
The Java Handicap could go the way of S’il Vous Plait and the in-form Ferraris and Marwing combination. He runs well over the course and distance and could prove too strong for Savage Wind and Guy from Dubai.
