Classy Catkin to excel
Act Of War is being talked about as one of the best three-year-old colts in the country, so to have a horse who can finish within a length of a potential champion at level weights has to be an exciting prospect for any owner.
Greg Cheyne rides Catkin at Durbanville today.
Catkin twice came up against Act Of War in feature races as a two-year-old last season. In the Grade 3 Langerman Catkin received 0.5kg from Act Of War and went down 2.75 lengths while in the Listed Winter Juvenile they met at level weights and one length separated them. The form looks solid enough for Catkin to take care of a somewhat ordinary field in a MR 84 Handicap over 1400m in Race 5 at Durbanville today.
This son of Horse Chestnut has not raced since the Winter Juvenile but trainer Joey Ramsden tends to have his runners fit enough to be competitive on their return. Catkin has yet to race at Durbanville which could count against him but he has the advantage of No 1 draw and will be ridden by Greg Cheyne.
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Counts Rocket has run behind some very good performers but that is the problem. He seems unable to get his head in front when it matters. He finished fifth behind Legislate in the Grade 1 Investec Derby over 2000m but jockey Anton Marcus felt the son of Count Dubois badly needed to be gelded.
That was done within the next few days but sadly, it seemed to make little difference.
After a disappointing winter season which saw his merit rating fall quite dramatically, trainer Glen Kotzen gave him a break and brought him back in a MR 77 Handicap over 1300m at Durbanville this month. Counts Rocket ran a promising 2.50-length second behind Shining Day and with any further improvement this four-year-old could prove competitive in this line-up.
Click here to download the Durbanville racecard: DURBANVILLE@2014.10.22
