‘King’ to get over Met pain in Magnum Mile
King Of Pain disappointed in the J&B Met on 1 February but takes a drop in class when he contests the Magnum Mile (Non-Black Type) over 1600m at Kenilworth today. This is a new event and is tied in with the University of Cape Town’s Rag week.
Picture: AFP.
While many people have said King Of Pain is better over 2000m than 1600m, the facts do not match the talk. He has yet to win over 2000m but has a record of two wins and four places in seven starts over 1600m at Kenilworth.
He flew late in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes but was just touched off by Ice Machine. It is worth noting he had both Beach Beauty and Capetown Noir behind him.
King Of Pain suffered interference in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate so the fact that he managed to finish just 3.65 lengths behind Capetown Noir was a decent effort.
It is difficult to work out what happened in the Met but he was stuck near the rear of the field and with the pace set by winner Hill Fifty Four, could not win from where he was placed. Nevertheless, King Of Pain ran on well to run eighth, beaten 4.40 lengths.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe takes the ride again and this time will have the advantage of jumping from barrier No 1.
This is a stakes race and one horse who is well weighted is M’Lords Throat. Unfortunately the six-year-old son of Silvano often struggles to get his head down where it matters most and has lost a number of close decisions. Overall he has done well since joining the Justin Snaith yard and should be able to contest the finish.
His last run was also on Met day, when he finished 4.75 lengths behind Castlethorpe in a MR 99 Handicap over this course and distance. He is now 5kg better off with the winner and on that basis they should finish close together.
M’Lords Throat raced from quite well back on that occasion but jockey Richard Fourie is likely to keep him closer to the pace, especially as he has just 54kg to carry.
Castlethorpe’s merit rating had come down before his last start but the win put him back to 103. He is a talented individual on his day and was well ridden by Anton Marcus. That job will be carried out by Sean Cormack on this occasion and he is sure to give Castlethorpe a more than competent ride.
Ze Kaiser has improved since being fitted with blinkers but he disappointed when a 7.95-length eighth behind Master Of My Fate in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m. He was examined by the course veterinary surgeon but nothing irregular could be found. Perhaps one should just ignore that run as he is down in class and deserves another chance.
