S'MANGA KHUMALO rides Tribal Code in Race 7 at Flamingo Park. Picture: Supplied.
It is interesting that current South African Champion Jockey S’manga Khumalo has been given the ride on the five-year-old gelding.
Khumalo started off the season pretty slowly for his high standards but is back riding at his confident best and this is the type of horse who could respond to a positive ride as when the blinkers were first put on Tribal Code he won comfortably beating Wolf’s Girl by 1.75 lengths.
The Sault tribe of Chippewa Indians have a Tribal Code that only starts on chapter 10 so those punters that believe in omens it is both interesting and worth noting that Tribal Code will be jumping from the outside stall of 10.
Matteo beat Tribal Code by a short-head last time over this course and distance and is only 0.5kg worse off so on paper there should not be much between them and he has to be considered.
Beach Bar had all of Prince Fireball, Black Platinum, Terrible Gulch and Noah Forever behind him over this track and trip earlier this month so it is not surprising that jockey Marco van Rensburg has switched allegiance to ride Beach Bar after riding Black Platinum last time.
Tight Ship did not quicken and ran well behind All The Bids in his first try on this surface but it is possible he will now make improvement and could be the surprise package if Tribal Code does not produce his best to win this.