12:35 Kenilworth

Saturday 11 January 2025

All10:1010:4511:2011:5512:3513:1013:4514:2014:55

Paarl Diamant Class 4

Off time: 12:37 | Winning time: 1m 39.57s

(1)

Kebonalesedi²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Grant Van Niekerk| T: Eric Sands| C

5/1

Course winner. 66/1, very good ¾-length fourth of 9 to Rule of Thumb in handicap at this C&D (good to soft) 24 days ago. Uphill task.

Form: 157074-

(2)

Masterofthedesert³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Morne Winnaar| T: Candice Bass-Robinson| C

16/1

67/100, career best when winning 6-runner maiden at this course (7f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 733241-

(3)

Rule Of Thumb²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: J V'd Merwe| T: Justin Snaith| CD

4/1

Five wins from 19 Flat runs. 25/2, won 9-runner handicap at this C&D (good to soft) 24 days ago by neck from Hoodia. Others more persuasive.

Form: 473461-

(4)

Chollima¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Chad Little| T: Glen Kotzen

18/1

Seventeen runs since last win in 2022. 9/2, fourth of 6 in minor event at this course (9f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: 250424-

(5)

My Bestie¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: Rachel Venniker⁽³⁾| T: Glen Kotzen| OR: 74| CD

11/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Fairview in October. 16/1, respectable fifth of 9 in handicap at this course (7f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Shortlist material.

Form: 428175-

(6)

Gnarly³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Iannish Taka| T: Vaughan Marshall| D

28/1

Winner at Durbanville in October. 8/1, good fourth of 9 in handicap at this course (9f, good) 38 days ago. Getting better with each recent run.

Form: 675714-

(7)

La Pulga³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: S Veale| T: Candice Bass-Robinson| C

11/1

Course winner. Winner here in August. Good seventh of 15 in handicap (14/1) at this course (7f, soft) 35 days ago. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 42167-

(8)

Hoodia²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: C Orffer| T: Willem Nel| C

2/1

Course winner. Creditable neck second of 9 to Rule of Thumb in handicap at this C&D (good to soft, 7/1) 24 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 100232-

(9)

Western World^b⁵³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Oswald Noach| T: Vaughan Marshall| C

40/1

Blinkered for 1st time, career best when winning 13-runner maiden at this course (9f, good, 16/1) 53 days ago. Not easy to make a case for.

Form: 5391-

(10)

Midway⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Mpumelelo Mjoka| T: Brett/jame Crawford

66/1

Winner at Durbanville in July. Respectable seventh of 12 in handicap (66/1) at this C&D (good) 46 days ago. First run for yard after leaving B. Crawford.

Form: 421007-

(12)

Bounceback^b²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: R Fourie| T: Justin Snaith| CD

11/2

Career best when winning 10-runner maiden at this C&D (good to soft, 33/20) 20 days ago.

Form: 04231-

(13)

Rich Folks Hoax³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Craig Zackey| T: Dean Kannemeyer| C

8/1

Course winner. Winner here in November. 25/2, good fourth of 15 in handicap at this course (7f, soft) 35 days ago.

Form: 045214-

Non-Runners

(11)

Happy Days²⁴

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: Vaughan Marshall J: S Veale

Forecasts

Hoodia (2/1), Rule Of Thumb (4/1), Kebonalesedi (5/1), Bounceback (11/2), Rich Folks Hoax (8/1), La Pulga (11/1), My Bestie (11/1), Masterofthedesert (16/1), Happy Days (16/1), Chollima (18/1), Gnarly (28/1), Western World (40/1), Midway (66/1)

HOODIA has been operating at a good level lately and is probably the one to beat. Happy Days looks the best bet for second, while Gnarly also comes into calculations.