Runner comments, Turffontein and Scottsville

Mike and Mathew de Kock will send out the newcomer Jingleberry in Race 1 over 1160m at Saturday's Turffontein meeting. She was an expensive yearling, being a daughter of champion sire Gimmethegreenlight – and fetched R1,9-million at the National Sale last year.

She’s in with a chance, first-up, and Mathew commented: “Dingleberry is showing us some promising work at home. She’s up against a decent-looking filly in Littlemisssplendid, who has already won a race, and some other debutantes. But we’re expecting a good run, she should be competitive.”

Gimmeanotherchance missed his race last week due to the meeting being abandoned, and last week’s preview holds, as Mat confirmed: “He pulled hard in his last race and compounded, he is much better than that. His work is still good and we’ve taken the blinkers off. If he can reproduce his penultimate run, when he finished second to Pomodoro’s Jet, he’ll be right there in this Graduation Plate. He has won over the course and distance.”

Mary’s Greenlight found 1400m on the short side when stablemate Oxalis Gold won on 15 March, and she was one-paced late. She is back, this time in Race 8 over 1800m and should go better. She has top weight in a competitive race and Mat said: “We’re preparing her for a race over 2000m and we’d like to see a forward run from her, here. She has an eachway chance.”

De Kock Racing entered the Maiden filly Wearingofthegreen for Race 9, a MR81 handicap over 1800m. She is a temperamental sort, who has three places to show from four starts and has been disappointing, though she’s always been considered one who will improve over more ground. Mat said: “She has a low rating of 63, which gives her a handy weight in this handicap. She will like the extra and may be a bit better than her rating, so it will be interesting to see how she goes. One for the Quartet.”

HWB Scottsville hosts a 10-race programme on Sunday, and De Kock Racing has the Silvano filly, Forgiveness, running in Race 6, the WSB Scarlet Lady over 1750m, the supporting feature of the day.

Forgiveness was quietly fancied in her last start, the Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m, but she got too far back in the early part of the race. She’s well performed up to 2000m and this course and distance should be right up her alley. “Forgiveness travelled well to Summerveld from Randjesfontein and if one draws a line through her last run her form looks competitive. She has run to higher ratings so must have a chance. She should go into exotics,” said Mat.

Ingqwele is the second reserve runner in Race 10 over 1400m. There has already been a scratching from the race, and in a big field there is always a chance of a further scratching. If he gets in, he will warrant respect. “Ingqwele is doing well and if he manages to find a spot in the race, he will have a winning chance,” Mat assessed.