Zackey to close the gap on jockeys’ log

Craig Zackey landed two successive suspensions, and all that time off has done damage to the lead he had secured on the national jockeys’ log.

In fact, at the time of writing current champion Richard Fourie has grabbed the lead and sits on 169 winners, one ahead of Zackey with Gavin Lerena breathing down their necks on 166.

However, Zackey returns to riding at Turffontein on Thursday and he has a full card of rides at this meeting and a number of them have winning chances. The eight races will be run on the Inside track and the best of Zackey’s rides could be Miss Scaletta in Race 4, a MR 95 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m.

Trainer Paul Matchett must think quite highly of this three-year-old filly as he has run her in some feature races, including the Grade 3 Fillies Mile. Interestingly, last time he was quite happy to put her against the colts in the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m at Turffontein on 1 March.

She already had a stiff task at the weights but to make matters worse, she jumped awkwardly leaving the stalls and the course vet reported a brush wound right hind after the race. She also had to deal with some very difficult track conditions but still managed to produce the fourth fastest final 400m.

In the end, she was beaten 6.80 lengths behind Confederate, but if one considers the first two in that race were 4.10 lengths clear of the pack, that puts Miss Scaletta just 2.70 lengths behind third-placed Legend Of Arthur and only 1.80 lengths off Gauteng Guineas champion Parisian Walkway.

She was carded to race last Thursday but did not take her place but could be the right filly in Thursday’s event.

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