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Strydom on golden streak

Rocketeer can continue top South African rider Piere Strydom's brilliant burst of form by taking tonight's second event at Happy Valley. Hardly a meeting passes these days without Strydom's name appearing on the scoresheet.

He rode another accomplished race to score on the often wayward Adjareli on Sunday's Derby card and prior to that was in double form at the city venue. He should come into tonight's meeting brimming over with confidence and in Rocketeer looks to have a top chance to continue his winning streak.

Strydom rode the Geoff Lane-trained eight-year-old into second behind Trademark last time out when Rocketeer looked a shade unlucky not to give the improving Trademark a fair bit more to do in a similar Class Five 1,000-metre event. Rocketeer lost his place down the back straight and had to make up a huge amount of ground in the home stretch to get up to run the quinella and Trademark has run well since in Class Four.

The move to 1,200 metres should suit Rocketeer tonight as it will allow him that bit more time to find his feet. He tended to hang out a bit down the back last time which is why he then lost his position. With more time to get balanced and running, he is likely to travel that much more kindly for Strydom who will also have benefited from getting to know his mount's idiosyncracies.

On that run behind Trademark, the selection has nothing to fear from Dragon King who finished fifth and should be less suited than Rocketeer by the extra distance.

Rocketeer's work since that run also gives plenty of cause for encouragement as he has gone well in a jump out from the barriers at the top of the back straight as well as moving fluently on the main dirt track. It could pay to keep the Philip Robinson-ridden Winning Man safe in quinellas with Rocketeer.

Winning Man ran seventh behind Trademark and Rocketeer last time in a much more encouraging effort.

The minimum 1,000-metre trip was decidedly on the short side for him that night and this evening's 1,200-metre trip is also a good 200 or 400 metres short of what he probably needs to show his full potential. But there were most encouraging signs from his last run and Robinson is riding like a man possessed at the moment, popping up all over the place at big odds in the win, in the quinella and in the tierce.

The astute English rider really can't be left out of anything as his performances on Seasons Wind, Easy Champ and Indigenous have underlined.

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