Cash in on Persian Silk
Persian Silk could be the answer to punters' prayers in the opening Gold Circle Maiden at Durbanville tomorrow. What everyone is looking for is a horse who is better than the bare form suggests and is available at a better price than it should be - and this filly ticks both boxes.
On her second start, over 1 200m at Kenilworth, she went to the front two furlongs out absolutely cantering.
It was quite a way from home to go clear but it still looked simply a question of how far. However she weakened in the final 200m to finish third.
Kenilworth three and a half weeks ago was a carbon copy - going easily, leading at the 400m mark only to run out of steam in the closing stages. The only difference was that she finished fourth instead of third.
Clearly the trip was a furlong too far, or she needed to be waited with for a bit longer.
This time, though, she runs over a surely ideal 1 000m. She started favourite on her last two outings at 2-1 and 5-2 - and she will probably be a similar price here.
“After the first of those two I said to the jockey that I would put her over five furlongs but he said no,’’ Glen Kotzen recalls. "Last time I think she didn't see the two horses on her outside until it was too late but this trip is really going to suit her.’’
Kotzen also runs the frustrating Mamselle Al who has started favourite in all her last five starts and is actually a kilo better than Persian Silk on adjusted merit ratings. “I have been trying everything," says the trainer who took the blinkers off last time. "And now I am running her in cheekpieces.’’
Supercilious’s nine draw will test Donavan Mansour's talents to the full in race two but she managed third to the talented Icy Fire when drawn just as badly over the same distance at Kenilworth last time and a repeat of that effort would be good enough.
Nebula is drawn eight out of 11 in the Pick 6 Maiden but he stands out after going close on debut when he was backed from 12-1 to 3-1. “I expected him to run well and he did,’’ says Brett Crawford. “But he ran a bit green and he only got going late. He then had a break but he is doing well.’’
Bernard Fayd’Herbe returns after three weeks off and, although he has three rides for Justin Snaith, his best chance is probably on Exclusive Night in the 2 000m maiden (race four). This will be the fiveyear-old's 30th attempt to win a race but he keeps going close.
“He is perfectly genuine but he just keeps finding one too good for him,’’ says Piet Steyn.
“Three Balloons, who beat him a few races back, was second to Hard Day’s Night on his next start last Saturday. Exclusive Knight has won almost R160 000 in stakes and that's as much as winning four races.’’
But Eastern Charm comes out 1.5kg better and is preferred. Avail’s good performances here suggest he will also make the frame.
International Jockeys
HAYLEY Turner, Frenchman Christophe Lemaire and Panamian Eduardo Pedroza are among the stars who will take part in the international Jockeys match against the South Africans in November.
But the big surprise this time is that Kenilworth has been dropped from the list of venues which are now restricted to Turffontein and Fairview. The organisers have had trouble attracting enough runners in Cape Town in the past but Racing Association chairman Larry Wainstein said yesterday: "We wanted to give the series a different spin this time and so Port Elizabeth has been given the opportunity. The idea is also to have some races on polytrack."
Durban was dropped previously, at the request of Gold Circle, but the latest change will be a disappointment to Cape Town racegoers who enjoyed seeing the big names in action. Wainstein, the driving force behind the event, hopes to have the remaining three international riders firmed up shortly but he confirmed that there will be no-one from Turkey. That country's representative last year, Yasin Pilavcilar, attracted a lot of criticism and was described by Joey Ramsden as "absolutely appalling."
Wainstein added: "We will ensure that we have a decent team this year." The Fairview fixture is on Friday November 13 (hopefully not an inauspicious choice!) and the Turffontein one the following day.
Turner, who rode here in 2010, has been the most successful female Flat jockey in Britain and she retires at the end of the year. Lemaire's major triumphs include the 2011 Melbourne Cup and Pedroza has been four times champion in Germany.
Gavin Lerena will captain the home team which is also expected to comprise S'Manga Khumalo, Greg Cheyne and Anthony Delpech plus two still-tobe-selected wild cards.
Act Of War
ACT Of War dominates the declarations for the Kuda Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday and there is a good chance that he will run despite being drawn eight out of ten.
Racing manager Derek Brugman said yesterday: “At this stage it looks likely but he only arrived back from Durban last Friday so we will see how he is and make a final decision later in the week.’’
Last season's Cape Guineas winner has not raced since winning the Winter Guineas at Kenilworth in May but he was kept ticking over during the Durban season. His trainer Joey Ramsden won the Matchem with the brilliant Variety Club four years ago and Anton Marcus will fly down for the ride.
The other nine declared come from the big battalions of Justin Snaith and Mike Bass. The latter has four including Winter Guineas runner-up Sail For Gold and Snaith runs five with stable jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe on Heartland and Sean Cormack flying from Durban to partner Alpha Pegasi .
The Bass-trained Paddock and Majorca winner Inara (Grant van Niekerk) will attempt to give weight all round in the Diana Stakes.