Drier to trump with his duo
DENNIS DRIER returned from Cape Town last season emptyhanded in feature races, but looks likely to put that disappointment behind him as his string of 23 this season is full of young talent. Heading the list are his two unbeaten Grade 1 two-year-old winners from last season Sand And Sea and Lady In Black.
Twice Over colt Sand And Sea ran on strongly from off the pace to win the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. The form of that race cannot be faulted to date and this big bay’s target will now be the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 16. His dam by Spectrum, Sea Point, won on debut over 1000m at Kenilworth, but is a half-sister to brilliant Cape Guineas winner Pointing North (Joshua Dancer). Twice Over’s influence will also help Sand And Sea stay, being a five-times middle distance Group 1 winner. Sand And Sea is avoiding Saturday’s Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m in favour of a Progress Plate over 1200m on November 18. The reason is the connections do not want to bring him down to the 1200m before going up in trip again to 1600m.
Lady In Black is entered in the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championships over 1400m on Saturday. This Dynasty filly had no right to win the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes in her third start, having been caught wide the whole way and then taking a big bump at the top of the straight. Unfortunately, she has landed another wide draw for Saturday, 14 out of 16.
Champenois
Joining Lady In Black as entries in the Western Cape Fillies Championships are Tssessebe and Champenois.
Philanthropist filly Tsessebe finished third in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day. Visionaire filly Champenois bumped three good ‘uns in Luna Child, Flichity By Farr and Dinner Date, whom she finished second to, before getting off the mark in a Scottsville 1200m fillies and mares maiden in September, which she won by 3,5 lengths. She is a half-sister to the Grade 1 SA Classic winner Pierre Jourdan, so should enjoy Saturday’s step up in trip. Furthermore, she has drawn pole position. Tsessebe is drawn 16 out of 16.
Drier does have two entries in the Cape Classic, Silvano colt Tower Of Wisdom and Philanthropist colt Tom Collins. Tower Of Wisdom was taken handy from a wide draw second time out over 1400m at Scottsville and ran on well to win by 1,25 lengths. The horse who was beaten 2,5 lengths into third, African Pharoah, came out and won on Sunday. Tom Collins took four runs to win his maiden, a 1600m event, and was then beaten 1,3 lengths into fourth in a handicap over 1750m off a merit rating of 82, so has his work cut out on Saturday from the widest draw of 13 acceptors. Tower Of Wisdom, merit rated 83, is drawn seven.
Another three-year-old filly entered for Saturday’s racing is impressive 1200m debut winner, Via Sacra. This Pathfork filly lost two lengths at the start in her only career start, but was soon tracking the leaders and showed a fine turn of foot to win by a head without being hard pressed. She is entered in a MR 68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m on Saturday and will race off a merit rating of 82, which she is surely destined to be better than, but it does mean she has to carry 61,5kg.
A top filly sprinter in the string is the four-year-old by Var, Sommerlied, who has won four out of five and smashed the Scottsville 1000m course record last time out. She has the good fillies feature sprint program to look forward to and will then no doubt attempt to follow in the footsteps of another Drier-trained Var filly, Val De Ra, who won the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships over 1000m.
The four-year-old Count Dubois filly Anime is also good enough to contest the fillies sprint features, while four-year-old Horse Chestnut gelding Horse Guards will likely be aimed at sprint feature handicaps.
Miss Frankel
The yard also have high hopes for the three-year-old daughter of Val De Ra, Miss Frankel, who is by the legendary Frankel.
After a disappointing debut she proved she wasn’t just an overhyped sort by winning a Scottsville 1000m fillies and mares maiden by 4,5 lengths.
A promising three-year-old filly in the string is Salimah by Trippi. She won her 1000m debut by 3,75 lengths. She is a half-sister to UAE 2000 Guineas second-placed Zanzamar, who also finished third in the Dubai Gold Cup, so she will appreciate further and looks to be a Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas hopeful.
Respective three-year-old Western Winter and Oratorio fillies, Dame Commander and Sacred Flame, both won comfortably in their third starts over 1200m at Scottsville.
Another Western Winter filly Forehand ran a good third over 1000m on debut.
Three-year-old Curved Ball gelding Bad Attitude won well second time out over 1200m at Scottsville. He is a half-brother to the out-andout sprinter Mr Whatever. Premier Dance might be aimed at feature handicaps. Heir Line and Colour Your Dreams will likely start off in lesser handicaps.
The High Life loved Cape Town last season, so can bounce back to form.
Four-year-old Nauticus is a hard knocking maiden and Dynasty filly Perfect Air and Trippi gelding Robyn-Jack-Twigg are yet to race.