All aboard for the Return Flight
CATCHING the elusive Pick 6 will be one of the punters’ aims at the big meeting on Saturday and one of the potential stumbling blocks is the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes for two-year-old fillies.
This race is always tough to analyse and this year is no exception as it brings together Johannesburg form with SA Champions Season form.
The favourite is the Pomodoro filly Return Flight who is coming off a 0,6 length third over 1400m at Turffontein Standside where she gave 2kg to the pair in front of her Dagmar and Railtrip. She will relish the step up in trip as she was slightly hampered in the latter race but picked herself up and was staying on strongly. Her previous race was in fact over 1 600m and she won by 8,2 lengths, albeit against an uninspiring field. She does not quicken instantaneously but builds up momentum, so some will argue that the tight Greyville track will be against her. However, the man who was supposed to ride her before being sidelined by injury, Lyle Hewitson”, had no concerns and was highly complimentary about her ability before saying, “She will win.”
Dagmar
Dagmar is by Querari out of a Silvano mare who won seven times in PE from 1 400-1 800m so she should stay the trip. She showed fine gate speed in that last start and quickened well in the straight. She is not as big and rangy as Return Flight but the Silvano influence should see her improving.
Railtrip was half-a-length behind Dagmar and was staying on strongly from a wide draw. She is by Trippi and is a half-sister to SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour so will relish the step up in trip.
Return Flight jumps from draw three, and if the reserve runner comes out Railtrip has draw seven and Dagmar draw eight.
Johannesburg fillies Storm Destiny and Long Pond look held on form by this aforementioned trio.
Sand Princess by Crusade is a half-sister to Matador Man and on the evidence of her two starts, both over 1200m, will relish the step up in trip. Fifth place in her last start over 1200m on the Greyville poly does not augur well for her chances here, at least on paper, but she was doing her best work late and is a big, scopey sort who will improve over this trip.
Perfect Tigress finished strongly to win on debut over 1 200m and on pedigree should enjoy this trip but the form doesn’t look strong enough.
The SA Champions Season results bring Mazari and Can You Feel It in to the race with good chances.
Mazari had a good draw in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day and just failed to hold on from Celtic Sea She moved up well from the back half of the field that day and is a relative of Premier’s Champions Stakes winner over course and distance, Kochka. However, she does now have a wide draw to overcome.
Can You Feel It had a wide draw in the Golden Slipper and stayed on in eye-catching fashion for third. She is a big, scopey sort who should improve further. She is out of a Windrush mare and there is quite a lot of speed in the female line, but she is by Jackson so should stay the trip. She now has a plum draw of four and in form Warren Kennedy rides.
Believe The Best
Believe The Best is well regarded and is better than her Golden Slipper run, where she ended up near the back and was eased out of it after making little impression down the inside.
Runaway Gal was well beaten into fourth over this trip at Scottsville in a strong Juvenile fillies event and only finished fifth in the Devon Air Stakes over 1400m. She is held on formlines.
Beat It was beaten in a Juvenile Fillies Plate over this trip at Scottsville and this looks stronger.
Pearl Tiara looks held on Devon Air Stakes form. She will relish the step up in trip, but she does have the widest draw of all to overcome.
Gimme A Brake Nate won her maiden well over 1500m in April and can improve if settling better than she did that day. On strict collateral formlines she is held by Believe The Best.
Return Flight
In conclusion, Return Flight looks the one to beat. Railtrip has been one of the most eyecatching and could be the chief danger.
Can You Feel It, Mazari and Dagmar are the others who look to be possible winners on form. However, it is well known that two-year-olds improve at different rates and an upset is always a possibility. In this light the dark horse could be Sand Princess who will relish the step up in trip and could well be staying on strongly.