Drier hoping for some luck
DENNIS Drier’s Grade 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes contenders, Beach Beauty and Bambina Stripes, put up pleasing gallops at Kenilworth last weekend and are in prime condition for the big race over 1 800m at Kenilworth this Saturday.
However, they both have tough draws of 12 and 14 respectively to overcome. “I’m very happy with both of them,” said Drier, “but they will need a lot of luck in running from those draws.
Beach Beauty finished second in this race last year off a farcically slow pace. She pulled the riders arms out for much of the journey after being caught in front. She also over-raced in her next start in the J&B Met.
From a wide draw on Saturday there is always the danger of a repeat of those antics. However, on the upside she appears to have got on very well with jockey Sean Cormack who managed to settle her on two separate occasions when she had fresh air in front of her in the early stages.
When winning the Grade 2 Betting World Greyville 1900 he got her to the front and she remained settled until he tucked her in behind the pacemaker and the same happened when she won the Grade 2 Premier’s Trophy over the Paddock Stakes course and distance in her last start.
Furthermore, with the out and out galloper Viva Maria in the field, there is a chance that Cormack can repeat his ride in the Greyville 1900 where he got her over and found cover from a similarly wide draw.
Beach Beauty quickens well and has a resolute finish, so will actually be suited by a slow pace if she manages to get cover in a handy position, as she is hard to catch once she hits the front. However, if dropped out in a faster run race, her turn of foot and her ability to stay 2 000m will also see her in with a big shout.
The bookmakers don’t appear to be concerned about her draw and have priced her up as the 16-10 favourite.
Drier said that a new tactic tried with his Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic winner, Bambina Stripes, had not worked. “We tried to run her handy but she didn’t enjoy it and needs to be given a chance,” he said.
She found no extra in that race and finished a four lengths fourth to Paddock Stakes contender Frequent Flyer, despite receiving 4kg. In her previous start she ran on well over 1 400m to finish 2,35 lengths to Capetown Noir, a potential superstar following his comfortable win in the Grade 1 CPYS Cape Guineas.
Bambina Stripes came from near last when winning the SA Fillies Classic over 1 800m at Turffontein, so with a return to those tactics it would be no surprise to see her running better than her recent form on Saturday.
She is a big horse who needs a while to get going, so will be suited to the long Kenilworth straight and a further bonus to her chances is that champion jockey Anton Marcus will be aboard. The bookmakers currently have her at 20-1. Drier runs easy debut winner Platimum Ruler in a Juvenile Plate over 1 000m. “She is a small filly and we will see how she runs here before deciding whether she runs in the Met day Juvenile race,” he said.
His four-year-old filly Miss Ipanema lines up in a Conditions Plate over 1 400m where she is the best in at the weights. However Drier said, “Princess Victoria will be hard to beat even at the weights.”