Bela-Bela stands out

BELA-BELA has huge public appeal in the R5-million The Sun Met celebrated with Mumm (Grade 1) over 2 000m at Kenilworth on Saturday.

She’s only the 10-1 sixth favourite in the race, but this pretty-as-a-picture grey captures the imagination of many.

Justin Snaith is happy to draw a comparison with another more famous grey filly – his one-time charge Dancer’s Daughter, who deadheated for first with Pocket Power in the Durban July in 2008 and went on to run a neck second to him in the Met in 2009.

That was one of the affable Cape trainer’s near misses in a race he has yet to win.

Snaith is not a romantic when it comes to his horses and knows BelaBela has a tough task in the Met, with Legal Eagle being so much better weighted under the conditions.

However, he said: “Make no mistake, she’s a very good filly – the best filly in the country – and she can beat a good colt any day of the week. She’s doing well and I think she will be in the firing line.”

“I thought she put in the best workout of the day on Thursday last week when all the Met runners had public gallops. She had no grass gallop into the Paddock Stakes and will strip a much fitter horse on Saturday.

“She’s just chilling this week and will have her final sprint-up this morning. “She’s ready,” said Snaith. Bela-Bela is not the only horse he will be counting on in the Met.

He also sends It’s My Turn and Baritone into battle alongside their prettier stablemate.

He warned against the belief that Bela-Bela is Snaith Racing’s stable elect because “in the Met anything can happen”.

It’s My Turn won last year’s Investec Cape Derby, which was held a week before Met Day, surprising his trainer.

“He’s always surprised me, this horse,” admitted Snaith.

“First in the Derby and then when I took him to Durban in the Daily News 2000, when he shouldn’t have got beaten.

“He then ran fourth in the Durban July when things didn’t go his way. He’s pulled up beautifully with every run and there’s no reason he shouldn’t surprise us again.

“He’s the dark horse in the race,” said Snaith.

“His whole programme has been driving towards the Met.

“He only had one gallop on his own going into his first run back and no gallop at all going into the Peninsular Handicap next time and he’s getting better and better.

“He’s definitely underrated compared to some of the horses in the race and he’s got the right jockey in PiereStrydom, who knows him well.”

“He’s an uncomplicated fellow with a nice draw and will run his race. He could easily be in the shake-up.

“Baritone is a hard horse to assess and has it all to prove, but if you give Captain America a chance, you’ve got to give him a chance.”

- TABNews THE carryover going forward on the first Pick 6 on Saturday at Kenilworth, Sun Met day, has been increased to R2.2 million and the pool is now expected to reach R8 million.

“The carryover at Turffontein on Tuesday has enabled us to give an even bigger boost to the Pick 6 pool,” said Vee Moodley, Executive Director: Sports Betting for Phumelela.

The carryover announced earlier was R1.5 million with the pool estimated to be R7 million.

However, with some massive upsets at Tuesday’s Turffontein meeting a carryover of R702,352 was announced and that money has been moved to Saturday.

“We also have a second Pick 6 on the day, from Race 8 to Race 13, and another R500,000 will be added to that pool,” said Moodley.