African Night Sky sparkling
JUSTIN Snaith said the cancellation of the Sun Met gallops saved him from having to scratch his Met contender Oh Susanna, whom he said will instead arrive at the race “spot on”, as will all four of his other contenders, African Night Sky, Copper Force, Krambambuli and Elusive Silva.
Oh Susanna, a smart three-year-old daughter of Street Cry, romped home to a cosy 1,5 length victory in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1 800m last time out despite over-racing in the early stages.
Before that she flew home for second in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas after having to be dropped out from a wide draw.
Snaith pointed out that when Street Cry fillies are good they are very good with the two best examples being the legends Zenyatta and Winks.
“There are no boundaries to them,” he said. “So with such a good pedigree, and as she is a young horse who is still raring to go, she has got to be respected carrying just 51,5kg.”
Snaith added, “But, she cannot afford to over-race in the Met”.
The Phillippi-based trainer began working on the over-racing issue immediately after the Paddock Stakes and said, “Fortunately playing polo has increased my knowledge of bits.”
Oh Susanna
A new bit has been part of the solution and he added, “I think the pace will be faster in the Met too, which will help.”
Oh Susanna's set up with the bit is now similar to the one applied to BelaBela. Snaith also drew a comparison with Dancer’s Daughter, who many wrote off before the 2008 Vodacom Durban July as she had pulled hard when winning her previous outing in the Gold Challenge over 1 600m at Clairwood. Dancer’s Daughter then settled beautifully in the July after the over-racing antic had been worked on in the build up.
Snaith was quoted after the Cape Fillies Guineas saying Oh Susanna tended to “take her races hard.” However, he is beginning to change his view on this one, particularly as he now knows just how classy she is.
He said, “The Paddock Stakes was her hardest race, make no mistake, so I have had to be quite careful. But horses with class can handle more and she is also maturing.
“I am testing all of her ability and am getting the feeling now she is the type of horse who can handle it.
“It is a big ask but the good news is that if they had gone ahead with the Met gallops we would have had to scratch her. She can’t do it all.
“Cancelling the gallops has helped a lot and given us the opportunity to run her.”
Winter Triple Crown hero African Night Sky did not have much luck in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate, as he was caught one wide without cover the whole way. Snaith was upbeat about the four-year-old Dynasty gelding’s chances in the Met and said, “That was his second run after a rest in a fast run race and he finished only 2,9 lengths back.
Over 2 000m, in his third run after a rest, he will finish closer.”
Copper Force
He was also bullish about Copper Force’s chances.
The four-year-old Royal Air Force gelding nearly caused a major shock in the Queen’s Plate when flying through for a 0,4 length second.
Snaith said, “He was very unlucky as he came from last and couldn’t get a run in the straight, he had to be switched twice, and the winner also wouldn’t give up.
Legal Eagle is a tough horse and showed incredible guts.”
There is a possible question mark about Copper Force enjoying 2000m, but Snaith said, “I don’t see why he shouldn’t get it. The best milers can win the Met.”
Snaith used Flaming Rock, trained by his father Chris, and Legal Eagle as examples, although both were twice runners-up without ever winning. Krambambuli is rated a 50-1 shot by Betting World, but Snaith said on the performance of his last start in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1 800m, he “without doubt has a shout.” On paper that run does not look exceptional as the six-year-old Black MInnaloushe gelding was 5,25 lengths back in fifth.
However, Snaith pointed out, “He carried 60kg so gave the whole field weight and he came from last, 20 lengths back, and cut through the field like a knife through butter.
Elusive Silva
I thought it was the most impressive run of the day together with Oh Susanna’s run in the Paddock Stakes.”
Snaith’s five-year-old Silvano gelding Elusive Silva is also 50-1 with Betting World.
His class was proven by his impressive wins in the Grade 3 Winter Derby in 2016 and the Listed Sledgehammer over 1800m last year, where he showed an exceptional turn of foot on both occasions.
However, his career has been beset by injury. In his latest comeback he ran on well from well back in the running in the Peninsula and finished a 6,35 length ninth.
Snaith said, “That was a prep run and he has come on a lot for it. But I do worry about his capability in a weight for age event like this.”
He concluded by saying that Oh Susanna was one to watch out for, as being a three-year-old brought in an unknown factor, and he said there was not much between his four older horses.
He has been happy so far with all of their preparations and is also happy with the jockey arrangements; Oh Susanna (Grant van Niekerk); African Night Sky (Bernard Fayd'Herbe); Copper Force (Lyle Hewitson); Krambambuli (Brandon Lerena); Elusive Silva (Robert Khathi);
He regarded Legal Eagle and Marinaresco as the ones to beat and also mentioned Captain America, who ran a gallant race from the front in the Queen’s Plate.
They are in fact the three highest merit rated horses too, so should be in front on paper under the new weight for age conditions.