Kannemeyer looking forward to the summer
DEAN KANNEMEYER’S Equus Champion Stayer It’s My Turn has the Grade 1 WSB Summer Cup “on the table” although his participation will depend on how well his barrier trial next Sunday and a subsequent preparation outing go as well as on discussions with owner Fred Crabbia.
Meanwhile, Kannemeyer’s promising filly Hashtagyolo will arrive in Cape Town for the Summer Season tomorrow (Wednesday) and his Sun Met runner up Last Winter has arrived in Dubai.
The six-year-old Dynasty gelding It's My Turn had a break on Jane Thomas’s spelling farm after his magnificent feat of winning three Grade 3 staying races in the space of five weeks at the end of last season, the Track And Ball Derby over 2 400m at Scottsville, the Gold Vase over 3 000m at Greyville and the Gold Cup over 3200m at Greyville.
The question is whether the Summer Cup trip of 2 000m will be too sharp for him, although he did win the Grade 1 Cape Derby over that trip at Kenilworth as a three-year-old having won on debut over 1 300m a few races earlier.
Furthermore, Turffontein Standside has the toughest 2 000m in the country which will be in his favour.
Kannemeyer said, “Obviously he’s a brilliant stayer, that’s bis real game. We will see how the preparation goes and I will discuss it with Fred, but the Summer Cup is definitely on the table.”
He is currently the Summer Cup 6-1 second favourite with the sponsors having been usurped at the top of the boards by Cascapedia, who won the Joburg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m at Turffontein in fine style on Saturday.
Barrier trial
Kannemeyer reckoned the barrier trial would “bring him on tremendously” and was happy he would need just one more subsequent run.
He said, “He is a tall, light-framed horse and comes back to himself quickly.
“He is doing well and moving well and we will take it day by day.”
The four-year-old Dynasty filly Hashtagyolo is unbeaten in three career starts which included impressive wins in the KZN Fillies Guineas Trial and the Grade 3 Flamboyant Stakes, both over 1 600m at Greyville. She was ante-post favourite for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas in March before picking up a nasty virus and which saw her having two spells in a Johannesburg equine hospital.
She recuperated on part-owner Bruce Le Roux’s Spring Valley Stud farm in Mooi River and showed her well-being three weeks ago when winning a Barrier Trial effortlessly over 1000m at Scottsville.
Kannemeyer is not yet sure what route she will take in Cape Town but said she was a 1 600m to 2 000m horse and pointed to her exceptional collateral form, in which she has met Fiorella twice and beaten her both times unextended by 1,75 lengths and 4,25 lengths respectively. The latter did improve subsequently and went on to be named KZN Champion three-year-old filly. Kannemeyer said, “Hashtagyolo has a wonderful pedigree and is an exciting prospect.”
Hashtagyolo is out of placed Jallad mare My Guiding Star, who is a halfsister to the top class racehorse and now promising sire, Master Of My Fate.
Last Winter
Last Winter, a now five-year-old entire by Western Winter, finished a flying second in the Sun Met in just his sixth career start.
He stayed at Mary Slack’s Abington Place in Newmarket during his journey long journey to Dubai and is now in a box in Mike de Kock’s yard.
However, Kannemeyer remains the trainer and will probably fly out to see the Khaya Stables-owned horse next month.