Cyber Blossom has a giant stride
THE two-year-old race at Kenilworth today is by far the most intriguing on the card for the simple reason that none of the runners has raced before. Normally there is something with a tall reputation that has been burning up the gallops – like Shinnecock at the beginning of the month – but not this time.
Nothing is particularly fancied and the trainers are all tentative about their horses.
These are cheap horses – you could have bought all six runners for R355 000 – and there is nothing special about their dam lines. Piet Steyn intends scratching What A Lover as her near-fore joint came up yesterday morning but this What A Winter filly was the 12-1 outsider of the party when World Sports Betting posted up prices the previous day.
Favourite at 11-10 is Cyber Blossom, a R70 000 What A Winter trained by Justin Snaith who has run three two-year-olds at Kenilworth so far this season – a beaten odds-on shot, a fourth and a last.
“Cyber Blossom has a stunning action but she is tiny,” says her trainer.
“She is no good thing but she has a chance of going close. She has only had one grass gallop.”
Miss Honey
Second favourite at 7-2 is Miss Honey, a Pathfork out of a Fort Wood mare suggesting this R90 000 buy might need further.
“Is she smart? “I don’t know because I haven’t galloped her but she is quite quick,” says Candice Bass-Robinson for whom this is the first juvenile runner of the season.
Mon Cherie, by Querari out of a Rebel King mare, is also Paddy Kruyer’s first of the campaign and is the cheapest in the field at R35 000.
“She shows me nice work at home and she is quite pacey,” says the Milnerton trainer of the 9-2 chance.
“But she hasn’t been well tried and I would feel more confident if the race was over 800m.”
Duchessofcornwall (8-1) was bought in by the Connemara Stud at R45 000 and races for Colin Govindasamy.
She is by Duke Of Marmalade out of a Tiger Ridge mare and her capable rider’s 4kg claim is an advantage. Glen Kotzen, whose only previous Cape Town juvenile runner this season finished sixth, says: “I think she is quite smart. She has only been to the gallops once but she is quick.”
Rockachino
Piet Botha, whose string is largely made up of two-year-olds, runs 15-2 shot Rockachino (Oratorio out of a Silvano mare) who cost R50 000.
“When people see her in the ring they are going to get a fright because she is so small.
“I haven’t galloped her but I think she is a nice filly. If there is nothing good in the race she would have a chance.”
Last, but possibly not least, is Steyn’s R65 000 Watch Me Now who has drifted from 9-1 to 12-1 – “She shows a lot of speed. She will need the experience but I am happy with her work and she went well on Monday.”
Relying on trainers’ comments can be dangerous – some are pessimists, others are cautious and some are supreme optimists. But a number of Candice Bass-Robinson’s runners win first time and for that reason alone Miss Honey gets the vote.
What A Red
Athandiwe Mgudlwa keeps the mount on What A Red in race three after finishing in the frame on her in her last two starts and can be rewarded with success while Elusive Green, hampered at a crucial stage last time, may reverse the placings with Fashion Force in the next.