Four-year-olds fillies to fire
CLOSE: THERE'S NOT MUCH BETWEEN CASCAPEDIA AND SYLVAN ON FIRE IN RACE 7
Cascapedia is trained by Mike de Kock, who could also win with Let’s Twist in Race 6.
Cascapedia is still on the upgrade and should show she is ahead of the handicappers when she runs in Race 7 over 1800m at Turffontein tomorrow, a Pinnacle Stakes.
This Mike de Kock-trained four-year-old has run only four times and the only time she tasted defeat was at the hooves of re-opposing Sylvan On Fire over 1800m in October.
Beaten favourite that day, she went on to beat Al Danza by a head over this course and distance in the Yellowwood Handicap last time out, when she was not the easiest of rides for Juan Paul van der Merwe. She had Patchit Up Baby (4.5kg better off) three lengths behind her with Royal Utopia further back.
Strictly on paper that should be enough to see Patchit Up Baby reverse the form, but Cascapedia, being northern hemisphere bred, is not four yet and some of her best days look to still be ahead of her, while Patchit Up Baby is six with 27 runs on record.
Sylvan On Fire answered in the affirmative when set against some of the best fillies in Johannesburg in the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes last month, finishing 0.90 lengths behind top-class Nother Russia.
That narrow loss broke a four-win sequence in lesser company with her penultimate start yielding a win over Seal My Fate in an 1800m race on the Inside track. Cascapedia was 2.75 lengths behind her in fourth but might not have been suited to the tighter track.
De Kock’s filly is 0.5kg worse off with Sylvan On Fire, so ignore Candice Dawson’s charge at your peril.
Sylvan On Fire will be ridden by Gavin Lerena, while Anthony Delpech is set to ride Cascapedia and it could pay to play in Swingers and Exactas.
Normally in such races the best-weighted horses must be favoured. That is Witchcraft, who has finished unplaced in both her starts following a layoff. The form is there, including a third in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m last season behind Fort Ember (subsequently second in the Gauteng SANSUI Summer Cup), and she will be fit now in her third run after a layoff. She looks the part for Trifectas.
There are two potential Win bets on the card. In Race 8 Gary Alexander-trained Fish River Canyon could make it three wins from her last four starts, while De Kock-trained Let’s Twist rates the one to beat in Race 6.
Let’s Twist made a promising comeback following a layoff of nearly six months when a length second to Il Mondo over 1600m at this track this month. Thirdplaced Angelic went on to win next time, beating Crown Court. There is not much separating Let’s Twist and Crown Court on that collateral form, but De Kock’s charge probably has more scope for improvement.
Many punters will hesitate to back Fish River Canyon because she is drawn at No 10, but there is not much depth to the field and she looks to be in safe hands with top apprentice Lyle Hewitson.