‘Peace’ entered for Oaks
FINAL HURDLE: FILLIES GUINEAS AND FILLIES CLASSIC WINNER AMONG ENTRIES FOR SA OAKS
Stablemate Silver Thursday could be her main rival.
Will Takingthepeace win the R1million Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein on Saturday 5 May and claim the R1-million bonus that goes with capturing all three legs of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara?
When the Mike de Kock-trained runner won the first leg, the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m, there were many who thought it was a flash in the pan. However, when this daughter of Visionaire came from last in the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m to catch Green Top in the final stride, she won over many more fans.
Now all eyes will be on Takingthepeace in the Oaks to see if she can match the feat of Igugu and Cherry On The Top, the only other two winners of the Triple Tiara.
There are doubts about her staying ability and the De Kock stable have been saying all the time that Silver Thursday is their Oaks contender but Takingthepeace has beaten her in both the Fillies Guineas and Fillies Classic and could very well do so again. Silver Thursday finished second in the Fillies Guineas but was unplaced in the Fillies Classic.
She did lose her original rider when Anthony Delpech was injured a race earlier. Silver Thursday is beautifully drawn at No 4 for the Oaks.
Once again she has landed a wide draw but that has not stopped her before and with her last-to-first style of running it is unlikely to bother her again.
Alec Laird-trained Green Top is also among the entries and is nicely drawn at No 6. However, on breeding there has to be some doubt as to her staying power as she is a half-sister to Doosra and Master Blaster who have excellent form at around 1400m.
Nevertheless, there is a halfbrother, Wicket Maiden, who did see out the distance but he was by Silvano.
De Kock has dual entries for Cascapedia and Orchid Island in both the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge (Grade 1) and the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes, both over 2000m.
Supplementary Entries for SA Nursery, SA Fill Nursery, Camellia Stakes, Gerald Rosenberg Stakes, SA Oaks and Gold Bowl close at 9am on Thursday 26 April. Declarations close at 11am on Monday 30 April.