CTS Ready To Run Stakes moved

The R2,5 million CTS Ready To Run Stakes scheduled to be run at Kenilworth this Saturday, has been moved to the Cape Fillies Guineas race day at the same venue on Saturday 14 December.

This was announced by the Cape Thoroughbred Sales, following a case of African Horse Sickness reported in Gauteng this month.

This case placed restrictions on horses travelling from Randjesfontein, thus impacting directly on trainers Sean Tarry and Mike de Kock’s logistics to get their horses to Cape Town in time for the big race on Saturday.

Not only did the movement restrictions affect six of the 22 entries in the race, effectively 30% of the horses entered, but seven of the top 10 horses, by merit rating, are Johannesburg-based, with five of those stabled at Randjesfontein.

Cape Thoroughbred Sales CEO Wehann Smith said that the decision to postpone the big feature three weeks was “certainly not taken lightly”. This particularly given the hype and interest generated by the R2,5 million stake involved, and the fact that the 2019 CTS Ready to Run Sale is scheduled, with convenient good reason, for Friday 21 November, i.e. the day before the originally scheduled race date.

Smith added that, given the nature of the race, in that it was restricted to buyers at the 2018 CTS Ready to Run Sale, they felt that the overriding concern was to do everything possible to ensure all buyers had the very best and fair chance to have a runner.

“This could also only happen without the move prejudicing any horses, both in terms of preparation for this race, and of course for their broader goals for the rest of the season. We consulted with all trainers with entries in the race, and the balance of opinion was overwhelmingly in favour of rescheduling.

“This was particularly the case for the Cape-based trainers. I believe this show of support is a genuine acknowledgement of their willingness to welcome the upcountry trainers for the season,” he added.