Gatekeeper to lock down season
NEW FAVOURITE: SCRATCHING OF KOMETDIEDING PAVES WAY FOR SNAITH RUNNER
There is some top-notch racing around the country this weekend with feature races at Fairview, Kenilworth and Turffontein. The Cape Summer Season comes to a cracking conclusion at Kenilworth tomorrow with the running of eight features, headed up by the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby over 2000m.
There are also two interesting carryovers at the meeting with R250,000 kicking off both the Jackpot One and Race 7 (Cape Derby) Quartet with the pools likely to reach R750,000 and R500,000 respectively.
Some of the gilt came off the Derby yesterday with the scratching of favourite Kommetdieding, the rags-to-riches tale of the Cape season, owing to an injury.
As a result, Justin Snaith could add another Grade 1 race to his already impressive tally as he sends out The Gatekeeper. This full brother to Legislate has already displayed some ability as he has raced six times for two wins and two seconds.
However, it was his run in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas that grabs the attention. Drawn No 12 of the 14 runners, The Gatekeeper landed up at the back of the pack and turned for home with the whole field to get past. At the 400m mark he was still 13th and 7.20 lengths off the leaders.
However, he finally got going, producing by far the fastest last 400m but had too much to do and finished fifth, 2.05 lengths behind winner Russian Rock. There is little doubt he will enjoy the extra 400m – and this time he jumps from No 5 draw, which will make life far easier for jockey Richard Fourie.
If he can reproduce that sort of form, he will be hard to beat.
After that there is very little to choose between Russian Rock, Rascallion and Linebacker, although the latter will have to overcome No 12 draw.
The way to play this Quartet is to float The Gatekeeper with the other three, and also add Legitimate and Hoedspruit.
Kasimir disappointed in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship last time when unplaced behind Run Fox Run but he could put that run behind him the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m.
He won this race last year and is undoubtedly a better horse over 1200m. He was beaten one length by Rio Querari in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m in December but Kasimir is now 3.5kg better off.
Rio Querari is the obvious threat and they should fight this out, although one could make a case for Russet Air if he can regain his best form.
Whatever his fate, Candice Bass-Robinson should be in the No 1 box after the running of the Grade 3 Prix Du Cap for fillies and mares over 1400m as this race looks at the mercy of Clouds Unfold.
She is the best handicapped runner, finished well in front of many of her opposition in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m and is reasonably drawn at No 7. Aldo Domeyer knows her well and this filly looks the standout bet on the card.
The meeting ends with a fascinating encounter between the jockeys and work riders and it will be interesting to see how they match up. On paper, a couple of the work riders appear to have the better rides, but will the wiles of the jockeys give them the advantage?
It’s a great initiative and is a thought-provoking way to bring down the curtain on a difficult season for all.
Not to be outdone, there are also a bunch of features at Turffontein where they race on the Standside track.
The Highveld Autumn Season is in full fling and there are some races which will give pointers to bigger features ahead.
There are two Listed races for juveniles, and they could not be more different. Race 4 is the Ruffian Stakes over 1000m for fillies and Dorrie Sham-trained Naarah looks way better than her opposition.
She has run twice for two wins and the manner in which she disposed of her eight rivals by four lengths in a Juvenile Plate over 1000m last time could not have been more impressive. She also gave the colts a hiding on that occasion.
Back against her own sex she looks impossible to oppose. She holds both Bella Chica and Heaven’s Girl and the only danger could be Sean Tarry-trained Under Your Spell who found betting support on debut and beat Southern Cape by three lengths
The runner-up won at Greyville on Wednesday and is also trained by Sham, so she will have a line to the form of that race.
The Storm Bird Stakes, open to all juveniles, is wide open and it would be wise to put the field in the Pick 6 because any one of them could win.
Perhaps Captain’s Run could have the edge because she did get within 0.50 lengths of Naarah on debut and then won her next start. Runner-up Heaven’s Girl came out to win thereafter, but Paul Peter is taking his chances in the fillies’ race this time.
Seehaam will be tested in the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap over 1600m but with just 52kg to carry, Tarry’s charge should notch up her fourth career win from five starts.