Change of plan for Last Winter
TRAINER: KANNEMEYER DECIDED TO GIVE GREEN POINT STAKES AGAINST TOP HORSES A MISS Snowdance in good shape, says Snaith.
Trainer Dean Kannemeyer has decided it is too early to put his unbeaten charge, Last Winter, against some of the best milers in the country in Saturday’s Grade 2 Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth. Last Winter has won all four of his races and many pundits were pleased to see he would be tested against the likes of Legal Eagle and Captain America in the R400,000 race over 1600m.
“I wasn’t going to run him against those horses in the Green Point Stakes,” said Kannemeyer. “He is rated 106 and all he has won are three minor races in Durban plus a handicap at Durbanville. Edict Of Nantes was rated only 0.5kg higher before that recent Progress Plate and he won both the Cape Derby and the Daily News!
“But I know I’ve got to put Last Winter to the test one of these days so I will nominate him for the Premier Trophy on 16 December and have a look. He has never been to Kenilworth but I will ask permission to gallop him there on Saturday. He is doing well and I know Anthony Delpech thinks a lot of him.”
Also missing from the Green Point lineup is Horizon, third in the Daily News and beaten little more than 0.50-lengths when sixth in the July. He will also run in the Premier Trophy and has the Met as his big objective.
Last year’s winner, Legal Eagle, heads the market at 9-10 with Betting World while the main threat is expected to come from Edict Of Nantes who is at 3-1. Anton Marcus rides Legal Eagle, who is unbeaten in six starts over 1600m, and Piere Strydom is reunited with Joey Ramsden-trained Edict Of Nantes.
Also run at Kenilworth on Saturday is the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas over 1600m and in this race Justin Snaith-trained Snowdance is currently on offer at 11-10 as Justin Snaith bids for his fifth win in the Kenilworth classic.
He reported on Saturday that Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount is in good shape, saying: “She is doing very well and her gallop was impressive. We still have a week to go but so far I couldn’t be happier with her.”
Asked if the filly ranks with his four previous winners of the race (Captain’s Lover, Sparkling Gem, Ebony Flyer and In The Fast Lane), Snaith didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” he said. “Everything about her has been impressive including her work and her last gallop, but some of the family have been quite quick so there is a little worry about the extra 200m.”
That slight stamina concern apart, he rates stable companion Oh Susanna as possibly the biggest danger even though she is as big as 22-1 with the sponsors.
“If she had a better draw she would be the one that I would be most afraid of. Just watch the re-run of her last race (the Western Cape Fillies Championship) and you will see what I mean. She was five wide at the back of the field going into the turn yet she came through to finish fifth. If there is anything that is going to improve a lot it is her.”
Second favourite at 7-2 is Magical Wonderland who kept on to finish second to Snowdance in last month’s Grade 2 test. “We have got over four lengths to make up and I think a mile (1600m) is her limit,” said Candice Bass-Robinson. “But she is very well and she is drawn well so we can only hope.”
Snaith also has one of the strongly fancied runners in the WSB Cape Merchants with Sergeant Hardy on 5-1 while last year’s winner, Search Party, is at 6-1 to emulate Tevez by winning the ultra-competitive handicap in successive seasons.
Tevez, fifth 12 months ago, is a 28-1 chance this time.
Betting World have highly rated Dutch Philip as the 4-1 favourite.
In the meantime last year’s winner Jo’s Bond and the 2016 Cape Fillies Guineas heroine Just Sensual head the 22 nominations for the SW Security Solutions Southern Cross Stakes on Saturday week.
Also entered in the race is Mike de Kocktrained Shufoog, who has only run once for a 3.25-length victory over Ensemble.