Princess Calla set to reclaim her crown

There are two other Grade 1 races on the card at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth tomorrow and both are set for a grandstand finish.

Princess Calla will be looking to redeem her reputation in the City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes over 1600m.

The reigning Equus Horse Of The Year has not had a great run in Cape Town this season but Sean Tarry’s charge could turn it all around this time.

In her last start, the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes, she looked a winner going into the closing stages, but she is suspect over 1800m and got collared close home by Beach Bomb to go down by 0.30 lengths.

This time she reverts to 1600m and that should be right up her street. As a result, with Richard Fourie in the irons, the six-year-old daughter of Flower Alley should notch up her 12th career victory and her fifth Grade 1 title.

Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Beach Bomb is the official new kid on the block and has really come to hand during the summer. She came from last to capture the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas and again ran on strongly to snare Princess Calla in the Paddock Stakes.

She certainly has the breeding as her mother, Beach Beauty, won the Paddock Stakes and Majorca Stakes back-to-back for successive two years.

Beach Bomb has won four of her six starts and for the second time in a row, will have JP van der Merwe in the irons.

On paper the World Pool Cape Flying Championship over 1000m looks a match race between Isivunguvungu and Thunderstruck. The pair fought out the finish of the Non-Black Type Sprint Cup over this course and distance three weeks ago with Thunderstruck getting the better by 0.40 lengths.

Tarry’s charge has won both of his races in Cape Town and will be reunited with Piere Strydom for this race.

However, Isivunguvungu had not run since winning the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint in July and probably needed to clear himself of ring rust.

He will strip a lot fitter this time and Peter Muscutt’s charge should turn the tables.

With Fourie aboard we can expect a riding masterclass for the two chief protagonists.