Calla to see Grade 1 glory again
CAPE MET DAY AT KENILWORTH PREPARES TO WELCOME ANOTHER CHAMPION Twenty Drachma’s stands out on Turffontein card.
It’s Cape Town Met day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today, one of the great days of South African horseracing. Other than the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met over 2000m, the card includes the Grade 1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship, the Grade 1 City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes and the richest race in the country currently, the R7.5-million Gold Rush (Non-Black Type).
Many champions have won the Met and run under weight-for-age conditions, it’s a race that makes you a champion.
This year See It Again will attempt to cement his place as one of those great champions and has every opportunity to do it.
While we will preview some of the feature races today, our focus will be on the Turffontein meeting tomorrow, which is headlined by the Dr Richard Maponya Handicap (Listed) and the Spook Express Stakes (Listed).
Once again, it’s refreshing to see certain races named after people and horses who are relevant to our generation, and it was always an honour to ride for Dr Maponya.
He was an absolute racing enthusiast and loved the game dearly and was a massive supporter for many years. To have a race named after him is thoroughly deserving.
Last week was fair for me as I rode three winners, but it was also quite special as I was able to provide Hollywoodbets with their 500th win as owners.
This is an amazing achievement, and I would like to thank them for all their support during my career.
Back to the Met. I believe this is between my first selection and the horse I think will be very hard to beat, See It Again, and Royal Aussie respectively.
After the retirement of Charles Dickens, we can confidently say See It Again is the best horse in the country and his résumé backs it up.
His penultimate win was sensational and his last start in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate was a lovely run, considering it is short of his best distance. He has had a lovely prep and I think whatever beats him will win.
Royal Aussie was the eye catcher in the King’s Plate when running home strongly from the back end of the field. He too has had a lovely prep and I think he will love the step up in trip.
He is the value horse in the race and the main danger to See It Again.
The Majorca Stakes looks a high-class renewal and I think Princess Calla will get her revenge on Beach Bomb.
The drop to 1600m should suit her perfectly and she gets a decent No 5 draw, which means she should get the run of the race and hopefully add another Grade 1 to her tally. Beach Bomb has been superb, winning two Grade 1s on the trot and has every chance to add another one. But I think this will be a tough ask, especially from the draw.
Reading the race, she probably will have to drop out and it won’t be easy to make up the ground on Princess Calla who should get the run of the race, but I would still include her in all bets.
The Cape Flying Championship I make a race in three between my first selection
Thunderstruck, Isivunguvungu and Surjay. All three are high class and have the ability to win this race.
Thunderstruck has been picture perfect in Cape Town and sets the standard after a really good last win.
Isivunguvungu ran a gallant second behind him, but my only concern is this is his second run after a rest. If that has no effect on him, then he sets the standard.
Surjay hasn’t won a Grade 1 yet, but his form has been top class and he will be cherry ripe to put up a career-best effort. He must go into all bets.
In my opinion, my best ride on the day is Ready To Charge in the R7.5 million Gold Rush. He is a seriously good horse who has had a lovely prep.
My only concern is whether he will see out the trip but if he does, he’ll be right there and provide some serious value.
I think the best bet on the card comes up in Race 1 in the form of Lion Rampart who was dominant when winning his second start. He looks potentially high class and sets the standard on form.
He beat Roman Agent comfortably that day who came out to win and is second favourite.
Now on to tomorrow’s card and Race 1 is a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1160m. There are a number of extremely well-bred unraced horses, so you need to watch the betting and watch the canter past for the best guide to their chances.
Of the raced runners Intro sets the standard after a promising first run. She finished the race off nicely and will appreciate the step up in trip but could be vulnerable to any above-average unraced filly.
Race 2 is a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1160m and once again there are some wellbred unraced horses so the same applies to them to get a better guide to their chances.
Of the raced horses I think Tintamarre sets the standard and is the one to beat. His first run over 800m was promising and he will love the step up in trip and with natural improvement should have the edge.
Filly Blue Velvet was just behind him and gets the compression hood fitted which could aid her to get closer.
Race 3 is a Maiden Plate over 1400m and Mike de Kock holds the key to this race. Of the raced runners Tyrconnell sets the standard with some top-class form for a maiden. Even though he returns from a rest, he will take all the beating if close to peak fitness.
Stable companion Mvelelo returns from
a rest and gelding. He is well drawn and on best form has the ability to win a race of this nature.
The stable also has unraced Forest God who cost R3.3 million as a yearling, so it’s important to watch the betting as this will be the best guide to how the stable rate their three horses.
Sutherland improved last time out and is still unexposed, so he can definitely run into the money.
Race 4 is a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1400m and I think Follow The Sun will take all the beating. She has had two lovely educational runs and now steps up in trip.
This is the perfect opportunity for her to shed the maiden tag and I think she could be a banker in most bets.
Dimako’s Jet ran a nice race on debut two weeks ago but my concern is the drop back in trip.
She gave me the impression she would enjoy stepping up but this isn’t the strongest race, so I’m still expecting her to be competitive.
Empressofnormandy steps up in trip and I think that will suit her. She also gets the benefit of jumping from pole position and should get the run of the race.
Her last start was up the straight so there could be an excuse for the below-par run, but I’m expecting her to bounce back and run a decent race.
Race 5 is a MR 96 Handicap over 1160m and I think this is a small but really competitive race with some very decent horses.
I like the look of Back In Business and think he will take all the beating. He is having his third run after a rest and runs up the straight over which he has some fantastic form.
He is better off at the weights with Power Broker (when beating him) as well as Cosmic Star, so he has loads in his favour.
I Am Giant returns from a small break and if he isn’t in need of the run is a definite runner.
Cosmic Star returns to 1160m which will suit him because the 1000m looked sharp for him last time and he rates a definite runner and a massive danger.
Champions Warrior showed huge potential when winning his first two starts and he is a very interesting runner having his first run for Sean Tarry, so watch the betting closely for a guide.
Race 6 is the Listed Dr Richard Maponya Handicap over 1800m and my value bet comes up in the form of Electric Gold.
His last three starts since being gelded has been outstanding, culminating in a very dominant win last time out. He enjoys the track and trip and stable jockey Calvin Habib has selected to ride him which gives me more confidence as in my opinion the stable companion Meridius is the main danger.
Meridius ran another really good race last time out but he once again has to jump from a deep draw and that makes it tough.
However, he is the class horse and needs to be included in all bets.
Shoemaker disappointed last time out but I do think he’ll enjoy the step up in trip. He is 4kg better off with Electric Gold for a two-length beating but is struggling to get another win under his belt. I do think once he gets his head in front and gets confidence he will reel off a few wins in a row, so he needs to be included in bigger bets.
Race 7 is the Listed Spook Express Stakes over 2400m and I think this is a really open race with a number of these with winning chances.
The class horse is Reny who is having her third run after a rest and steps back up in trip which will suit her. She ran second in the SA Oaks and since then hasn’t been over this type of trip.
She sets the standard on form and will be cherry ripe, so is the horse they all have to beat.
Bonete tries the trip for the first time and it’s interesting because her dam is Ilha Bela and she won the Oaks as a three-year-old.
If this is the trip she is looking for, then she is a massive runner.
Bellevarde ran a lovely race in a feature race last time out and on that she is a massive runner and must be included.
Red Maple is having her third run after a rest and also steps up in trip which will suit her. She needs to be respected and included in all bets.
Indian Ocean looks very decent after a dominant win last time out and if the second-run-after-a-rest syndrome doesn’t affect her, she can be competitive.
Spring In Heaven gave me a good feel when winning last time out and I don’t think she’ll have any issues with the trip and should go into all bets.
Race 8 is a MR 74 Handicap over 2400m and my best bet comes up in the form of Twenty Drachma’s. He absolutely loved the step up in trip when bolting up by 10 lengths last time.
I believe he is still very well handicapped and can compete at a much higher level over this trip. On that he’ll take all the beating and I think he is a banker in all bets.
Monsieur Chevelle gets an apprentice allowance and comes in with 50kg that makes him the main danger.
The Inkosana and Nuclear Force are both in decent form and both have to be respected for larger bets.