Turning on the speed
It’s on the cards, or in this instance, it’s in the entry lists for the four Grade 1 races on Tsogo Sun Sprint Day at Scottsville on 27 May, that this meeting could host one of the most talented and competitive gatherings of speed horses seen in the country.
Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg has become known as the Mecca of sprint racing in Africa because the meeting features four Grade 1 races over 1200m which make up the four legs of the Jackpot. All have drawn entries loaded with talent.
The races are the R1million Tsogo Sun Sprint, the R750,000 South African Fillies Sprint, the R750,000 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and the R750,000 Allan Robertson Championship and things are likely to be very hot on the challenging Scottsville track.
Top sprinters like Trip To Heaven, Talk to the stars, Purple Tractor, Always In Charge, Attenborough, Barbosa, Lord Balmoral and Moofeed are among the 32 entries for the Tsogo Sun Sprint and there are many other talented nominees who could make this a highly contested race where any one of the final entries could win.
An interesting entry is Janoobi from the Mike de Kock yard. This son of Silvano won the Daisy Guineas at Greyville and pulled Piere Strydom around the course for 1600m. It will be interesting to see if he has the speed to win over 1200m.
The grand dame of sprinting fillies, Carry On Alice, could take her place in the South African Fillies Sprint along with The Secret Is Out, Green Pepper, Vision To Kill, Live Life, Exquisite Touch, Real Princess, Joan Ranger and Jo’s Bond with star fillies and mares Bela-Bela, Just Sensual, Dawn Calling and Sail using the race as part of their season preparation programme but talented enough to make their presence felt.
The two-year-old contests are packed with potential future champions with runners like Woljayrine, Sir Frenchie and Varallo, the first three past the post in the Godolphin Barb Stakes, matching strides in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion with Naafer, runner-up to sensational Mustaaqeem in the SA Nursery and Sentinel Stakes winner Arianos Bagofgold.
The first four past the post in the Strelitzia Stakes, Neptune’s Rain, Made In Hollywood, Gold Image and Princess Peach, could renew their battle in the Allan Robertson Championship and match their talents against Pretty Polly Stakes and SA Fillies Nursery winner Green Plains as well as Ruffian Stakes winner Daring Diva.
Overall, the number of talented sprinters entered for this famous meeting is awesome and extremely exciting. – Gold Circle