Uphill for Silver Mountain
THE Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1 600m at Kenilworth on Saturday could see Silver Mountain landing the second Gr 1 of her career, but it won’t be easy and there are a number of runners who could upset the applecart.
Silver Mountain has not won since her impressive wide margin victory in last season’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, but has matured this year in the typical fashion of a Silvano filly.
She is now back to her right trip after quickening well, but not seeing out the 1 800m of the Paddock Stakes.
She has to negotiate a draw of 16 of 16, but overcame a similarly tricky draw of 12 of 14 in the Cape Fillies Guineas.
Stable jockey Grant van Niekerk is aboard Silver Mountain at the expense of another Silvano filly, Nightingale.
The latter is a rangy type and will be running on well from a wide draw as she did in the Paddock Stakes when perhaps being cramped for room on the outside by the winner Bela-Bela. She would prefer a touch further, so will be hoping for a good pace.
Lady Of The House
Lady Of The House caught the eye in this season’s Cape Fillies Guineas and could have gone close with better luck.
She now has Anton Marcus up from pole position and will be improving being a Brett Crawford-trained daughter of Dynasty.
Sail had to go handy in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas from a wide draw and then led from a wide draw in the Paddock Stakes.
She has another tricky draw of eleven.
The wind is predicted to be a gentle south westerly breeze at this stage, so won’t affect her as much as it did in the Paddock Stakes if she goes to the front again.
She would also be interesting held up as she has plenty of class.
Silvano filly Star Express is highly regarded by the Snaith yard.
She has her third run after a layoff and Piere Strydom stays aboard having finished a decent 2,25 length fifth on her in the Paddock Stakes, where she had to go down the inside into the headwind.
She has won over 2 000m, but is effective over as short as 1 400m.
Final Judgement was a victim of the interference caused by Lady Of The House in the Cape Fillies Guineas, before staying on well, and in the Paddock Stakes bore the brunt of the headwind when going down the inside, so did well to be beaten just 2,35 lengths.
This long-striding sort now has a good draw of two and is another possible pacemaker.
Real Princess
Gr 1-winner over 1 200m Real Princess has shown fine cruising speed and the ability to quicken superbly in sprints.
In her only attempt at this trip in the Gr 2 Fillies Guineas at Greyville in 2015, the race panned out badly and can probably be ignored.
She is an interesting runner here from a fair draw.
Alexis won the aforementioned Fillies Guineas event in KZN, but has always shown her best form at Greyville.
Her optimum trip is probably 1 400m, so a wide draw is a concern here.
Olma has a shout if able repeat her 0,5 length second to the Champion Inara in last season’s Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes. She has reportedly been doing very well in Cape Town.
She beat Alexis by 1,85 in the Garden Province, but the latter was nearly brought down.
Olma won well at Clairwood over 1 800m, so should take to the left-handed turn.
Beach Goddess tries this trip for the first time.
She ran on well in a 1 400m race in September, but would be a surprise winner. Stormsvlei Mile winner Captain’s Flame won the Dianne Stakes and did well in the Listed Jet Master Stakes over this course and distance against the boys considering she was caught wide and over racing in the early stages and was then hampered late in the race.
She has a fair draw and can’t be ignored.
A Time To Dream
Progressive Dynasty filly A Time To Dream did not like blinkers in the Dianne Stakes.
She won a Listed race in PE over this trip easily last time and is now rated only three points lower than Silver Mountain, who beat her 6,9 lengths in last year’s Cape Fillies Guineas.
However, she has a tough draw of 18.
Stormsvlei Mile runner up Goodtime Gal will likely relish the step down in trip as she was forced to go handy in the Paddock Stakes from a wide draw and then quickened well before fading.
She now has a plum draw and is upset material.
Moonlight ‘N Roses was forced to go for home too soon last time over 1 400m and this well bred sort is another who could produce the small amount of improvement required to earn.
Tahini is a small filly with a big heart and if reproducing her Ipt Tombe run in Jo’burg could earn.
Neala made a good comeback when a 0,45 length third to Bela-Bela over 1400m, losing narrowly to Star Express and beating Silver Mountain. It the classy daughter of Jay Peg’s second run after a rest and she has a wide draw, but can’t be ignored.