Table Bay excels
WOW! What a racehorse. And after Saturday’s demolition job Table Bay could attempt to become the first threeyear-old to win the Met since Horse Chestnut and Badger’s Coast 17 years ago.
“It’s the Guineas next and then we will play around with a few ideas – whether we go for the Derby or the Met,” said Markus Jooste’s racing manager Derek Brugman.
“At this point in time we will probably lean towards the side of caution but it’s not inconceivable that we will lean towards the Met.”
For a Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner, and that’s what Table Bay now looks like, the Investec Cape Derby is just an ordinary Grade 1 whereas the Met has huge stallion valueenhancing potential – not to mention a R5 million stake thanks to Sun International’s sponsorship.
In truth, Table Bay’s Drakenstein Vet Clinic performance was that of a champion.
Giving weight all round – including a staggering 5kg to half the field - the 3-1 chance went clear two furlongs out to draw further and further away. He won easing up by four lengths. “I knew he was good but I’m shocked by the way he won this.
It was mind-blowing,” said Brugman while Joey Ramsden (“a lovely laid-back horse and a smashing sort”) will surely have nightmares about how close he came to missing the colt in Melbourne.
It will be a long time before he travels without an alarm clock.
“Of course I was impressed,” said Anton Marcus answering the obvious before disclosing that he would have had little hesitation in leading from the start.
“It was always my intention to move him up [the field] a bit and it wouldn’t have been a train smash if he had led.”
This was the third time in four years that the Cape Classic has gone to the same owner-trainer-jockey combination but Riaan van Reenen is already planning to resume rivalry on December 17 with 18-1 runner-up Elevated.
Elevated
He said: “Every time Elevated runs it looks as if the distance is too short for him but we will miss the Selangor and go straight to the Guineas. He was a late foal (December 9) and I don’t want to over-race him.”
But Edict Of Nantes will run in the Selangor a fortnight on Saturday with Brett Crawford hoping for more of a trouble-free run – “He had to check twice yet he still got up to come third.”
The mile race is also next for 18-10 favourite Our Mate Art who took fourth.
“He should have finished better but he was constantly off the bridle,” said Candice BassRobinson.
“He missed the break, got a bump and Grant had to keep chasing him up.”
Stable companion Marinaresco, though, was a different story in the Drakenstein Stud Pinnacle just over an hour later.
It was almost as if the Champions Cup winner had been watching Table Bay and set out to show the younger horse just what he will be up against should he have the audacity to throw down the gauntlet on January 28.
Six furlongs was far too short and for five of them he was stone last.
When Van Niekerk finally switched on the turbocharger (“I gave him just one backhander, and a soft one at that”) his mount accelerated like a Ferrari and at the line he was a rapidly-diminishing third to Silicone Valley.
“That was a nice come-on run,” said his trainer with the sort of masterly understatement you expect from her father.
“Marinaresco now goes for the Green Point on December 3 and then it’s the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Met.”
Ektifaa
Ektifaa, Australian-bred and out of a mare by Table Bay’s sire Redoute’s Choice, gave Mike de Kock his first Choice Carriers Championship since Phillipa Johnson 13 years ago and seems sure to take her chance in the WSB Fillies Guineas on December 3.
“Most probably – we came down on Tuesday and we are here for three months,” said longtime assistant Natie Kotzen.
It was the biggest Cape Town win so far for Callan Murray who reported: “She made a bit of a hash-up of the start, rearing shortly before the gates opened. Fortunately she broke well, got into a beautiful position and dug down to the line.”
But 5-2 favourite Sail is likely to be backed to reverse the placings on December 3.
She was desperately unlucky and finished like the proverbial train to go under by three parts of a length.
“One of the Bass runners carried me out after being pushed wide by Red Light Girl jumping a shadow,” reported Sean Veale. “I will take on the winner again in the Fillies Guineas and over the longer run-in you will see a different result.”
The Secret Is Out
The Secret Is Out lost her unbeaten record, managing only seventh, but Vaughan Marshall was far from disheartened, reasoning: “I thought it was a good run considering she got baulked leaving the gates.
She was bumped by a horse on her inside coming out.”
Gavin Lerena was suspended for a week for interference when winning the Highlands Stud Handicap on Captain Courteous while the latter’s stable companion Le Harve lost his stalls cert for rearing in the pens, breaking through and delaying the Cape Classic.
GUIDE to tomorrow’s Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington racecourse 6am SA Time. Horse number, horse, trainer, jockey, barrier, weight, comment
1 BIG ORANGE (GB) Michael Bell Jamie Spencer 7 57.0kg – Fifth last year with 55.5kg he must carry the additional weight this year and improve four places. The distance is not a problem as he comes off a victory of the 3 219m of the Group 2 Goodwood Cup on July 28th. $16 in the market is fair.
2 OUR IVANHOWE (GER) Lee and Anthony Freedman Dwayne Dunn 6 57.0kg – Not disgraced in 2015 Melbourne Cup after a good third in the Caulfield Cup. Not going as well this time around and does not look to have a winning chance.
3 CURREN MIROTIC (JPN) Osamu Hirata 18 56.5kg – Second on the Group 1 Tenno Sho Spring over 3 200m at Kyoto in May but two uninspiring runs over 2200 since. Has not won in three years.
4 BONDI BEACH (IRE) Aidan O’Brien Ryan Moore 5 56.0kg – Disappointed in last year’s Melbourne Cup after some strong runs in Europe. Returns with equally good form again. Is well in the market, so there is confidence around that he can improve at his second crack at the big one.
5 EXOSPHERIC (GB) Lee and Anthony Freedman Damien Oliver 13 56.0kg – Third in the Caulfield Cup over 2 400m, 3 3/4L from Jameka. Oliver and the Freedman’s have won eight Melbourne Cups between them but Exospheric has not run the distance which just may prevent a ninth win.
6 HARTNELL (GB) John O’Shea James McDonald 12 56.0kg – Many believed he was equal or superior to Winx leading into the Cox Plate. That may seem fanciful now but it is impossible to ignore his form this preparation. He was dominant against Jameka in the Turnbull Stakes before Jameka went on to easily win the Caulfield Cup. A deserved favourite who is a big chance of giving Godolphin their first Melbourne Cup.
7 WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 20 56.0kg – Leading trainer and jockey combination and second to stablemate Grand Marshall (GB) in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup over 2 500m. That is the problem now that he is finding it hard to win.
8 WICKLOW BRAVE (GB) Willie Mullins Frankie Dettori 24 56.0kg – European form has been solid for most of this year before impressive Irish St Leger win. That form should stack up well here. Will be no surprise to see him in the thick of things if he can get a decent run.
9 ALMOONQITH (USA) David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig Michael Walker 19 54.5kg – Trained specifically for this race and his fourth in the Caulfield Cup had the fastest closing sectionals of the race. He was 13th at the 400m and was 4 1/4L from the winner at the line still closing very quickly. The current odds of $26 and $7.25 need close examination.
10 GALLANTE (IRE) Robert Hickmott Blake Shinn 2 54.5kg – Sydney Cup winner who disappointed in the Moonee Valley Cup last time out. Can stay but recent form doesn’t stack up.
11 GRAND MARSHALL (GB) Chris Waller Ben Melham 9 54.5kg – Finally returned to form with the Moonee Valley Gold Cup win. Has won over the distance, drops in weight for this but he would need to maintain that Valley form.
12 JAMEKA (AUS) Ciaron Maher 3 54.5kg – Last year’s Crown Oaks winner who is relishing spring racing once again. Was dominant in the Caulfield Cup after a strong second to Hartnell in the Turnbull Stakes. Has been near the top of the market for a while now and there are no reasons for punters to shy away from her.
13 HEARTBREAK CITY (FR) Tony Martin Joao Moreira 23 54kg – Irish hurdler who won the Ebor Handicap over 2 816m at York on August 20th. Will run the distance but is there a turn of foot for Flemington. The market is keeping safe but while he will not be stopping there might be others in front.
14 SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD (IRE) John Thompson Blake Spriggs 14 54.0kg – Impressive winner of The Metropolitan in Sydney before offering little in the Caulfield Cup last time out. Not sure if the Sydney staying form stacks up here. Others look more likely here.
15 EXCESS KNOWLEDGE (GB) Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Vlad Duric 21 54.5kg – Finished fourth in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup over 4L from the winner and likely to improve on that.
16 BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE (GB) Saeed bin Suroor Damien Lane 1 52.5kg – Godolphin mare who has done little wrong in 10 starts in Europe. Distance is a query but looks to have ability and may be worth considering for multiples.
17 ALMANDIN (GER) Robert Hickmott Kerrin McEvoy17 52.0kg – Coming off very good form including winning the Group 3 Bart Cummings over 2 500m back on October 2nd , which seems an age away, with 55kg. Drops 3kg, add the Carnival’s in-form jockey Kerrin McEvoy and this might be another William owned winner
18 ASSIGN (IRE) Robert Hickmott Katelyn Mallyon 22 52.0kg – Won the Group 2 Herbert Power a month ago. Hard to see that form stacking up from a bad draw.
19 GREY LION (IRE) Matt Cumani Glen Boss 16 52.0kg – Had the length of the Geelong straight to pass Qewy and could not manage it and the market says $31.00 as a result.
20 OCEANOGRAPHER (GB) Charlie Appleby Chad Schofield 11 51.0kg – Godolphin runner who was unlucky in the Group 2 Geelong Cup before a barnstorming come-frombehind win in the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day that confirmed his spot in the field. That win saw him move into second favourite.
21 SECRET NUMBER (GB) Saeed bin Suroor Stephen Baster 10 52kg – Last year he was second in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2 600m at Flemington and has raced just once since to win the listed Doonside Cup over 2 012m at Ayr.
22 PENTATHLON (NZ) John Wheeler Mark Du Plessis 4 51.5kg – Placed in the Moonee Valley Cup and has placed over 3 200m before in New Zealand but disappointed in the Lexusunlikely to threaten.
23 QEWY (IRE) Charlie Appleby Craig Williams 15 51.5kg – Stamina is not the issue here and the hurdler/galloper will keep on rolling for the entire distance. If he is allowed to do just that the field should not allow him to establish a break as he will not stop and he will not notice the weight. Keep in multiples.
24 ROSE OF VIRGINIA (NZ) Lee and Shannon Hope Ben Thompson 8 51.0kg – Could not go with them when things got going in the Lexus on Saturday. Was second in the 3 200m Auckland Cup in March and will need to find that form again.
Selections from the ThoroughbredNEWS News team: Hartnell, Curren Mirotic, Jameka, Wicklow
Glenn Moore: Brave Rob Burnet: Hartnell, Almoonqith, Almandin, Bondi Beach Flemington Spy: Oceanographer, Big Orange, Beautiful Romance, Hartnell
The News Desk: Almoonqith, Almandin, Qewy, Hartnell
Fixtures Tomorrow SA time: Race 7 06:00: Melbourne Cup; Race 8 07:00; Race 9 08:00; Race 10 09:00; Broadcast Logistics Broadcast commences at 05:30: (DSTV channel 239) Betting/Commingling Advance wagering open today. Commingled bets: Win, Place, Exacta and Double pools: No Local Pools. Telephone betting and online betting from 05:30.