‘Elusive’ could have the edge
ELUSIVENCHANTMENT and Call Me Winter will be warming up for Champions Season when they clash in the Racing.It’s A Rush Pinnacle Stakes over 1 000m at Scottsville this afternoon.
Duncan Howells has high hopes for the Elusive Fort half-sister to the exceptional sprinter Via Africa and has another crack at the Gr1 City of Pietermaritzburg Sprint in mind.
In that feature last year she was in contention until the final 50m before being swamped and finishing sixth, beaten two lengths by Real Princess.
Elusivenchantment
Elusivenchantment subsequently followed up with two comfortable victories, the last over course and distance, but that was back in October last year with Howells giving the filly an extended break.
She has enough talent to more than match this field even though the lengthy lay-off may not see her at her best.
After making a cracking start to her career, Call Me Winter went off the boil towards the latter part of last season but after a break, returned looking like a stakes race contender for Mike Miller. She won two on the bounce in lesser company, the last shouldering the welter burden of 64.5kg. The handicappers were impressed and gave her an eight-point shunt up the handicap for that win and as a result she shouldered a big weight against males at her next outing where she finished a game third giving the winner, Highway Explorer, 4kg.
That was back in early January but she should strip close to her peak this afternoon, the one doubt being the switch from poly to turf, so just how she shapes against Elusivenchantment will give Miller and owner-breeders Steve Sturlese and Peter de Marigny an inkling as to their filly’s Champion Season possibilities.
Miss Varlicious
Miss Varlicious and Littleblacknumber are always game but look comfortably held in this company.
Paul Lafferty, away in Australia for the Magic Millions Sale, had a treble at Scottsville on Sunday and Moon Shadow can make it a more profitable week in the Itsarush.co.za Maiden Plate where the gelded son of Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Pluck should prove difficult to beat after two runners-up berths at recent starts.
Danger is Kildonan Lad from Paul Gadsby’s yard who has finally come to hand.
He gave notice when fading late at his penultimate start and was only caught in the last few jumps last time out, that being on the Greyville poly over 1 200m. The drop in trip should see him close again. The balance of the card looks tricky. Very Vary has his third run after a break in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap and caught the eye with a late burst behind Hot Chilli.
Puchini is another iron horse from the Chris Erasmus yard who lines up nearly every second week.
He takes a drop in class and with the blinkers back on could have his efforts rewarded in the Rockafellas Restaurant Handicap in a race that is decidedly open while Accidental Tourist could give Howells and stable rider Keagan de Melo a double on the day in The White Horse Function Room Handicap.
Rounding off the day is another difficult handicap but Cape Town-based Hester Kuhn, Gold Circle’s Owner of the Month for April, will be on course to receive her prize and a possible bonus with Seattle Spell one of the fancied runners to round off the meeting although Coral Lights and Notacademicatal could upset the party.