Snowdance to go the extra
JUSTIN SNAITH believes that Snowdance ranks with his previous Cape Fillies Guineas winners Captain’s Lover, Sparkling Gem, Ebony Flyer and In The Fast Lane and the only chink in the favourite’s armour could be lack of stamina.
He said: “Everything about her has been impressive but some of the family have been quite quick so there is a little worry about the extra 200m on Saturday.”
That apart he rates stable companion Oh Susanna the biggest danger even though she is as big as 22-1 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas.
He said: “Just watch the re-run of the Western Cape Fillies Championship and you will see what I mean.
“She was five wide at the back of the field going into the turn yet she came through to finish fifth.
“If there is anything that is going to improve a lot it is her and if she had a better draw she would be the one I am most afraid of.”
Sergeant Hardy
Snaith has won two of the last seven runnings of the WSB Cape Merchants and this time he runs four headed by Sergeant Hardy who is 9-2 favourite despite his breathing problems.
“I wasn’t even going to nominate him because I thought he would be weighted out of it.
“I was over the moon when he got only 57kg and off this weight he is going to be competitive, but I don’t like his outside draw which could be a big problem.
Also in a race like this you have got to look for a horse that is well-handicapped and he is not the best handicapped of my four. “Bishop’s Bounty (25-1) was very disappointing in his last race – he ran away with Richard Fourie – and this time we need to tuck him in. But I think he is still one run short.”
Heartland (35-1) could be better over a bit further according to the form book. “Not at all,” insists his trainer.
“I wouldn’t say he found a lot of trouble in his last race but he did come late and off 52.5kg he could be the dark horse of the race.”
Seemingly the one for the punters, though, could be Grant van Niekerk’s mount Cuban Emerald at 25-1. “I kept him away so that he would come into this with a light weight. I didn’t want to run him again because I knew that his rating would go up if I did. He could be the roughie.”
Copper Force
In the third of the Kenilworth big races, the WSB Green Point Stakes, the former champion trainer runs Copper Force, a 16-1 chance and on merit ratings the worst horse in the race.
“On handicapping he will run last but I have a feeling that he won’t.
“He is doing well at home.” WHEN Hugh Bowman rode the Yasuo Tomomichi trained Cheval Grand (JPN) to win the Grade 1 Japan Cup (2 400m), in association with LONGINES (International Invitational), at Tokyo on Sunday, he became the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey for 2017.
Shortly after the victory the Longines World’s Best Race Rankings Twitter feed @worldsbesthorse sent congratulations to Bowman for his achievement.
“Congrats to Cheval Grand & @HugeBowman for winning the G1 Japan Cup.
“Bowman also secured the title of 2017 Longines World’s Best Jockey,” said LONGINES WBRR.
Moore
Bowman won the title for winning the most Group 1 races this year over former winners Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori with Jim Crowley and James Doyle completing the leading five jockeys.
Each year, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and LONGINES present to the jockey with the best performance in the world’s highestrated races the LONGINES WORLD’S BEST JOCKEY AWARD.
The scoring for the award is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races established for the year by the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee.
The scoring incorporates races from 1 December of the previous year until 30 November of the current year.
The win by Cheval Black, his first Grade 1 victory, deprived race favourite Kitasan Black (JPN) (Black Tide) from a back-to-back wins in the Japan Cup.
Cheval Grand
“I feel proud and very humbled to have had the opportunity to have a ride on Cheval Grand and with the horse in such a great form with the addition of a good draw I was quietly confident in winning this race while at the same time having great respect for Kitasan Black,” said Hugh Bowman.
“It gives me a sense of pride to have even the chance to take part in such a recognized race and while I am well known for my partnership with Winx, it’s an honour to have won this race,” he said.
Bowman is on a short term contract in Japan through to December 24th, 2017.
His past licences with the JRA were November 19th through to December 27th, 2015, and April 30th through to May 29th, 2016.
Ikee
His sponsor trainer is Yasutoshi Ikee at the JRA Ritto Training Center and contract owner is Katsumi Yoshida.
Bowman also rides as the defending champion in the 2017 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley on Wednesday, December 6.
He will receive his award at the LONGINES HKIR Gala Dinner on Friday, 8 December, 2017, in Hong Kong.
- JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION