No holding back Cascapedia
THE Turffontein Inside course meeting on Sunday is headlined by the Listed Syringa Handicap over 1 600m but of equal interest is a Pinnacle Stakes event over the same trip in which a couple of Vodacom Durban July contenders line up.
The classy Cascapedia is the best weighted horse in the Pinnacle event, despite Bernard Fayd’Herbe carrying 1kg overweight.
The big four-year-old daughter of High Chaparral has breathing issues but this does not seem to bother her as she has won five of seven starts from 1 400m up to 1 800m.
She is six months younger than her contemporaries so will be improving all the time.
She was fancied for the Sun Met but had to be scratched after not travelling well. She likely needed her comeback run in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes and will have come on from that effort.
She is already eleventh on the July log and is unlikely be given any raise in her merit rating even if she wins here as she is best in at the weights.
Greek Fire has been omitted from the log after two below par runs in the Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic.
However, neither race panned out well and he is better than that. Under Piere Strydom he might be given more of a chance and dropped out from a wide draw and should be capable of a strong finish being by Dynasty.
However, She’s A Giver and Unagi are preferred to fill the trifecta. Unagi has four wins and a second from five starts over this course and distance.
She’s A Giver
She’s A Giver is a handy sort who has proven lately she stays 1 600m and from a plum draw should be in the shake up over a tight course which will suit her style.
Warrior’s Rest can’t be ignored is a big son of What A Winter and if Lyle Hewitson can get him into his favourite front running role from draw six he will be a big runner as he has a good kick.
The enigmatic Secret Captain can never be ignored either and will be especially interesting with blinkers tried from a fair draw.
In the Syringa Handicap over 1 600m Redberry Wood will be looking to end a streak of five seconds on the trot. Hewitson will have to get her into her favourite front-running role from the widest draw of all without expending too much energy.
There is not a lot of pace in the race, which will aid his cause and she is tipped to get it right.
Her stablemate Aurelia Cotta has been a touch disappointing against the best but can make her presence felt in this lesser event having dropped to a competitive mark and having to carry just 53kg. She has a plum draw of two.
Brigtnumberfive
Brigtnumberfive has always been well regarded and is usually slow away so her wide draw of nine should be of little concern. She turned it on last time over course and distance and has a shout carrying just 52,5kg.
However, it is wide open and the like of Heaps Of Fun, Shatoosh, Mar Del Seur, Costa Da Sol, Kilauea and Mrs. O can’t be ignored.
However, on a competitive card it is hard to include too many in the exotics.
Modjaji is the last has been chosen as the best bet as she is ultra-consistent and is unbeaten in two starts over course and distance so will be hard to peg back under Piere Strydom who went close on her over 1 000m at the Vaal in her penultimate start.