Let ‘Lady’ be your guide
CAPE RACING stages an 8-race programme at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this afternoon with the first race and opening leg of the Bipot scheduled to go off at 12:30.
The first event is a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1000m and there are nine debutantes amongst the 15-strong field. Of those that have run before only Glawari from the Candice Bass-robinson stable has shown any promise, but the early betting would suggest that her stable companion, Unconquerable Lady, is preferred. In an open market, Unconquerable Lady is a weak 4-1 favourite, but she may well shorten prior to race time and the betting is likely to be the best guide for Bipot punters in what seems to be a tricky first leg.
De Melo
Unconquerable Lady, owned by Lady Laidlaw, will be ridden by her retained jockey Keagan De Melo and the daughter of Danon Platina could well make a winning debut. Justin Snaith sends out a very well-bred Vercingetorix filly in the form of Double Grand Slam, racing for the formidable partnership of Dave Maclean, Gary Player and Suzette Viljoen. Double Grand Slam will be ridden by Richard Fourie which clearly suggests that she is the pick of Snaith’s two runners.
Her stable companion, Highlyconfidential, also boasts a five-star pedigree and Grant Van Niekerk returns from suspension to partner the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight. Based on his prerace comments, Snaith is expecting both his fillies to be in the mix, but one must respect the fact that Fourie has chosen to ride Double Grand Slam.
The ante-post market has not given too much away at the time of writing but that could all change significantly before the Bipot closes and punters are urged to keep a close eye on the betting and to watch the horses go to the gates before finalising their perms. The second race, a Special Weights Maiden over 1000m, does present a Bipot and Place Accumulator banker. Enemy Territory was an eye-catching fourth on debut recently and she should build on that effort and reverse the order with her main market rival Ponte Vecchio. Enemy Territory was priced up at 11/10 but this was quickly snapped up and the Irish-bred daughter of Canford Cliffs looks very hard to oppose.
The third race and opening leg of the Pick 6, a Classified Stakes over 2000m, looks a lot more challenging with just about all nine runners having winning claims. Coronation Time is a weak early favourite at 4/1 and the 3yo son of Louis The King has won his only start over course and distance. Both his wins were under very light weights, and he appears to have somewhat more to do with 59 kgs on his back. Snaith sends out Mister Monocle and Machete Man, either of which could win while Twice The Master could be the surprise package in the race.
Virginia Sweet
Virginia Sweet, the half-sister to Do It Again, steps up in trip from her last two starts and she could also be competitive. Best advice, go wide – if not the field – in the opening leg of the Pick 6.
The fourth race is a rather moderate Maiden Plate over 1800m. Madison Blues appears the pick of the bunch and should give us a good run for our money, but I suggest including both Elegant Noble and Marshall Field in all exotic perms. The latter is relatively unexposed and being by Ideal World out of a mare by Fort Wood, Marshall Field could show marked improvement over this longer trip.
Race 5 is an evenly matched MR90 Handicap over 1800m, but the leading lights could be Innamorare, The Futurist and Montien. Innamorare was scratched from the Cape Derby to run here and rates the one to beat but there are several runners with decent form and the race is wide open. Montien has plenty of scope for further improvement and could take advantage of a light mass while The Futurist is as game and consistent as they come.
Faire Advantage is an interesting runner. He steps up to 1800m for the first time and his pedigree suggests that he should relish the extra ground. Night Ruler, Beyondtheboundary and Lion’s Head also make some appeal in a difficult race. Go wide!
Brett Crawford holds a strong hand in Race 6 with all of Fleeting, Time Flies and Metar having winning claims in this
Middle Stakes over 1600m. I am going to nail my colours to the mast and go strongly for Time Flies, but I do respect the fact that Metar receives 8 kgs from Time Flies which does suggest that the daughter of Dynasty will have a real race on her hands.
Rosh Kedesh is a warm order favourite to follow up on his recent Maiden win by taking out the 7th race on the programme, a Classified Stakes over 1600m. He will continue to improve and could get the job done but I am going to include all of Professor Snape, Bardolino and Future Turn in my play. Having only his third start, Rosh Kedesh has plenty of scope on his side, but his rivals have ability and more experience to back up their claims.
The eighth and final race, an MR80 Handicap over 1200m could be a match between impressive debut winner Noble City and the hugely promising Veldskoen. Noble City, a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Battle Force, ran away from Kebonalesedi and Rosh Kedesh when winning by three lengths last month and both came out to win their next starts. He is an imposing individual and trainer Peter Muscutt, never one to call his geese swans, holds Noble City in very high regard.
Snitzel
That all being said Veldskoen, an Australian-bred son of the celebrated Snitzel, is clearly well above average. He was off the track for more than a year after a promising debut but made a winning comeback when beating Gimme’s Laddie in December. He followed that up with a very good fourth behind Usa’s Hope on Met day and he should strip a very fit horse this afternoon. On the evidence of his last run, Veldskoen should have the measure of Swift Action. Winter Pearl carries a low mass and could get into the action but I would be surprised if the winner did not come from one of Noble City or Veldskoen.