Liberal Lady to open Sands party

Eric Sands, 56 earlier this week, has four chances of celebrating in style at Durbanville today starting with Liberal Lady in the second.

Karl Neisius’s mount showed plenty of promise on her debut and, like the other three Sands runners, she has the considerable advantage of being well drawn. However her trainer is cautious.

“I think she has come on since then,” says the man whose string of Grade 1 wins includes two Cape Flying Championships and three Mercury Sprints. “But when they don’t race until they are four there has to have been something wrong with them, and she has her problems.”

She also has some tough opposition, most notable Katrushka whose chance here last time was ruined by a slipping saddle. “It went going into the first bend and it went forward,” recalls Riaan van Reenen. Verbena finished just in front of Katrushka on her last run and Bois De Boulogne also has claims.

Sands’ Just Ask was bumped at the start on his last run so he might just be able to reverse the placings with Barrel ‘N Butt in the third.

Victory Silvester

But the one that appeals here is Victor Silvester who had Domani over two lengths behind when second to King Air over this course and distance last month.

Richard Fourie, who rode Domani that day, is on Victor Silvester - “Karl Neisius’s agent rang for the ride on Domani but I am happy to be on Victor.”

Love Boat is intriguing in this race because he showed much improved form when fitted with a tongue tie last time and he just might be better than his price would suggest. “Maybe that helped and the sting coming out of the ground may also have had something to do with it,” says Stephen Page. “His work at home is excellent but he has been very disappointing on the course.”

Blue Crane has a fair bit to do in the fourth – Muntasir and Cognac On Ice have far stronger claims – but Sands final runner Game Over has prospects in the last following the scratching of General Jubilation.

Testing The Wind has the same problem in the first despite having strong form claims. “Anything higher than seven over this distance at Durbanville and you are four or five wide at the first bend. It’s a graveyard,” says Mike Stewart. “Also this filly is not that fast away from the gate and so I’m just hoping for a decent run.”

Rainbow Dash is the one that makes most appeal here. She does get away quickly and she has two good runs to her credit. “She is in good form and it’s a weaker field than last time,” says Shane Humby.

Mike Bass’s Almost Heaven was four lengths further back when sixth on her debut here and she should get closer. However there is no great stable confidence.

“She has come on a little bit but she is very small,” says Candice Robinson.