High Alter looks capable
BACKING first timers is not a sound punting strategy and that was borne out when Mela Stregata, 1-5 on debut, was ‘rolled’, albeit by the shortest of short heads after racing very green. The daughter of boom sire Scat Daddy had trialled impressively and the word was out that she was something special.
But a trial is no substitute for a race and she was caught out by the speedy Tuulikki who showed pace throughout and held on narrowly from a late-charging favourite.
Duncan Howells saddles the filly over a more suitable 1 400m at Scottsville today and from a good draw, she is likely to start deep in the red once again; yesterday 7-10 in the ante-post market.
Howells was on the mark with a brace of winners last Sunday and the stable appears to have turned the corner.
He saddles a further 10 runners today and outside of Mela Stregata he appears to have a smart card that could yield more than one winner.
The mare High Altar goes for a fourth win on the bounce and the manner of her recent wins suggests that she has a definite chance of pulling it off.
She came from the clouds and a poor draw to get up late over the mile last time out and she only collected
a three-pound penalty. She had been up with the pace at her previous wins and was most impressive over course and distance at her penultimate start. Few horses win four-in-a-row so there needs to be some caution about the mare’s chances but she definitely looks capable.
Duke Of Spin
Duke Of Spin, who runs in the last, made short work of the opposition when shedding his maiden at just his second outing and second-placed White Lightning paid compliment to that form by winning comfortably next time out.
It’s a little early to be singing the colt’s praises but he won in the manner of a progressive galloper and this race should give some indication of where he is possibly headed.
With the Highveld spring season and the Cape summer season on the horizon, Howells saddles two of the stables established stars in the fifth. Neptune’s Rain and Fiorella line up in a Pinnacle Stakes sprint and although the two best weighted horses in the race, they are both back from a break and could be found short of a gallop or two.
They are up against course and distance specialist London Call and at the bottom of the weights with 48kg on his back is Archilles who was decidedly unlucky last time out when twice being interfered
with, a certain winner with a clear passage.
Louis Goosen could hold the key in the sixth. He has a host of quick fillies in his yard including Mbali and Bonnie Dawn. Mbali finished ahead of stable companion Bonnie Dawn when last they met, however, Bonnie Dawn’s previous form is stronger and she can turn the tables. Ashburton colleague Shane Humby saddled two winners last Sunday and after a close-up third last time out Geographe Bay should be right up there in spite of her hefty burden. But the list of possible winners is a long one and includes Val-La-Ree, Rani, Tuulikki and Philadelphia Girl who has come in for a ton of antepost money.
Dennis Driers filly has been a tardy starter in the past but races in blinkers for the first time and has come in from an opening call of 30-1 to 12-1 so punters needs to sit up and take note.
Trainer Dean Kannemeyer’s unbeaten filly Hashtagyolo makes her seasonal debut when she steps out in a barrier trial.
Unbeaten in three starts last season with smart victories in the KZN Guineas Trial and the Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes, Hashtagyolo was sent to Gauteng for the Highveld season but was set back by a virus and never ran there.
Well rested, her last appearance was a cracking win in the Flamboyant Stakes last December.
“She is a beautiful filly and has filled out and matured into a lovely specimen. We have brought her back slowly and I will be discussing a possible Cape Summer campaign with her owners,” Kannemeyer told Sporting Post. “She is a high-class valuable filly as she stands and we need to plan her programme carefully,” he said.