All eyes on Piet Steyn and Katak
Trainer Piet Steyn doesn’t often make the newspaper headlines. Based at Milnerton, he has only saddled 11 winners this season.
Tomorrow, Steyn not only looks primed to add to his tally of local winners in a feature race, but the whole of the country will undoubtedly also keep a close eye on one of his former charges who is aiming to add the $1 million (R11,5-million) Kranji Mile to his resume.
On the local front, Steyn’s Gem King looks the one to beat in the second leg of the Winter Series.
Winner of the first leg for colts and geldings, the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile, Gem King lines up in the Grade 3 Legal Eagle Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth.
Judged on his performance in the first leg, the extra 200m will suit him perfectly.
The biggest threat will probably again come from re-opposing Future Prince, beaten just 0.4-lengths in the Variety Club Mile.
Trained by Brett Crawford, Future Prince could also benefit from the extra distance.
Katak, formerly trained by Steyn, has his sights set on the Kranji Mile in Singapore.
Now trained by Ricardo Le Grange, Katak disappointed last time out, but judged on his latest trial earlier in the week, he could bounce back and cause somewhat of an upset and claim the equal-richest race on the Singapore racing calendar.
Interestingly, Steyn trained Katak to Winter Series glory before he was sent off to Singapore, becoming only the third runner to claim the title after Pocket Power and African Night Sky.
Steyn thus knows exactly what it takes to win the Cape “Triple Crown” title.
There will not be a winner of the fillies’ Winter Series this year as first-leg winner Young Love does not line up in the Listed Stormsvlei Stakes tomorrow at Kenilworth.