Who can claim the crown?
HOPEFUL: SHANGO HAS TRIPLE CROWN POTENTIAL
Full field of 16 will line up for Gauteng Fillies Guineas.
The race begins for the SA Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara on Saturday when a group of threeyear-olds line up for the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas over 1600m at Turffontein on the Standside track.
There were 12 horses who stood their ground in the Guineas while there is a full field of 16 runners facing the starter in the Fillies Guineas.
A R2-million bonus will be paid to a Triple Crown winner and R1million to a Triple Tiara champion.
The Triple Crown and Triple Tiara test horses to the hilt as they have to win three races – over 1600m, 1800m, and 2450m – all in the space of two months. It is also a tough ask for a trainer to keep their runners ticking over. The last colt/gelding to win the Triple Crown was Abashiri in 2016.
At the start on Saturday, everybody is a possible contender. Some 100 seconds later, only one colt/gelding and one filly will be left standing. Dingaans winner Shango has run well over 1900m as a juvenile and heads the list of possible Triple Crown winners as he will stay the 1800m of the SA Classic and is likely to see out the SA Derby distance of 2450m.
The same applies to Youcanthurrylove who has won over 1600m and 1800m, and should also see out 2450m.
That does not look the case for Frosted Gold, who has yet to prove he stays 1600m, let alone go further.
Looking at the Fillies Guineas, Paul Peter-trained Summer Pudding looks a live Triple Tiara winner. She is bred by Silvano out of Cherry On The Cake, whose halfsister, Cherry On The Top, was the last filly to win the Triple Tiara, which was in 2016.
The winners of the Cape Guineas and Cape Fillies Guineas also qualify for the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara but Guineas winner Kilindini is on his way overseas and Missisippi Burning is unlikely to make her way to Joburg for the SA Fillies Classic and SA Oaks.
Final field for the R1-million Gauteng Guineas over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday.
1 - 7 SHANGO (S G Tarry) G Lerena 60.0 - 120
2 - 1 EDEN ROC (S G Tarry) R Danielson 60.0 - 114
3 - 2 FROSTED GOLD (M F de Kock) C Zackey 60.0 - 114
4 - 6 IKIGAI (S G Tarry) L J Ferraris 60.0 - 114
5 - 11 RIVERSTOWN (P A Peter) W Kennedy 60.0 - 108
6 - 3 YOUCANTHURRYLOVE (F P Habib) S Khumalo 60.0 - 108
7 - 8 ASTRIX (P A Peter) C Murray 60.0 - 104
8 - 9 ARAPAHO (P A Peter) R Simons 60.0 - 99
9 - 5 LEOPOLD (J J van Vuuren) C Maujean 60.0 - 98
10 - 4 GREEN LASER (R R Sage) M v Rensburg 60.0 - 96
11 - 12 BOHICA (M/A Azzie) N Juglall 60.0 - 94
12 - 10 AL BORAK (M/A Azzie) D Schwarz 60.0 - 91
Same Trainer: (1,2,4) (5,7,8) (11,12)
Final field for the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m.
1 - 6 MILL QUEEN (D Nieuwenhuizen) G Lerena 60.0 - 112
2 - 11 SHIVERS (D Sham) C Maujean 60.0 - 110
3 - 1 SUMMER PUDDING (P A Peter) W Kennedy 60.0 - 110
4 - 5 KAYLA'S CHAMP (P F Matchett) D L Habib 60.0 - 108
5 - 9 KEEP SMILING (S G Tarry) R Danielson 60.0 - 107
6 - 18 MAGIC SCHOOL (G M Alexander) D Schwarz 60.0 - 107
7 - 13 MARYGOLD (A G Laird) N Juglall 60.0 - 107
8 - 4 SPIRITOFTHEGROOVE (S G Tarry) C Habib 60.0 - 107
9 - 19 VICTORIA PAIGE (S G Tarry) L J Ferraris 60.0 - 107
10 - 2 SNOW PALACE (C Spies) C Zackey 60.0 - 105
11 - 16 RISK TAKER (M F De Kock) R Simons 60.0 - 102
12 - 8 RIO'S WINTER (S Moffatt) P Strydom 60.0 - 96
13 - 17 VIRTUOSA (M F de Kock) C Murray 60.0 - 95
14 - 15 CHRISTMAS FLOWER (A G Laird) S Khumalo 60.0 - 93
15 - 10 FLYING HIGH (A G Laird) M v Rensburg 60.0 - 93
16 - 12 QUERARI FERRARI (E Verdonese) J Gates 60.0 - 91 Reserve Runners
17 - 3 MARY O (L Forbes) Reserve 1 60.0 - 90
18 - 14 MACHALI (C Dawson) Reserve 2 60.0 - 89
19 - 7 TARTAN DANCER (S J Gray) Reserve 3 60.0 - 86
Same Trainer: (5,8,9) (7,14,15) (11,13)