Snaith duo meet again
ENIGMA: SOMERSET MAUGHAM HAS WEIGHT ADVANTAGE, DISTANCE SUITS TOP QUALITY
Classy Graduation Plate to close out Durbanville meeting.
Justin Snaith has 14 horses carded to run at Hollywoodbets Durbanville tomorrow and four of them will be lining up in Race 7, the Listed Settlers Trophy over 2000m.
The four are Thefutureisbright, Somerset Maugham, Salvator Mundi and Top Quality, all of whom have ability.
However, Thefurtureisbright is well held by Top Quality on their meeting last time and probably is looking for further while Salvator Mundi will be having his first run back after finishing unplaced in the Grade 3 Gold Cup at Greyville in July. So, it does look likely that Top Quality and Somerset Maugham are the two with the best winning chances.
They actually fought out the finish of their last race and there was a lot to like about the manner in which Top Quality mowed down the opposition, coming from last to beat his stable companion by 0.30 lengths.
Richard Fourie's rides Somerset Maugham who is 3kg better off for that last-start defeat so he is weighted to turn the tables on his younger but more-progressive companion.
However, that was over 1800m, and one suspects the additional 200m is more likely to suit Top Quality.
Muzi Yeni takes the ride for Snaith and, with just 52kg to shoulder, Top Quality should break through for the first time at feature-race level, after consecutive thirds over 2400m in both the East Cape Derby and Grade 3 Pocket Power Stakes over 2400m.
Yeni is particularly confident as one can see in his column (See Page 5).
If one looks beyond the Snaith runners Baratheon has to be a consideration. The Piet Bothatrained runner ran third behind Super Quality and is 1kg better off for 0.80 lengths. JP van der Merwe takes the ride.
Race 8 is a Graduation Plate for three-year-olds over 1250m and many of these runners will be meeting again in bigger races than this. Unfortunately, Western Cape Champion Two-Year-Old of last season, We're Jamming, has been scratched but we are not short of talent in this line-up. Charles Dickens and Dave The King, along with regally bred debut winner Narina Trogon, put their unbeaten records on the line while Le Mans will also will be looking to complete a hat-trick after wins over 1200m and 1000m recently.
Charles Dickens is highly regarded by trainer Candice BassRobinson and if he has no problem with the Durbanville track, he will take a power of beating. Aldo Domeyer will be in a strong position jumping from No 1 draw.
Vaughan Marshall-trained Dave The King, also a winner of two races, appear the biggest threat, so should be included in Exacta and Trifecta bets.
S’manga Khumalo takes the ride.
It should also be interesting to see how the likes of Iconic Destination and Narina Trogon shape up as they could be anything this term ahead of bigger prizes later in the summer.