Rose to bloom in Prix Du Cap

Herald Racing Editor

ROSE In Bloom stands out in the 10-strong final field for the R250 000 Grade 3 Vasco Prix Du Cap over 1 400m at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting on Saturday.

She ran a cracker in the Klawervlei Majorca on Sun Met Day to finish third to the brilliant Snowdance with a list of big names behind her, including Gimme Six and Just Sensual.

She was a 30-1 chance that day but there was no fluke involved because she was second to Magical Wonderland on her previous start in the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes.

She is expected to start favourite this time to enhance Joey Ramsden’s strong record in the race.

Rose In Bloom has a decent No 4 draw whereas the likes of Seattle Gold and Whose That Girl are at a distinct disadvantage, starting from the outside.

Justin Snaith is bringing Callan Murray to Kenilworth for seven rides, including Miss Katalin, who followed up her win in the valuable Lanzerac Ready To Run Cup by taking a conditions race at the twoday Queen’s Plate meeting.

Andre Nel, hoping that his stable’s virus problems are nearly over, runs both the smart Captain’s Flame and Love To Boogie. Keagan de Melo flies down for the latter as well as for three other mounts for the stable.

The last two favourites for the Prix Du Cap both won but in the previous six runnings the favourites were beaten.

A notable absentee from the original nominations is last year’s winner Just Sensual. The 2016 Cape Fillies Guineas winner has been bought by an Australian-Japanese syndicate and has gone into quarantine before flying to Mauritius and, later in the year, to Australia. 1 - 6 GOODTIME GAL (M J Robinson) M Byleveld 60.0 - 100 2 - 1 CAPTAIN’S FLAME (W A Nel) A Andrews 60.0 - 96 3 - 8 LOUISIANA (B Crawford) C Orffer 59.0 - 94 4 - 9 SEATTLE GOLD (B Crawford) G Cheyne 59.0 - 92 5 - 2 LOVE TO BOOGIE (W A Nel) K de Melo 59.0 - 91 6 - 10 WHOSE THAT GIRL (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 59.0 - 91 7 - 3 FINAL JUDGEMENT (G S Kotzen) L Mxothwa 59.0 - 90 8 - 4 ROSE IN BLOOM (J Ramsden) R Khathi 55.5 - 102 9 - 5 ELUSIVE HEART (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 55.5 - 94 10 - 7 MISS KATALIN (S J Snaith) C Murray 55.5 - 93 Same Trainer: (2,5) (3,4) (7,9) Final field for the R250 000 Vasco Prix Du Cap (Grade 3) (For Fillies and Mares) over 1 400m at Kenilworth on Saturday.