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For all his ammunition over the years, Justin Snaith has yet to hoist The Sun Met trophy but a change of sponsorship could herald a change of fortune for him at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Snaith saddles three runners, two of which are in with undeniable chances but first have to get past the top trio in the betting – Legal Eagle, Marinaresco and Whisky Baron.
For many pundits, the filly Bela-Bela is the stable elect and she comes into the race off back-to-back wins after returning from a five-month sabbatical. She is obviously older and stronger as a four-year-old but had a hard race to win the Paddock Stakes last time out and she has a tough task at the weights. She doesn’t strike as a winner but should be right there come the line.
A better Snaith proposition could come in the form of It’s My Turn. At face value, last season’s Investec Cape Derby winner looks held by Whiskey Baron, having finished behind the third favourite at his last two outings. However, like Bela-Bela, he had not been out for five months after his fourth place in the Vodacom Durban July and Snaith is on record that his ultimate goal was the Met.
He finished two lengths off Whisky Baron in the Peninsula in spite of casting a shoe in the race and was making up ground quickly over the final furlong.
Third run after a lengthy break, a good draw and Piere Strydom staying with the ride up is a winning formula no matter the opposition.
But if all the hype is to be believed then the race is a three-horse contest with the result resting between Legal Eagle, Marinaresco and Whisky Baron.
Legal Eagle came up short in the Met last year behind the filly Smart Call but in my opinion Anton Marcus had the race won in his mind before the start and on a rare occasion was caught with his pants around his ankles.
He had Legal Eagle in front early in the straight only to be out-sprinted by the filly.
It will not happen again and Legal Eagle comes off a commanding victory in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, as he did last year. Adding to his appeal is that Sean Tarry is in almost unstoppable form at present.
Marinaresco pitched his supporters a curved ball with a disappointing showing in the Queen’s Plate where he only managed fourth behind Legal Eagle. He was a long way out of his ground turning for home that afternoon and Grant van Niekerk must shoulder some of the blame for that showing. That said, he may still not have won. A better indication of his chances may be his run in the Green Point Stakes where he ran Legal Eagle to within a length with the latter flat to the boards and Van Niekerk again giving his mount plenty to do.
For once Marinaresco has pulled a plum draw and if he does not get too far out of his ground Legal Eagle will have a battle on his hands.
Whisky Baron has been a revelation since being gelded with his bronzed crown jewels being displayed to the crowd by his enthusiastic owners after winning the Peninsula Handicap, his fourth victory on the bounce since his pocket was picked.
Brett Crawford knows what it takes to win the Met and will have no illusions as to Whisky Baron’s task. On a cautionary note, although Whisky Baron’s Peninsula win was completed with the minimum of fuss, not too far behind him was the Australian import Macduff. While not suggesting that Macduff can turn the tables, Joey Ramsden’s runner is 100-1 in the market and hardly in the same class as the likes of Legal Eagle and Marinaresco.
Greyville host a six-race meeting on Saturday afternoon that coincides with The Sun Met that forms part of the exotics along with the Blue Label Telecoms Cape Stayers. The Snaith-trained Ovidio is a strong favourite but Helderberg Blue can finally take his rightful place in the limelight and is taken to put one over the hot favourite.
The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Gunship looks a possible exotic bet banker in the sixth on what is otherwise a difficult card.
Racing moves to Scottsville on Sunday where Duncan Howells looks to have a strong contender for an exotic bet banker in the form of New Golden Age in the fifth. The gelding caught the eye when finishing strongly from a wide draw at only his second start when third on the Greyville turf last Friday. Mark Dixon’s runner Prime Suspect with Anthony Delpech aboard looks the obvious danger. He finished a good third behind the highly regarded Howells-trained Wild Wicket on debut and is expected to improve.
Best bets
Greyville
Race 6: (7) Gunship
Kenilworth
Race 11: (5) Star Chestnut
Scottsville
Race 5: (13) New Golden Age