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While most people are doing frantic last minute shopping, thirteen runners will be lining up in the R200 000, Grade 3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap(2500m) at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Paddy O'Reilly, trained by Glen Kotzen will carry top weight with Sean Cormack in the saddle. The son of Dynasty is best around this distance and has been racing in much stronger company of late.
He has however not placed since his return from a lay off and will have to be on form to fight out the finish.
Dean Kannemeyer saddles three runners with Blake being the stable elect. The son of Dynasty has won three of his last five starts, with jockey Karl Nesius being his partner on two of those occasions.
Blake beat five of the runners when winning the Listed Woolavington Handicap(2400m) last time out and is ready to add the Cape Summer Stayers trophy to his collection.
Joey Ramsden also has three runners with stable jockey Glen Hatt on the four-year-old, Vengence.
The son of Black Sam Bellamy is having his third run after a rest and after finishing the season with a fourth place in the Grade 3 Winter Derby(2400m) he is a serious contender.
Another of Ramsden's lightly weighted runners is Orchard House. The son of Casey Tibbs won his last start over the Kenilworth 2000m and is having his third run after a rest. He should relish the extra distance and is likely to be fighting out the finish under Felix Coetzee.
Consistent Posh Boy has the services of Grant van Niekerk and excels over the distance. He finished 2.25L behind Blake in the Woolavington, but is 2.5kg better off here. Look out for this one at the finish.
The dark horse in the race is Two Strikes from the Stephen Page yard. Two Strikes won this race in 2010 and is back to defend his title. He is another having his third run after a rest and with his last two wins being over the distance, he cannot be ignored.