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The Cape Summer of Champions takes off in a big way at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The R1 million, Group 1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas (1600m) heads the card but could quite easily be overshadowed by the R400,000, Group 2 WFA World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes (1600m) where the cream of the country’s older runners meet in a warm-up before the Group 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (1600m) to be run early next year.
Sophomore form has been muddling so far this term without any one of last season’s top two-year-old performers being able to dominate. That said, the Guineas field is one of the more competitive line-ups for some years and if today’s winner can build on her victory then would could have another star.
Group 1 Thekwini Stakes winner Querari Falcon started her season with a thumping victory over the year older and well-tried Negroamaro in a Graduation Plate and just when she was being touted as top of her class she was forced to take a back seat to the Sean Tarry-trained Tahini. The latter has since finished third to stable companion Intergalatic in the Group 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge at Turffontein which has taken some of the gloss of Querari Falcon’s form.
Dennis Drier has high hopes for Sail and she has impressed in both outings since arriving in the Cape, warming up in smart fashion in a Progress 1400m. She was a fast-finishing third behind Querari Falcon and Dawn Calling in the Thekwini Stakes which puts her in the picture but she does have a tricky draw to overcome.
Dawn Calling had an interrupted preparation with two of her intended warm-ups being washed out. However, Duncan Howells was more than happy with her effort when she did finally get a race under her girth as 1200m on the quick Greyville poly surface was well short of her best. She has a plum draw and if you fancy either Querari Falcon or Sail then you have to consider Dawn Calling.
Johan Janse van Vuuren has had a stellar start to his season and along with Gavin Lerena have collected a handful of stakes races, most recently with Green Pepper in the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap. He saddle’s the grey She’s A Giver and word from the yard is that she is lengths better than their other grey Negroamaro. She certainly impressed on her seasonal debut when full of running to beat Maleficent in the Starling Stakes. The handicappers promptly upped her 25 points to the same mark as Querari Falcon.
She has a coffin draw at 15 and steps up to a mile for the first time but when you are riding as well as Lerena few things are impossible.
The main local hopes would appear to rest between the unbeaten Quick Brown Fox and the fast improving Just Sensual. The Brett Crawford yard is another in mustard form at present and if Quick Brown Fox gets the trip she will be a factor while Just Sensual has drawn off comfortably to win her last two but takes a big rise in class.
Both Legal Eagle and Marinaresco impressed in their recent warm-up sprints for the Green Point, both finishing off their races nicely. The pair meet at level weights and on strict handicapping Legal Eagle should have lengths in hand. However, Marinaresco could still be under the radar as far as the merit ratings are concerned and I don’t expect there to be much in it come the line.
Captain America came through a more searching test when stepping out at Durbanville for the first time this season and is a crack miler. But he faces his nemesis in Legal Eagle – the score is 3-0 in favour of Tarry’s runner - and looks unlikely to turn the tables.
I have my doubts whether Abashiri will ever regain his best form after his bruising and ultimately exhausting SA Derby victory and he folded tamely behind Trip To Heaven and Legal Eagle in his season opener. One hopes to be proven wrong and this race will be telling.
Racing returns to Scottsville for the first time tomorrow after undergoing spring treatment and punters face a trifecta of posers in the three fixed-weight races that head the card.
First up is a Conditions Plate where the two best weighted runners are Olma and Lala. Olma, if reproducing her effort behind Inara in last season’s Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, would be hard to beat but her form since has been off-putting and the in-form Lala could prove the better bet.
Frank Robinson saddles Olma and also Winter Is Coming in the Pinnacle Stakes two races later. The colt was shunted up the handicap after his facile maiden victory and although his previous maiden form was promising, the handicappers may have been a little too enthusiastic.
Their assessment will be put to the test as Winter Is Coming faces a pod of solid handicappers with Ashton Park and Mr Roy leading the charge.
Miss Varlicious and Shezaleader look the pick of the Allowance Plate with the weights favouring Shezaleader. However, they face two smart younger fillies in Accidental Tourist and Just Vogue giving lumps of weight so it could pay to follow the money.
