The sun sets on the 2016/17 Cape Summer Of Champions at Kenilworth today as two past Cape Fillies Guineas winners clash head-on in the R250 000 Gr3 Prix Du Cap. The quality contest looks set to provide a fascinating curtain call on three months of high-class race action.
2015 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain
It doesn’t get much better than summer racing in the Mother City and we have already felt the drop in tempo down South as the action gravitates to the Highveld and then to the East Coast.
The Prix Du Cap is run over the summer track 1400m and is at weight for age plus penalties – 3yo’s carrying 53,5 kgs, while 4yo’s lumber 57 kgs.
Penalties accrue for Gr1, Gr2 and Gr3 wins in the past 18 months to the tune of 3kgs, 2kgs and 1kg respectively.
The 2015 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain carries the topweight honours and Candice Bass-Robinson will be keen to get the smart daughter of Silvano back on the winning track.
She hasn’t seen the winner’s enclosure since December 2015 and has been something of a frustrating filly to follow.
While the Snaith’s Bela-Bela proved superior to her, Silver Mountain had a perfect opportunity last time to crack the Majorca Stakes. But she was overshadowed by her stablemate Nightingale and could do no better than a 2,25 length fifth.
Aldo Domeyer, who won the Fillies Guineas on her, is back aboard Silver Mountain and drawn in midfield, she must have a big shout.
The year younger Just Sensual is the other Cape Fillies Guineas in the field and she looks worthy of consideration with Anton Marcus up from a 1 draw.
2016 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual gets up on the line to beat Safe Harbour
A line can be drawn through this course-and-distance winner’s last run when she was drawn widest of all under Frankie Dettori in the CTS Mile and failed to kick on.
Mike Robinson’s Gr3 Victress Stakes winner Goodtime Gal is consistency personified and she ran another gutsy race when under a length back in third in the Majorca.
She actually beat her conqueror there – Nightingale – in the Victress Stakes and one just gets the feeling that Gavin Lerena was forced to make his move a bit earlier than he would have liked in the Majorca.
Goodtime Gal – blinkers and Fourie can do the trick!
With blinkers fitted over the shorter trip here and with Richard Fourie in the saddle, she must be a PA banker – even if her wide draw is a slight concern.
The classy Dynasty mare Alexis won the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes in Durban last term but has shown little in her three return runs this season.
Northern Cape champion jockey Muzi Yeni is in town to ride Captain’s Flame in Aldo Domeyer’s switch to the Bass-Robinson stable.
Andre Nel’s’ 4yo showed excellent ability when notching a feature treble from April to October, but has been quiet in her two return runs.
She finished 1,40 lengths behind Silver Mountain in the Majorca and now meets the Bass star on 2kgs better terns.
She is also well drawn.
A Time To Dream – not far back in the Majorca
A Time To Dream won a PE feature at her penultimate start, before not being disgraced with a 3,65 length 8th in the Majorca Stakes.
She was only 1,40 lengths behind Silver Mountain and 2,95 lengths behind Goodtime Gal in the Majorca and meets both on 3kgs better terms. A wide draw won’t aid her chances though.
The second of the Bass-Robinson runners, Come Fly With Me is talented but has not won since July 2015 and appears to lack enthusiasm.
The stakes placed Whose That Girl has drawn rather wide but comes in with an outside chance on her very best form.
She caught the eye when running a cracker in the CTS Mile when finishing only 3,15 lengths behind new Klawervlei stallion, William Longsword.
Prior to that she was 6,35 lengths off Bela-Bela in the Paddock Stakes and with a bit of luck could run into the minor money.
Beach Goddess – better down the straight but has a decent turn of foot
Beach Goddess is the second of the Brett Crawford duo. The daughter of Kildonan was outgunned in the Majorca Stakes at her last start and may not have stayed the mile.
While the Gr3 Champagne Stakes winner seems a better horse down the sprints, she has run fair races at 1400m and has a good turn of foot.
Miss Marker is one of the Bass quartet and the stakes placed daughter of Var seldom runs far off the action.
She finished like a winner when nabbed late by Supercilious at her last start and looks a fair quartet inclusion here.
Anglet looked a promising youngster but her form has tapered negatively and she has not been in the winner’s enclosure since the Listed Irridescence Stakes in June 2015.
Anglet – has not won for some time
She was not far off the best of her year, as shown by her fourth behind Silver Mountain in the Cape Fillies Guineas.
With a poor draw and on her current form, we are going to pass her by here.
Second of the Snaith ruunners is 3yo Gimme Six, a good winner of her last start on Met day.
Now a two-time winner, this lightly raced daughter of Gimmethegreenlight looks to be improving and dips her hoof into feature waters for the first time.
Harold Crawford’s yard has shown a glimmer of better form over the past few weeks and he saddles the Horse Chestnut filly Nutbush Citilimits.
The lowest rated runner in the race has shown some fight with two lower handicap race thirds at her last two starts. She would have to run many lengths above anything she has shown in her 11 runs to date to have a chance.
Crawford also saddles the 6yo Can Cope, who has not won a race since September 2015. Her recent form inspires no confidence.
This should be the most keenly contested race of the day.
Silver Mountain is overdue to win again and she has the class and proven ability to carry the day – her lack of punch recently at the business end is cause for concern.
Goodtime Gal gets the blinkers and she is a never-say-die sort who just needs to beat her wide draw to feature.
Just Sensual has the lethal Marcus up from the best of the draw, while Captain’s Flame is our dark horse if find her feet again.
