Where is everyone? Horse Chestnut wins the 1999 Cape Guineas
Saturday, 17 December sees the 2016 renewal of the R1 million Gr1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas, South Africa’s premier 3yo Classic. It is always a highly anticipated event and with a field of high class runners on Saturday, we canvassed trainers for their comments.
Joey Ramsden (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Joey Ramsden, who saddled 2014 winner (and now Summerhill Stud stallion) Act Of War, has a three-pronged arsenal in the highly rated Langerman and Cape Classic winner, Table Bay, A New Dawn and reserve runner, I Travel Light. Table Bay has drawn 8 and enjoys the services of Anton Marcus. Joey says, “Table Bay has had a flawless prep. All’s gone well and he’s not missed a day. Touch wood his lung wash and scope have all been great. One can’t ask for more than a good prep and he’s had that. He’s got a lovely draw and I’ve not really punished him since last time (in the Gr2 Selangor Cup). He had a hard race – they went a good pace and I’m pretty please with how he’s come on from that.”
A New Dawn has been scratched as he has not quite recovered from his run in the Selangor Cup and reserve runner gets a run instead. Regarding the Beaumont Stud bred son of Mambo In Seattle Joey comments, “You’ve got to say his form is pretty good. He was beaten a head by a horse that could well win on Saturday (Gold Standard in the Listed RA Stakes). We cut him after that run and it didn’t go totally smoothly, so he’s had a slightly rushed prep, but he’s going well and he looks very well, although the 16 draw is going to be a hindrance.”
Paul Gadsby (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Paul Gadsby saddles 2016 Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes winner, Gunner who enjoys a plum pole position draw and has Brandon Lerena in the irons. Gunner has been in the care of Darryl Hodgson since his arrival in the Cape a little over a month ago and while the CTS sales race on Met day has always been their main target, they’d be more than happy with a Guineas cheque. Paul comments, “His Merchants run was slightly disappointing and he seems to have lost that early speed. He was slightly jarred up after Merchants which shows how fast and hard the track was, but he’s completely over that now. Darryl says he’s very well and we are expecting a big run on Saturday. We have reservations whether we can win or not, but we’d be happy with a place. We’ve got the 1 draw in our favour which is a big one and we’re happy to have Brandon Lerena riding for us. He’s always shown talent since he was an apprentice and he’s matured into a really polished rider who does everything right.”
Dennis Drier (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Dennis Drier brings his good looking Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes and BSA Million Sprint winning son of Gimmethegreenlight to the Guineas line-up on Saturday. Regular rider Sean Veale, who has partnered Hack Green in all his starts to date, will be in the hot seat and they have drawn 6. ‘Uncle Den’ says, “I’m happy with his last two prep runs (finishing 4.3 lengths off Search Party in a 1000m Pinnacle Plate in November and 3.9 lengths back in the Cape Merchants). They were bloody tough races for a 3yo, but that was his plan. He has come out of them very well and I couldn’t be happier with his work into the Guineas. If he gets the mile, which he should on his pedigree, he should be a big runner. He’s got everything in his favour, but it’s a very competitive field, so we’ll see how good he is on Saturday.”
Mike De Kock (credit: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Mike de Kock, who has a total of 4 Cape Guineas trophies in his cabinet to date, saddles the dual winning son of Snitzel, Heavenly Blue. Heavenly Blue, who ran two excellent races in defeat in the 1400m Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes and the 1600m Gr1 Dingaans, races with blinkers for the first time on Saturday. The Aussie import has the services of the internationally acclaimed Weichong Marwing in the saddle, but the pair have copped a less than ideal draw of 17. Mike says, “He’s still a bit mentally immature and needs to concentrate a bit more. From the draw he’s going to need a lot to go his way – almost a miracle, I’d say. Out of the last 13 runnings of the race, only 1 has won from a double figure draw, so he’s not got an easy task. Still,” he adds philosophically, “It will be good to see him up against the best of his peers and see how he goes.”
Justin Snaith (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Justin Snaith, who saddled 2010 Guineas winner Solo Traveller, fields a pair of runners in the imported Zoffany colt, Zodiac Ruler and Bishop’s Bounty (a full brother to Red Ray, Brutal Force and Nania). Gr2 Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler has a 13 draw and Piere Strydom rides the Aussie import. Jono Snaith has urged that punters use caution with regards to their string and warned that some of their fancied runners may not perform to expectation. “By our standards, we have had a quiet spell of late and it’s hard to be confident as our horses have been a bit in and out. We were extremely disappointed with him last time out (the 1400m Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes in November), but he will love this trip and does have the ability to upset here.” The beautifully bred Bishop’s Bounty, last seen finishing 2 lengths behind Safe Harbour in the 1400m Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes, has a plum draw of 3 and Aldo Domeyer gets the ride. Jono says, “On his last run he is looking for the mile. He is very well and hard to leave out of exotics. I think a lot will depend on pace, but he’s got a good draw and has Met-winning jockey Aldo Domeyer in the saddle who won’t do much wrong.”
Brett Crawford
Philippi-based trainer Brett Crawford, who was responsible for 2013 Guineas winner Elusive Gold, will be represented by two runners including the son of Count Dubois, Edict Of Nantes and Dynasty colt, Craven. Edict Of Nantes has the worst of the draw but has regular rider Corne Orffer in the irons and Brett says, “He’s doing very well. He has had a very good prep and his work has been very good. He’s fit and well, but obviously just has a terrible draw to overcome.” Brett has drafted in the services of Bernard Fayd’herbe for Craven, who will jump from stall gate 4. He says, “Craven’s done very well, he’s looking amazing and he’s got a fantastic draw. Obviously it’s a big step up in class, but I do think he’ll be up for it.”
Vaughan Marshall (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Vaughan Marshall has an enviable Guineas record including Sea Warrior, Face North and the mighty Captain Al and has a pair of runners for this year in the 4-time winner, William Longsword (drawn 15 with stable jockey MJ Byleveld in the saddle) and dual winner Elusive Path (drawn 9 with Grant van Niekerk on board). Vaughan says, “Both horses are extremely well and I am very happy with their work, but if I said I wasn’t worried about the draw I’d be fibbing. If it wasn’t for the draw, I’d be very confident.” Asked to describe his charges he says, “William Longsword (Captain Al – Pagan Princess) is a big, strong, strapping horse, but an absolute gentleman with a wonderful nature.” Elusive Path is “a very nice horse, very athletic. He’s not the biggest horse in town, but has a lot of substance and is very well built. We had to geld him early as he unfortunately had a bit of a temperament problem, but he’s settled down into a very nice horse.”
Geoff Woodruff (credit: hamishNIVENPhotography)
It takes a good horse to win the Dingaans and we have one in Geoff Woodruff charge, Singapore Sling. The strapping bay, Roman-nosed son of Philanthropist has done little wrong in his brief career and after a tragic accident that claimed the life of his owner Tiaan Thatcher and left David Shawe fighting for his life in hospital, there would not be a more poignant result if he were to pass the post first on Saturday. However, Singapore Sling has drawn 10 and with the sudden suspension of Gavin Lerena, suddenly finds himself riderless. Geoff comments, “He’s been in Cape Town about two weeks now. It’s a little earlier than we’d planned to come, but Sean (Tarry), Mike de Kock and myself had a truck available and whipped our horses out smartly as there was word of a possible AHS scare. He looks very, very good and is working nicely. It will be his first time around a left hand bend which is bound to be strange for him, so I hope he handles that alright and I think he will, but I’m not holding my breath. I hope he runs well, but I have to say think he’s a good horse in a very strong field of good horses. He’s got an awkward draw and this jockey thing has actually been unacceptable. Losing Gavin was a huge blow and I feel it’s been handled badly. The upshot of it is that we’re all trying for transparency, and I don’t think the Jockey Club has done the punter any favours. Any guys with antepost betting – and there would have been some – might have fancied him with Gavin on. I don’t think it’s fair. We are still hoping it can be resolved, but if we have to replace Gavin, we’ve asked Alec Forbes to be on standby. He’s a good senior jock, his placing of horses is good and he’s experienced and with most jockeys already committed elsewhere, we were lucky to get him.”
Sean Tarry (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Current champion trainer Sean Tarry saddles Africa Rising for the partnership of Chris van Niekerk and Portapa (Pty) Ltd. The 3yo son of Visionaire out of the Braashee mare, Sucha Looka has drawn 2 and gets the services of champion jockey, S’manga Khumalo. Sean comments, “I’m pretty happy with him. The 2 draw is obviously a big plus factor – he was widest of all last time out (in the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes) and was also caught a little deep in the Johannesburg race. He’s a horse that I do rate quite highly. He came down 9 days before the Lanzerac Ready To Run race and I just felt that he wasn’t quite right for his last two runs, but he certainly has turned now, so at this stage of the game I’m pretty happy.”
Glen Kotzen
The white-hot combination of Glen Kotzen and Richard Fourie team up again with Gr2 Selangor Cup winner, Gold Standard. Glen was typically upbeat about his charge, saying “He’s taken the Selangor run exceptionally well. The thing we were nervous of in the Selangor was the near bend, but thank God that went well. He put up an exceptionally good time in that race and he’s basically taking on the same field plus a few more. I think he’s got an outstanding chance. He’s got a good draw and is going to like the far bend. He will need a half decent pace, but if there isn’t one, we’ll have to sit a bit handier.” Asked about his current purple patch with Richard Fourie he exclaims, “Thank God ! It does help the old confidence, but Richard’s a lovely strong rider and I think the horse will suit him. I think Richard is a phenomenal rider and we’re blessed to have him, we’ve cracked a draw, so we’ve been exceptionally lucky. I think we have an outstanding chance of pulling off a Selangor – Guineas double.”
Riaan Van Reenen
The training partnership of Riaan van Reenen and Carl Burger saddle the ultra-consistent son of Elusive Fort, Elevanted, who jumps from gate 14 and has the Greg Cheyne in the irons. Riaan had this to say about their charge, “He’s very well and we’re very happy with his prep. We’ve got a decent jockey and just have a poor draw to overcome. If we can overcome the draw, we should be in the shake-up. He’s not an easy horse and can be a bit temperamental, although I don’t think it’s really temperament so much as it is immaturity. He’s not mad, just very clever and does as he pleases at times, ” he explains. “As he matures, he’s starting to become more sensible. We’ve started taking him to the beach. He’s been several times now and taken to it like a duck to water. It seems to calm him down. He was born on 9 December, so he’s not a late foal, he’s a VERY late foal and he’s only now starting to mature. His teeth are only coming out now, so he’s very behind. But the lateness of his breeders is what made it possible for me to get him – if it wasn’t for that he would have been sold long ago. In six months’ time he’ll be a real racehorse, but he’s the best he can be for now. His only drawback is his age.”
Yvette Bremner
Last but not least is visiting PE raider, Pacific Spirit from the Yvette Bremner yard. The Sail From Seattle colt debuted in the Listed Sun International Summer Juvenile Stakes on Met day 2016, to finish within a length second of Sergeant Hardy. Back in PE, he posted two wins on the trot, before a 7 month break, and then made a winning return to the track on 30 October. He finished a neck behind King Of The Valley in the Arvia Guineas Plate and Saturday’s race will be his 3rd start after his layoff. He has drawn 11 and has Met winning jockey JP van der Merwe in the saddle. Yvette confirmed that Pacific Spirit arrived in Cape Town on Thursday, 15 December and comments, “He’s well. He doesn’t have a great draw, but he arrived on Thursday morning and so far everything’s gone well. He’s a very easy horse, he’s easy to train and loves his work. He’s lost that stocky build he had when he was sprinting, but is a very flash looking horse – rich bay with lots of white markings. JP hasn’t ridden him before, but knows him from PE and I think that will work in our favour.”
