Last season’s Champion 2yo Filly Majmu – here for the Guineas
The final field announcement and charity draw function for the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas to be run at Kenilworth on December 6 was held at Avontuur Estate today (Thursday 27 November) and there was much anticipation when the draw for the charities allocatedto the ten runners began.
The main interest at the announcement of the field was whether the classy Gr 1 winner Carry On Alice would be travelling down from Johannesburg to take on the like of Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Filly from last season Majmu and the Cape’s leading three-year-old filly Cold As Ice.
However, Carry On Alice was absent from the line-up, meaning that only two out of province contestants will take part, the brilliant Majmu and her Mike de Kock-trained stablemate Ataab.
Ataab is rapidly improving and is favourite for the Gr 3 Fillies Mile at Turffontein on Saturday, which is run just one week before the Avontuur Guineas.
Double Whammy has drawn on the inside and looks a likely pacesetter
The Glen Kotzen-trained Double Whammy landed an ideal pole position draw for her front-running style and will likely make a bold bid to lead from pillar to post.
The other front-running type in the field, Sunset Tripp, drew widest of all and this will likely force her to adopt aggressive tactics, so her and Double Whammy’s presence could ensure a good pace.
This will play right into the hands of Majmu, who drew seven, as she is capable of producing a powerful finish from off the pace.
If the pace is too slow it would be no surprise to see Ataab going out and ensuring that her more illustrious stablemate is given every possible chance to win this prestigious event and thereby land her first career Gr 1 victory.
Will the talented Cold As Ice go the mile?
Cold As Ice has a superb turn of foot, but does have a slight stamina doubt, so her draw of eight, one outside of Majmu, is not ideal.
However, a good pace should enable her to find the cover she will need to reserve her energy for the straight.
The Charity representatives were on tenterhooks and held their breaths when Majmu’s name was drawn.
In the end the lucky charity that will be represented by the high class grey filly was Kalkfontein Primary School.
However, beneficiary Stand Secondary was also thrilled as they drew Cold As Ice.
There were 16 charities and only ten horses, so six of the charities that will be present on the day will not be represented by horses. However, they will still receive a donation of R3000 each.
The charity money will be split as follows:
1st place; R30 000
2nd place: R20 000
3rd place: R10 000
4th place: R5000
The rest: R3000.
The Charities that were lucky enough to draw one of the ten contestants are listed below underneath the horses and their respective trainers, jockeys and draws.
1 MAJMU Mike de Kock, Anthony Delpech (7)
Kalkfontein Primary School
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2 COLD AS ICE Joey Ramsden, Bernard Fayd’Herbe (8)
Strand Secondary School
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3 DOUBLE WHAMMY Glen Kotzen, Greg Cheyne (1)
HJ Kroneberg Primary School
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4 GREY LIGHT Joey Ramsden, Sean Cormack (9)
Gateway Primary School
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5 JET SET GO Vaughan Marchall, MJ Byleveld (5)
John Ramsay Secondary School
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6 ATAAB Mike de Kock, JP van der Merwe (6)
Valhalla Secondary School
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7 INARA Mike Bass, Grant van Niekerk (2)
Macassar High School
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8 SUNSET TRIPP Justin Snaith, Richard Fourie (10)
Wellington Primary School
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9 CUVEE BRUT Brett Crawford, Corné Orffer (5)
Rosmead Central Primary School
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10 JEWELLER’S JOY Glen Kotzen, Karl Neisius (3)
Danie Ackerman Primary School
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The beneficiaries that did not draw a horse are listed below:
Grassdale High School
Parow Valley Prep School
Kasselvlei High School
Elswood Secondary School
Buck Road Primary School
Bellville South High School
