The BSA August Million double feature heads the national programme this weekend. The two well endowed 1400m races are naturally quite thin on the form front – but a R625 000 first cheque and an interesting weight twist makes for keen racing on any Sunday!
The colts and geldings race has attracted a field of thirteen graduates of the 2016 National Two Year Sale and the ‘weight-according-to-sale’ concept sees horses competing at weight bands set according to the price at which they were sold, or were bought back by its vendor,
Horses sold for R401 000 or more (there are just two of them) carry 60kgs, while those in the price range of R201 000 to R400 000 carry 58kgs. Those in the R101 000 to R200 000 band carry 56kgs, while the ‘cheapies’ of R100 000 or less (interestingly there are six of them) carry 54kgs.
Silva Bullet (Anthony Delpech) wins well on eyecatching debut
Anthony Delpech will be a member of the Rest Of The World team at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot about 24 hours earlier and he travels back to partner joint topweight and sales-topper, Silva’s Bullet. The R2,1 million rand son of Silvano impressed when winning over the course and distance last Thursday. While needing more ground, he looks a classic prospect and should be better for the experience – if the run hasn’t taken too much out of him. He has drawn nicely at 3.
PE star Kimberley Star
Alan Greeff travels from the Eastern Cape with the recent Listed Champion Juvenile Cup winner Kimberley Star. The son of Ideal World was a bargain buy and thus gets as much as 4kgs from the Kannemeyer runner. Far more experienced too, Kimberley Star has won 2 of his 5 starts and has never been further back than second. If he travels well, he can pull this off!
Roy Magner’s Gauteng visitor Alex The Great was outclassed in the Gr1 SA Nursery and won his maiden at his fifth outing. He has drawn best and steps up in trip with scope for improvement.
Fellow Gauteng visitor Broadway Trip didn’t have the same luck with the draw but won well on debut two weeks back. The son of Trippi beat little of note and is difficult to assess. He is the only other winner in the field.
War Demon showed good pace when beaten 0,75 lengths by Silva’s Bullet at his last start. He meets the Silvano colt on a winning weight turnaround on that effort.
Dean Kannemeyer – two runners here
The second of the Kannemeyer runners, Oligarch has registered four okay runs. His best two were on the polytrack – although he was beaten by a seemingly very nice sort in boom horse Billy Silver on the turf at his last start. So his form may be better than it looks.
Green Field has drawn wide and travels from PE after four average runs. He did place on debut at 12-1.
Top Classman ran on steadily at his improved second start but has started at long odds both times,
Eyeforthegirls is drawn widest of all and got 35 lengths closer at his second start. He is yet to earn.
Leslies Legacy is well drawn and ran fourth on debut when supported.
The balance are unraced- watch the betting.
Zen Arcade, a son of Ideal World, cost R550 000. He is out of a quick mare.
The Mogok colt Two Stroke cost R60 000.
What A World is a R45 000 son of champion Freshman sire What A Winter. He has drawn very wide.
Silva’s Bullet is asked to concede up to 6kgs to some of his opposition, but he looks progressive and classy and made a big impact (on looks too)with a workmanlike win on debut.
He probably has most to fear from the PE raider Kimberley Star. Beyond those two, we are mostly in the dark.
