Highlands part of Ridgemont, who enjoyed a champagne start to their Cape Winter Series sponsorship in 2017 when African Night Sky became the first horse since the mighty Pocket Power to win the Cape Triple Crown, are once again the big brand name behind the series this year.
African Night Sky
The R1-million Winter Series for 3-year-olds comprises three testing legs from a mile to 2400m.
The Cape winter conditions make it a testing spectacle of ability and endurance and it takes a top horse to wear the crown.
Tabnews report that Rocket Countdown, who sprang a 36-1 shock in the Selangor Cup in November, heads the 16 first entries for the Highlands Stud Winter Guineas over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday, 28 April.
The R250 000 Grade 3 race will be run on the summer course with its longer run-in.
Rocket Countdown wins the Selangor (Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Rocket Countdown went on to finish seventh in the R1-million Cape Guineas , beaten little more than four lengths.
He is one of four entries trained by Candice Bass-Robinson whose father, Mike, won the Winter Guineas eight times since 1997, most recently with subsequent Vodacom Durban July winner Marinaresco in 2016.
Rocket Countdown has the worst of the draw at No 16 and has to shoulder a 2kg penalty as a Grade 2 winner.
Doublemint is the only other penalised entrant and he will carry 1kg extra for his success in the Gr3 BMW Politician Stakes on the day of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.
He is trained by Justin Snaith who scored with Readytogorightnow (2013) and African Night Sky 12 months ago. Other notable winners include subsequent July hero Power King (2014), Variety Club (2012) and Act Of War three years later.
Act Of War – flashback to 2015 Cape Guineas
The last two were both trained by Joey Ramsden who has the only filly in the race, Made In Hollywood. She is second only to Rocket Countdown on merit ratings and has also been entered for the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes on the same card.
The Winter Guineas is a good race for favourites who have been successful in five of the last seven runnings.
The supplementary entry stage is on Friday 20 April with declarations on Monday 23 April.
The second leg is the R250 000 Gr3 Winter Classic run over 1800m on the Kenilworth Winter Course on Saturday 26 May.
The series reaches a climax with the running of the R250 000 Gr3 Winter Derby run over 2400m on the Kenilworth Winter Course on Saturday 30 June.
A bonus of R250 000 will be paid to owner/s of the horse that wins all three legs.
WINTER GUINEAS (Grade 3)
For 3 yo (1st Leg of the Winter Series)No Apprentice Allowance
| 0 | $Man About Town | (3C) | 0 | 79 | BA | Piet Steyn | |
| 16 | Rocket Countdown | (3G) | 59 | 102 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 10 | Doublemint | Accepted | (3C) | 58 | 96 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 6 | Ancestry | (3G) | 57 | 95 | BA | Joey Ramsden | |
| 11 | Ben-hur | (3G) | 57 | 84 | BA | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 3 | Love Happens | Accepted | (3G) | 57 | 84 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 9 | Tsitsikamma Dance | (3C) | 57 | 84 | A | Brett Crawford | |
| 13 | What A Summer | (3G) | 57 | 84 | BA | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 14 | Orakal | (3G) | 57 | 82 | BAT | Michael Robinson | |
| 4 | Run Red | (3C) | 57 | 82 | A | Andre Nel | |
| 8 | What A Joker | (3G) | 57 | 80 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 7 | Chatuchak | (3C) | 57 | 79 | A | Andre Nel | |
| 15 | Selailai | (3G) | 57 | 78 | AT | Andre Nel | |
| 2 | Greenstreettractor | (3G) | 57 | 77 | A | Brett Crawford | |
| 1 | Gimmie A Cohiba | (3C) | 57 | 74 | A | Brett Crawford | |
| 12 | #Rainbow Bridge | (3G) | 57 | 74 | A | Eric Sands | |
| 5 | Made In Hollywood | (3F) | 54.5 | 97 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| (17) | |||||||
SWEET CHESTNUT STAKES (Listed)
For 3 yo Fillies (1st Leg of the Winter Series)No Apprentice Allowance
| 11 | Rose In Bloom | (3F) | 57 | 108 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 14 | Merysagos | Accepted | (3F) | 57 | 100 | A | Justin Snaith |
| 8 | Call To Account | (3F) | 57 | 93 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 23 | Platinum Class | Accepted | (3F) | 56 | 100 | BA | Justin Snaith |
| 17 | Too Phat To Fly | (3F) | 56 | 98 | A | Glen Kotzen | |
| 9 | Made In Hollywood | (3F) | 56 | 97 | A | Joey Ramsden | |
| 13 | Awesomeness | (3F) | 56 | 94 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 26 | Raya Baya (AUS) | (3F) | 56 | 94 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 18 | Freedom Charter | (3F) | 56 | 93 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 15 | Love Supreme | (3F) | 56 | 92 | A | Brett Crawford | |
| 6 | Rings And Things | (3F) | 56 | 92 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 24 | Nanna Anna | (3F) | 56 | 91 | BA | Paul Reeves | |
| 19 | Ontenderhooks | (3F) | 56 | 86 | AT | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 4 | Sequined | (3F) | 56 | 85 | BA | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 25 | Over Again | (3F) | 56 | 83 | A | R G Sheehan | |
| 22 | Cape Charlotte | (3F) | 56 | 82 | BA | Patrick Kruyer | |
| 12 | Mara | (3F) | 56 | 82 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 1 | Pearl Jam | (3F) | 56 | 82 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 20 | Royal Frost | (3F) | 56 | 82 | A | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| 3 | Evelina | (3F) | 56 | 80 | A | Andre Nel | |
| 2 | Queen Moira | (3F) | 56 | 80 | BA | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 5 | Royal Sensation | (3F) | 56 | 80 | A | Glen Kotzen | |
| 7 | Remember This | (3F) | 56 | 79 | A | Vaughan Marshall | |
| 16 | Expedite | (3F) | 56 | 78 | A | Glen Kotzen | |
| 21 | Hemero | (3F) | 56 | 77 | BA | Michael Robinson | |
| 10 | Perfectproportions | (3F) | 56 | 76 | A | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| (26) | |||||||
