Kenilworth Racecourse boasts the honour of hosting Africa’s richest race of all time when the hopes and dreams of the connections of sixteen 3yo’s line up to contest the CTS Million Dollar on Saturday. Besides the stress and tension that goes with the territory, the field boasts commendable quality and a spectacle of horseracing entertainment looks guaranteed.
Exit Here – goes for six in a row
Comparisons to the Lotto are not without foundation. But one only needs one number to win this and with some good horses drawn badly, some ordinary horses drawn well and a glittering array of top trainers and jockeys, there is going to be a massive party somewhere in Cape Town on Saturday evening.
Six members of the fairer sex will line up and the honour of being the highest rated performer falls to the sensational Cape Fillies Guineas winner, Silver Mountain (111).
The daughter of Silvano remains the talking horse of the Cape Summer Of Champions, even after being ‘dethroned’ when running out of puff late to finish under a length fourth to Noah From Goa in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas.
Silver Mountain
The form was subsequently franked (like we needed it to be!) with Noah’s great effort in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Silver Mountain is a major factor- with her good draw.
Top rated of the males is dual Gr1 winner Seventh Plain (109), who ran a cracker of a prep when staying on nicely for third in the Sophomore Sprint.
This will be his second crack at big money after running fourth in the Lanzeac Ready To Run Stakes over the course and distance.
Seventh Plain – Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion winner
A bad draw again harms his prospects, but he is a talented galloper, with a great jockey in the irons.
Fellow KZN challenger Exit Here (105) goes for his sixth win on the trot and with a beautiful 1 draw and one of the best ‘ready to run’ trainers in the country he must rank as a major challenger for top honours.
Redcarpet Captain (104) has pulled an awful 18 draw, but the son of Captain Al has come good of late and won a facile race at his last start. He wears the blinkers again and with a bit of luck in running could grab one of the smaller dollar cheques on offer.
Vaughan Marshall trained Victorious Jay (104) ran two cracking races in the Selangor and the Cape Guineas – finishing just out of the money in the latter. The son of Jay Peg again has a poor draw to overcome but is a colt that can race handily and could be concerned in the finish.
Need For Speed winner Tar Heel (103) was outgunned in the Sophomore Sprint last time and is yet to show any form beyond the sprints.
Tar Heel – likely pacemaker?
Joey Ramsden has always spoken highly of Prince Of Thieves (102) who won a great race last time beating Purple Mountains by 3.75 lengths over the course and distance. At his penultimate start he ran one-time Met prospect Silcone Valley to a short head and with Bernard Fayd’Herbe up could be the joker in the pack.
Sophomore Sprint winner Ernie (101) has shown improved form at his last start but his wide draw must be a deterrent. He is a horse that can be ridden off the pace so once again luck could play a part.
The Captain Al filly Jo’s Bond (100) is very poorly drawn and has only shown sprint capabilities to date.
Hard Day’s Night – Gr2 winner
Gr2 Selangor Cup winner Hard Day’s Night (98) was less impressive when beaten out of the money in the Cape Guineas. With Pierre Strydom up from a 2 draw, he is a horse that cannot be ignored as a winner of three races from seven starts.
Weichong Marwing rides Illuminator (96) for Glen Puller and the Trippi colt looks to be perfectly distance suited after a good Guineas run, and then chasing Ernie home in the Sophomore.
Lunar Approach (95) is drawn a bit wide and has his first run in Cape Town .
The son of Right Approach won his last start in facile fashion and the trainer-jockey combo is difficult to ignore.
The talented Dynasty filly A Time To Dream (95) won three on the trot, including a victory over Inara before going unplaced in the Cape Fillies Guineas. She is a difficult filly to assess but certainly looks held by Silver Mountain.
The Var filly Varumba (95) has drawn on the far outside of the field and will have to improve on her best form shown to date.
Dynasty’s daughter Swift Sarah (93) is a lightly raced sort and a winner of 3 of her 5 outings.
Well drawn, she shows good pace but is yet to win beyond 1200m and will have to handle the left-handed track for the first time in her career.
The Querari filly Melliflora (90) is Mike Azzie’s sole representative in the race and at first glance looks to have plenty to do at her Cape debut.
Callan Murray travels from Johannesburg to ride her and local conditions know-how ae not something that either could boast about.
Melliflora ran a disappointing 14,10 lengths off Negroamaro in the Fillies Mile on Summe Cup day, but did show some decent stakes place ability prior to that.
Her best run was probably her Gr1 Thekwini Stakes runner-up finish as a 2yo to Lauderdale and she must have an outside place chance if adapting.
Purple Mountains (95), Rodney (94), Night In Tahiti (93) and Liege (93) are the reserve runners.
