Top Girl. Duncan Howells’ Antonius Pius filly My Sanctuary looks set to build on her smart record when contesting the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship
Victory in Saturday’s R 600 000 Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship to be run over the Scottsville 1200m is usually a passport to a glittering future on the track and in the breeding paddocks. This year’s race holds promise of a closely fought interprovincial contest, with quality running deep.
There is plenty of natural speed in this fifteen horse field and with fast fillies arriving from across the length and breadth of the country, the formbooks and collateral value study may just have to be tossed by the wayside.
Throw in improvement and the Scottsville minefield of uncertainty, and it may be best to take our chances on those that have already had the opportunity to show an appreciation for the track.
Safety
Duncan Howells’ The Debutante winner My Sanctuary falls snugly into those parameters. The daughter of Antonius Pius is a very fast precocious filly, who is not without her behavioural issues.
She was on her best behaviour last time when winning smoothly over Saturday’s course and distance after a minor break, and she will be looking to follow up here under regular pilot, Alec Forbes. Her stablemate Along Came Polly showed up nicely in the Kings Pact debacle race, when she beat My Sanctuary. But that race is best written off, for what it is worth.
Unlucky
Gavin Van Zyl trains the King Of Kings filly Princess Julietta. One of the most experienced campaigners as she has her sixth run, she ran into all sorts of traffic issues in The Debutante when going down a half length to My Sanctuary. The jury is still out on whether she could have won there, and Princess Julietta gets an opportunity to right the wrongs on Saturday.
In Love
Source Of Winners. The Marshall trained debut winner Happy Valentine can be watched for further improvement
The debut winner Happy Valentine came out firing at Clairwood at the end of April under Anton Marcus when running out a facile winner in a quick time. The daughter of Silvano hails from the Marshall stable who are top class with juveniles and will have plenty in her favour
Paul Lafferty has chosen to take his chances with the Varsfontein Stud bred daughter of Var,Garibondy. She won a cracker on debut over 1000m at Scottsville when drawing off late to win going away from Caribbean Bay. She knows the track and will be tested to show she can carry the performance over the extra 200m.
Secure
Kum Naidoo’s Royalsecuritybaby was a shock feature winner on debut when she flew late to get up and nab Princess Julietta on the line in the Strelitzia Stakes at Clairwood.
The tiny Australian bred daughter of Choisir shocked jockey Anthony Delpech there, and it remains to be seen whether she is able to confirm that level of form. She should improve on it, and must be a runner here.
Anton Marcus rides the Kings Pact winner War Path for Charles Laird. The daughter of Captain Al showed the dubious nature of her debut form when running poorly next time when finishing eleven lengths behind Royalsecuritybaby in the Strelitzia.
Lotsa Var
Stan Ferreira brings the debut winner Saint Angelique down from Gauteng, and while she did little wrong when winning over the Vaal 1000m in mid April, she is difficult to assess. It is worth noting that Sean Cormack takes the ride. Ferreira sends out another Var in the maiden Regal Rose, who ran fourth on her debut.
Paul Reeves has made the long trip from Milnerton with the twice winning Var filly, Sea Cat. Sea Cat had excuses when fading out to fourth in the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint after being cramped and bumped, and will be ridden again by Aldo Domeyer.
Visitors
Dark Horse? Var’s daughter Garibondy won well on debut at Scottsville and now faces a serious test of ability over 200m further
Alan Greeff makes the trip from PE with the East Cape Nursery winner Winter Fantasy. The daughter of Western Winter has won two of her 3 starts by a collective 9,75 lengths and looks very smart. Horses from the Eastern Cape have a very good record in this race, with Silver Arc (2003) and Geepee S (2008) winning in recent years.
Lucky Houdalakis makes the trip from Gauteng with one of the two Captain Al fillies in the race in Summer Adieu. The Klawervlei Stud bred won at her fourth start over the Vaal 1200m and showed good pace there. She has some fair collateral form just off the promising Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner Virgo’s Babe, and may be worth including in quartets.
After winning on debut, the Australian bred Usisi ran handily before finishing fourth and just over six lengths behind Virgo’s Babe in the SA Fillies Nursery. She produced a strong finish on debut and may be better if ridden with more constraint.
Right
My Sanctuary looks the right filly. She has the ability and the experience to put up a good showing and is selected to beat Princess Julietta and the PE raider Winter Fantasy. There is the possibility of some unexposed ability amongst the less tried runners, so take care.
