Brett Crawford saddled Bad Girl Runs to win the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas for Sabine Plattner back in 2005.
The Philippi trainer now finds himself in the position of saddling the unbeaten favourite Front And Centre for the Ridgemont Highlands team on Saturday.
A daughter of Dynasty, Front And Centre has been brought through the ranks slowly after winning her maiden over the Kenilworth 1200m back in the dark Cape winter of August.
Unbeaten Font And Centre (Pic – Wayne Marks)
Since then Anton Marcus has guided her to two further successes over 1400m and the half-sister to Potala Palace looks likely to enjoy her first step up to a mile as she takes on Gr1 company for the first time. Unexposed at feature level, her performance is awaited with keen interest.
Mike de Kock’s Gr3 Fillies Mile winner Ghaalla is a magnificent daughter of Var who found her best stride when tried over ground last time. While she has not had an uninterrupted build-up (see the info block on this page), she is a talented performer who can only improve further – and over further.
Clouds Unfold – leading local hope (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
A young lady that boasts a pedigree with a terrific balance of speed and stamina, Nursery and Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Clouds Unfold comes into this race off 4 wins from 5 starts, match fitness and a great barrier gate to aid the cause. She looks the biggest threat to the Ridgemont flyer.
Duke Of Marmalade’s first SA stakes winner Temple Grafin was runner up in the Western Cape Fillies Championship and then chased Nous Voila home over 1200m. The Gr3 The Debutante winner has drawn wide, but is very talented and could challenge for the minor money.
Glen Kotzen’s second string, the dual stakes winner Coral Bay is bred to enjoy the mile plus and should be cherry ripe after two quiet prep runs.
Coral Bay should enjoy the mile and has shown good ability (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The Snaith’s nicely bred Silvano’s Pride ran a smart post-maiden race when beating Santa Clara and looks capable of further improvement as she graduate to this level.
Stablemate to Front And Centre, Shamrock Wind has drawn out wide and looks held on her Western Cape Fillies Championship finish.
Santa Clara is the second of the Candice Bass-Robinson duo and while held by her more illustrious stablemate Clouds Unfold, could run into the places.
Sean Tarry has three runners in the field, headed by the well-drawn Second Request who has failed to fire at her two starts as a 3yo.
Sharon Kotzen enjoys her first Cape feature runner when she travels with stakes winner Just Chaos who has won her last three starts at home in fine style. This is the big league but as Yvette Bremner showed last Saturday again – nothing’s impossible!
PE visitor Just Chaos (orange cap) faces a tough task (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
Dennis Drier has made a great start to his summer campaign and he saddles Dynasty filly Golden Chance – a facile winner on debut who subsequently ran an excellent race at her opening Cape start in senior company. She looks to have plenty of scope under Gavin Lerena from a good draw.
Helen’s Ideal was beaten just over 5 lengths in the Western Cape Fillies Championship and looks held by Clouds Unfold.
Third of the Tarry runners, Anneka ran on steadily for fifth and six lengths behind Cape Guineas stablemate Cirillo in the CTS Ready To Run Stakes.
Sweet Mary Lou was a half length behind Anneka in the sales race.
Front And Centre is a high-class filly. This is her big test. We will know how good she is after this. Cautious exotic players may want to include Clouds Unfold, Temple Grafin, Silvano’s Pride and the interesting Drier raider, Golden Chance.
