Alboran Sea and Carry On Alice clash again
A thrilling rematch between two outstanding 3yo sprinting fillies should prove the highlight of a fascinating weight-for-age contest at Scottsville today. The R600 000 Gr1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint promises to be the race of the day with De Kock’s Alboran Sea bidding to seal her Gr1 hat-trick.
The name of this race could have some folk confused. It remains the SA Fillies Sprint, with its long tradition and the raceday rebranding is for promotional purposes, and in recognition of the support of the City Of Pietermaritzburg.
The clash between Sean Tarry’s Carry On Alice and the Mike De Kock-trained Alboran Sea should have racing enthusiasts on the edge of their seats.
Hat-Trick
Rock Of Gibraltar’s daughter Alboran Sea is bidding to complete a Gr1 hat-trick after her victories in the Cape Flying Championship and the Computaform Sprint – both races against mixed sexes.
The final 100m of the Computaform Sprint will be fresh in the minds of racing fans and a repeat is on the cards.
Alboran Sea was a Gr1 winner as a 2yo on this very day last year. Carry On Alice was beaten 0,25 lengths by Guiness in the colt’s Gr1 equivalent that day.
While Alboran Sea is rated marginally superior, the Scottsville 1200m will level the playing fields again on Saturday and there will be precious little between them again.
Hot Jets
Jet Belle won well last time
Three older daughers of Jet Master in Fly By Night, Jet Belle and Jet Aglow look likely to be the most likely chances of a mild upset.
Poinsettia Stakes winner Jet Belle looks best of the three.
After a break following her excellent third to Inara in the Majorca Stakes on Met day, she bounced back fresh to beat Varikate by 4 lengths when winning the Poinsettia full of running.
A versatile sort, she will be ridden by the bang in-form Greg Cheyne.
Mike Bass-trained Fly By Night
2014 Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night was beaten close on 14 lengths by Alboran Sea in the Computaform Sprint last time – a run that is best ignored as she was never in the race.
Fly By Night came within a heartbeat of upstaging champion Via Africa in this race last year and cannot be discounted.
The lightly-raced Jet Aglow was 3 lengths further back in third there and is very much in the Jet Belle mode of versatility.
She was well beaten by Power King last time but will strip a fitter mare on Saturday and is a definite quartet inclusion.
Arcetri Pink is yet to spark in her new home base with Kum Naidoo, where she has had two runs, including an unplaced effort in Empress Club Stakes behind Majmu and a weak effort last time in a conditions plate at Greyville
The daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar is a well performed winner of 6 races, including a Gr3 as a 2yo, but her best form has been over a mile as a mature racer.
Tzigane could be suited to Scottsville
Barend Botes’ 5yo Tzigane certainly runs for Piere Strydom and she has her 37th start and first time in KZN on Saturday.
The Gr3 Sycamore Sprint winner ran on strongly for third in the Gr2 Camellia Stakes last time – but was well beaten by 6 lengths by Bichette, who contests today’s big one.
Her relaxed late-dash style of racing may well suit this venue and she could be a quartet kicker at best.
Paul Lafferty’s Garibondy appears to have her issues and showed pace last time when beaten 4,10 lengths behind Gulf Storm. All of her six wins have been over 1000m and she looks unlikely to trouble the chief protagonists.
Placed
Virgo’s Babe – a game sort
Justin Snaith-trained Varikate ran fourth in this race last year when beaten 5,35 lengths by Via Africa.
While on paper she has plenty to do, she did run a decent four length second behind Jet Belle in the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes over Saturday’s course and distance last time out.
David Niewenhuizen’s Virgo’s Babe has the rails draw and steps out at Scottsville for the first time in her career.
She failed to quicken in the Camellia when 7,85 lengths behind runaway winner Bichette in the Camellia, but showed a flash of her best ability when running on second in the Sycamore.
Corne Spies’ Sarve won the Listed KZN Stakes at this track over 1000m in March and showed her first glimmer of something when staying on for fourth in an MR 96 Handicap on the Vaal sand last time.
She looks outgunned on the wfa terms of this race.
Match Race?
It is difficult looking beyond the two three year old flyers and they are selected to fight it out with a marginal preference for Alboran Sea.
If they both fluff their lines, then the likes of Jet Belle, Jet Aglow and Fly By Night enter the reckoning.
It should be the race of the day!
