Sean Tarry and Mike De Kock could well be the men to follow in the R500 000 Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein on Saturday. It looks a straight shootout between two badly drawn but very smart fillies from each yard.
Safe Harbour – gutsy daughter of Elusive Fort beats Sergeant Hardy to win the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes
Tarry goes for his hat-trick in the race but De Kock’s Ektifaa looks something very special.
Tarry’s supremely talented hard-knocking locally bred Safe Harbour versus the flashy Australian bred Ektifaa, who goes for her fifth win on the trot. That’s the match.
The draw gods threw some hope into the pot for the other fourteen with a bit of a start courtesy of the wide barrier gates allotted to the top duo. But iIt will still be difficult to stop them.
Ektifaa has not put a foot wrong since winning her maiden over the Vaal 1200m in September.
The Gr2 Choice Carriers Championship and a rollicking romp after a 3 month break when beating the boys in the Tony Ruffel back home has foist the daughter of More Than Ready into the spotlight.
Ektifaa – consistent daughter of More Than Ready
She bumps Safe Harbour for the first time on Saturday and this daughter of Elusive Fort has put up some never-say-die showings of note herself since winning the Lanzerac Ready To Run Cup at Kenilworth in November.
Outstanding runner-up finishes to Just Sensual (last Saturday’s Gr3 Prix Du Cap winner) in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas and to Bela-Bela in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes, were followed by a running on fifth to William Longsword in the CTS Mile last time.
It has been a long hard season and she is hardly off the float when asked to compete at the top level again!
The rest have some leeway to make up.
Maleficent – a trifle disappointing of late
The Listed Devon Air Stakes winner Maleficent has failed to deliver in her 3yo season so far and returned from an unplaced effort in the Cape Fillies Guineas to produce a very unflattering performance in the Three Troikas.
She was fancied and ran handily before fading right out to finish tenth of twelfth.
The gutsy Anna Pavlova continues to defy the sceptics and completed the hat-trick when flying late to win the Three Troikas last time out.
She tries the mile for the first time on Saturday and has drawn very wide – but dare we discard the big hearted daughter of St Petersburg?
Ormond Ferraris – saddles Babbling Brooke
Babbling Brooke also ran in the Three Troikas where she finished out of the money and just over 4 lengths off the winner.
This beautifully bred Western Winter filly ran on steadily for fourth in the Fillies Mile and it is very likely that she will be more comfortable over the mile.
The Announce filly Last Chirp looks to hold Pool Party at these weights and showed prominently for a long way in the Three Troikas before being swallowed up late for a one length third.
One of only 3 four-time winners in the race, she is out of a speed mare and tries the mile for the first time – we have our reservations.
Gr3 Fillies Mile winner Smiling Blue Eyes returns from a 14 week break and has sadly drawn widest of all in a bid to complete a hat-trick.
The lightly tried daughter of Dynasty’s race fitness could play a role and she presents punters with a poser of note.
Mike De Kock – nearing the 3000 winner mark
Al Hawraa is the second of the De Kock attack and this daughter of New Approach ran on steadily when beaten 2 lengths in the Three Troikas.
A three-time winner from eight starts, she could relish the mile and improve to challenge.
The Gr3 Fillies Mile third placer Being Fabulous won going away over the course and distance in early January and then led late before beaten 2 lengths into third behind Belle Rose (in receipt of 4,5kgs) in an MR 84 Handicap last time.
The daughter of High Chaparral hails from a feature winning yard and with Gavin Lerena in the irons suggests a dollop of dark horse status.
The well tried Kahal filly Pool Party has drawn beautifully against the paint and ran a cracking fourth only 1,35 lengths behind Anna Pavlova in the Three Troikas.
That was her first feature effort and she could be capable of running into the back end of quartets at best.
Visuality goes down narrowly to Anna Pavlova last time
The once smart 2yo Visuality has drawn very wide but showed a spark of life when looking a winner late before being nabbed by Anna Pavlova in the Three Troikas Stakes.
The Gr1 placed daughter of Visionaire could be a place prospect if maintaining that level of improvement.
The lightly raced Orchid Island was an impressive winner when beating the boys in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes.
Her 4 length victory over Furiosa from the worst of the draw was an eyecatching one and with Anthony Delpech up again comes into the picture very strongly.
Santiburi has a 2yo victory over Safe Harbour to her credit but has not quite delivered in her 3yo term.
Smanga Khumalo – rides Redberry Lane
She ran a very poor race in the Gr3 Fillies Mile on Summer Cup day and was then beaten 1,25 lengths by Pool Party when in need of the run last time.
Elusive Strike ran a 1,70 length fifth in the Gr3 Three Troikas and looks held by all of Anna Pavlova, Visuality, Last Chirp and Pool Party on that run.
Belle Rose is another of the Mike de Kock attack and this daughter of Golden Sword gets thrown in the deep end with no previous feature exposure. She also has a wide draw to overcome.
S’’manga Khumalo has the ride on Redberry Lane who looked moderate until fitted with blinkers and then won her maiden by 8.80 lengths. She is a full sister to Solo Traveller who won the Cape Guineas and a half-sister to Starship Legacy, who sold for R4.5 million at last month’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
Safe Harbour and Ektifaa stand out on all fronts and beyond the likes of Orchid Island, Anna Pavlova and Being Fabulous look the right two.
Smiling Blue Eyes is drawn wide and her fitness question raises doubts.
It looks very tough for the balance
