The impressive Captain America launches his Champions Season campaign on Saturday
Triple Crown winning trainer Geoff Woodruff is riding a tidal wave and enjoying the season of his life. Who would want to back against the curved ball he throws into the R600 000 Gr2 KRA Guineas mix courtesy of the dashing Australian bred filly, Arcetri Pink? The talented daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar takes on nine smart males at the Greyville track on Saturday.
Saturday will hopefully prove to be something of a new beginning and will be an emotional day in many respects for the brains trust managing Gold Circle’s city venue after many stressful months of uncertainty and controversy.
Angry jockeys, disappointed punters and unhappy owners and trainers have been the role players in an ugly melodrama that has played itself out against the backdrop of a track installation and surface overhaul that has not gone completely according to plan for a host of reasons.
New Beginnings
Interrupted, abandoned and rescheduled have become the second name of the Greyville programme and at one stage there was even ridiculous talk of the July being run at Scottsville. On a positive note, the renaissance could not have asked for a better quality meeting to have kick started the racing revolution at the historic racecourse and the ten race Saturday card is headed by a triple feature bill as it launches the 2014 Champions Season.
The Guineas sponsor link with the Korea Racing Authority (much on the lines of the Selangor and Kenilworth friendship) was pioneered some years ago by the then Western Cape leg of Gold Circle and the KRA sponsor both the colts’ Guineas and the fillies Guineas on Saturday.
Plenty Of Colour
And trainer Geoff Woodruff has added plenty of interest and colour to the occasion and demonstrated the bold behaviour of a man bristling with confidence.
Still on a high after his sensational Triple Crown Gr1 double feature heroics of last Saturday, he brings the exciting Gauteng Guineas winner Arcetri Pink to town and she returns as a mature and stronger racer than the 2yo that ran unplaced twice in Champions Season at Greyville last year.
Her recent second behind Along Came Polly in the Gr1 L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes showed her wellbeing and over 200m shorter, she is a serious runner with her sex allowance and the services of the astute Kevin Shea.
The Cape raiders have made an excellent start this year and five separate yards are represented by the province that looks the one to watch for punters.
The Captain
Brett Crawford’s Captain America is a magnificent son of Captain Al who boasts the distinction of the Guineas and Derby runner up double. In both races he moved up smartly but appeared to be outpaced late. He runs fresh off a four month break and must go into all selections if fit and taking to the Greyville circuit.
Justin Snaith’s Cape Derby winner Legislate is another who has been rested since his brilliant victory on 1 February when beating Captain America. He is obviously top class but could be run off his feet at Greyville, although he had fair form over shorter against lesser
Laird Duo
Alec Laird’s pacy Chekilli could have them at full stretch on the Greyville circuit
Alec Laird brings two runners to town. The very speedy Chekilli gets the services of Anthony Delpech and the son of Greys Inn is stakes placed up to 1450m. He should enjoy the Greyville circuit and could run them off their feet.
Laird also saddles the Bezrin gelding Bezanova, who has been on the fringes behind the best of his year. He will be ridden by Bernard Fayd’herbe. Vaughan Marshall’s Chestnut’s Rocket is drawn widest of all but has the plus factor of being one of the few visiting horses to have had an outing in the province. The Gr3 Byerley Turk winner goes for a fourth win on the trot and has the added advantage of being a course and distance winner.
The Classics
Dean Kannemeyer loves to win this race and he saddles the Dynasty gelding Speed Rocket. He ran on well at his opening start in the Byerley Turk when kicking again in the straight for fifth to Chestnut’s Rocket. Regular pilot Karl Neisius is in the irons.
Local hope Diamond King is a course and distance winner, but looks held by Speed Rocket and Power King. His run in the Byerley Turk was disappointing. Mike Bass has had a quiet start to his KZN season and he saddles Top Jet from the best draw.
The son of Jet Master may lack the toe required to win a race of this nature, but is fit and in form and could grab place money. Alistair Gordon’s Argonaut gelding Copybook ran a cracking second in the Byerley Turk and the stable was in great form on Sunday with a smart double. If not suffering the second run after a rest hoodoo, he looks capable of maintaining the improvement and is bred to go a mile plus.
Not Easy
The simple line of taking the straight mathematics of the handicapper’s ratings may not work. Fitness and track and distance suitability will be crucial considerations. There is also interprovincial collateral form to consider. Just look at what Rosier did at Scottsville last Sunday.
Chestnut’s Rocket looks top class and is fit and well. Captain America will be hard pressed to match strides early with the pacy sorts and the talented Arectri Pink also jumps out of the page. It is a field race for the Pick Six and Jackpot as every runner has claims if anyone of the others don’t run to ability. A fascinating contest.
