What a lovely thought – winning today’s R2,5 million Pick 6 on the full!
The card looks straightforward – a well known racecaller suggested this week it is catchable for just R24. But let’s not go missing in the first leg.
Icy Trail – can he confirm the improvement shown recently?
History suggests that the R400 000 Gr2 Peninsula Handicap is no genuine pointer to a likely Sun Met winner.
But there is some decent quality in the 2017 renewal with up-and-coming 4yo’s Whisky Baron and Icy Trail the standouts.
Both Whisky Baron and Icy Trail have shown steady climbs in their respective merit ratings over the past two months as they have developed into serious Cape Summer Of Champions contenders.
Icy Trail is the more feature exposed of the pair with a gutsy win last time in the Gr2 Premier Trophy.
The Go Deputy gelding is now called upon to confirm the form and his 7 point jump in merit rating.
His 12 draw won’t be in his favour, but he is fit and well and goes for a fourth consecutive win.
Greg Cheyne -can follow up on a good first day of the LQP Festival
The Australian-bred Whisky Baron, ridden by Greg Cheyne, also bids for four on the trot and has worked himself into Sun Met contention with a host of decent showings.
His distance run (on the winter course) when pushing Marinaresco to 0,40 lengths at level weights in the Winter Classic stands out and he really has won emphatically and with authority.
Everything fell neatly into place for Brett Crawford’s Nebula in the Gr3 Algoa Cup and he has his first run in 9 weeks since the ‘PE July’.
The son of Silvano has good form – his giving 2kgs and only finishing a half length behind Edict Of Nantes at his penultimate start being an eyecatching effort.
Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn has decent overall form
Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn has been lightly raced with meritorious places in the Gr1 Daily News and the Durban July.
He has had one prep run when second 3,75 lengths behind Whisky Baron and meets his opponent on a kilo worse terms here.
With Piere Strydom back aboard and from a decent draw, this high-class son of Silvano would not be winning this out of turn.
East Cape Derby winner St Tropez – worth including again?
Joey Ramsden tries a fourth different jockey in four runs on the seemingly non delivering St Tropez.
The son of Silvano has been backed on numerous occasions but has not won a race since October 2015.
His last run was fair – 2,75 lengths off Icy Trail in the Premier Trophy – and he meets the winner on 4kgs better terms. That’s winning potential on paper, but St Tropez needs to lift his game before we plum for him.
Spirit Of Hamilton enjoys a 6,5kgs turnaround with his stablemate Icy Trail for a 3,20 length beating last time.
The son of Argonaut is honest and game but has not won in ages and looks outgunned here.
The second of the Ramsden runners, Macduff finally looks to be building on the potential he showed as a 2yo.
The son of Street Cry chased Whisky Baron home last time and meets him on 3kgs better terms for a 1,75 length beating. He is one for the dark horse notebook with the high-riding Lyle Hewitson in the saddle.
The super consistent Star Chestnut finished a 5,25 length third to Whisky Baron last time and enjoys a potential match winning 7kg turnaround with the Crawford runner.
He is a gelding who runs more seconds than firsts but is not out of it if he genuinely stays the 1800m.
Winter Prince is the third of the Brett Crawford trio and will be ridden by stable jockey Corne Orffer.
The son of Western Winter ran a modest fourth in the Jet Master Stakes last time but enjoys a 12kg swing at the weights with his stablemate Whisky Baron on his penultimate start, when beaten 8 lengths.
He is bred to go this trip.
Mambo Mime – making a steady recovery after illness – include this Sun Met entry!
Dean Kannemeyer’s Gr3 Byerley Turk winner Mambo Mime is another Sun Met entry and ran on well for third and 3 lengths off Whisky Baron at his last start.
The son of Mambo In Seattle was rested for four months after the July, during which time he was suffering from deep vein thrombosis.
He looked much better last time aftera sprint pipe-opener and considering that he ran excellent places in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the KRA Guineas, he may be ready to show his trainer what he has always believed he would.
The Dynasty gelding It Is Written has drawn nicely at pole position, and has his third run for the Snaiths after transferring from Dean Kannemeyer.
It Is Written – not at best lately
The 5yo will need to improve on his current form to come into the picture.
The 2015 Gr3 Christmas Handicap winner was well beaten when 11 lengths behind Marinaresco in the Champions Cup and then did not show in the Cape Merchants.
The last mentioned was a prep over 1200m and he will naturally prefer the extra here.
Piet Steyn’s Waiting For Rain is a very consistent 5yo who steps into the big league for the first time.
The son of Black Minnaloushe handles the distance well and though widely drawn, must have a chance of reversing things with Whisky Baron on the 6,5kgs weight turnaround for a 3,75 length beating last time.
He is also considerably better off with Icy Trail on their earlier clashes.
The 5yo Milton is another who is often thereabouts and gets his chance to pace it with some class sorts.
The son of Lateral ran a cracking second in this race last year behind Dubai-bound Light The Lights and while he has not won a race in 8 months, has been close up to some very decent sorts. His wide draw is a deterrent though.
Krambambuli was prominent for a long way before staying on well for a 0,30 length second to Icy Trail in the Gr2 Premier Trophy.
He is a half kilo better off with the Bass-Robinson runner but one feels that the younger horse may just have more scope at this point.
This is a handicap and there are many with chances of banking the first cheque.
Whisky Baron and Icy Trail are the improvers, while It’s My Turn and Mambo Mime are the class.
Nebula has done little wrong and Richard Fourie had good things to say about him after winning at Fairview.
It’s wide open.
