Flower Power. Mike De Kock’s high quality Welwitschia looks all set for her second consecutive feature win
A fleeting last minute decision in December to have a tilt at the Diadem Stakes, could end with a rather profitable Cape summer campaign for the beautifully bred Oasis Dream mare Welwitschia. She looks to have a bright chance of banking the lion’s share of the spoils on offer in the R400 000 Gr2 Sceptre Stakes to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The team decision that led to Welwitschia’s raid on the Diadem may have been a quick one, rather than a well planned and much mulled over tactical assault, but it just also happened to be very well considered indeed. With little opportunity on the Gauteng programme, she was sent to Joey Ramsden at Milnerton in December and promptly took the Diadem in her stride.
When things end well, then nobody complains and the plan has come together. The lovely thought for Mike De Kock’s team is that Saturday’s challenge frankly looks easier for Welwitschia than what she faced in the Diadem.
Controversy
She easily accounted for Jackson there with Divine Jet 2,15 lengths back in fourth. Kevin Shea’s ride attracted some criticism as he took Divine Jet out at the start, but the connections of the aggrieved horse accepted that they were beaten without excuses. Divine Jet in fact confirmed the strength of the collateral, by flying up late and deadheating with Muscatt behind Barbosa last Saturday.
Welwitschia now faces nine sprinters of her own sex over the same course and distance but at the WFA terms of the race, appears to be the right choice.
Belle Of The Ball
Welwitschia’s strongest opposition could lie with the year younger Jet Belle. The daughter of Jet Master has relocated from Robbie Sage to the Cape and is based with Glen Kotzen out at Paarl. Kotzen won this race two years running with the top class Badger’s Cove and the very smart Lady Windermere.
This must be a stepping stone for Jet Belle’s short term goal of the J&B Met, where she holds sixteenth position on the log. Owner Colin Bird has sold shares in this lovely filly to Drakenstein Stud, in whose silks she will race on Saturday. Jet Belle is a versatile filly who has won 3 races up to 1450m, but has been campaigned over further ad has unfortunately lived for most of her career in the shadow of the brilliant Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top.
She returned full of fire from a just over three months rest following Champions Day, and won a sprint beating Summer Adieu over the Turffontein 1160m in mid November. She will be ridden by Andrew Fortune and she could well enjoy the 1Kenilworth 1200m test on her local debut, if not in need of a stretch.
Misfiring
Gavin Van Zyl’s Franny ran in a Pinnacle Stakes at Kenilworth last Saturday, and finished just over 2 lengths behind surprise winner, Barbosa. The daughter of Trippi is a top sprinter , but appears to have lost the plot somewhat. That said, she will be more comfortable against her own, and could bounce back to threaten.
Marshall Duo
Vaughan Marshall sends out a coupling of Captain’s Lullaby and the Var filly, Valdivia. Riding arrangements would suggest that Valdivia is the stable elect, but after her below par effort last Saturday, it may be worth considering Captain’s Lullaby.
Ossie Noach knows the daughter of Captain Al well, and while she ran close to seven lengths behind Fairyinthewoods in the Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes, she did run the same filly to a half length in her penultimate start and is a very capable course and distance winner.
No Excuses
Valdivia ran at last Saturday’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting in an MR 88 Handicap over 1200m. That race was won by the promising Maybe Yes and Valdivia, after running prominently, had nothing to come late and faded to finish a 3,65 length fifth. Her rider MJ Byleveld said prior to that race that, failing her being slow away, she would go close.
That effort must have thus disappointed her connections and with no excuses, it is difficult giving her any chance of improving to get any near the likes of Welwitschia on these weight terms.
Soul Searching
Justin Snaith can never be ignored in races of this nature and he saddles another Captain Al in the 4yo Captainofmysoul. A course and distance winner, it is possible that she needed her last outing when going down just under three lengths to Gold Academy over 1400m and her formline shows some excellent runner up efforts behind some very good sorts.
Power Duo
Dennis Drier and Sean Cormack come off the high of a great day in last Saturday’s Queen’s Plate meeting and they go to war with the Australian bred mare, Torra Bay. The daughter of Cape Cross has battled to regain her impeccable earlier promise and has her third run down in the Cape this season.
Interestingly she gave 2, 5kgs and beat Reflective Image last season, with a certain Hammie’s Hooker well beaten into third. Torra Bay is a very capable sprinter at best. The move to fit her with blinkers may be the dealmaker required to get her back to something near her peak performance.
Hot Hatt
The form combination of Glen Hatt and Brett Crawford send out the highly consistent Tamburlaine mare Reflective Image. She loves the course and distance and ran a storming second behind Victorian Secret in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes run over 100m shorter at the end of December. Reflective Image will keep the likes of Jet Belle and Welwitschia honest, and will be finishing her race off as she always does.
Power Play
Back To Sprints. Mike Bass’ Irridescence Stakes winner Pure Power could challenge at best
Mike Bass won this race two years running with the top class Covenant and he sends out the Irridescence Stakes winner Pure Power. She reverts to sprinting after trying her luck around the turn in the Fillies features. She finished well when just under two lengths fourth to the smart In The Fast Lane in the 1400m Gr2 Choice Carriers Championship in November . She didn’t cope with her Fillies Guineas bash, but may be more comfortable over the 1200m.
Swimming
Paul Reeves’ Sea Cat is a game daughter of Var who had a tough campaign in 2013 against the best of her year. Both of her victories have been recorded down the Kenilworth sprint track and her fourth in the Gr1 Allan Roberston Fillies Championship at Scottsville behind the very fast Happy Valentine is an indicator of her ability.
Sea Cat also ran a cracker when fifth behind In The Fast Lane in the Cape Fillies Guineas from a poor draw, and she comes in with serious hopes of upstaging the older Welwitschia. At best, she must be capable of a good placed effort.
Right One
Mike De Kock’s Welwitschia’s showing in the Diadem Stakes and the fact that she is well in at the weights, makes her a very popular choice in a race that looks tailormade for her. Jet Belle is no slouch and her participation adds plenty of interest, while the consistent Captainofmysoul and Reflective Image could be best of the rest.
