Topweight. Glen Kotzen’s Antonius Du Bois looks way above average but faces a stiff task at the weights
There is no better way to welcome a new sponsor aboard than the presence of a high quality field with an exciting race in prospect. Adjectives escape us as we glance at the mouthwatering lineup for Saturday’s R200 000 Gr3 Elusive Fort Cape Classic, a traditional baby step to classic dreams and higher honours in the months ahead.
Peter De Beyer and the Elusive Fort Syndicate are to be lauded for putting their money where their mouths are. Besides the Var Syndicate throwing their weight behind the unique Speed Series, the involvement of stallion syndicates in race branding has been very limited in the past.
Terrific Field
There are no fillies amongst the terrific field of fourteen 3yo’s that step out on the opening day of the Cape summer season at Kenilworth on Saturday. And but for the notable absence of a representative from the Dean Kannemeyer yard, who have had a brace of smart looking recent young winners, all the leading players appear to have turned up to splash their own dash of colour on the masterpiece that is the unfolding classic picture in the Fairest Cape.
Raiders
It is also appropriate to welcome visiting trainers Gavin Van Zyl and Dennis Drier, the latter having won this race last year with the talented Chave De Oura. Van Zyl recently trained a winner with his first Cape runner, and he has indicated positive sentiments for a big season. Mind you, it is difficult being anything but positive from his beautiful base out at Mike Stewart’s The Dunes in Noordhoek!
This race could prove an entertaining spectacle of a night mare for punters though,with the handicapper’s ratings a guide against the conditions influenced weights.
The conditions of the race indicate that winners carry a basic 52kgs, with a 2kg penalty for each additional win. The catch is that there are additional penalties for feature wins to the tune of 2.5kg for Gr1 wins, 2kgs for Gr2 wins, 1,5kgs for Gr3 wins and a kilo for a Listed win.
Promising
So a promising youngster like Glen Kotzen’s dual feature winner Antonius Du Bois appears up against it on topweight of 59kgs against the likes of the boom colt Red Ray (57kgs) and the unbeaten Strongman on the same scale bar, to mention but two.
Antonius Du Bois is very promising though and his part owner Warren Laird, in whose silks he races, celebrated a lovely winning double for the Kotzen yard at Durbanville last weekend.
The Gr3 Langerman winner Antonius Du Bois has not run since winning the Gr3 Champion Juvenile Stakes at Fairview in mid July, and like Red Ray, may possibly need this outing. But in his favour, he is drawn best of the more fancied contenders.
Ramsden Rating
Back In Town. The classy Red Ray commences his Cape Summer campaign and looks very well weighted
Red Ray is held in the highest esteem by his astute trainer and won his first three races on the trot over the Kenilworth 1200m, without coming off the bit. He was then (wisely or unwisely) shipped North for what looked like a well deserved bash at the Gr1 SA Nursery on Champions Day at Turffontein.
The race, run over 1160m, was executed at a frenetic pace and while not far off, Red Ray appeared to be caught for toe late on and was shockingly (for his odds on backers, anyway) beaten by Willow Magic.
The Australian bred Willow Magic went on to endorse the strength of his form with three excellent Gr1 placed performances at his next three outings in Champions Season.
Red Ray has not run for six months, but his trainer is a noted exponent of the equine treadmill (word has it that he now has two of them) and the son of Western Winter could overcome fitness concerns on pure ability. Short of Mike Bass’ Zambezi Torrent, he looks well weighted to win this.
Zambezi Torrent was not disgraced when running on late in the Matchem to be beaten 4 lengths behind the sensational Capetown Noir. He won the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes during the KZN Champions Season and looks a promising sort in the making. And we all know how keen Mike Bass is to train a Cape Guineas winner!
Puller Power
Unbeaten! The Glen Puller trained Strongman steps up in ground and looks to maintain his perfect record
Glen Puller sends out a coupling of the unbeaten Strongman, and the one time winner Reim. Strongman has won his first three races on the trot and has done little wrong. The son of Stronghold has his first race around the turn and won’t have it easy from a 10 draw. He should enjoy it though, being out of the game Sweet Virginia, who won up to 2400m.
His stablemate, the Ashaawes gelding Reim may be out of his depth at this level on what he has shown to date. Brett Crawford and Glen Hatt (see the Louw Flyer in this issue) have formed a formidable combination this season and they go to post with the course and distance winning Dynasty colt, De Kock.
He finished a 3,75 length second behind Strongman last time. He is now 3kgs better off here and will appreciate the extra 200m, after running on too late there.
Snaith Special
Justin Snaith saddles two runners, including the highly vaunted Dynasty colt, Legislate. Legislate won his maiden in impressive fashion over the Kenilworth mile in early September, beating nothing much at all. He then came out and was fancied to follow up at Durbanville, but met a smart sort in the Elley trained Dynastic Power.
Legislate was not disgraced there, and off a nice weight mark, only has to overcome his draw to show that he is as good as his connections think he is. Snaith’s Cape Nursery winner Flash Drive disappointed when finishing 15,65 lengths behind Strongman last time. He was reported to be ‘blowing heavily’ after the race, and may just have lacked fitness. He will definitely strip a fitter specimen here, and cannot be left out of calculations on his best form.
Marshall Magic
The Vaughan Marshall coupling of Ace Antonius and Exelero have both shown enough promise to be considered here. Ace Antonius won the inaugural KZN Yearling Sale Million late last season. He has drawn on the wide outside and one imagines that MJ Byleveld would have had the choice of rides here.
Exelero ran a seven length third to Strongman last time and meets the Puller runner on 3kgs better terms. He has always been highly thought of and while he failed badly at his only tilt at feature company, may warrant another chance.
Drier Double?
Dennis Drier and his jockey Sean Cormack set out to achieve the double after winning this race last year. Interesting it is another Jet Master that carries their hopes this time round.
Eternal Jet has won two of his three starts, but disappointed in his only start around the turn. Gavin Van Zyl’s Var colt Sagetator has pulled the best draw, and showed his wellbeing with a smooth low level handicap win at Durbanville at his opening Cape outing.
That was his second career win, and while he was found wanting at his only attempt at Gr1 glory behind Kochka in the Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge, he could be improving, and would not have made the Cape bus if not thought worthy of being competitive.
Turn The Page
It is good to see Phillipi conditioner Stephen Page in a feature race again and he saddles the Sail From Seattle colt, Sail South. A winner of his last two starts at Durbanville, he has earned a bash at this level, but is difficult to assess. His dam stayed 2400m , and he may well be a Derby sort in time to come. Piet Steyn saddles the Count Dubois gelding Emperor’s Forest, who won on debut and has shown little in two runs since.
Decision Time
So the decision in a superb race lies with the choice to go with an unexposed lightweight like Legislate, the proven ability of Antonius Du Bois or Red Ray, or support the unbeaten Strongman. Then Dennis Drier should never be underestimated. This is a race not to miss!
