The withdrawal of Starling Stakes winner Madame Dubois has thrown the R275 000 Gr3 Fillies Mile wide open. At face value on official ratings, there are plenty in under sufferance and they may provide some options for elimination in the structuring of exotic perms.
Persian Rug – could atone for last run
The clue to finding the key to the golden treasure chest of that R5 million plus Pick 6 will once again lie in the structure of the permutation. With one or two other legs throwing up a narrower option in terms of a banker, we may have to look at including a few extra safeguards here in the hope of an upset result. Which looks a distinct possibility.
Mike De Kock has a strong three cornered hand and while couplings have no relevance in any of our betting options, the stable will need to be included.
Muzi Yeni rides Persian Rug
Highest rated filly in the line up after Made Dubois has fallen away is the Ideal World filly Persian Rug, who comes in off a rather disappointing effort in the Yellowwood Handicap won by her less fancied stablemate The Centenary.
Persian Rug ran handily and faded out like a filly short on fitness.
Her previous form in KZN spoke of a filly headed in the right direction and she may warrant inclusion in this field. She has drawn wide, and that may put off a few fans.
Her stablemate Shaama has been withdrawn.
Second of the De Kock duo is Alessia, who won two on the Greyville polytrack before running a decent opening Gauteng race with a foreign jockey in the irons.
She stumbled in running but still managed to get within under two lengths of Paris Princess. She is nicely drawn and may be better than her 87 rating suggests.
Joan Ranger ran on very stoutly from a midfield draw in the Starling Stakes and Lucky Houdalakis’ daughter of Horse Chestnut has shown flashes of decent ability at all of her 4 starts.
If she can overcome the 12 draw, she has to be a runner in this company.
Mike Azzie’s Querari filly Melliflora finished over 3 lengths behind Joan Ranger in the Starling Stakes, and then came out to have her colours lowered by Ruby Ruby, when starting in the red.
On her very best form she will find her way into most pundits’ reckoning as a likely winner, but is another who has her hopes stifled to some extent by her wide draw.
Andrew Fortune – partners Sapsan
David Niewenhuizen celebrated his birthday this week and it would be a massive late celebration were Andrew Fortune able to work some magic on the perennial place earner Sapsan.
The daughter of Lateral has only won once in 12 starts and always runs on too late. A perfect illness for Dr Fortune to cure!
Alec Laird’s Ntoma was a facile recent odds-on course and distance maiden winner and looks likely to be competitive, despite her 89 MR.
The daughter of Count Dubois really won well and has done little wrong in 4 starts. Include the Sherminator!
Johan Janse van Vuuren trained Negroamaro found the plunge from her maiden win straight into the Starling Stakes a little tough to cope with, but was not disgraced with a five length fifth placed finish.
She actually beat Madame Dubois when winning her maiden, and if that form is to be taken literally, then Negroamaro becomes a real consideration here.
Stan Ferreira’s Juxtapose has confounded the world when winning both her starts so far – one at 16 to 1 and the next at 20 to 1.
She is a well-bred sort and should enjoy the mile at first time of asking.
Her stablemate Tripadvisor is flying under the handicapper’s radar but is consistent and could prove much better than her official 81 MR suggests.
Sean Tarry – expecting a big day
The consistent Intergalactic could be the pick of Sean Tarry’s trio – even though Khumalo rides Heaps Of Fun.
Intergalactic won once from 5 starts in KZN , before fining the Ready To Run feature tough behind Champagne Haze. She ran on strongly last time in an MR 91 Handicap and has performed well at her only two mile starts.
Heaps Of Fun has drawn 10 and actually finished in front of Intergalactic in the Ready To Run bonanza.
She shed her maiden on the Greyville polytrack second time out and is difficult to assess.
It is a tough race – we’d suggest that the De Kock duo, as well as Ntoma, Negroamara, Intergalactic and Tripadvisor be included.
