Jet Supreme (red) downs her smart stablemate Acrostar in the 2014 running of the Final Fling Stakes
Heavyweight rider Bernard Fayd’herbe has missed out on a place in the Western Province Eagles team for Saturday’s Interprov Rider Cup at Greyville as he has contractual obligations at Kenilworth. He will thus be keen to turn at least one of his quality rides into a winner and the class act Jet Supreme must have as good a chance as any in the R250 000 Gr3 Final Fling Stakes.
Fayd’herbe is contractually bound to Ridgemont Stud and will also be hitched to the Snaith Express from 19 August. Read more about that later on in these pages.
The Final Fling Stakes is often a last chance saloon for soon-to-be retiring fillies and mares to pick up up a splash of value adding black type en route to the paddocks. The grand dame Jet Supreme races off a 101 and besides being the senior in the party, she really should be able to beat them on these weight terms.
The major obstacle to Jet Supreme’s aspirations may lie in the nnow two pronged 3yo challenge – Moonsong Magic has been scratched.
Only 0,70 lengths separated Cat And The Moon, Moonsong Magic and Crystal Cavern in the 2200m Listed Winter Oaks at the end of June and the drop in distance should have some bearing on their chances of avenging bruised ego’s.
Cat And The Moon winning the Winter Oaks – both Moonsong Magic (2nd) and Crystal Cavern (3rd) are back for more
Crystal Cavern has an electric turn of foot and will enjoy a decent gallop to bring out her best. She has won from 1200m to a mile but reminds one of her half-sister Priceless Jewel in terms of pure guts – even though they enjoyed very different racing styles.
Now rising 5, Mike Bass will no doubt feel a little frustrated about the Captain Al filly Alascan Maiden.
The enigmatic Alascan Maiden – could put it all together and upset
Just a two-time winner, she has often flattered only to deceive but exhibited her well-being with a running on third in the Listed Ladies Mile behind her stablemate Lanner Falcon.
The Glen Kotzen-trained Listed Jamaica Handicap winner Omaticaya finished just behind Alascan Maiden there but has not won in over a year.
She will be piloted by the wily Andrew Fortune, who could get a few lengths improvement out of her.
Tough
It looks quite a hard ask for the rest.
Carl Burger’s four-time winning Dynasty’s Pride is a gallant front runner who would probably enjoy a kind track.
It is worrying that she has not won in eight months and her last two runs have not been particularly impressive. Brandon Morgenrood is a shrewd strong jockey and he could get her into the back end of quartets with some creative tactical play.
Going My Own Way is a daughter of recently deceased Sail From Seattle and would be the Bass second stringer.
She has won 3 of 16 starts and often produces a late flourish. Off a 78 rating it is difficult to see her troubling the proven class.
Harold Crawford-trained Can Cope dead heated with Going My Own Way at her penultimate jump, but has to find 2kgs on the Bass runner.
Can Cope has been a consistent and loyal servant to her owners but looks an optimistic runner at best.
The Choice
The 3yo duo are fit and well and will be no pushovers. But the going is likely to come up heavy, and that will throw things wide open.
But if at her best, Jet Supreme looks hard to collar and could ring up a Final Fling double.
