Champion sire Captain Al, currently on course to record his eighth consecutive leading sire of 2yo’s title, has dominated both the Gr3 Cape Nursery and Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery in recent years.
The Merry Widow – out to maintain her 100% record
In 2015, Captain Al’s son Captain Chaos won the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery, and daughters of the sire, Petala and Sublime Lady, filled the first two spots in the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery.
Captain Al sired fillies have won the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery on no four few occasions- Flower’s Angel (2009), Trinity House (2011), Wheredowego (2013), and Petala (2015).
Remarkably, in 2009, Captain Al fillies Flower’s Angel and Possible Dream ran 1-2, while Captain Al daughters filled the first three home in 2013, and last year, Captain Al fillies finished first and second in the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery.
Captain Al only has a single filly running in Saturday’s R200 000 Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery and that is unbeaten star filly The Merry Widow.
The Drakenstein Stud owned filly was a convincing winner of the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint last time and looks a massive runner in the eight horse field.
Mike Bass
She is 3kgs better off with the exciting Mike Bass runner Live Life who ran on well but was left a half length short in the Perfect Promise Sprint.
Felicity Flyer showed nice improvement and plenty of pace to stay on well for third there a further half length back and the daughter of Noordhoek Flyer is another who is 3kgs worse off with The Merry Widow.
The second of the Snaith runner is debut winner Nordic Breeze, who was slow out and eased running in the Perfect Promise Sprint.
The daughter of Windrush finished fifth of seven and beaten 5 lengths – at 3kgs worse off, she too will have plenty of leeway to make up.
The Australian-bred Chill Baby Chill is the last of Saturday’s runners to have contested the Perfect Promise Sprint.
The daughter of Starcraft ran second last and 7,25 lengths behind the winner. That was disappointing following a smart post-maiden showing behind Miranda Frost (who ran below par!) .
With Andrew Fortune up, Chill Baby Chill can be included in quartets in the small field.
Brett Crawford – saddles China Pearl
Brett Crawford’s speedy China Pearl came good at her fourth start when showing oodles of pace over Saturday’s track and trip to beat debutante Saint Janine.
The daughter of Var could build on the confidence and can be expected to improve further.
Joey Ramsden’s Don’t Stop Dancing was scratched from the Perfect Promise Sprint ‘not eating up’.
The daughter of Dynasty was a very impressive winner over the course and distance when popping up unfancied on debut. She showed a terrific turn of foot coming from lengths back to win well and we know that a Ramsden first-time winner has to be above average.
Greg Ennion’s Gypsy Beauty is the only maiden in the race and a brave entry given the credentials of the opposition.
She looks held by Live Life on earlier form and has a place chance at peak.
The Merry Widow looks difficult to oppose with the Avontuur-bred pair of Live Life and Don’t Stop Dancing the dangers.
Include Chill Baby Chill as a quartet kicker.
