The Snaith Racing Team will still be on a high after their stunning performance in the Vodacom Durban July last Saturday. They could make it a hat-trick of R250 000 Gr3 Winter Derby victories with the smart Doublemint on Saturday.
Doublemint – will enjoy the extra
The absence of boom 3yo Rainbow Bridge takes some of the sparkle out of the R1 million Highlands Cape Winter Series third leg at Kenilworth on Saturday.
It was hoped by many that Eric Sands’ emerging star would bid to emulate Pocket Power and African Night Sky and make it a clean sweep by winning the Gr3 Winter Derby.
That won’t be the case but it leaves the door open for one of nine up-and-coming young stayers of tomorrow to register a first Gr3 victory.
Topping the SP ratings, the Gr3 Politician Stakes winner Doublemint placed in both of the first two legs of the Winter Series and carries top weight as the only stakes winner in the field. The son of Twice Over – who sired last Saturday’s July winner Do It Again – should relish the step up in trip and is sure to go very close at his third run after a rest.
Joey Ramsden’s Rock My Soul – yet another Twice Over – is one of only two winners over 2400m in the field. Bang in form, he has won two of his last three starts and looks set for a big run.
Joey Ramsden – saddles Rock My Soul
Spring Man was beaten 1,25 lengths by Doublemint in the Winter Classic and has not quite lived up to expectations after an eyecatching fifth behind Eyes Wide Open in the Gr1 Investec Cape Derby.
On the subject of unrealised potential, the talented Ancestry has written the text book! The son of Oratorio had two near miss serious stakes experiences as a 2yo but has battled to find his feet as a 3yo. He has not earned in six runs this term but is just too classy to write off yet.
The nicely bred Love Happens – a stablemate to Doublemint – ran a 1,55 length third in the Winter Guineas but was a bit one-paced when finishing just behind Doublemint and Spring Man in the Classic. He is another who could put it all together over the extra.
Pacific Chestnut, the first of the Bass-Robinson trio , was beaten 6 lengths in the Winter Classic but could well prefer this test, having shed his maiden over 2400m. His dam won up to 3200m, which adds to the thought that he could be a different proposition over the extra.
Man About Town beat the promising Magnificent Seven at his maiden success in February but was well beaten in both first two legs of this series. He may find it tough to turn the tables.
Ballad Of The Sea is held by Rock My Soul on his last run when beaten 3 lengths by the Ramsden runner. He was placed at 2500m at his penultimate start so may have scope to improve.
Aldo Domeyer rides Power Tower (Pic – Chase Photogrraphy)
Power Tower – lowest rated of the Bass-Robinson trio – is the mount of stable jockey Aldo Domeyer. The son of Husson beat Rock My Soul in receipt of 4,5kgs at his penultimate start but now faces the Ramsden galloper at level weights.
Doublemint and Rock My Soul look set to slog this out.
The underfoot conditions could make it even more testing. Let’s give Ancestry another chance – and Love Happens must go into quartets
