The R250 000 Highlands, a part of Ridgemont, Gr3 Winter Guineas has been the platform to stardom for many a top 3yo over the years. Today’s renewal hosts a typically competitive class on the Kenilworth summer course.
Flashback to the Langerman – Our Mate Art storms up on the outside
Fourteen runners go to post with Candice Bass-Robinson saddling a quartet of runners in a bid to pull off the double after stable star Marinaresco won the race in 2016.
But it is the in-form 2015 Act Of War winning yard of Joey Ramsden who may hold the aces with the top two in the SP race ratings of I Travel Light and the Australian-bred Newlands.
Mayfair
Leading owners Mayfair Speculators have three runners in the race – both of the Ramsden pair are theirs – but interestingly, first choice jockey Anton Marcus rides Turbulent Air for the Snaiths.
Joey has found a decent sub though in veteran Piere Strydom who rides I Travel Light from the pole draw.
The son of Mambo In Seattle has not seen action in 13 weeks since a fair 3,25 length Guineas seventh behind top galloper William Longsword.
Earlier on, he took subsequent Selangor Cup winner and Cape Guineas and Met placer Gold Standard all the way to the wire in the Racing Association Stakes at Fairview and has always looked above average.
His stablemate Newlands (the mount of Donovan Dillon) returns from a similar rest after his fourth behind Edict Of Nantes in the Cape Derby.
This son of High Chaparral has been on the heels of some class acts and were it not for his 12 draw, he would be an automatic danger.
Skywalker
Justin Snaith – trains African Night Sky
A horse drawn wider than Newlands is African Night Sky, a lightly tried son of Dynasty who won his first two starts in decent style.
The Justin Snaith-trained African Night Sky was a length behind I Travel Light in the Cape Guineas but has the advantage of a prep run under his belt. This R850 000 purchase is bred to go all the way in this series and gets the services of form heavyweight, Bernard Fayd’herbe.
Our Mate Art is the first of the Bass-Robinson attack and he has not fared well with the draw gods.
The son of Artie Schiller won well on debut and has clocked up a string of places at feature level in the interim.
He ran disappointingly in the Cape Classic and Selangor, but looked keener on his return at the beginning of this month.
The Elusive Fort gelding Elevated ran some decent races early on but was rested and given some time to grow into himself after a disappointing effort when last of 9 in the Cape Derby.
He failed to show on his return run at the beginning of April but is highly regarded by his connections and gets a chance to register a long overdue second career victory.
Superman
Anton Marcus – rides Turbulent Air
Anton Marcus travels to the Mother City to ride Turbulent Air, who we must assume is the Mayfair Speculators elect.
The Australian bred gelding ran a cracking third after being slow away on his return run behind the progressive Icon King and with a favourable draw has an excellent chance of building on his flashes of promise from earlier.
Ollivander has his second outing after an unplaced effort in the Investec Cape Derby.
The son of Silvano is likely to be more effective in the second and third leg of this series.
Candid is the third of the Bass-Robinson quartet.
His current form does not look up to the standard of winning here.
The improving Rinjani ran second behind Gimme The Stars in the East Cape Guineas after casting a shoe in running, and while he looks held by African Night Sky at these weights, may have a back of the quartet chance.
Effective
Verdier is a lightly raced son of Var who shed his maiden over the course and distance.
He ran a decent third in handicap company last time and will be more effective over the extra.
Dual course-and-distance winner Loadshedder has his first try in feature company and looks to be a progressive sort.
The son of Gimmethegreenliight has run on well at all of his starts over the mile and may well be much better than his official rating suggests.
Harold Crawford’s lightly raced maiden winner Perovskia ran on well at his second start and should enjoy the step up in distance. This is only his third start and he is an unknown quantity.
Recent 1200m maiden winner Best Nut Ever tries a mile for the first time and would need to improve dramatically on his current form to feature here.
Greg Ennion’s Mangrove has drawn wides and looks to have a major task off his current rating – and formline – at these weights.
Promising
There are plenty of promising 3yo’s in the line-up and with scope for improvement, the odd form turnover is likely.
We are suggesting that African Night Sky may be the choice to hold I Travel Light and Our Mate Art – with Marcus’s mount Turbulent Air, the lurker.
Elevated and Loadshedder look best of the rest.
