Progressive. The Jallad gelding Johnny Rockets has an electrifying turn of foot and could register his first major win on Saturday
The absence of the winner of the first two legs takes some of the sparkle out of the final leg of the R850 000 Cape Winter Series at Kenilworth on Saturday. Readytogorightnow stays at home, but trainer Justin Snaith has made up to racing enthusiasts in no small measure with a smart quartet representing his red hot yard.
Readytogorightnow won the first leg, the R200 000 Gr3 Winter Guineas run over a mile on 5 May and followed up impressively in the R200 000 Gr3 Winter Classic run over 1800m on 2 June. The Australian bred colt’s absence means the R250 000 bonus is also safe.
Quartets
Obviously Justin believes that he may not have stayed the 2400mof the R200 000 Gr3 Winter Derby on Saturday, but the young trainer still has a major shout with his four runners. Mike Bass also sends out a quartet of runners. The most exciting and progressive of the Snaith four is probably the Jallad gelding Johnny Rockets, who has won 3 of his last 4 starts in dazzling style.
The Riverworld Stud bred gelding races in the interests of former Western Cape Chapter Chairman Ken Truter and has shown a promising and impressive turn of foot with his late flying finishes.
On paper Johnny Rockets looks hard pressed to beat the likes of King Of Pain and Ze Kaiser, but he is patently a progressive sort and appears to run for Hong Kong bound Karis Teetan.
Top 3yo
Joey Ramsden’s King Of Pain is one of the Cape’s top 3yo’s and has this lot beaten if the merit ratings are to be believed. The Selangor Cup winner was well beaten into second by Readytogorightnow in the Winter Guineas, and then came out flat in the Winter Classic to finish unplaced and 3,10 lengths behind the same horse. He is obviously too good a horse to disregard here, but will have to show character to pick himself up from that effort.
Stout Family
Classy. The Silvano gelding Ze Kaiser has shown good ability and a first stakes win looks overdue
Another grey is the Mike Bass trained Ze Kaiser, a full brother to last Friday’s 3600m PE Gold Cup winner Crown Of Gold. Based on the family performance, one would imagine that Ze Kaiser will relish his first venture beyond 2000m. The son of Silvano ran on strongly for second in the Winter Classic and won an excellent race over a mile as a 3yo in open company at Durbanville in April.
Ze Kaiser also came perilously close to upstaging Love Struck on L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate day in the Listed Breeders Cup Politician Stakes. He is a good sort who looks overdue to score a first stakes win.
Bass Balance
Lightly raced. The Silvano gelding Gifted For Glory is a promising lightly raced sort and looks capable of upsetting the odds
The balance of the Bass runners all have a shout. Neartic Dancer returns from Port Elizabeth where he ran on strongly for second in the East Cape Derby. That was an excellent first try at ground, and the son of Go Deputy looks like an out and out staying sort.
He has not run for some six weeks, but is a runner with Karl Neisius up. The Trippi gelding Paterfamilias has been rather disappointing and did not threaten in the first two legs of this series. He cost all of R2,1 million and was highly thought of early on in his career. He ran a good fourth in the Selangor Cup, but has failed to deliver on that promise.
Being out of a Badger Land mare he could well stay the 2400m. Gifted For Glory is a Silvano gelding out of an outstanding Badger Land mare. His mom, a Gr1 winner, was trained by Glen Kotzen and won 8 times. The lightly raced sort has won three of his six starts, but has tended towards inconsistency at times.
Include
The remainder of the Snaith quartet are worth including in quartets. Skippyjon Jones returns to the Cape after an extended spell in PE. The son of Black Minnaloushe has won twice in a year and always runs on strongly. He ran a good second after hanging last time behind Celtic Fire. He is held by Placido and Neartic Dancer on his East Cape Derby run though.
Parker is also held by those two but stayed on well for fourth in the Winter Classic last time. His style of racing may not suit the extended trip here and it will be interesting to see the tactics adopted on the son of Lundy’s Liability. Glen Hatt rides the Casey Tibbs gelding Cigar Boy, who also runs in the Truter silks. He has been rested about ten weeks and is likely to need this run.
Good Money
Alan Greeff’s Placido travels down from Port Elizabeth to have a tilt at the good money. The son of Miesque’s Approval has won 4 of his 17 starts and ran a cracking third last time in the East Cape Derby behind True Master. He will be ridden by Andrew Fortune, and is a solid sort who needs to be considered.
Glen Puller’s Surging River gelding Awesome Power ran on strongly in the Winter Classic to finish a 2,50 length third to Readytogorightnow. That was an excellent effort after jumping awkwardly.
Class Sort
King Of Pain represents the class, but appears a little off form at the moment. On current form we are going with Johnny Rockets and Ze Kaiser to fight things out. The PE challenger Placido is a consistent distance proven sort, while Gifted For Glory could be the lurker.
The Lektron Winter Derby and Winter Oaks are the features on the Kenilworth Saturday programme. It is also the last chance to receive three free entries in an incredible draw which includes the grand prize of a Lektron Appliance Makeover to the value of R30 000.
Racegoers also stand a chance of winning a fantastic consolation prize of a table for two at three Summer Season racedays viz the J&B Met, the L’Ormarins Queens Plate and the Lektron Chairman’s Cup, which takes place on the Cape Town Prawn festival day. The prize is valued at R10 000. Entrants must be on track to claim their prize so there really is no excuse not to be at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Aside from the huge prize giveaways and thrilling trackside racing action on the day, free kids entertainment and a scrumptious selection of a la carte menu will be available in the Paddock Room on the first floor. Indoor craft and food markets will ensure there’s something for everyone at Kenilworth. For more information visit www.tabonline.co.za and click on events.
