Hat Trick. Ormonde Ferraris and Nooresh Juglall team up in the Oppenheimer silks with Cherry On The Top
A classy field of 3yo fillies lines up for Saturday’s R175 000 Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes at Turffontein. Mike De Kock’s undefeated daughter of Dansili, Espumanti, should be the star attraction and a worthy addition to the winner’s roll of a race named in honour of one of the great fillies of yesterday.
The late Daytona Stud supremo, German Industrialist Arthur Pfaff, bred the 1979 Arc de Triomphe winner Three Troikas. A granddaughter of Northern Dancer, the filly was purchased by Alec Head’s Haras du Quesnay from Pfaff and was raced in the name of his wife Ghislaine Head’s name. In a family affair of note, she was trained by their daughter Criquette, and was ridden by their son Freddy.
Racing as a three-year-old, Three Troikas won several important races including the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Prix Saint-Alary and Prix Vermeille. She capped a wonderful season with a win against older horses in France’s most prestigious race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The victory made Criquette Head the first, and still the only woman in history to train an Arc winner. Three Troikas’ 1979 performance made her the highest-rated three-year-old in Europe.
Variance
Despite a 6kg variance in their respective loads, the race looks a straight tussle between De Kock’s British bred three time winner and Ormonde Ferraris’ vastly more experienced Cherry On The Top, who has come into her own of late.
The Wilgerbosdrift owned Espumanti has taken her baby steps with impressive resolve and a touch of class. She is beautifully bred being out of the Reprimand mare, Jouet.
Espumanti made her debut over the 1160m at Turffontein in early December and skated home by 3,25 lengths, before coming out two weeks later over 40m further to win by 1,25 lengths. Her last win three weeks ago over Saturday’s course and distance was her most impressive to date.
Allowed to stride by Anthony Delpech, who was riding her for the first time, she drew off to beat Sea Shadow by 5,50 lengths easing up.She is 2kgs better off here with Sea Shadow, and looks untouchable.
Tough Cookie
Cherry On The Top is no slouch and this is shown by her track record of 5 wins from 7 starts. The daughter of Tiger Ridge has to give Espumanti 6kgs, and may be slightly more effective over a mile as she takes a while to get going in her races.
She won a cracker last time when getting the better of Cherry On The Cake when giving her 2,5kgs. She showed tremendous fight and courage, but may lack a length of toe on this track and trip.
She won the Gr3 Fillies Mile with a storming finish to beat subsequent runaway winner Fire Wheel easily, and it is worth noting that the latter ran a terrific third only a half length behind the much vaunted Alexandra Palace in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes at her very next start.
Distance Suited. King’s Temptress may enjoy the Three Troika’s test and should be included
No Depth
The rest are much of a muchness,and should struggle to assert themselves. The Fillies Nursery winner King’s Temptress and the Dominic Zaki trained Sea Shadow probably warrant a mention, but only if at their best. King’s Temptress is battling to register a second win after that shocking Gr2 win on debut. She has changed stables though and probably found the interprovincial transfers unsettling.
She ran two fair places in the Magnolia and the Swallow Stakes at her last two sprint outings, and finishes her races like a filly who is crying out for more ground. Her earlier efforts up to a mile counter that argument somewhat, but she may be maturing now and could enjoy her lightweight under the experienced Robbie Fradd at her first course and distance attempt.
In The Deep
Sea Shadow jumps from a nice draw and won a top race over the course and distance last time. That was in soft going though and she beat a rather moderate sort in London Dipper. At her previous outing she was beaten by Espumanti and is 2kgs worth off with the De Kock bomb.
Gavin Van Zyl’s Toreador filly Twitter has her first run in Gauteng, and is poorly drawn at 10.She is unproven at this level previously. Sean Tarry’s Amber Orchid has her first run since a disappointing 17-10 shocker in the Fillies Mile. She was beaten fifteen lengths by Cherry On The Top, and even with a 6 kg weight turnaround, it is unlikely seeing her turn the tables.
The lightly weighted Espumanti looks something exciting in the making. We are siding confidently with the Mike De Kock filly to continue on her winning ways and select her to beat Cherry On The Top, with Sea Shadow and King’s Temptress fighting over the place money.
An upset result looks highly unlikely!
