Today’s Kenilworth eight-race card on the summer course will play second fiddle to the Greyville action up the East Coast but the probable final run as a 2yo by the exciting odds-on shot General Franco, will keep the interest focussed on the Southern Suburbs venue.
With the false rail placed at the original position with a 3m spur at the 600m marker, the meeting gets under way at 12h50 – a Juvenile Plate where Snaith’s General Franco can pay his own tribute to the late Jack Mitchell by turning in a second mind-blowing performance in the opening Suburban Spares Juvenile Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow.
Michael Clower reports on www.goldcircle.co.za that the son of Frankel, only the fourth by the great horse to race in South Africa, took the breath away with the sustained acceleration he produced to power through the field to slam the best of the opposition by three and a half highly impressive lengths a month ago. Admittedly most of them were fellow newcomers but second-placed Three Two Charlie franked the form in no uncertain fashion at Durbanville last Sunday.
The General looked as if he would be a worthy opponent for Captain Of Stealth in next month’s Langerman but Jono Snaith says that was never the plan – “It was always our intention to run him in something like Saturday’s race and then put him away. He has done really well since his first run and has improved a lot.”
Snaith added that he has a lot of respect for 5-1 second favourite King Of Gems who also won first time out, admittedly by a narrower margin and in much less spectacular manner. “That was a good effort to win on debut,” says the in-form Brett Crawford. “He is working well and he has done well.”
Captain Of Stealth’s trainer Vaughan Marshall is represented by 11-1 shot Fearless Warrior who also won on debut but disappointed when starting second favourite for the Somerset 12 days ago. The course vet could find nothing wrong but it is perhaps significant that he is being asked to turn out again so soon.
The Joey Ramsden pair of Double Alliance (8-1) and Minnesota Dream (9-1) also won at the first time of asking. The former has been off since his fifth in the Met day Listed race and Minnesota Dream was fourth in the Somerset.
Marco Polo (15-1) is the Snaith second string and drops back a furlong after finishing over seven lengths behind Captain Of Stealth at Durbanville. His running will provide an interesting comparison with the Marshall star.
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