The Pick 6 for Kenilworth’s big Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas meeting will include a R400,000 carryover and the pool is expected to reach R2,1 million, which will be a nice carrot for punters.
The first leg is a Maiden over 1200m.
Anton Marcus has chosen Arctic Blast above Overshadow
Recently there does not appear to have been any draw bias down the straight at Kenilworth and the side they end up taking over towards appears to have more to do with the pace of the race than anything else. Anton Marcus has chosen Arctic Blast above Overshadow.
The former showed good natural pace last time and stayed on well to record his third runner up spot in four outings. He could be a banker, although another one to possibly include could be Impressed, who was a well beaten third on debut but caught the eye as one with plenty of scope for improvement.
The second leg is the Non-Black Type Racing Association Need For Speed Sprint over 1000m, a conditions race in which Western Storm and Tar Heel are officially best and second best in respectively.
However, they were both well beaten by Captain Chaos when they last met over this course and distance.
Captain Chaos wins the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery
That was back in June, but since then Captain Chaos has only been tried over further, possibly in preparation for the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m, in which he finished a cracking third. He looks likely to enjoy the step back to this trip and is the one to beat.
Forward Drive is highly regarded and won well over course and distance last time out so is another who must be included. Juan Two Three has put in some impressive performances in Port Elizabeth and is another to include, especially considering he is now being trained by the masterful Dennis Drier.
Tar Heel could possibly be a consideration and of the others the filly Just Felicity is worth considering.
The third leg is the Listed Jet Master Stakes and Justin Snaith holds the trump cards.
Kingvoldt makes most appeal as he has always been talented and has now had the gelding which he badly needed. However, Snaith’s stable jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe has opted for Heartland, another talented type, who was slow maturing and should now be coming into his own.
Kingvoldt – gelding could tilt the scales
The capable Light The Lights is best in at the weights and is another one who is sure to have benefitted from gelding as he became a difficult customer in the latter half of last season and continually disappointed. He should be cherry ripe after two good recent sprints.
Those three make most appeal and beyond them the entire field has to be considered.
Next up is the big one and Silver Mountain looks a special horse who is going to be hard to beat.
The Mike Bass yard continually delivered the meeting banker in the days of the great Pocket Power and the filly will be prepared to the tee so is worth taking a chance with as a sole Pick 6 inclusion.
The next leg is the Gr 3 Cape Summer Stayers Handicap over 2500m and a small field of eight faces the starter.
The pace of Kenilworth staying races is notoriously difficult to predict due to the varying wind conditions and jockeys reluctance to lead into the prevailing headwind. This usually plays havoc with the form so it might be worth including the whole field in this race.
The last leg is a high class Conditions Plate over 1400m.
The brilliant Same Jurisdiction and the twice Gr 1-winner Inara, who is unbeaten in two starts over this trip this season, are the stand out must-includes.
Top-class Same Jurisdiction must be included
Alexis is full of class and speed, making this trip her probable optimum, and she is also best in at the weights so is worthy of inclusion.
Fear Not is a highly progressive sort who is drawn in pole over an ideal course and distance and she must be considered despite having a tough task at the weights on official merit ratings.
Eventual Angel is also full of class and the best has likely not been seen of her yet, so she can’t be ignored. The courageous Siren’s Call has proven form against the best so must be considered as the Champion Sean Tarry yard will have her ready for her seasonal reappearance.
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