Top Rated. Justin Snaith’s Victorian Secret looks a serious challenger
If merit ratings be the guide, Cape trainers Justin Snaith and Mike Bass should fight over the spoils in the R150 000 Listed Lady’s Pendant run over the turf 1200m at Fairview on Friday. This is nothing new and it is a tribute to the character of the Port Elizabethians that they have never shied away from outside competition.
Bass and Snaith are not the only Capetonians who are travelling up the coast to have a tilt at the East Cape silverware this Friday. Paddy Kruyer (La Patineuse) and Darryl Hodgson (Gouldikova) are the other less frequent visitors from down South.
Defender
Justin Snaith’s speedy Captain Al filly Victorian Secret is a lightly raced but very classy sprinter. She won this race last year and now returns to defend her title.
She was caught short in the Cape Flying Championship when just over nine lengths behind the champion Via Africa. She had won her penultimate start when beating the capable Reflective Image in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes and she will strip fit here. She is certainly handicapped to go very close and a lot will depend on the fitness of her closest rival.
Night Sky
That just happens to be Mike Bass’ Jet Master filly Fly By Night, who had an outing as topweight against the males at Kenilworth last Saturday in an MR 93 Handicap after a break of over three months.
She ran a cracker when finishing a 1,85 length fifth behind the smart sprinter Tiger Tiger and as a stakes placed performer who has finished within 4,25 lengths of the champion Princess Victoria over 1200m, she must be a serious runner here and a threat to the Snaith presence.
Smart
Paddy Kruyer’s National Emblem mare La Patineuse is a smart sort who has not been at her best lately. She comes off a break of 9 weeks when unplaced in the Laisserfaire Sprint and could be held again by the Snaith sprinter.
Dorrie Sham’s Windrush mare Blow Me A Kiss may be a better proposition over the sprints after fading late last time over the 1400m. She has looked very smart at times and like her stablemate I Got You Babe is capable of upsetting the big guns from the Cape.
Smart Sort
Alan Greeff’s Antonius Pius 3yo Yoshie is a stakes winner over the course and distance and showed her wellbeing with an excellent win at her last start after a three month rest. Glen Hatt rides the Milkwood Stud owned and bred filly, who receives plenty of weight from her elders.
Yoshie’s stable companion Flashing Star is always thereabouts and ended a long lean spell by winning her penultimate outing on the Fairview polytrack. She has a place chance at best.
New Lady
New trainer Renate Du Plessis saddles the National Emblem 3yo Lielums, who is very fast. She travelled to Cape Town for her last start and showed up smartly when staying on well behind the hard knocking Jean’s Pride. She must have a place chance at best.
Winter Baby
Darryl Hodgson’s Gouldikova has not won since the dead of winter in Cape Town and appears to be battling. The change of scenery could well be a tonic for her, but she will have to lift her game a few notches to challenge the better sprinters.
Yvette Bremner’s trio is headed by the Ashaawes filly Scented Ash. She ran on well for third behind Guided Arrow last time over 1000m and will prefer the extra here. Her stablemates Joyful Spirit and Vivalda are both out of sorts and look unlikely to challenge.
Shootout
The race looks a straight shootout between the older visitors and the smart 3yo Yoshie. Victorian Secret goes for a double and she may be good enough to hold Fly By Night with Yoshie having to wait another day.
