Good Terms. Yvette Bremner’s Copper Parade is all set to register his ninth win when he takes on Cape challenger Cap Alright on Friday
Port Elizabeth dominates the national limelight this weekend with the running of the R150 000 Listed East Cape Sprint Cup over 1200m at Fairview on Friday. A quality field of nine goes to post and on the weight for age terms of the race, it would appear a straightforward puzzle to unravel.
On paper the handicapper has done the hard yards for us and the highest rated, or best, horse should win. That is in the nature of a weight for age contest and why the purists enjoy these races. Technically they should run in saddlecloth number order but we all know well that horseracing is never quite as straightforward as that.
Other Factors
Amongst the other factors at play in assessing form and finding the winner, such as fitness and going and distance suitability, it is worth noting that on 2 December last year Eastern Cape horses had their merit ratings reduced by 6 points as a means of overcoming the real (or perceived) unfair advantage of horses from major centres.
This followed the application of a countrywide hike of 6 MR points in August 2013, which was subsequently overturned and reversed in December in Gauteng, KZN and the Western Cape.
It was felt that there was an over-reliance on correcting the slippage factor in merit based handicapping by simply increasing the ratings of the equine population by 6 points across the board.
Review
Magic In Motion. The gallant Cap Alright bids for his first win in the Eastern Cape and has Copper Parade to beat
It was tendered that the inequalities would have been better addressed by determining a systemic review of the Merit Rating system rather than a short term solution of a 6 points increase.
So while the top two rated runners in Copper Parade and Cap Alright have achieved their respective ratings with solid major centre performances, it may be worth bearing the ‘December discount’ in mind when we consider the chances of the locals.
In other words, there may be lurkers who are slightly better than they are rated on paper. The top two rated runners differing styles should also make for a fascinating sub plot.
Copper Parade is versatile but he likes to be kept quiet a few lengths off the pace and then pounce late. On the flipside of the coin, the perpetual motion machine Cap Alright enjoys to go up and grind his opposition with a relentless style of plugging away.
On Parade
Yvette Bremner’s soldier Copper Parade has never been more enthusiastic about his racing than he is at the current time. The 6yo gelded son of Lecture has been a colourful character of the local turf since winning the only Gr1 of his career in the boardroom. That was his dramatic finish under Piere Strydom when getting the decision over Kavanagh in the 2010 Golden Horseshoe.
That was to be his only win over 1450m and besides two 1200m victories, five of his wins have been over 1000m. In the form of his life at the moment, Copper Parade has won 3 of his last 5 starts, including a terrific effort in the Listed Gold Loom Handicap at Turffontein.
He won his last outing over the Fairview 1000m beating three of the opponents e meets on Friday. Tetelestai was 1,25 lengths behind him when producing a powerful finishing effort and is now 1,5 kgs better off. Sedge was beaten 3 lengths and is 4kgs worse off, while London Perfect was beaten 3,75 lengths and is a kilo better off with Copper Parade.
Quite Alright
Justin Snaith’s coupling of Cap Alright and Bois De Var are serious runners. Cap Alright has registered four of his nine wins over 1200m (he won his maiden over 1400m) and contrary to popular perception, he could well be more effective over 1200m as he gets older.
He won a cracker in the Listed Val De Ra Sprint over 1100m in the Cape Summer Season and his subsequent runs in the Gr2 Diadem Stakes (1,75 lengths behind Welwitschia) and the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship (4 lengths behind champion Via Africa) make him a huge runner in this company.
He has never won in the Eastern Cape and Snaith will be keen to avenge his level weights beating by Copper Parade in the Cradock Place Stakes in October 2013 over the Arlington 1200m. Bois De Var is a powerful galloper who is slightly off his best lately. The 7yo would have a serious chance if recapturing his best form.
Smith Duo
Gavin Smith sends out 2013 Emerald Cup winner In A Rush and Sedge. In A Rush is a former champion juvenile of this province and his career peak was a scintillating win in Africa’s richest race on sand, the 2013 Gr2 Emerald Cup.
In A Rush came up trumps last time when beating Silent Partner over 1400m on the polytrack, but appears held on the turf. Francois Herholdt renews his association with him.
The Silvano gelding Sedge was a very promising 3yo who has failed to carry that good early form through to his 4yo year. He is bred on the lines of a horse who should go 2000m but shows plenty of pace and tends to fade in the final stages. He enjoyed a 4kgs apprentice claim last time when well beaten at level weights by Copper Parade, and despite Aldo Domeyer’s expertise in the saddle, he looks hard pressed to make an impression.
Consistent
The ten time winning Tetelestai registered all of his career wins over the minimum trip and is yet to win since relocating to PE and seven starts later. He has run two fast finishing seconds at his last two outings and while seemingly better off with Copper Parade on their last clash, he should still play second fiddle to the Bremner runner.
Tara Laing’s Vauclair has won six of his last ten starts and while he would have doubtless been better off in a handicap, he cannot be disregarded as he is fit and hails from a form stable.
Balance
Wayne Agrella rides the speedy London Perfect who is a consistent and fit son of Muhtafal. A course and distance winner and a horse who always gives of his best, he looks to have a tough task at the weights and his connections are possibly hopeful of some place money at best.
Hekkie Strydom’s Russian Mig is a winner of 7 races and is a gelding who never runs a bad race. That said, he appears to have plenty of ground to make up with the top two horses in this field and he could probably run on off a fast pace for the back end of quartets at best.
Tough Choice
While there should be little to choose between the top two, we are leaning towards the prospects of Copper Parade, who is selected to swoop late and beat the gallant Cap Alright.
There is plenty of pace in the race and our deduction is that Cap Alright could have a fight out front and wont be allowed to dictate matters. Vauclair and London Perfect look best of the rest.
