East Cape Champion jockey Greg Cheyne returns from a short holiday to partner the consistent Beataboutthebush for Alan Greeff in Friday’s R150 000 Listed Jockey Club Stakes. The progressive daughter of Gimmethegreenlight should go close in a race populated by older gallopers in search of black type.
Beataboutthebush looks the business
The weight – for –age plus penalties for Gr1, Gr2 and Gr3 wins conditions of the Eastern Cape Fillies and Mares Challenge third leg makes it tough for some of those in the middle to lower ranges and on the face of it, the multiple stakes winning Beataboutthebush looks the scopiest of the 14 starters.
Beataboutthebush has won 5 of her 8 starts and tries the 2000m after going down to Fortissimus over the trip three runs back. She hardly raised a sweat when winning the Paddock Stakes at her last start and from a pole position draw, Greg Cheyne will get the best out of her.
Justin Snaith represents her major opposition with a quartet of challengers. Snaith saddled the top two in this race last year and takes the blinkers off the Dynasty mare Qing, who comes off a quiet KZN campaign. This lightly campaigned four-time winner could beat this bunch if running to her best rating and will be staying on late.
Peach Delight – versatile and gutsy
The seven-time winning Peach Delight beat Crackpot when winning her penultimate start over the course and distance but ran an inexplicably poor race in the Paddock Stakes last time. Her 13 draw won’t aid her cause but she is a solid big-hearted galloper and could bounce back to best.
Harvard Crimson ran a nice second in this race last year but has not won in ages and could be boxing for place money again. The daughter of Dynasty comes in here off two Cape feature starts where she never showed – but was not horribly disgraced on the other hand, either!
The very capable Nima is a course and distance winner and ran a cracker at her penultimate start in KZN when chasing Epona home in the East Coast Cup. The merit of that effort was further underlined as she lost a shoe in running. With Richard Fourie up (he won last year for the same yard), she must be a massive challenger.
Crackpot – never runs a bad race
The evergreen 6yo Crackpot is held by Beataboutthebush on her Paddock Stakes run – and in fact by Peach Delight too on earlier form. But the daughter of Judpot is always worth including in bets as she never runs a bad race.
Ex KZN-based Princess Varunya has her second run for Gavin Smith and needs dramatic improvement – with a wide draw to contend with.
Listed East Cape Oaks winner Fortissimus is effective this course and distance and returns to the Eastern Cape after being outgunned in a visit to KZN for the tail end of Champions Season. She has a win (in the Oaks) over Beataboutthebush to her credit and could be the lurker – but needs to run lengths ahead of her official rating at these weights.
Alan Greeff – strong hand
Alan Greeff’s National Emblem mare Sanctuary has lost her form after a three win spell and is held by the top contenders.
Work Ethic was comprehensively hammered in the Paddock Stakes and has not won in over a year. That said, she is likely to prove more competitive and comes in with a good draw
Another Night looks to have a big task here and her recent form is not inspiring.
Christmas Carol was purchased off a sale at Kenilworth recently and has her first run for the Dorrie Sham yard. She has won 4 races and proven a bit in and out at times. She will be more competitive in handicap company.
Cape Marigold was beaten over 10 lengths by Beataboutthebush in the East Cape Paddock Stakes and while that run came after a two month break, she will need to lift her game dramatically.
The 5yo Silvano mare Money Penny has little recent form to recommend her and is unlikely to feature.
The Snaith pair of Qing and Nima look the most likely hurdles to Beataboutthebush making it a winning opener to her 4yo campaign.
