Class Act. Justin Snaith sends out the Gr3 Matchem Stakes winner Changingoftheguard (Photo: Hamish Niven Photography)
Justin Snaith saddles the 2012 Gr3 Matchem Stakes winner Changingoftheguard when he takes on the local champion Celtic Fire in the R130 000 Listed Memorial Mile which is run at Fairview on Friday. The weight for age terms favour the two top rated runners, but the race is by no means a cut and dried affair.
There are ten other smart contestants to get past, and more than a handful have hit form at the right time. It is a fascinating little race by all accounts. Celtic Fire has been around for so long, he has his fourth run in a feature that looks tailor made for him.
He beat Time And Love in 2010, ran second to Glen Kotzen’s classy Fabiani in 2011, and then won it again in 2012 when he disposed of Shujaa with ease. Celtic Fire is probably as strong as he was a year ago, and he has been blessed with an honorary (of sorts) 1 draw.
Ready
But the visitor Changingoftheguard is a fair sort on his day, and the entire comes in here off a prep run in a conditions plate at Kenilworth five weeks ago. He will be ridden by Snaith’s retained rider Richard Fourie. The son of Go Deputy ran 3,6 lengths behind last Saturday’s impressive Victress Stakes winner Jet Aglow there and while he finished last of just four runners, it was his first outing since a disastrous March 2013 Gauteng raid seven months earlier.
He had run unplaced in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes and the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes, but it is his two late 2012 efforts that show his true ability. Changingoftheguard had beaten King Of Pain and Emerald Cup winner In A Rush in the Gr3 Matchem Stakes before going an excellent fourth behind Variety Club in the Green Point Stakes. He accounted for, amongst others, 2013 J&B Met winner Martial Eagle and the subsequent 2013 Green Point Stakes winner Ice Machine, in that good effort.
Dream Merchant
His major obstacle is provided by Yvette Bremner’s ever reliable Celtic Fire, a dream racehorse to own and a winner of 15 races. He goes for his third Memorial Mile win.
Celtic Fire blotted his immaculate copybook when an ill conceived raid into Gauteng and a tilt at the Charity Mile saw him finish thirteenth and 11,40 lengths behind Royal Zulu Warrior. He jumped from the worst of the draw, and may as well have stayed at home in bed. Celtic Fire jumps from the 1 draw, and has most of his opponents well held.
He is coupled with the improving 3yo Briar King, who found his better form at his last outing when beating King Of Indians over the course and distance. That form was underscored when King Of Indians won his next start very readily. A winner of 2 of his 11 starts, Briar King gets a 6kg age allowance, which certainly gives him a shout.
No Rush
The Emerald Cup winner In A Rush has lost form in his two turf starts since his big September day at the Vaal. The son of Windrush looks well held by Silent Partner on their last meeting, and has also proven a few lengths inferior to Changingoftheguard on their previous clashes. The second of the Smith challengers is the former Glen Kotzen trained Stone Pine, who is another held by Silent Partner.
Stone Pine has won two races since relocating to PE in May this year, and has a victory over Celtic Fire to his credit. He should battle to repeat that feat over the extra 200m at level weights though.
Wiese Trio
Silent Partner heads a powerful three way coupling from the Mitch Wiese yard. The son Silvano was a runaway winner of the November Stakes run over 1400m at his last start, and three runs back ran a cracking fifth behind Disco Al in the Gr3 Algoa Cup.
He has improved his toe and enthusiasm with the blinkers fitted and definitely warrants inclusion. The Fusaichi Pegasus gelding Shujaa ran second in this race last year, but has lost his recent form and he should be held by the top few.
Musical
The same cannot be said for the Brett Parker owned Jupiter Symphony, who ran another cracking second (his fourth in this centre) behind Way Clear on the polytrack on Friday. He is just such a consistent and the former Flamingo Park star (he was once trained by the late Sean Miller and Martin Cohen partnership) is way overdue a first PE win. He may just find this a tough platform to achieve that though.
The Jacques Strydom trained Russian Mig broke a long drought at Fairview last Friday, when he produced a powerful finish to win a 1300m polytrack MR 91 Handicap. The Dorrie Sham yard is in hot form and they have drawn nicely with their Toreador gelding Two Gun Kid. The Founders Trophy winner found the 1400m too short last time when well beaten by another former Mike De Kock runner in Silent Partner.
Clear Out
Gavin Smith’s Way Clear will strip a fit horse after his excellent victory over 2000m on the polytrack at this venue last Friday. Way Clear gave Jupiter Symphony 3kgs and a solid beating, but he needs to show that he can carry that form through to the turf surface. He is not well in against the likes of Celtic Fire and the Snaith representative.
The former Gavin Smith trained Spellcaster has his eighth start for Grant Paddock. The six year old son of Jet Master (he started life out with Mike Bass in Cape Town) is now an eight time winner, and cracked a win on the polytrack at his last start. This looks quite tough for him from the 11 draw.
Top Two
Changingoftheguard and Celtic Fire look set to fight this one out. If they fluff their lines, Silent Partner could be there to pick up the pieces, with Briar King likely to improve again.
