Gothic could make it a winning Cape debut
The national racing focus shifts to the Cape countryside this weekend. Only eight runners could be enticed to do battle for the R150 000 Listed Settlers Trophy to be run over the tight 2400m, but what the line-up lacks for in quality, should be adequately compensated for in terms of the pure entertainment value.
Tellytrack presenter Stan Elley made the pertinent observation at the same course just a week ago that quality was not dependant on field sizes.
That certainly rang true last Saturday, and while Phumelela’s Vee Moodley won’t be sharing Stan’s sentiments when it comes to betting turnover budgets, we could just take another small step up the ladder with a listed feature adding more impetus this weekend as the Sizzling Summer Season approaches.
Plenty Of Appeal
And the feature is a round-the–course staying event, and that automatically adds interest and spectator appeal.
Award-winning American racing journalist Steve Haskin observed recently after watching a top staying race:
‘It brought a sense of purity and timelessness to the Sport of Kings that has been lost in this country. To hear the Ascot crowd salute the Ballydoyle-trained 8-year-old with an ovation worthy only of true champions, it showed there still is a place in the heart for the long-distance runner. The purity and timelessness I refer to is stamina, an inherent trait of the Thoroughbred that has been so consumed by speed over the past several decades it has all but disappeared. What trickle of stamina, or at least what resembles stamina, that does remain is frowned upon by owners, trainers, and especially breeders.’
Go For Gold
None of the eight that line up on Saturday are ever going to land up knocking about at Ascot, but the mixed bag of past winners suggests that the race is capable of being won by a half-decent stayer.
Keith Steinberg’s favourite Posh Boy won it as an 8yo last term, but the year before the Settlers Trophy was won by a subsequent Gold Cup winner in Jeppe’s Reef!
Disappointing
Topping the weights is the now Vaughan Marshall-trained Silvano gelding Gothic, an enigmatic fellow whose cause has not been done any good by his shuffling yards over a disappointing career.
Starting life with Weiho Marwing in Gauteng, where he showed terrific ability when going down a half length to subsequent July ‘winner’ Wylie Hall in the 2013 Gr1 SA Derby, he was then sent to Kum Naidoo for an abortive (and largely controversial) Durban July attempt.
He joined the Marshall yard for Champions Season and two good second places, the one as an excellent runner-up to Wild One in the Gr3 Londsale, were followed by tame, albeit not shocking, efforts in the Gold Vase and Gold Cup.
He has his first Cape outing and should handle the left-handed turn, based on his Clairwood experience.
Solid Stayer
Desert Swirl has no stamina doubts
Marshall has a strong hand as he also saddles Gothic’s major opponent in the East Cape Derby winner Desert Swirl.
He comes off a good second over 2700m at Fairview to the vastly improved Combattimento, who subsequently impressed with a fluent win over Political Playboy last Friday.
Desert Swirl is no star but rather a solid stayer who has the advantage of course-and-distance experience, even though beaten by the rather average Private Doowaley at that run.
Handy Weights
An interesting runner is Darryl Hodgson’s handily weighted Putney Flyer, who was withdrawn when fancied in this event last year.
The son of Miesque’s Approval stays well and ran a good race at the track last Wednesday over too short, when staying on behind end-to-end winner, Global Destiny.
Joey Ramsden is always a factor in staying races and he sends out the Judpot 4yo Manx Missile.
Joey Ramsden – good with the stayers
He ran a good second behind stablemate and shock winner Dandyman Can in lesser company last time. He strikes us as a likely pacemaker.
The balance are somewhat off form and look to have too much to do.
Credentials
Gothic has the best credentials and if not needing it after an eight week break, could go in and finally prove that he is a capable stayer with potential to win a few more.
In a race that lacks a definite pacemaker, beyond perhaps Manx Missile, we are going with the topweight to lift the trophy ahead of Putney Flyer and Desert Swirl.
Ramsden’s fit as a fiddle Manx Missile may attempt to poach it with his handy galloping weight. Watch him!
