The R150 000 Listed Sophmore Sprint is the main attraction at the first Kenilworth meeting of 2016. The multiple Gr1 winning CTS Million Dollar candidate Seventh Plain heads the weights and looks ready to atone for that last blot on his copybook.
Seventh Plain – proven and looks a banker bet
Trainer Dennis Drier made no secret of the fact that Seventh Plain was the spearhead of his larger than usual Cape raiding party this season and the jolt of seeing the handsome colt knocked off his pedestal in the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes last month, came as a shock to many.
Excuses
Seventh Plain came into that race off a four month plus break with two consecutive Gr1 victories in the bag.
His 15 draw over the Kenilworth 1400m and his lack of match practice told as Gavin Van Zyl’s Budapest ran right away from his field from a favourable draw to beat Seventh Plain by 5,75 lengths.
Dennis Drier – saddles the favourite
The fact that Budapest ran stone last in his subsequent start in the Cape Guineas will not be a red light – the fact is that Seventh Plain is lengths better than Budapest and it is difficult seeing that one ever finishing in front of him again.
Seventh Plain has seen the Kenilworth straight track, having won their on debut over the 800m. He was beaten next time up in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes by the enigmatic Buckinghampshire, who finally won his Novice just the other day in PE.
Bar his last explained effort, Seventh Plain has continued to improve and with Anton Marcus in the irons should go in again to record his fifth career win.
Marcus rode Tar Heel to win the Need For Speed Sprint last time in a dazzling display of pace over the Kenilworth 1000m.
The son of Var is very talented but he is drawn on the wide outside this time and will need more than a little luck to escape the attentions of Seventh Plain in the final stages.
Mike Bass trained course and distance winner Ernie is no slouch and as a course and distance winner, must come into the quartet play.
The son of Elusive Fort finished runner up in a desperately close call behind Captain Alfredo in the Listed Southeaster Sprint last time.
That was over 100m shorter than he tries on Saturday and the way that he rocketed through off a strong pace, suggests that a repeat performance will be forthcoming on Saturday.
Trainer Paul Reeves – in form and saddles Forward Drive
Paul Reeves’ speedy grey King’s Apostle gelding Forward Drive is something of a course and distance specialist and meets Tar Heel on 2 kgs better terms for a 6,55 length beating in the Need For Speed Sprint.
Forward Drive won his penultimate start (a MR 90 Handicap) with a display of tactical versatility – he ran on to beat The Tripster and showed that he is not a one-trick tearaway.
Winter Prince will be bidding to give trainer Brett Crawford a further ratification of his smart potential.
The son of Western Winter runs off an 86 rating and is thus way out at the weights with the proven gallopers. But he has won three on the trot since shedding his maiden at Durbanville in October, and drops 200m in trip.
This well bred colt looks headed in the right direction.
Glen Puller saddles a pair of runners and Aldo Domeyer’s mount Illuminator looks the more progressive of the two.
Glen Puller (pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
The son of Trippi won his first two jumps over Saturday’s course and distance and then produced two very decent feature race efforts.
He ran fourth and under 0,75 lengths off Hard Day’s Night in the Selangor and was then nibbled at in the betting before fading late to run eighth and 3,65 lengths behind Noah From Goa in the Cape Guineas at his last start.
That was just a fortnight ago, so he will be very fit and could enjoy the reversion back to his winning trip.
Western Storm is the second Puller runner and the second of the Var progeny in the nine horse field.
His last two starts as a 3yo have shown little and he failed to show when 7,85 lengths off Tar Heel in that frenetically fast Need For Speed Sprint.
He is 2kgs better off here with Tar Heel and actually beat the Ramsden speedster as a 2yo at level weights.
Psycho Syd shed his maiden over the track and trip at his sixth start last time out.
He bumped a few decent sorts along the way to that win and could be a quartet lurker off his 52kg galloping weight.
Recent course and distance winner Astrapi comes in under major sufferance and looks to have it all to do.
The son of Mogok put a winning performance together at his seventh start when beating Five Star Rock just over three weeks ago.
He is not exposed at feature level and will need to improve lengths (and more lengths) to have a say in the finish.
Seventh Plain looks to strip a fitter horse and with a top rider in the saddle he is set to provide an exotic bet banker option for many.
Illuminator, Tar Heel and Ernie should chase him home.
