Same Jurisdiction (obscured) looks the right one
KZN champion trainer Duncan Howells brings his champion 2yo filly of last season Same Jurisdiction to Greyville this evening for her first run as a 3yo. The daughter of Mambo In Seattle now races in the familiar blue and white of Drakenstein Stud and her presence in the R150 000 Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes line-up will undoubtedly add plenty of interest.
The meeting is a mixed surface affair, with the feature being run on the turf.
Deserved MR
KZN champ Duncan Howells holds the key
Duncan Howells said at the end of last term that he would only be prepping his serious feature race prospects once the turf tracks were back in full swing , rather than try and use the polytracks prior to raids into Gauteng.
Same Jurisdiction runs off a well earned MR of 108 and on the conditions of this race, looks quite nicely in as a top-class 3yo.
In this race winners of 3 or more races carry set weights of 60kgs (in the case of 4yo’s and over) and 56kgs (in the case of 3yo’s)
Two-time winners are afforded a discount of 2 kgs, while one- time winners and maidens are allowed 4 kgs.
Gr1 Winner
The only Gr1 winner here, Same Jurisdiction is a winner of 3 of her 4 starts.
She banked the big money in the KZN Yearling Sale Million on July day and then produced the flash on Super Saturday when she stayed on powerfully to pip Carry On Alice in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes run over Friday evening’s course and distance.
The Thekwini victory was also a watershed moment in the career of Moutonshoek stallion Mambo In Seattle who celebrated his first Gr1 winner from his first crop. It was Duncan Howells’ sixth career Gr1 success.
Best Of Year
Stuart Randolph is Same Jurisdiction’s new pilot
The win was also significant as she had the best of her year (except probably for Majmu and Cold As Ice ) behind her – the likes of Carry On Alice, Bilateral and the De Kock pair of Alboran Sea and Pine Princess were beaten.
Same Jurisdiction is a long-striding filly and needs a decent pace to run to her ability. But Howells has covered that avenue with the inclusion of her stablemate Educated, a mare who is capable of setting the fractions.
Stuart Randolph takes over from her regular pilot Kevin Shea.
Fitness will be the only question mark against her.
Top-Rated
Mike de Kock – saddles top rated Berlinetta
Our top-rated runner is the Mike De Kock 4yo Berlinetta, a beautifully bred daughter of Jet Master who ran a decent (albeit 7 length) fourth behind Lazer Star in the Magnolia Handicap.
She was slow away at her next start and then rushed through before staying on for a one length third behind Red Label on the polytrack 1400m two weeks ago.
While not drawn well here, she has shown enough to suggest she could chase Same Jurisdiction home.
Laird Duo
Charles Laird’s 4yo duo of Admiral’s Eye and Captain’s Daughter are both consistent and capable racers – but can they concede 4kgs to the smart Howell’s 3yo?
Admiral’s Eye is perfectly distance suited and is in prime form, having won 3 of her last 5 starts.
She gave the capable Semra 6kgs and a 1,75 length beating last time in a four horse field over the Scottsville mile.
Stablemate Captain’s Daughter is held by Admiral’s Eye on her penultimate run and looks a likely pacesetter.
Christmas Handicap
Alec Forbes rides Caviar
Colin Scott and Alec Forbes were the victorious duo in last Friday’s Christmas Handicap and they jump from pole position with the Var mare, Caviar. She may be better over slightly shorter.
The Pat Lunn-trained Supercede has won 2 of her last 3 starts but is held by Admiral’s Eye on her penultimate run and looks outgunned on the weight terms of this race.
Paul Lafferty saddles a coupling of the Australian-bred Goldie Coast and recent maiden winner, Pearl Emblem.
Goldie Coast has often been trumped as something special has failed to deliver the goods at feature level.
She ran handily before fading out to run 7,50 lengths behind Lazer Star in the Magnolia on Summer Cup day.
Maiden Winner
Pearl Emblem won her maiden at her fourth start in convincing style, but will have to run way above her current rating to have any chance.
Choir Maiden finished just behind Goldie Coast in the Mganolia at her last start. While usually thereabouts, she is another who lacks the winning spark.
Greg and Karen Anthony’s Sakania is a solid hardknocking daughter of Mon Sang, who showed good consistency before her last start when she was found lame behind.
She looks a touch outclassed here.
The Choice
While Admiral’s Eye and Captain’s Daughter are both capable and De Kock’s Berlinetta has shown promise of vast improvement, Same Jurisdiction oozes class and has the record to match.
Winning Form-sponsored Duncan Howells will naturally not have her anywhere near peak fitness, but she could be good enough to win this at reduced readiness.
