Sporty. The Woodruff-trained Ferrari Dawn is fast and goes for her third win
The R150 000 Listed Swallow Stakes to be run over 1160m tops the pecking order at Tuesday evening’s Turffontein meeting. Some upwardly mobile 3yo fillies clash as Geoff Woodruff and Gavin Van Zyl take on SA Fillies Nursery winner King’s Temptress with talented daughters of Jet Master and Atso, respectively.
It is in the very nature of these speed contests that nominal margin for error exists, and with plenty of pace and youthful scope for improvement, the tussle is likely to be fought right down to the wire. It should be tight.
Interest
Plenty of interest is added by the presence of Kom Naidoo’s Kings Temptress, who rocketed to instant infamy when winning the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery at 25-1 on debut, as a technically Kimberley-based runner.
She looks well in at the weights and King’s Temptress’ career has been something of a rollercoaster ride since, with two Gr1 fourths and a smart second to Franny in the Gr3 Magnolia over the course and distance last time.
She received 2,5kgs from Franny and was only beaten narrowly after being a touch outpaced during the race. Franny added value and impressed when beating the males in the African Holly Handicap at Clairwood last Sunday.
Tempting. The Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner King’s Temptress adds interest with her presence in the Listed Swallow Stakes
Sports Model
Ferrari Dawn, from whom King’s Temptress now gets a half kilo, was some thirteen lengths adrift in the Magnolia at level weights.
Ferrari Dawn is a promising sort who won 2 of her first 3 starts, before the Magnolia flop. She bounced back nicely last time when going down two lengths to Danish Blue when giving her 2,5kgs. She meets Danish Blue at level weights here.
On a genuine hat trick here, Danish Blue is a Gavin Van Zyl-trained daughter of Atso who has won her last two under Piere Strydom. She appears to have found her niche over the sprints after rather bizarrely commencing her career over ground.
Danish Blue looks to be improving and may well be equal to the weight balance, but cannot mathematically beat King’s Temptress on handicap.
Under Sufferance
The Moffatt coupling of Dalalaat and Sols Gold are both under sufferance and would be surprise winners.
With 16 runs and 2 wins(on turf and sand) to her credit, Dalalaat is the most experienced campaigner in the field by a country mile. She looks quite average and should battle against the better forward speedsters here.
Sherman Brown rides Sol Gold, who won on debut.
Her subsequent four outings have produced three places and she is never far off the action. This, howvere, still looks abover her station at this point in time.
Tough Going
Alec Laird’s coupling of Nona In Command and Hlatikulu warrant some consideration, but are also going to find it tough going on paper.
The Australian bred Nona In Command won her debut and has been quite consistent in her ensuing seven outings with five place cheques. She is not far off Ferrari Dawn at best, and has a serious place chance.
The Var filly Hlatikulu beat Kimura Cat by 1,75 lengths on debut.
She interestingly had a filly called National Lady some 3,10 lengths behind her there, and a fortnight earlier the same filly had got to within 1,50 lengths of Danish Blue when the latter won her maiden.
That collateral may well be fishing in the dark as it were, but may be a valid indicator that Hlatikulu could be quite smart.
Catch Up
Gavin Lerena rides Katch for Scott Kenny and the daughter of Kahal was a runaway winner last Saturday after an unplaced debut. She beat Lady Torres by 6,50 lengths, but needs to show that she can carry that maiden win through to this stronger level.
It looks tough for the remaining two fillies, recent maiden winner Margot On Stage and the Adamson-trained It’sgottobeme.
A daughter of Stagelight, Margot On Stage took 9 runs to shed her maiden and while she won well and was consistent prior to that, she looks outclassed in this company.
It’sgottobeme shows good pace but needs to carry her effort all the way. She won at her second start and is 2kgs better off with Danish Blue for a 4,50 beating last time.
Tempting
The race looks a straight shooutout between King’s Temptress and the challengers Ferrari Dawn and Danish Blue.
While all three fillies will win plenty of races between them, at least two of them will probably have to take a backseat here. If the handicapper has it right, then King’s Temptress is the right one.
We don’t see it that simply.
If we ignore Ferrari Dawn’s Magnolia run, then her formline is impressive. Danish Blue and Strydom are on a hat trick and won’t go down without a fight.
