Candice Bass-Robinson bids for a third successive win in the R400 000 Cartier Gr2 Sceptre Stakes today and sends out a powerful four-pronged attack, headed by two very talented 3yo’s.
The Sceptre Stakes is the headline feature on Day 1 of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Festival and the fillies and mares 1200m sprint runs at weight-for-age plus a penalty of 2kgs for a Gr1 win and a kilo for a Gr2 score.
Clouds Unfold – looks top class (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Dual stakes winner Clouds Unfold may have found the mile of the Cape Fillies Guineas just out of range last time when finding nothing extra to be beaten 2,25 lengths by the rampant Front And Centre. She won the Cape Nursery over Friday’s course and distance with ease and looks set to revert to winning ways.
Nous Voila chased Princess Rebel home in the Southern Cross Stakes and is another who has shown her best form down the sprint straight track.
Freedom Charter – may find this trip on the short side (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The year older Freedom Charter was 0,3 lengths behind Nous Voila when outpaced in the Southern Cross Stakes and is a half kilo better off with her stablemate over a distance she will prefer.
The beautifully-bred Varsity Lover is the third of the Bass-Robinson 3yo’s and the least exposed of the stable quartet. She bounced back from a below par run in the WC Fillies Championship with a good win down the 1000m straight two weeks ago. That is not good enough to make her a winning selection here, but she has plenty of scope.
Rose In Bloom – returns home (Pic – JC Photos)
Rose In Bloom was runner-up in this race last year and has proven a soldier, seldom putting in a poor showing. She travelled to Joburg for three months after the KZN season where she won two out of her 4 starts – including a victory in the Gardenia Stakes and was then running on powerfully when beaten just out of the money in the Merchants on Summer Cup day. If the travelling has not caught up with her, she must be in for another stout effort.
Goodtime Gal can never be left out of any calculations. This big-hearted 6yo ran on steadily behind Snowdance last time and has had a solid prep into these bigger features. She seems to run for Sandile Mbhele and must be a quartet prospect on best form.
Carlita – relocated to Brett Crawford in Cape Town (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
Former PE based Carlita is now with Brett Crawford and the daughter of Oratorio returns to the track of her 2018 Sun Met day feature runner-up finish behind the talented Traces. In the interim she has shown herself to be a very talented sort and can challenge for quartets.
Too Phat To Fly, Canukeepitsecret and Anime are all capable gallopers sprinters and the last mentioned won a cracker in early November when beating Freedom Charter to win the Laisserfaire Stakes. She showed good pace in the Southern Cross Stakes last time before dropping out late.
Fairview based Yvette Bremner has enjoyed a terrific away record in recent times and she looks to build on the smart win recently by Princess Rebel in the Southern Cross Stakes with the duo of Mary O’Reilly and March Music. Both are capable and there is little to choose between them but the preference would be for Mary O’Reilly who was not disgraced in her only away run – a 5,90 lengths fifth to Ronnie’s Candy in the Starling Stakes on Charity Mile day.
Snaith representative Township Melody
The Snaith quintet of Dynamic Diana, Angel’s Trumpet, Casual Diamond, Juniper Spring and Township Melody are all very capable sprinters – the best of which may be the 3yo Juniper Spring who, although well beaten by Clouds Unfold in the Western Cape Fillies Championship, is improving and could up her game again. Her confidence boosting last win in a low grade MR 72 handicap could provide the tonic.
Joburg raiders Sweet Mary Lou, Boss Babe and Anneke look to have some ground to make up to challenge.
Clouds Unfold looks a classy progressive filly and she is the selection to beat Rose In Bloom and Goodtime Gal.
