Covenant won this race last season
Gr2 Graham Beck Memorial Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on Monday
Top class sprinters are to the fore in the first meeting of the new year at Kenilworth on Monday. Despite the weight, What A Winter is sure to be all the rage in the listed Southeaster Sprint, but the weight for age Gr2 Sceptre Stakes contested by the girls does look to be much more open, writes Steve Furnish.
Highest rated of the nine, and indeed best in at the weights, is Fragrant Al. One of three runners from the stable of Justin Snaith, Fragrant Al has gained two of her five career wins over today’s distance and could well be at her very best over 1200m. Equally effective in soft going, this daughter of Captain Al has run two good races against the boys since returning from a three month break in October, and now back against her own sex in this her third run after the rest, she should be right there.
State Blue
With just 3kg separating all of Justin’s runners though, and regular riders for the yard on each of them, it’s not that easy to determine the stable elect. The National Assembly mare State Blue has won four times over 1200m and she does seem to save her very best performances for Kenilworth. She won with authority when landing the Gr3 Champagne Stakes over today’s trip in August and after being a little disappointing on her first run following a three month break in her penultimate outing, she ran an absolute cracker when running on stoutly from midfield to finish second to the champion filly Val De Ra in the Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes last time out. On similar weight terms to those of today’s, State Blue had three of today’s rivals behind her in that event and now having her third run after the rest she can only improve.
State Blue – Part of a very powerful three way coupling from the stable of Justin Snaith.
Dance With Al
There has never been much between Dance With Al and State Blue, as the official merit ratings will attest, and they did finish second and third respectively in last year’s running of this race. Dance With Al has finished behind her stable companion in each of her last three outings though and she is now without a win in nine starts. She too has her third run after a rest here though and if reproducing the kind of form that saw her beat the boys over today’s course and distance in the Cape Merchants last season, she must have a shout.
Barcelona Winter
Although Yogis Govender’s charge was sparingly raced during the course of 2011, she did nonetheless make good progression. Indeed, after completing a hat-trick in August, she showed her class when fighting on gamely after being headed by last season’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner Ebony Flyer in the Gr3 Diana Stakes over 1400m at the country course in her penultimate start. A winner of four from eight in total Barcelona Winter has gained two of her successes over today’s trip and should relish her return to sprinting. She does face a very stiff task at the weights here though and will do well to make the frame.
Captain’s Emblem
One of four runners in the field by champion sire Captain Al, Captain’s Emblem has gained all five of her wins over today’s course and distance. She had appeared to be below best in her first two races following a two month break in October, but then both of those outings were over shorter, and she did put the record straight in no uncertain terms when reverting to 1200m in handicap company last time out. Captain’s Emblem won with authority in that MR100 event and any amount of further improvement would give her a chance here.
Covenant
The only representative from the very powerful stable of Mike Bass, the Western Winter filly Covenant completed a very smart hat-trick when winning this event last season and she then went on to win the Gr1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m. Yet to finish out of the first four, Covenant has twice run Val De Ra to 2,5 lengths since then and is clearly up there with the very best of her generation. She will no doubt have needed the outing when third to that champion filly on her return from a five month break last time out and is sure to strip fitter here. Covenant has a pull at the weights with all except Fragrant Al here and must hold a serious chance of winning the race for the second year in a row.
Flaming Alice
Other than that of Justin Snaith, the only coupling in the race is that of Joey Ramsden. He saddles both Flaming Alice and the only 3yo in the race Trinity House.
Flaming Alice won particularly well when beating Northern Heritage in novice company over today’s trip in her penultimate start, but that was her first win since March ’10 and she is the worst in at the weights here.
More much of a threat should be Trinity House. She looked a top sort in the making when winning her first four starts, but in her subsequent three outings she was unlucky enough to bump the very talented Princess Victoria. She fought on gamely after being headed by Princess Victoria in the Gr1 Fillies Guineas last time out and it could well be that she is better suited by today’s 1200m trip. Trinity House has her third run after a six month break here and Anton Marcus stays with her. She can still improve plenty and is clearly a very serious runner.
Street Runner
Glen Puller’s charge ran Covenant to just a length when they met at levels in the Sweet Chestnut Stakes over 1400m here in April and although she is usually seen out over further than they race here, she has won over today’s trip. Street Runner was reported as being lame on the near fore in her next scheduled outing in May though and this will be her first outing since.
About The Pace
With a number of options for the role of front runner amongst the nine going to post, and most preferring to race handy, a fair pace looks assured. The three runners from the stable of Justin Snaith all have very strong claims here and I wouldn’t be surprised if either won it. Covenant beat two of them fair and square in last year’s event though and it is she who gets the vote.
