The Listed East Cape Sprint Cup over 1200m and the Listed East Cape Guineas over 1600m headline the eight-race card at Fairview today.
Guineas 2018 flashback – Sabbatical wins.(Pic – Pauline Herman)
Both features were swallowed by the Covid scourge and were not run in 2020.
The off-time of the first is 12h30 and that is also the start of the Bipot
Tabnews reports that Justin Snaith, Candice Bass-Robinson, Glen Kotzen and Andre Nel have been making regular visits to Port Elizabeth of late and they are enjoying regular success in the Eastern Cape, although the locals have been holding their own in some of the feature events.
While Kotzen does not have a runner in the sprint, he does team up with Luke Ferraris and they have four horses at the meeting, including Northern Song in the Guineas.
But the other three will be challenging for Sprint Cup honours although it looks as if Snaith could well hold the trump card with Captain Tatters.
This Gimmethegreenlight gelding was stymied by a high merit rating early in his career and that has made it very hard for Snaith to pick the best races for his runner. It is thus unsurprising the four-year-old has just the solitary win to his name after 11 runs.
Captain Tatters has been very good in defeat though, and none was more glorious than his recent fourth-place finish behind stablemate and current sprinting sensation Rio Querari.
Sprint Cup 2018 flashback – Exelero wins (Pic -Pauline Herman)
Captain Tatters looked to have every chance of winning the Diadem Stakes until stablemate Rio Querari flashed past him to win impressively. Richard Fourie is back aboard Captain Tatters and he should win this time round.
The main threat should come from Bass-Robinson’s charge, Constable. He has not won since November 2019 but he has run well enough in some feature races to suggest he could be competitive in this event. Aldo Domeyer rides.
Bass-Robinson, however, should pick up the Guineas.
The scratching of Red Lark as opened the door for Adios Amigos, although Snaith’s Salvator Mundi has won 2 of his last 3 starts and is clearly improving. The son of Dynasty jumps from the 1 gate and with Richard Fourie doing a bit of travelling, he must be regarded a threat.
Henk Steenkamp kindly provided us with the list of the past winners of both races.
East Cape Guineas
- 2020: DNR – Covid-19
- 2019: The Highway Man
- 2018: Sabbatical
- 2017: Gimme The Stars
- 2016: Brilliant Crimson
- 2015: Door Of Deception
- 2014: Sea Cat
- 2013: Ottimo
- 2012: Lord Badger
- 2011: Azeroth
- 2010: Feet Of Fire
- 2009: Tuvana Silva
East Cape Sprint Cup
- 2020: DNR – Covid-19
- 2019: Sir Frenchie
- 2018: Exelero
- 2017: Normanz
- 2016: Copper Parade
- 2015: Sir Duke
- 2014: Vauclair
- 2013: Sedge
- 2012: Castlethorpe
- 2011: Thunder Key
- 2010: Hear The Drums
- 2009: Hear The Drums
