By Mark van Deventer
GIMMIE’S COUNTESS and ASIYE PHAMBILI could be the two to fight out the Cartier Sceptre Stakes Gr 2 for Fillies and Mares at Weight for Age over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 4 January.
GIMMIE’S COUNTESS, trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by Craig Zackey, cuts back to sprints after trying further. The turn of foot she flashed when running down the re-opposing, SUMMER LILY in a false run Diana Stakes over 1400m, and then making up considerable ground in the Western Cape Fillies Champs behind Mon Petit Cherie over 1400, suggests that a stiff six furlongs will be ideal for the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight.
ASIYE PHAMBILI is proven down this straight course – the way she effortlessly ran past Candy Town in the Southern Cross Stakes indicates that she is in great form. Richard Fourie sticks solid on Gareth van Zyl’s classy and consistent, What a Winter mare who has won seven of 20 starts.
ROCCAPINA is potentially very smart and is a threat from the inside draw as that has been the favoured side of the sprint track recently. Candice Bass Robinson’s filly has yet to reach her ceiling after only four starts and could already be good enough to make the frame despite the hike in class.
Bass Racing also send out SYMPHONY IN WHITE. She was a major talent as a juvenile and could be dangerous pressing the pace from one of the inner gates (5). Her Gr 1 Allan Robertson effort close to best-of-her-generation, Quid Pro Quo ties in neatly with GIMMIE’S COUNTESS. Supporters of Kannemeyer’s highly regarded filly will point out she was badly blocked on the rail in that race and could not get out of second gear.
The Bass Racing stable also now conditions BAVARIAN BEAUTY, joint best weighted with ASIYE PHAMBILI. She tends to mix her form and might be better over a touch further (1400/1600m).
Sean Tarry saddles CELTIC RUMOURS who has neat form on the Highveld over seven panels and may run into the money, especially if the early tempo is strong.
The pace is a bit of a query however as only SIDDELEY (comes in here off a dominant start to finish win versus weaker), ARTISTE, BAVARIAN BEAUTY and SYMPHONY IN WHITE have shown a propensity to race handily – and none are tearaway speedballs.
MISS MARGUERITE has an impossible task at the weights as she was life and death to stave off ASIYE PHAMBILI in the Laisserfaire Stakes when receiving 10kg’s and they now meet at levels.
PINEAPPLEMINTGREEN also has a demanding assignment at this class level. She has shown little at two starts since a rest, though she was drawn on the wrong side of the course two weeks ago and is now gated with a favourable low number.
The Cartier Sceptre Stakes (Race 4 off at 14h15) is the first Leg of a R1 million carry forward P6 where the pool is estimated to hit R5 million.
Given how tough the races are to decipher later in the sequence, going short and focussing on top choices GIMMIE’S COUNTESS and ASIYE PHAMBILI is the suggested strategy in the opener.
Single race exotic bettors can use the dangerous closer, SUMMER LILY (to be ridden by world class hoop, Oisin Murphy), SYMPHONY IN WHITE and ROCCAPINA in the lower positions.
