SUGAR MOUNTAIN loves to win (eleven victories from 36 starts, including a recent hat-trick), and the accomplished 7YO will try go in yet again when he starts favoured for the Lucky Fish A Stakes over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
He is so adaptable, always giving of his best, and has the turn of foot which is the trademark of quality thoroughbreds. The steadier of 61.5kg poses a challenge, though according to the official best weighted list he still rates way clear of rivals.
PROMETTERRE and RAPIDASH are respected as his main threats. The former has a couple of lengths to find on collateral measures, but he is capable of a strong late surge and has an excellent jockey in Richard Fourie to extract the maximum effort.
RAPIDASH has run to some really top-notch horses (e.g. Rascallion, Dave the King, The Real Prince, Pacaya and Zeitz) in his 21-start career. He’s only won three times but has clocked in second on seven occasions when keeping strong company. He can give SUGAR MOUNTAIN a scare in receipt of 3kg.
OLIVER is a possible exotic tote buster. Look, he may be better at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, and he races off a quite testing official mark of 97, but he does run well fresh and gets Brevan Plaatjies’ help with a light weight. This will see him receive10kg from SUGAR MOUNTAIN, which equates to nine lengths over 1500m. He could, at least, outrun his odds.
BOUNDLESS ENERGY is the dark horse. The Bass-Robinson trained stable companion to SUGAR MOUNTAIN was tremendous at three (witness a sterling second to Great Plains in the Gr 3 Cape Classic) but two listless no shows have followed. He is hard to peg accurately.
Trainer Justin Snaith has a stranglehold on Race 5 over 1400m where he saddles HAPPY VERSE, MENTE ET MANU and BOUNDLESS LOVE.
Preference is for the first named who impressed canny judge Andrew Fortune when winning his first two starts. HAPPY VERSE then got stoked up in the prelims for the Langerman before clocking in three lengths off Absolutely Yes. That level of form exceeds anything else in the field, but his fitness after a near two-month break (and race-day behaviour) must be taken on trust.
BOUNDLESS LOVE would be a threat to his stablemate if settling properly while MENTE ET MANU has been held back by breathing issues which could be a factor off his current OMR which has dipped to 77. Of the balance, GOLDEN ANGEL, a lightly weighted filly with a low draw, is a slim possibility getting 11.5kg from Happy Verse.
In Race 6 over 1200m, the often- supported 3YO filly, SHE’S MY WORLD, will be trying to crack her second career score after a string of placings which included some tough trips. She again faces a demanding examination.
OCTOBER STORM is a scopey, promising young filly who already rates close to veteran and seven-time winner, BLUFF ON BLUFF, after only two starts. The state of the ground affects BLUFF ON BLUFF who has only scored once from 17 tries in the wet, so punters will need to monitor the penetrometer readings.
EASY MONEY is another for shortlists as a lightly weighted pace presser on a track that currently is suiting handy types… just think of ELUSIVE WINTER’S bold start to finish steal over THE US OF A at Wednesday’s meeting.
In a deeply contentious Race 7, AZZURRI could be worth a speculative dabble. Chad Little and Lucinda Woodruff combine at a 36% winning strike rate, and this Pomodoro gelding should now be primed third run after a rest.
He earned a neat speed figure for the class over this C/D after a layoff when sweeping past Green Planet, then was maybe slightly flat second up over 1400m. If reprising the June number, he should give it a real shake back over the energy sapping straight six.
Should LADY LOOK ALIKE take her place (raced nicely on Wednesday), she could be a factor.
The speedy and game MONT LOISIR, enigmatic yet capable PARATROOPER, and rounding-back-to-form AFRICAN PRINCE also have plausible claims in another fiercely contested Winter Country Championship showdown.
