– Written by Mark van Deventer
(Image of BLUE BAY [blue colours, red V, red cap] and GREEN WITH ENVY [center] by Chase Liebenberg)
BLUE BAY ran ever so well from a wide draw in the Schweppes Politician Stakes (G3) that he could be Saturday’s rock-solid banker with trainer Brett Crawford dropping him back into Maiden company, in Race 4.
BLUE BAY may have run out of puff towards the end of that hard run race, yet he showed talent and gameness to only get beaten 3.75 lengths by classy SplashOut Cape Derby principal contender, GREEN WITH ENVY, who was conceding him 6kgs.
A literal reading of that form has BLUE BAY running to an official merit rating in the low to mid 90’s which would make him very hard to hold off in a regular weights Maiden.
Richard Fourie rides – another strong positive factor. The duo should be at ease over 1600m and given the son of SILVANO’s versatile running style, SA’s log- leading hoop, Fourie has tactical options.
Fourie also has a good chance of closing out Hollywoodbets Kenilworth’s meeting on PROMETTERE in a Class 3. The fast-progressing POMODORO gelding will again try defying the handicapper who keeps raising his rating without yet stopping him from winning.
(Image of PROMETTERE by Chase Liebenberg)
Vaughan Marshall’s entry has rushed home the last twice to nail WECANGOALLNIGHT and FUTURE PRINCE. He will attempt a similar feat from draw 10 in a race that should go off at a decent clip with low draws, NEVADA KING and LINDBERGH likely to get a move on early.
PROMETTERE’s main dangers are ROSH KEDESH (more favourably weighted on collateral clashes this time), KITCHAKAL (a live 16/1 longshot on back form) and Snaith Racing’s competitive entries, FUTURE TURN and GET IMPRESSED.
If WECANGOALLNIGHT goes nicely in Race 6, that will enhance confidence in the strength of that end- December form line where PROMETTERE won a head-bobber. For this difficult- to- settle customer, Eric Sands reappoints Sean Veale who knows how to anchor the headstrong, GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT gelding.
(Image of WECANGOALLNIGHT by Chase Liebenberg)
WECANGOALLNIGHT is pace dependant – he needs a strong gallop to aim at. With tearaway, SAN PEDRO in the field jumping from draw 1, and ITSRAININGWILLIAM another that goes best handy, he should get the right set-up in this Progress Plate over 1400m.
|
|
| (Image of ITSRAININGWILLIAM by Chase Liebenberg) | (Image of QUESTIONING by Chase Liebenberg) |
That said, ITSRAININGWILLIAM and QUESTIONING are “must- use” horses in the same race. The former was close in that 30 December tussle and has won fluently since, whilst QUESTIONING is a high quality three-year-old with a Cape Classic victory over subsequent Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas hero, SNOW PILOT to his credit.
Those three runners should suffice in the Picks. TYRION LANNISTER is a possible single race exotic tote buster at 25/1. He was held up in traffic last time, and whilst nowhere near the same high level of the three mentioned, Piet Botha’s super-fit charge might gatecrash the frame with a clear path, and make TRIS and QUARTS pay.
#caperacing
#destinationcaperacing
#hollywoodbetskenilworth
