Gelding has helped PRIME VENTURE realise his potential and he will try follow up on a stylish last-to-first win over Shavout in June, when contesting the Winter Country Championship 1800 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
The Justin Snaith trained Silvano four-year old will be ridden by Grant van Niekerk who must gauge things just right as coming from the rear is not easily done on the short run in of the Winter track. But PRIME VENTURE’S smart sectional figures from that win 39 days ago read well in the context of the field he faces in Race 8.
Whilst there are a few that rate close on form (KING PELLES, OZARK and NAUSHON) and ICE RAIN is officially best in at the weights, his main danger is front-running, BATON ROUGE who will try skate clear on the lead. Those tactics enabled him to trounce DIAMOND ROCK in May and if given too much leeway, then Piet Botha’s entry could be hard to reel in.
Indeed, pace makes the race. ENEMY TERRITORY got away with soft fractions when staving off PRINCESS IZZY at the end of June. Much will depend on the tempo in Race 2 – if SCHOOL POLICY, MONOSHADA or ENEMY TERRITORY can dictate up front without undue pressure then PRINCESS IZZY could be caught out.
KNOCKOUT is rounding back to form and stretch running, FUN ZONE also have chances, but a true run affair should see PRINCESS IZZY exact revenge. She ran 3.7 lengths off Gr1 campaigner, RED PALACE at level weights in May and is a smart, progressive filly with a good turn of foot. And, importantly, she handles soft going.
It will be interesting to monitor FUTURE VARIETY’S comeback in Race 3, when he takes on, and concedes 10kg’s to, hat-trick seeking sprinter, RIVERSTONE. Candice Bass-Robinson’s Var gelding nearly knocked out Gr1 star, Thunderstruck in the Diadem when last seen back in February.
Based on the OMR’s, FUTURE VARIETY is in the top echelon of sprinters in SA and is best weighted here, though it’s not the patient Bass’ style to have them fully cranked up after layoffs.
Justin Snaith has three veteran mudlarks in the field – SILVER FALCON, SPEED MACHINE and WE’RE JAMMING. None have won recently yet they get their desired mushy ground and could pop up given fitness queries about rivals that are still ring rusty.
Race 4, a Class 3 over 1400m, appears a clash between Snaith and Brett Crawford’s participants. Snaith saddles ultra dependable, course and distance specialist INNAMORARE, and the under-rated, MAGIC VERSE, who gave Oliver a scare with a late rally from a wide draw 39 days ago.
Notably, MAGIC VERSE is competing of an OMR of 87, whilst the stable mate he beat in a Class 4 back in November 2023, Get Impressed, has since progressed to a higher level and is currently rated 103 after doing especially well in KZN during the Winter.
Crawford sends out proven wet going campaigner, SOLAR POWER who just missed behind Katsu in early June and is capable of a strong stretch run. It’s off-putting that FUTURE PRINCE has not won in 894 days – though on the best of his efforts he too has a shake.
SPIRIT’S UNITE has a superficially dismal record of a sole victory from 18 starts. Slow starting habits and a tendency to jog along way out of his ground and this accounts for the low win rate. The feeling persists that if things somehow fall neatly into place, he retains the finishing ability to win a couple of races. Piet Steyn’s charge finds another golden opportunity in Race 5, the Winter Country Champ 1400m final, a Class 5.
Principal rivals include GOLD INDEX who got an ideal trip to beat off second-again, SPIRIT’S UNITE last time and the erratic but dangerous pacesetter, LIKETHECLAPPERS.
Meanwhile, Greg Ennion is double handed with CATTALEYA and VERONIQUE, who tangled 9 days ago when 1st and 2nd at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and have recent match fitness in their favour.
SOOTY suffered a tough passage last time and with a clearer round should give a good sight in Race 7, the Winter Country Champ 1200m Final, a Class 4. The son of Pathfork got within spitting distance of Escarpment despite being slow out and held up through the 400m. Prior to that he gave Aspect a run for his money at this class level so has what it takes to be involved in the finish.
Fitness remains an issue, however. SOOTY, like so many horses in the Cape, has been unable to complete full work out programs due to flooded tracks and might not yet be at full strength with a 46-day gap between runs.
The same concern applies to LUNCH MONEY who last raced in that same contest when ridden uncharacteristically from the front. He is better held up for a late dart and would be a threat on his penultimate fluent victory over the subsequently well-performed, Swift Action.
