Sean Tarry’s win machine, Mrs Geriatrix will try to stay perfect when contesting the Western Cape Fillies Championship, a G2 for three year olds over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday. Off time is 15h55.
Not only is Mrs Geriatrix extremely talented with an official merit rating of 112, she’s also game and adaptable having won all six of her starts over varying distances and at five different track configurations. She takes on another new challenge going left-handed around the bends but given that she has coped admirably with tricky assignments in the past, the chestnut daughter of Vercingetorix ex Velvet Glove is selected to go in again. Richard Fourie rides the even-money favourite.
The only rival even remotely close to her on official merit ratings is Winter Cloud with an OMR of 108. This What A Winter filly has a fine turn of foot over sprints and should love this slightly longer route. However, draw 9 makes life awkward for Aldo Domeyer and Winter Cloud must still make up two lengths on her G1 Allan Robertson defeat by Mrs Geriatrix in June.
The Bass Robinson trained filly had a perfect prep when zipping past Oni San at this course a month ago and could conceivably topple the travelling favourite if she underperforms for whatever reason. She’s priced at 9/2 in early trade.
Just be Lekker is next best. She too has run credibly at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when staying on second behind Tarry’s stand out three-year-old colt, Tail of the Comet. Candice Dawson’s charge previously mixed it with strong performers, Outlaw King at Hollywoodbets Greyville and Feather Boa at Turffontein, so won’t be intimidated at this class level. The handicappers have her pegged as a 97 though which suggests she may find the top two hot to handle.
9/2 shot Double Grand Slam is hard to assess after only three starts which have yielded two stylish victories in weaker fields – a Maiden and a Class 4 romp, both at this venue. Her OMR of 99 already puts her in the ballpark, she has scope to improve significantly and jockey, Grant van Niekerk has twice used pace forcing tactics to dominate opposition at this speed-favouring circuit. He may well employ a similar strategy from draw 2 – though last start course and distance winner, Royals from gate 1 has also shown a propensity to lead.
Luna Halo, a winner of five of her six starts, ventures down from the Eastern Cape. If the handicapper has his figures right, then she might finish upsides of Rascova as they have OMR’s of 103 and 104 respectively.
To put that rating in perspective, Rascova was trounced 3.7 lengths by Mrs Geriatrix in the Slipper at Hollywoodbets Greyville in July, so a minor place seems the best connections can hope for on Saturday.
The only other fillies with triple digit OMR’s are Cala Muretta, a winner of the Debutante Stakes in KZN during the Winter, and Francine (also OMR 101) who got within five and a half lengths of outstanding three-year-old colt, Sandringham Summit.
Ticket to Vegas could be a pace factor having led at her last three starts but has by far the lowest OMR of 83 and little hope on exposed form.
In summary, this looks a tussle between proven G1 performers Mrs Geriatrix and Winter Cloud with the unexposed, Double Grand Slam working out a smooth commute down the inner also likely to be in the shake -up. Just Be Lekker (8/1 antepost) is a solid proposition to make the frame.
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