Ciao Bella won the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m at Kenilworth just as the betting market predicted. The grey filly was backed into 2/1 favoritism and used a sharp turn of foot to win easing up. She is by Gimmethegreenlight ex Bela Bela making it a personal triumph for Team Snaith as, back in the day, they conditioned both the stallion and race mare.

Ciao Bella turned on the afterburners in spectacular fashion, running the final 600m to finish in 33.52 seconds aided by a Kenilworth track that was running super-quick, plus there was an assisting tailwind. Nevertheless, she qualifies for a sectional upgrade – her adjusted speed figure for this win is projected to be 104.

The placed fillies all emerged with credit. Time for Orchids stayed on with verve from a wide barrier; Gimmie’s Lassie quickened up well down the inside whilst Golden Hostess, dropped out from draw 13 got to within a length of the admittedly eased down winner despite being repeatedly baulked for running room in the straight. Her performance, good as it was with a brisk 33.34 come home fraction, can be marked up even higher. 

Surjay (s/s 108) is now looking like a potential Graded Stakes winner. This Kenilworth 1200m specialist is handling each step up the class ladder with aplomb and the big son of Vercingetorix produced another career peak to see off multiple G1 winner Kommetdieding in the Bantry Bay Stakes.

The fast-finishing runner up would have passed him in another stride in a sterling seasonal bow that bodes well for his Summer Campaign. Kommetdieding seems as sharp as ever and can, at best, hit numbers around 115 making his formidable in Grade 1’s over optimal trips. Likewise, the third placed Trip of Fortune also ran nicely in his prep for two prestigious mile races – the Green Point and King’s Plate.

 

 

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