Each new season throws different horses into the spotlight. Anticipating the waxing and waning of thoroughbred performance is one of the key challenges facing punters. Legislate and Silver Mountain, for example, were prominent stars in the recent past and favoured on their comebacks yet neither were factors in the Drill Hall Stakes and Fillies Guineas held at Greyville on Friday night. Instead, New Predator (speed score 105) and Bela Bela (s/s 100 +) are the ones on upward curves.
New Predator just got beat by Noah From Goa in the Dingaans in November 2015, earning the same figure of 105. He was the victim of a rare error of judgement by Gavin Lerena when going way too early in the Horse Chestnut down the long Turffontein straight at his last start – such forcing tactics are better applied at the turning Greyville circuit. This time, he kicked at the right moment under jockey Marwing then just kept on to deny a late-charging Triptique (s/s 104) with Legislate petering out tamely after racing handy.
Bela Bela previous best was a 96 ++ behind Smart Call in the Paddock Stakes at the start of the year, so she was entitled to improve as a lightly raced three year old Dynasty filly. She glided through under a hands ride to win the Fillies Guineas easily, scoring 100 + in the process. The smart and also rapidly progressing Nightingale (s/s 99) was a game second, faring far better than her much vaunted companion Silver Mountain, who failed to make any impact on her seasonal return.
Bela Bela’s trainer Justin Snaith also won the Canon Guineas with Black Arthur (s/s 104). Heavily punted on Interbet, the colt’s superior finishing speed enabled him to sweep past virtually the entire field and take his record to four wins from six starts. Defeated on debut and then again when battling against a pace meltdown in the Derby, the son of Silvano is now really building towards further sharp performances during the KZN season.
Rabada (s/s 103) emerged with honour in defeat given that he broke from a wide draw. He managed to get over and race prominently, fighting on with great spirit down the stretch, but could not hold off Black Arthur. Mambo Mime (s/s 101) Ten Gun Salute (s/s 100) Malak el Moolook (s/s 100) and another poorly drawn entry in Prospect Strike (100) were next in line, all running credibly.