After all the hoopla last weekend around the Cape Met, racing action switched to Turffontein on the Highveld for the start of the Triple Crown/Tiara series, contested by three-year-olds. In both these 1600m Grade 2 events, bookies got results with Master of my Fate filly Lady of Power (25/1) and Gimmethegreenlight gelding, Eye of
Jet Dark (speed score 116) enjoyed the perfect send off to his outstanding racing career before going to Drakenstein Stud, when battling to victory in the Met, seeing off familiar foe, Kommetdieding with Pomp and Power running a remarkable race to be third. In a messy contest run at a muddling pace, the high
Thoroughbred performances are not as consistent as people may assume. Instead, horses’ ability waxes and wanes depending on their changing physical condition and shifting circumstances. Only 30% of the time do horses perform at a similar level or improve on recent runs. Within this 30% subset, most winners improve on their recent form so
Al Muthana (speed score 107) stunned odds on favourite Charles Dickens by a nose to win the 2023 King’s Plate at odds of 80/1. Upsets are rare in this historic WFA contest, but Ricky Maingard’s runner provided a massive boil-over when hurtling through against the grandstand rail under the vigorous exhortations of jockey, Bernard
Charles Dickens added to his burgeoning reputation when destroying quality opposition in the G1 Cape Guineas to extend his unbeaten sequence to six victories. The truly exceptional son of Trippi is trained by Candice Bass Robinson and was ridden by Aldo Domeyer. He started deep in the red at 5/10 and won by four
Gimme a Prince (s/s 107 ++) was ultra-impressive when putting two lengths between himself and toiling pursuers in the G2 Cape Merchants at Kenilworth. He did not have things his own way, tracking the speed without cover in the centre, then moving up stylishly before drawing clear of fine three-year-old, We’re Jamming (s/s
Make it Snappy (s/s 100) received what her trainer Brett Crawford described as “a textbook ride” by Luyolo Mxothwa to go practically start to finish and win the Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday. It was a first Grade 1 success for Mxothwa who judged the fractions impeccably, as the Dynasty filly sustained
Gambled on, Puerto Manzano (s/s 108 – SP 11/2, in from 12/1) rallied to win the 2022 Grade 1 Summer Cup in a pulsating finish against Safe Passage. Keagan de Melo was riding for JAJ van Vuuren, who had the son of Seek Again (USA) perfectly primed for this 2000m race after a
As the betting market expected, heavily backed 5/4 favorite Cousin Casey (speed score 105 +) went five on the bounce when winning the Punters Cup (formerly named the Selangor/Concorde) – a traditional 1600m pointer to the Cape Guineas. The astutely bought Vercingetorix colt trained by Glen Kotzen came from midfield to take control when
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