Just imagine. You are holding one of a few tickets going into the final leg of the bumper R13 million July Day Pick 6. The lifechanger hinges on your banker, Snowdance…
Do you sit quivering on the edge of your seat, trying to take insurance and sell shares to friends. Or simply crack open the bubbly and savour the moment?
Jono and Justin Snaith – bullish
The confidence exuded in our chat to the Snaith brothers for their profile interview this week – click here – suggests that you can enjoy the champagne in advance of the running of the R1 million Gr1 Garden Province Stakes – and even book dinner for Saturday evening at your favourite five-star eatery.
“She’s the banker and best bet of the day”, say the famous racing brothers, who are on the cusp of lifting another SA Championship title.
They know what it takes to win this fairer sex weight-for-age contest and similar confidence produced the dividends last year for the top team when their Dynasty star Bela-Bela won at short odds.
.Snowdance – everything in her favour
A dual Gr1 winner, Snowdance has been a trifle unlucky to be beaten into second at both her SA Champions Season starts this term. Needing the outing after a three month break, she was allowed to stride rather freely in the Daisy Fillies Guineas and the Anton Marcus genius on the very talented July runner Fiorella spoilt the party, when getting up in the last stride. Snowdance was then thrown into the Gr Gold Challenge with the boys and came out far from disgraced when a half length second behind top 3yo, Undercover Agent. Bernard Fayd’herbe won’t be making any mistakes from the 1 draw on Saturday and she will be cherry ripe to pick them off and get back to winning ways.
Neptune’s Rain – trainer says she’s a Gr1 filly
Labelled a ‘Gr1 filly’ by her astute trainer, Duncan Howells’ Neptune’s Rain tries the mile for the first time after some good sprint showings, that included an eyecatching third and 1,50 lengths behind Sommerlied in the SA Fillies Sprint last time. The daughter of Antonius Pius looks set to enjoy the 1600m and from a midfield draw will be running at them late.
Vaughan Marshall and MJ Byleveld team up with the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes winner The Secret Is Out, who finished marginally behind Neptune’s Rain in the SA Fillies Sprint.
This well-bred 4yo daughter of Captain Al beat July hopeful Star Express last time and were it not for a wide draw, would have an undeniable chance again of going close. She tries the mile for the first time.
The Secret Is Out beats July runner Star Express in Tibouchina
The top four rated fillies are all daughters of champion Captain Al, and Geoff Woodruff’s Jacaranda Handicap winner Al Danza rounds off the illustrious quartet. The 4yo ran a cracking second when threatening De Kock star Nother Russia in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes at her penultimate start and stays every inch of this trip.
Stablemate to Snowdance, Gimme Six is probably having her last start and while she enjoys this track, won’t have it easy from the wide draw. She ran on steadily in the 1400m Tibouchina Stakes and when running 2,25 lengths off The Secret Is Out. She meets the Marshall filly on 1,5kgs better terms and could turn the tables over the 200m extra.
Dennis Drier’s very well related Premier Dance is drawn just a gate inside Gimme Six and the daughter of Silvano has a mountain to climb on paper. Winless in over a year, she has shown flickers of her better form at he last two starts, which included a nice effort behind Parabola in the Scarlet Lady at her penultimate.
She’s A Giver – tough task
She’s A Giver is a solid front-running type and has run two smart races at her recent starts. She beat last Saturday’s KZN Million Mile winner Romany Prince in receipt of 2kgs at her penultimate start and then just stopped late when beaten 2,20 lengths by seasoned feature campaigner Will Pays last time.
A half-sister to champion Igugu, Andre Nel’s Listed East Coast Cup winner Ngaga failed to make the July final field but can threaten here from a nice draw. Her best form is around a mile and she could be the joker in the pack if the chief contenders fluff their lines.
Trainer Paul Peter has suggested that we ignore the Tibouchina Stakes run of his smart 3yo Folk Dance. The 2017 Fillies Mile winner gets Piere Strydom from a nice draw and must be included in quartets.
Folk Dance – Paul Peter expects improvement
Western Winter daughter Redberry Lane finally buried her second box hoodoo with a good win over stablemate Desert Rhythm in the Syringa Handicap at her last start. She is a powerful front-running sort and could be dangerous as Greyville looks likely to be up her street.
Her stablemate, the Acacia Handicap winner Simply Royal has been well beaten at her subsequent two start. But a good draw and Jeff Lloyd may have some players including her as some value.
Final Judgement has drawn very wide and that’s a great pity as she showed some of her old sparkle when challenging strongly for the place money in the Tibouchina last time.
Final Judgement – improved last time
Her stablemate, the Gr3 Prix Du Cap winner Elusive Heart has run two smart races up here – both close thirds in the Umzimkhulu and the Daisy Fillies Guineas. She was scratched with a sprained joint from the Woolavington and if over that could be a place contender, despite her wide draw.
Roy’s Riviera was thrown into the deep end in the Cup Trial, where she finished only 3,45 lengths off African Night Sky. She was fifth (3,75 lengths) off Snowdance in a small field in the Woolavington and prior to that a 2,60 length fourth to Fiorella in the Daisy Fillies Guineas. That is not the worst of form but she looks likely to again run on the fringes.
With many other trickier obstacles to negotiate on the day, it makes sense to lean towards Snowdance and go with her form and stable confidence. It becomes complicated if we don’t!
