Top Class. The Kahal filly Festival Of Fire goes for glory in the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas at Greyville on Saturday
Courtesy and good manners prevail as the ladies have the first feature shout of the 2013 Champions Season. The R300 000 Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas has attracted a field of eleven, where the provincial form bogey muddles the picture. It could be Mike De Kock or bust, though.
The lingering first impression of the field of 3yo fillies is one of class and quality. And while we use words such as provincialism to ignite and illustrate the needle, the facts will show that only the Cape and KZN are formally represented.
Home Base
While Gauteng form is brought in by the likes of Festival Of Fire, King’s Temptress and Lady Tatty, the trio campaign out of yards that are officially KZN based.
Whatever the geographics and politics, at the end of the day this event is about establishing status and enhancing paddock value. It should be a humdinger.
Festival Of Fire is the best fily in the race, and a battle hardened campaigner in three different provinces in the course of her first 9 starts, of which she has won 5.
The daughter of Kahal has never disgraced herself and showed her wellbeing with a running on fast second in the L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein under lights earlier this month.
The top class Thunder Dance got first run on her there, and Festival Of Fire did little wrong to finish within 1,25 lengths of the Crawford galloper in receipt of 2,5 kgs.
Her stablemate is an interesting runner.
Reversal
The Western Winter filly Izora had won 2 of her 3 starts in sizzling style, before having her colours lowered by Jet Supreme in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes three weeks ago. Jet Supreme thumped her there and it is difficult seeing Izora reverse that with her in the normal course of business.
Jockey choice is a minor niggle though. If one assumes that Anthony Delpech has the first choice of the De Kock rides, then is Izora probably better than Festival Of Fire? Bernard Fayd’herbe rides the latter,
The fact that Izora may be better doesn’t show on paper anywhere, although Delpech has sufficient insight into both to make the right call.
Special K
Overdue. Glen Kotzen’s Jet Master filly Jet Aglow will go close in not in need of the outing.
Glen Kotzen’s coupling of Jet Aglow and the Lake Coniston filly The Which Doctor, will have their supporters.
Jet Aglow will be ridden by Anton Marcus and comes in less than ideally obviously off a three month break from action, after running fourth to Blueridge Mountain in the Majorca on Met Day.
Jet Aglow threatened for much of the Cape Summer season to win a big one and her form shows that she ran excellent placed efforts in the Fillies Guineas and the Paddock Stakes. Her fitness remains the single biggest concern.
The Which Doctor has won once from her 7 starts, but has yet to prove that she is in this league. That said, she did run a fair fifth behind Jet Supreme in the Umzimkhulu Stakes and if not just a pure sprinting sort could have place aspirations.
Snaith Supreme
Justin Snaith sends out a powerful coupling of Earth’s Orbit and the promising Jet Supreme.
Jet Supreme ran a cracker on debut in KZN after a ten week rest when cruising clear to win the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes over the Scottsville 1400m. She beat Izora 3,25 lengths there and should hold De Kock’s runner over the extra 200m here.
That is if Jet Supreme handles the righthanded turn for the first time, but she is well drawn at 2 and has a top jockey in Sean Cormack to show her the way round.
Her stablemate Earth’s Orbit was beaten a further half length by Izora into third in the Umzimkhulu Stakes, but may have needed it as that was her first start since 23 February.
Earth’s Orbit has drawn widest at 11 though, and will need lots of luck on her Greyville debut.
Enigmatic
The Three Troikas winner King’s Temptress was going along swimmingly in the Gauteng Season, before a poor run in the SA Fillies Classic derailed her consistent formline.
She is something of an enigmatic talent but did run a solid fourth over the course and distance in the Thekwini Stakes as a 2yo last season behind the brilliant All Is Secret.
Prior to King’s Temptress’ SA Classic downer, she had run third in the Fillies Guineas to Cherry On The Top. So she is capable of putting just about anything together on a good day.
Gavin Van Zyl’s Solskjaer filly Lady Tatty cruised in on debut over the Clairwood 1200m in the first month of the current season, but has yet to put that kind of performance together in her subsequent five runs.
It is worth noting that she did run a smart feature fourth in the Fillies Mile behind Cherry On The Top in December.
First Feature
New Cape trainer Adam Marcus sends out his first ever KZN feature runner in the Ashaawes filly Priceless Jewel.
A winner of 3 of her starts to date, this obviously smart galloper has handled the step up from 1200m to a mile with ease and is bang in form. She has been programmed conservatively and takes on her first serious test of ability here.
If not needing the outing after a six week plus break, she could give them a fright under regular pilot Karis Teetan. It will be her first run on a righthanded track.
Alyson Wright sends out the promising Western Winter filly Path To Travel for Lammerskraal Stud.
An emphatic winner of 2 of her 3 starts, Path To Travelwas well beaten at her second outing by Izora over Saturday’s course and distance and may be held by De Kock’s runner, who races in the same ownership as she does.
Yogas Govender’s Antonia’s Fortress made a quiet KZN debut at end March, when fading to finish some 7,40 lengths behind Murmering Sky over the Greyville 1400m. The daughter of Fort Wood probably needed that outing after a two month rest and while yet to show that she is a Group type filly, she is likely to need another outing.
Bun Fight
Big Effort. Justin Snaith’s Jet Supreme won on her KZN debut and could follow up here.
While Mike De Kock sends two top fillies to post and holds a very strong hand, it would make little sense to play down the aspirations of Jet Supreme, who looks a really progressive filly.
Jet Aglow is another who comes into picture if she is race fit, while Priceless Jewel has flown beow the radar up to now and is the unknown quantity at this level.
If Jet Supreme holds Izora, and Izora holds Path To Travel, then it is really a question of why Delpech rides Izora above Festival Of Fire?
If Delpech is right, the Jet Supreme could be the business. But Festival Of Fire is too good to simply write off.
