Whatever corner you are in, the R2 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas is set to bring the curtain down on a high, on what has been something of a turnaround racing year in the Mother City.
Cousin Casey and Grant van Niekerk – Gr1 winners back for Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
After Charles Dickens (8-10 for the Guineas) made it four victories from four starts with a facile victory in Saturday’s Gr3 Cape Classic, we now look forward to the seasonal debut of Glen Kotzen’s Cousin Casey (11-2) in the Gr2 Selangor Cup on 19 November.
With exciting things planned for the day, the start of the Cape Summer Festival will hail the return to race action of the 113-rated Cousin Casey. Ravi Naidoo’s smashing son of Vercingetorix, a winner of his last 4 starts, including the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe and the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes on 30 July, produced pleasing work at his first gallop on Saturday.
“It was good work and we are very happy with him. We have penned in the Selangor as a stepping stone into the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas a month later. He only gets a 2kg penalty for his Gr1 win so the Selangor works for us,” added trainer Glen Kotzen.
While Cousin Casey has won at a mile, the much vaunted Charles Dickens has captured the public imagination as he has stepped up from the sprints to 1400m and races off a 115 rating after four smooth wins. He is yet to go a mile, but the authority of manner in which he moved away from his field over the 1400m on Saturday, suggests that the 1600m should be well within range.
“A Gr3 is a Gr3. A Gr1 is a Gr1,” quipped knowledgeable racing man Deez Dyanand at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday, in an obvious reservation of the hype around the handsome chestnut son of Trippi. Charles Dickens is quoted at 8-10 in the Hollywoodbets ante-post market for the historic classic.
The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas is no boat race.
Sean Tarry’s exciting Gr1 winner Thunderstruck (14-1) runs in Saturday’s R250 000 Gr3 Allied Steelrode Graham Beck Stakes at Turffontein.
Gr1 winner Thunderstruck – may make the trip, but a decision only after Saturday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The former multiple SA Champion trainer told the Sporting Post that a decision regarding Thunderstruck will be made after Saturday.
“I would think we have to see how Saturday goes. He has a 3kg penalty and a 15 draw,” added Tarry.
The only other horse in the top sector of the Hollywoodbets ante-post betting is Brett Crawford’s unbeaten Champion Warrior (10-1), who has won his two Hollywoodbets Durbanville 1250m starts in very respectable fashion.
Entries for the Selangor Cup open on Friday 11 November. Declarations are due at 11h00 on Monday 19 November.
Entries for the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas close at 11h00 on Monday 5 December. Declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 12 December.
