After the Budapest blow-out in 2015, there may be some shrewdies trying to beat Vaughan Marshall’s star galloper Always In Charge in the fourth running of the R2,5 million CTS Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes at Kenilworth today.
Flashback to Anthony Delpech and Budapest in 2015 – no such shocks this time?
Seventh Plain was the Mayfair Speculators favourite in last year’s running of this well endowed sales race, but a bad draw sealed his fate with Gavin van Zyl and Brian Burnard banking the big cheque courtesy of longshot Budapest.
South Africa’s champion owners can make amends this time round as the highly rated Always In Charge has pulled a great draw of 4 and looks to have only two or three to beat.
Always In Charge – could give Marcus a feature double
The son of Captain Al won the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at his third and final start as a 2yo.
He came out after a five month break two weeks back and impressed with a breathtaking turn of foot, when looking beaten, to get up and beat the well-performed Orion Quest.
This will be Always In Charge’s first run beyond 1200m but his trainer is on record with the Sporting Post, confirming that he has no qualms that he will get a mile with ease.
It is difficult finding anything to beat him, although we can’t underestimate the Snaith-Fourie threat.
Justin Snaith has five runners (one reserve) and he will fancy Zodiac Ruler to give Always In Charge a run for his money.
Gr2 Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler
The Australian bred Zoffany colt was an impressive winner of the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe last term and then was beaten narrowly by Gunner in the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes.
Zodiac Ruler is another to have impressed when prepping over 1200m at the end of October. He ran on well to get within 1,90 lengths of Silicone Valley.
He is much more effective over this trip and well drawn, he will prove the biggest danger to Marshall’s star.
Sean Tarry has a trio of runners, with the promising Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup runner-up Africa Rising making his second ‘bank raid’ in the space of a fortnight.
Cili Con Carne is too strong for Africa Rising in the Joburg equivalent
He was run out of it by Chili Con Carne in the Joburg equivalent and gets an awful wide draw at his first Cape start.
He is held by Zodiac Ruler on his 2yo form, but natural improvement suggests there will be little between them.
Snaith’s Bishop’s Bounty was touted early on as a Guineas candidate and this well-related (Red Ray and Brutal Force are his full brothers) sort has the credentials and blood to win this.
Piere Strydom rides him at his first try beyond 1200m.
His stablemate Sergeant Hardy is the second highest runner in the race and this stakes winner of 4 of 5 starts is no slouch.
The son of Captain Al has had his issues and it will be interesting to see how he handles this test from 12 gate. Anthony Delpech will be looking for a double after his big win last year.
The in-form Gavin Lerena is down to ride Purple Tractor, one of a trio of Brett Crawford runners.
Gavin Lerena – may be a doubtful starter at Kenilworth
Lerena was stood down prior to the tenth race at Fairview on Friday, so may be a doubtful starter here.
The son of Gimmethegreenlight did beat the progressive Selangor Cup hopeful Gold Standard to shed his maiden, but was comprehensively walloped by Always In Charge last time and has hopes of a minor stake at best.
Crawford stable jockey Corne Orffer rides The Great One, an Australian bred son of Nadeem who has won his last two starts.
Both his wins have been at Durbanville but he is bred to go further and makes for an interesting runner from a good draw.
Dennis Drier has had little luck with the draws in this race and his one-time winner Rocky Valley finds himself jumping from the Youngsfield Military Base.
A son of Seventh Rock, he was well beaten by Zodiac Ruler at his first Cape start and needs some serious improvement to feature.
Joey Ramsden has waxed lyrical on occasion about his High Chaparral gelding Newlands. That despite his beating by stablemate Table Bay in the Langerman.
He is quite widely drawn too.
Lord Balmoral and Elusive Path are the Marshall second-stringers to Always In Charge.
Neither have drawn well or shown anything like the form required to upstage their highly regarded stablemate.
Caballo Blanco is the lowest rated of the males.
The son of Querari has his first outing beyond 1200m but is unexposed at feature level and his form in four runs suggests he will be held.
Sean Tarry – heads the fairer sex attack with two decent sorts
The fillies’ attack is headed by Sean Tarry’s pair of Visuality and Safe Harbour.
Like Africa Rising, both contested the Joburg equivalent under a fortnight ago and were under four lengths behind the winner.
It would be quite a feat of training were they to travel the 2000km within the time frame and bag the big prize here.
Safe Harbour is the better drawn of the two.
Nordic Breeze is the rose amongst the Snaith quartet.
The daughter of Windrush has a major task against the big boys here but is the winner of the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery and has earned her chance to earn one of the ten cheques on offer.
Brett Crawford’s Reine Tonnerre on the other hand has only won once and would need to have plenty of luck to finish in the top half of the field.
This should be a serious contest of tactics and wits between two top jockeys on the Cape Guineas prospects Always In Charge and Zodiac Ruler.
If the handicapper has it right, then Always In Charge looks the right one. But only just.
Of the balance, don’t discount Newlands and The Great One.
