The Girl Is Hot. The smart Var filly She’s A Pippa travels to Fairview and will go very close in the Fillies Guineas Plate (Photo: Equine Edge)
Justin Snaith trucks the intriguingly named Var filly She’s A Pippa up to Fairview on Monday, where she is set to take on the East Cape Fillies Nursery winner Winter Fantasy in the R75 000 Fillies Guineas Plate to be decided over 1400m. The two stand out above the rest, but we are not yet sure just how good the recent runaway winner Taipai Tigress really is.
In an action packed week of bread and butter racing, the return to action of some good sorts, includes the appear-ance at Turffontein under the lights on Tuesday of the Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner Do You Remember. The daughter of Silvano steps out in a Conditions Plate over a mile and currently holds the third position on the Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup log.
Planning
The week kicks off with the Fairview Monday fixture, which is an interesting programme. Justin Snaith is one trainer who does not utilise the Eastern Cape as a dumping ground for the lame and lazy. His record breaking statistics and results from last season are ample proof of this, and She’s A Pippa looks the sort that could just as well have taken her place in Saturday’s Choice Carriers Championship at Kenilworth.
But racing horses is all about planning and programming to optimise returns and performance levels, and Snaith looks to have found the perfect platform for the Var flyer to register her third win.
Good Lady
Named by part owner Barry Irwin in honour of South Africa’s own ‘Lady Var’, Pippa Mickleburgh, General Manager of Avontuur Estate, the 3yo filly has won 2 of her 4 starts in the Cape.
The second of those was at her last start three weeks ago at the left handed Durbanville mile track where she secured a narrow verdict over Black Kitten in an MR 78 Handicap. She now tries the Fairview right handed turn as joint topweight with Alan Greef’s East Cape Nursery winner, Winter Fantasy.
Promising
Greg Cheyne rides the daughter of Western Winter who looked so promising, until travelling to KZN for an abortive attempt at the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship. She never showed there. Her two return runs have been quiet efforts, but her dam won up to a mile and she may be looking for this increased ground.
Impressive
Steven Janse Van Rensburg saddles recent impressive maiden winner, Tapai Tigress. Nicely drawn at 3 here, the daughter of Tiger Dance beat Diamond Tiger at her Arlington 1400m maiden win by over ten lengths and could be the joker in the pack.
She had three fair previous outings prior to her maiden win, and was narrowly beaten by the Snaith’s Darling Moon in the Lady’s Slipper at her first start. The Cape stable will thus have a handy line to work on, when planning their strategy.
Head Issues
Mitch Wiese trains the former Mike De Kock runner Titlee, who shed her maiden at her fourth outing. She is capable daughter of Giant’s Causeway, but has her head issues at the start and will take some hard riding by Warren Kennedy. Titlee won’t be stopping and has a definite place chance if not in need of a run.
Struggling
The rest should battle. These include Yvette Bremner’s Solskjaer filly Asitisinheaven, who returned from a two month break to run a poor race when 28 lengths off Vice Admiral.
Bremner, who trained the Golden Loom Handicap winner Copper Parade on Charity Mile day last weekend, also saddles the Sail From Seattle filly Explosive Move. She tries 1400m for the first time and should appreciate the extra ground.
Good Form
The Sham yard is in good form and they saddle the Seul Amour filly Pure Elegance, who may need the run after a 9 week break. She won her maiden well over a mile at Fairview in August and while she did not show in her follow up outing, she does have earlier close up form to the talented Zobens.
Grant Paddock’s coupling of Malibu Dream and Giant’s Niece have won a race each, but have had plenty of chances between them and should battle against the top two.
Strike Rate
The race looks a straight fight between She’s A Pippa and Winter Fantasy. Taipai Tigress is the dark horse, and any filly that can win her maiden by a double figure margin, is worth taking note of. But the reliability and strike rate of the Snaith team swings us towards She’s A Pippa.
