Joburg’s Prawn Festival forms a mouthwatering backdrop to the Gauteng Guineas meeting at Turffontein on Saturday 27 February, where the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara series launches with the locally run first leg.
Abashiri – massive runner
The Triple Crown, which includes the alternate ‘away’ first leg of the Grand Parade Cape Guineas won by the overseas bound Noah From Goa, runs through 2 April and reaches a climax on Champions Day, scheduled for 30 April.
His chief rival could well be Brazuca, who finished within three-quarters-of-a-length of the overseas bound Noah From Goa in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas. His draw of ten could be quite tricky, although they do sometimes come to the outside in big races at Turffontein and in that case he should not be disadvantaged.
New Predator finished just a head behind Noah From Goa over the Gauteng Guineas course and distance in the Investec Dingaans, but has drawn a tricky 11 and will have to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Gr 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1450m, although that was on the tight Turffontein Inside track.
The winner of the Tony Ruffel, Suyoof, replaces Noah From Goa as Mike de Kock’s chief hope but drew very wide in 16. However, his talented stablemate Muwaary drew pole position.
Champagne Haze was a comfortable winner of the R2,5 million CTS Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m on this course and finished a half-a-length second in the Tony Ruffel when giving the winner 2kg, so he could reverse form with Suyoof from a nice draw of six.
Rocketball is the leading out-of-province contender and is drawn wide in 13. However, his talented Gavin van Zyl-trained stablemate Celtic Captain is drawn well in two. The other out of province runner Ole Gunnar will raid from KZN and will attempt to give trainer Paul Lafferty two successive wins in the race.
Champion trainer Sean Tarry has four runners and they have all landed single figure draws with the chief contender likely being Lunar Approach.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe is an interesting booking on the classy Ormond Ferraris-trained Romany Prince, who has to overcome a draw of 15.
Negroamaro – leading contender
The Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas looks ultra competitive.
Negroamaro will love the step up from 1400m last time when flying home for second in the Three Troikas and she has drawn well in five.
An interesting out-of-province raider is the Kumaran Naidoo-trained Princess Varunya, a strapping filly who is attempting to make it five-in-a-row, and Anthony Delpech keeps the ride. This is her first real test and she landed a fair draw of nine.
It is difficult to single out any of the other runners in what is the most open Gauteng Fillies Guineas for many years.
R1 000 000 1600m BETTING WORLD GAUTENG GUINEAS (Grade 2)
| 1 | 3 | Abashiri | 60 | 109 | A | K Zechner | Mike Azzie | |
| 2 | 10 | Brazuca (AUS) | 60 | 109 | T A | A Marcus | Johan Janse van Vuuren | |
| 3 | 11 | New Predator (AUS) | 60 | 107 | A | S Randolph | Johan Janse van Vuuren | |
| 4 | 6 | Champagne Haze | 60 | 106 | A | A Fortune | Gary Alexander | |
| 5 | 13 | Rocketball | 60 | 103 | A | M Yeni | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 6 | 16 | Suyoof (AUS) | 60 | 103 | A | A Delpech | Mike de Kock | |
| 7 | 1 | Muwaary (AUS) | 60 | 102 | A | *C Murray | Mike de Kock | |
| 8 | 15 | Romany Prince | 60 | 101 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Ormond Ferraris | |
| 9 | 8 | Le Clos | 60 | 99 | A | *M Thackeray | Mike Azzie | |
| 10 | 4 | Lunar Approach | 60 | 95 | T A | S Khumalo | Sean Tarry | |
| 11 | 2 | Celtic Captain | 60 | 94 | BA | B Lerena | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 12 | 9 | Liege | 60 | 93 | T A | J P v’d Merwe | Sean Tarry | |
| 13 | 7 | Rikitikitana | 60 | 93 | A | C Zackey | Sean Tarry | |
| 14 | 5 | Malak El Moolook | 60 | 91 | A | M V’Rensburg | Sean Tarry | |
| 15 | 12 | Ole Gunnar | 60 | 87 | T A | K de Melo | Paul Lafferty | |
| 16 | 14 | Coral Fever | 60 | 79 | BA | R Danielson | Robbie Sage | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (1,9) (2,3) (5,11) (6,7) (10,12,13,14) | ||||||||
R500 000 WILGERBOSDRIFT GAUTENG FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)
| 1 | 5 | Negroamaro | 60 | 104 | A | A Marcus | Johan Janse van Vuuren | |
| 2 | 2 | She’s A Dragon | 60 | 101 | A | R Munger | Craig Mayhew | |
| 3 | 13 | Juxtapose | 60 | 98 | A | C Maujean | Stanley Ferreira | |
| 4 | 9 | Princess Varunya (AUS) | 60 | 98 | A | A Delpech | Kumaran Naidoo | |
| 5 | 6 | Heaps Of Fun | 60 | 95 | A | S Khumalo | Sean Tarry | |
| 6 | 4 | Persian Rug | 60 | 94 | A | B Lerena | Mike de Kock | |
| 7 | 14 | Frosty Friday | 60 | 93 | A | M Yeni | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 8 | 10 | Lala | 60 | 92 | A | I Sturgeon | Doug Campbell | |
| 9 | 15 | Melliflora | 60 | 90 | A | *M Thackeray | Mike Azzie | |
| 10 | 8 | Crystal Glamour | 60 | 88 | A | A Fortune | Gary Alexander | |
| 11 | 11 | Alexa | 60 | 87 | A | R Danielson | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 12 | 7 | Khonza | 60 | 87 | A | *C Murray | Weiho Marwing | |
| 13 | 17 | Jungle Mist | 60 | 85 | A | K Zechner | Mike Azzie | |
| 14 | 12 | Bella Sonata | 60 | 84 | A | C Zackey | Gavin van Zyl | |
| 15 | 3 | Christmas Carol | 60 | 83 | A | B Fayd’Herbe | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 16 | 1 | Penny Serenade | 60 | 82 | A | J P v’d Merwe | Mike Azzie | |
| 17 | 16 | Polyphonic | 60 | 82 | A | R Simons | Alec Laird | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (7,14) (9,13,16) (11,15) | ||||||||
