Princess Victoria is an impressive listed winner.
Trying to unravel the form of the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship at Scottsville on Saturday doesn’t look at all easy and there is no single youngster who leaps off the page as the probable winner of this 1200m contest for two-year-old fillies, writes MATTHEW LIPS.
There are entries from all three of the so-called major provinces and trying to draw comparisons is difficult especially when one is dealing with horses who are improving at different rates, but the race may end up being fought out by two daughters of deceased Victory Moon in the form of Princess Victoria and Hidden Beauty.
Princess Victoria
An impressive Listed winner against colts over 1000m at Kenilworth in late January, Princess Victoria was not soon again for more than three months before she resurfaced to win an ordinary juvenile plate over 1200m at Clairwood earlier in May. She showed plenty of pace throughout in a five runner field and appeared to have plenty in hand under a typical Andrew Fortune ride to beat Aspen Angle by 1.25 lengths. Trainer Glen Kotzen admitted after that race that the Allan Robertson had not been on the original schedule for Princess Victortia, but he may well come to celebrate his change of mind as she looks a smart filly who has scope to continue improving as she matures. She may well be good enough here, but one wouldn’t want to bet the farm on it.
Hidden Beauty
Hidden Beauty has done very little wrong in Gauteng and was reported to have finished lame when suffering her only defeat from four starts. She was impressive when skating clear over the final furlong or so to run out a 3.25 lengths winner of the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein late last month and she ought to again have the measure of second placed Up Front. It is entirely possible that the Allan Robertson will show Paul Matchett’s charge to be the best two-year-old filly seen out to date and she will again be ridden by Felix Coetzee, who has been aboard every time Hidden Beauty has raced.
Trinity House
Trinity House - unbeaten in 4 starts.
Trinity House can boast four wins from as many starts in Cape Town and in fact accounted for Princess Victoria by a length when both fillies were making their debut over 1000m in January. She very nearly lost her spotless record as a 1/5 favourite when beating Lady Var by a head in the Gr 3 Cape Fillies Nursery over 1200m three weeks ago, but she found herself racing with virtually no cover into a fresh headwind and she did rally to regain the advantage after being headed in the final stages. There is a distinct possibility that Princess Victoria has improved more than Joey Ramsden’s filly since their solitary meeting more than four months ago, but Trinity House has plenty going for her as well and she merits healthy respect.
Aspen Angle
Aspen Angle appeared to be comfortably beaten by Princess Victoria at Clairwood and won’t find it easy to reverse the form, but she does boast the not inconsiderable advantage of previous Scottsville experience. Charles Laird’s filly led throughout to win an ordinary maiden by four lengths over this course-and-distance in the second of her three appearances to date and can at least finish somewhere in the money.
Amanee
Mike de Kock-trained Amanee is obviously held in very high regard and was heavily backed to start as the 9/10 favourite when making her debut in the Fillies Nursery, but she was never dangerous and was beaten seven lengths behind Hidden Beauty into fifth place. She then made rather heavy weather of beating newcomer Eskimo Inn in a Turffontein 1160m maiden and one is left with the plausible conclusion that she has yet to show in a race what she does at home. Eskimo Inn is due to contest a Vaal maiden during the week leading up to the Allan Robertson and her performance will give us a better clue to the strength of the form, but while Amanee could easily improve with experience she does have a lot to prove on exposed form if she is to win here.
She’s A Stunner
She’s A Stunner has promising form and is probably improving. She led throughout when beating Lavish Gal by two lengths in a Gr 3 over 1000m at Clairwood in April, but there is no guarantee that this stiff 1200m will suit her as well. In any case, Lavish Gal didn’t do the form much credit when fading to finish fifth of nine in a Gr 2 won by Tempted over the Scottsville 1200m subsequently and She’s A Stunner faces a considerably more daunting task this time. Lavish Gal seemed not to quite see out the 1200m last time and does not appeal here, but Comtesse Dubois almost certainly prefers this distance to the 1000m of that disappointing Clairwood effort, where she was beaten six lengths into third place. The daughter of Count Dubois is one that can improve plenty, for she was very impressive when she won a maiden over 1200m at Kenilworth the only time she went this distance, and the runner-up has easily won a Listed race since. Comtesse Dubois was beaten 3.5 lengths by Trinity House on her 1000m debut, but she should at least be considered for the places here.
Lady Var
Lady Var is probably improving and makes some appeal on her near-miss behind Trinity House in the Cape Fillies Guineas. She was facing Trinity House on 2 kgs worse terms than when beaten 2.25 lengths by the same filly in a Listed event over 1200m in April and any further progression would quite likely see Darryl Hodgson’s filly get the better of her undefeated rival this time. She is not without a chance by any means.
Moon Spun
Moon Spun is improving and ran on very strongly when she just failed to collar Tempted in the Gr 2 Debutante over this course-and-distance last time. That was a much better effort on paper than the one she put up when she raced very green and had to be hard ridden to narrowly win a Greyville 1300m maiden second time out, although in her defence the runner-up has won very easily since. More will probably still be required to make Moon Spun the winner here, but she probably will continue to improve and she has an outside chance. Sheztheclubqueen was blinkered for the first time when she ran on well from off the pace to win a Gr 3 over 1100m in soft going at Turffontein in March, but the form doesn’t look strong and the runner-up finished a long way behind Hidden Beauty in the subsequent Fillies Nursery. Others make greater appeal here.
Extraordinaire
Extraordinaire has consistent Gauteng form, but she was beaten 6.5 lengths behind stable companion Hidden Beauty when finishing fourth in the Fillies Nursery and looks held safe. Indigo Princess showed plenty of pace before she finished four lengths third behind Hidden Beauty that day and it doesn’t hurt that she has won twice at Scottsville, but she put up arguably her weakest performance the only time she raced on going that was not soft or yielding. Others look more likely winners, although she could conceivably fill a place again. Supalicious had Indigo Princess some three lengths behind her when winning over 1000m at Scottsville in February and won a minor Feature on this course thereafter, but she weakened when almost seven lengths behind She’s A Stunner in her latest appearance and would be a surprise winner of a race like this.
Extra Zero
Extra Zero has much more to do than when she showed pace throughout and narrowly won what looked to be a very ordinary Turffontein 1160m on her debut a fortnight ago. She was friendless in the market that day and it is more than likely that she has come on with the run, but others look much more likely winners here. Up Front has good form and made one of the most eye-catching debuts for a long time when finishing like a bullet after running all over the course over 1200m at the Vaal in March, but Hidden Beauty appears to have her measure on Fillies Nursery. Even so she must at least have a place chance again, and this stiff 1200m with its uphill finish could suit her racing style to absolute perfection.
Hot Girl
Reserve runner Hot Girl drew clear easily when she beat Casa Nostra by 3.25 lengths on debut over 1000m at the Vaal earlier in May, but while she could not have done more the form was made to look extremely ordinary when the second and third could only finish seventh and eighth respectively behind Extra Zero next time out. Others would be preferred, no matter which of the others was scratched in order for Hot Girl to get into the final field.
Hidden Beauty - won the Gr2 Fillies Nursery
About The Pace
A strong pace from the start looks virtually guaranteed, and this will be quite a stiff test of stamina for young horses such as these. A surprise is always a distinct possibility in races of this nature and it is probably not a contest for faint-hearted punters to get stuck into, but Princess Victoria looks to be a talented and progressive sort. She is narrowly preferred to Hidden Beauty, Trinity House, Aspen Angle, and Amanee.
