The Darling of the South African turf, Summer Pudding, is doing well at Milnerton in preparation for the Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth on Saturday but trainer Paul Peter admitted the defending champion Queen Supreme was the horse to beat.
He told Gold Circle’s David Thiselton: “Summer Pudding is fresh and bright and eating well but this will most definitely be her toughest task to date. It is her first run in the Cape and her first time around a left hand turn but she does seem to be taking to the Cape.”
Top trio – Paul Peter, Summer Pudding and Warren Kennedy (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Peter continued, “I am scared of Queen Supreme. She has been very impressive in her last two starts and is perfectly course and distance suited. She is the horse to beat.”
Summer Pudding has a wide draw but this is the norm for her.
Peter said, “It might be a blessing. They have the Cape crawl here so better to be in the open where you can go as quickly as you want rather than boxed in.”
Warren Kennedy, in accordance with the lockdown restrictions, has chosen to ride in the Cape for the month of January especially for this ride.
Peter said, “Warren has sacrificed a lot to be here, he loves this filly. He rode her in a grass gallop last Wednesday. She galloped with Heart Stwings and they both went very well.”
Summer Pudding will be attempting to make it ten out of ten, which will put her just one short of the unbeaten record of eleven set by Homeguard in the late 1960s.
Queen Supreme wins the Paddock Stakes in 2020 (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Queen Supreme runs in the same familiar black and yellow colours of the Oppenheimer family, which are officially owned by their Mauritzfontein Stud farm these day.
Heart Stwings is also in the Paddock Stakes and Peter is hoping for a place.
He said, “She is thriving here in the Cape and ran way above her rating when a half-a-length second in the Victress Stakes last time (same course and distance as the Paddock Stakes). She is a natural handy or front-running type and if she had sat closer to Silvano’s Pride last time she might have even got closer. I am hoping she will run into the money.”
1st R300000, 2nd R125000, 3rd R50000, 4th R25000
CARTIER PADDOCK STAKES (WFA) (Grade 1)
For Fillies & Mares at Weight For Age
WFA: 3yrs-6kgs 4yrs-0.5kgs
No Apprentice Allowance
| 1 | 2 | Queen Supreme (IRE) | 60 | 126 | A | K de Melo | Mike de Kock | |
| 2 | 1 | Clouds Unfold | 60 | 124 | A | A Domeyer | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 3 | 7 | Silvano’s Pride | 60 | 118 | A | R Khathi | Justin Snaith | |
| 4 | 6 | Miyabi Gold | 60 | 113 | A | R Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 5 | 11 | Summer Pudding | 59.5 | 129 | A | W Kennedy | Paul Peter | |
| 6 | 8 | Driving Miss Daisy | 59.5 | 115 | BA | M Winnaar | Eric Sands | |
| 7 | 10 | Kelpie | 59.5 | 107 | A | G Cheyne | Brett Crawford | |
| 8 | 4 | Heart Stwings | 59.5 | 106 | A | G Lerena | Paul Peter | |
| 9 | 12 | Sing Out Loud | 59.5 | 105 | A | A Marcus | Brett Crawford | |
| 10 | 5 | Princess Calla | 54 | 111 | A | G Behr | Adam Marcus | |
| 11 | 9 | Chat Ching | 54 | 108 | A | G van Niekerk | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| 12 | 3 | Dazzling Sun | 54 | 107 | A | *L J Ferraris | Justin Snaith | |
| Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote | ||||||||
| (2,11) (3,4,12) (5,8) (7,9) | ||||||||
- David Thiselton / www.goldcircle.co.za
