The Mike Bass-trained Hammie’s Hooker is the best of them on ratings and will go close
The R1 million Maine Chance Farms Gr1 Paddock Stakes hosts a diverse field of class and ability across the age spectrum at weight-for-age at Kenilworth on Saturday. Dennis Drier has won the race for the last two year’s running but with rare Cape visitor Joey Soma in town, and his colleague Mike De Kock looking for his fifth win in the race, it will be a hard fought contest on all fronts.
Dennis Drier’s star mare Beach Beauty is doing her maternal duties at Drakenstein Stud these days and her stablemate Jet Aglow is called upon to step into the breach and take over the mantle.
Excellent Form
Jet Aglow is fit and has found form at the right time
Imagining that the daughter of Jet Master is anywhere near as good as Beach Beauty is pie in the sky, but she is all class and heart and will be looking to build on her excellent third finish last year.
In the ensuing time, Jet Aglow has maintained excellent form from 1200m to 2000m and been placed twice at Gr1 level.
She has had two starts this season – the first when needing it and running out of puff for a not disgraced 5,40 lengths behind Legislate in the Green Point Stakes and then her last start when showing guts and ability to lead most of the way to beat L’ Ormarins Queen’s Plate runner Jet Explorer by a half length.
She looks ready.
Visitors
Joey Soma’s Athina is classy and has a nice turn of foot
The visiting duo of Athina and the year younger Pine Princess will both be factors – but there has been some public debate surrounding the AHS movement restrictions.
Athina has an electrifying turn of foot and the riding engagement of Piere Strydom makes her an interesting proposition.
The daughter of Fort Wood was slow away in the Summer Cup and never showed in a rare blot on her copybook.
On her earlier feature form, she is not without a huge shout.
The classy 3yo Pine Princess has won 4 of her 8 starts and after her gutsy Gr3 Yellowwood victory, was run out of it by the superior finish of Arcetri Pink in the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.
She will be more comfortable over the extra 200m here and raced on a left-handed turn in her 2yo career.
Trippi Trio
Mike Bass – saddles a Trippi trio
Mike Bass saddles a strong Trippi trio in the race, headed by the highest rated runner of the thirteen in the Trippi mare, Hammie’s Hooker.
She ran just under a half length fourth behind Jet Aglow in the race last year and is another who has maintained her impeccable feature form throughout last year.
Her peak run came with a superb victory in the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes beating Jet Aglow at level weights by 2,25 lengths and followed that with a top class second in the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes behind Beach Beauty.
Her two opening runs this term have also been good efforts. A fast-finishing third behind stablemate Tevez in the Merchants was followed by traffic problems in the Diadem Stakes where she ran unplaced but only 4,85 lengths off Captain Of All.
Grant Van Niekerk rides the 3yo Inara, who finished well to get within 2,50 lengths of Majmu in the Avontuur Fillies Guineas.
At her penultimate start she had also stayed on well for fourth behind Cold As Ice in the Choice Carriers Championship. Her draw of 13 will not be in her favour, but she is an improving sort.
The third of the Bass trio is Shingwedzi, who has drawn a lot more favourably at 3 and this consistent placer ran on nicely for a 1,80 lengths fourth behind Jet Supreme in the Gr3 Victress Stakes.
Snaith Trio
Richard Fourie will ride the consistent Acrostar
Justin Snaith also has three in the race.
There is little to choose between Jet Supreme and Acrostar, who were separated by a nostril in the Victress Stakes last time.
First choice jockey Richard Fourie stays with the vastly improved Australian-bred Acrostar, who faces her first real test in Gr1 company.
The former Weiho Marwing runner Ash Cloud is now in the care of the Snaiths.
She has drawn wide and is yet to recapture her best 3yo form. She is also likely to be looking for further.
Glen Kotzen’s Jet Belle beat Jet Aglow in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet last term and is a versatile hardknocker who could produce a winning performance when least expected of her.
She needed her first run in the Cape this season but is bound to improve lengths on that.
The Balance
Brett Crawford – saddles Maybe Yes
Brett Crawford’s Maybe Yes ran on well at her only start this term, when beaten 0,75 lengths by the improving Lanner Falcon.
She looks held by Jet Aglow and Hammie’s Hooker, but must have a chance for the back end of the quartets if things go her way.
Joey Ramsden’s beautifully bred Tapit filly Grey Light has lost her form and cannot be recommended.
Stan Elley’s nuggety grey Pecan Nut is way out on the handicap but has won her last two on the trot and comes in fit and well. She must have an outside place chance at best.
Front Row
There won’t be anything in it between Hammie’s Hooker and Jet Aglow. Their varying styles make for an interesting contest.
Athina and Pine Princess are both serious out of province challengers, while Acrostar has a finish second to none on her and could swoop late and catch them all napping.
It should be a cracking race.
