Set For Victory. Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top is the obvious first choice in Saturday’s Gr1 Woolavington 2000
Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top makes her KZN debut in the R750 000 Gr1 Woolavington 2000 to be run over 2000m at Greyville on Saturday. The daughter of Tiger Ridge looks a good thing on the handicap and she should be virtually unstoppable.
The drawcard of a clash of two class acts from opposite ends of South Africa is bound to prove one of the highlights of a fascinating day of Champions Season horseracing.
One imagines that lowering her colours will require some Houdini type magic from opposing trainers Joey Ramsden, Geoff Woodruff, Robbie Sage and Justin Snaith.
Brilliant
There is really not much to add that has not already been said and written about the brilliant Triple Tiara winner, Cherry On The Top. A winner of 8 of her 11 starts, she has Do You Remember and Jet Belle well held on their last three runs, and the rest beaten on the handicap.
Unknown
Plan Up Sleeve? Blueridge Mountain is top class and is the threat to the Gauteng raider
The unknown threat is that of Joey Ramsden’s Argentinian bred Majorca Stakes winner Blueridge Mountain. The daughter of Giant’s Causeway has won her last four races from 1200m to a mile on the trot, and is one of a few fillies trying the trip for the first time. She won an excellent race in the Gr1 Majorca Stakes on Met day and has since followed up with two easy grass gallop type victories.
An interesting aspect of Blueridge Mountain’s challenge will be the tactical approach adopted by the astute Joey Ramsden and his jockey, who will hopefully have recovered from an operation on his thumb this past Monday.
Blueridge Mountain has a high cruising speed for a filly capable of winning over this trip, and it is possible that they may take the fight to Cherry On The Top. The latter has seldom been challenged or put under pressure by any opponent recently and the clash makes for an interesting spectacle.
Forget Me Not
Geoff Woodruff’s Silvano filly Do You Remember is the official Triple Tiara bridesmaid, having been runner up in all three legs to Cherry On The Top. The winner of 2 of 8 starts is a smart filly who jumps from a good draw under Benard Fayd’herbe who knows her well.
While the records indicate clearly that she will run behind Cherry On The Top again, it is possible that her astute trainer may have hatched a plan to exploit the Greyville track to her benefit to overturn the deficit.
Stay Around
Robbie Sage’s Jet Belle is bred to stay all day and the daughter of Jet Master finished third in two of the three legs of the Triple Tiara. She has an electrifying turn of foot and will win many races in time once she reverts to the ranks. Gunter Wrogemann rides her again and she jumps on the paint, so will have as much as possible in her favour. That said, it is difficult to see her revering matters.
Combination
Underexposed. The Snaith’s Jet Supreme is an improving filly and has plenty going for her
Justin Snaith sends out the Umkhomazi Stakes winner Jet Supreme. The Betting World 1900 winning combination of the Devines, Jet Master, Snaith and jockey Sean Cormack, will be looking to build on their Gr2 success of just over a week ago at the same venue.
Jet Supreme has done nothing wrong in her first two KZN runs and last time showed up prominently in the KRA Fillies Guineas to run a 2,30 length third behind Festival Of Fire. Jet Supreme has her first try at 2000m, but her Zabeel dam won up to 2400m and there is every indication that she will cope with the test.
De Kock
Mike De Kock has won this race three times in the last four years. His Fort Wood filly Al Kindi has only ever run once previously at Greyville in the course of her record of 2 wins from 13 starts. She broke a drought at her last outing when running on strongly for second behind Adobe Pink in the Listed East Coast Handicap, and a repeat of that level of effort would see her with place aspirations.
Cape Challenge
Adam Marcus has his first KZN Group 1 runner with the Ashaawes filly,Priceless Jewel. A winner of 3 of her first six starts, Priceless Jewel had her first Champions Season run in the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas, where she did not show and ran 4,40 lengths off Festival Of Fire.
Priceless Jewel’s dam won seven races up to 2000m and her racing style suggests that she may enjoy the stamina test. While way out on paper, she is an improving filly who has a solid chance of earning some minor place money.
Marcus’ neighbour, Milnerton based trainer Paul Reeves, had his first KZN Group 1 runner last Saturday when his Var filly Sea Cat ran an excellent fourth in the Allan Robertson Championship. He is represented here by the Stagelight filly Nonki Poo.
Nonki Poo goes 2000m for the first time in her career and while game and consistent, looks way out of her depth and unlikely to trouble the top echelon.
Checkmate
A blind man from a helicopter could mark Cherry On The Top as the right filly. If she is to be beaten, then it will have to come from a chess move by Joey Ramsden and Anton Marcus. Blueridge Mountain is top class and versatile , and therein lies the basis for a tactical onslaught. Failing any genius initiative, Cherry On The Top will win it. Do You Remember, Jet Belle and the Snaith machine’s Jet Supreme look next best.
