Star Miler. The brilliant Capetown Noir is the horse to beat in Saturday’s Gr2 Green Point Stakes (Photo: Equine Edge)
Two champions from different generations clash for the first time in their careers on Saturday, in what should be one of the highlights of a superb afternoon’s racing. While there is little in it, history may hold the key to the outcome of the R300 000 Gr2 Green Point Stakes to be run over the Kenilworth winter course mile on Saturday.
A field of fifteen line up for what is traditionally a reliable yardstick of existing and future prospects and success in the season ahead. Interestingly there are a number of what appear to be more hopeful passenger types making up numbers, but there is nevertheless loads of quality at the top of the betting boards.
Purist Contest
The bottom line is that this weight for age contest usually falls to a top miler. In fact a glance at the honour roll shows some familiar big names. The legendary Bass champion Pocket Power won it three times, and Var’s star son Variety Club hacked up last year. The race looks like a straight fight between a top Cape outfit and a serious KZN trainer.
The man with a great track record in the race is Dean Kannemeyer, and other than the excellent second place by Justin Saith’s smart lady racer Sparkling Gem in 2009, the fairer sex do not have a great record here in recent times.
History
Brilliant. Dennis Drier’s magic mare Beach Beauty will be in the action and could beat the boys
Based on that historical reflection and the simple deduction that Dean Kannemeyer’s star 4yo colt Capetown Noir and Dennis Drier’s magical mare Beach Beauty look to be the standout choices, we are leaning towards the Kannemeyer challenger.
Capetown Noir bounced back to his scintillating brilliant best last time when cantering in to slam his field in the Gr3 Matchem Stakes. His okay July run and his general honest KZN Champions Season form has been the subject of much media space, and he is a terrific horse who we are likely to see the best of as a 4yo, as his trainer promised. He will be right there, despite a poor draw.
On Ice
His stablemate Ice Machine has moved from Garth Puller for the season, and won a cracker at his opening run at Durbanville last time out over 1800m. That win was the subject of a great Neisius ride, and the Meakers must fancy their chances of picking up some place money, if he comes out sound here. Hot Ticket is the third of the Kannemeyer runners, and is drawn alongside his star stablemate on Muizenberg beach.
The son of Silvano has been touted as a likely Met candidate given his improvement over the past six months, and is obviously being kept in tuning with this outing. While he shed his maiden over a mile at Durbanville, he may find this a touch sharp, and his astute trainer will be looking for him to be running on at them late.
Honest
Untapped. Justin Snaith’s Jet Explorer has yet to produce his best and presents a danger
Dennis Drier’s brilliant multiple Gr1 winning Dynasty mare Beach Beauty is the very personification of honesty and consistency. She comes in well weighted here and has the added advantage over Capetown Noir of not having to stress over a wide draw. She made a dazzling start to her Cape Summer campaign last time out, when fresh out of Champions Season, and will be wherever Kannemeyer’s colt finds himself in the final stages.
Justin Snaith sends out Jet Explorer for Henry and Pat Devine. The son of Jet Master is a half kilo better off with Beach Beauty, after being slammed by four lengths last time out. He is a fair sort, who ran a cracker on the fringes of the places in the July. We may yet to have seen the best of this fellow.
Joey’s Pair
Joey Ramsden sends out a coupling of Bravura and King Of Pain. The former returns for his third bash after winning this race in 2011 in great style. Now 7 years old, the son of Silvano appears to have lost the enthusiasm for putting together his better performances, and cannot be fancied. His younger stablemate King Of Pain is a different story though.
The son of Greys Inn last tasted victory in the 2012 Selangor Cup, when pipping Capetown Noir by the proverbial nostril. He has been running on in both his last two outings from 1400m to 2400m, and may be best over this trip. Bernard Fayd’herbe, who was on board when he won the Selangor Cup, rides him again.
Visiting Trio
Visiting KZN trainer Gavin Van Zyl made a sparkling start to his Cape summer campaign, but has evened out a little . He saddles a trio of No Worries, Bulsara and the unknown quantity, Big City Angel. No Worries looks the major challenger of the trio and is well drawn to assist his cause. The son of Kahal is held by Beach Beauty, but has been on the fringes of the action for so long, and is promising to win something big.
He may have preferred the summer course as opposed to Saturday’s winter track, as he tends to get into matters late on. Big Cuty Angel was well beaten by Beach Beauty last time and is another that looks held by the magnificent mare. Bulsara has little recent form to recommend him.
On The Lake
Yogas Govender’s consistent Jet Master gelding Lake Arthur was well beaten last time by Beach Beauty in a Conditions Plate prep run at end of October. He meets Drier’s darling on a half kilo worse terms, but may have needed that outing as it was his first since a swashbuckling win on Super Saturday.
Well drawn, the six year old could be the quartet kicker in the scramble for minor money. Anton Marcus rides Hill Fifty Four for Vaughan Marshall. The horse technically weighted to win this race, returns from a four month plus break since suffering an epistatxis in the July and running a poor race.
He will no doubt have other goals in the short term and we cannot make a case for him beating the likes of Beach Beauty. The Drier mare holds him on her Drill Hall Stakes victory, in any event. Stan Elley’s Punta Arenas is a confusing fellow to assess.
The son of Silvano was labelled a staying sort earlier in his career, but has shown that he has the toe to crack the mile. His 15 draw will not, however, aid his cause in a race where he is held by Ice Machine.
Bass Duo
Mike Bass sends out a coupling of the Winter Derby winner Gifted For Glory and the out of sorts Castlethorpe. Gifted For Glory has won over a mile and has his second start since his winter break. He looks outgunned over this trip in the company.
The Australian bred Castlethorpe has pulled the 1 draw, but it is difficult finding anything else in his favour. The 2011 Gr3 Winter Guineas winner has failed to fufill his earlier expectations, and besides not having won for over a year, has no recent credit to recommend him.
Heart
Capetown Noir or Beach Beauty? It is like a flip of the coin and a similar partisan influenced choice of deciding on the Stormers or the Sharks. Both brilliant. Both fit. Both worthy winners. So go with your heart. Ours is in Cape Town on this one, even though Capetown Noir may be more comfortable over the summer track rather than Saturday’s shorter dash for home.
