Heartland (Pic:Liesl King)
The 2015 KZN Champions Season will be officially launched at Greyville on Saturday with the running of the R600 000 Gr2 KRA Guineas. With hometown hero Harry’s Son a shock withdrawal in midweek, the race looks wide open.
The Cape trainers should have a major say with Joey Ramsden and Justin Snaith holding strong hands.
Joey Ramsden’s Kingvoldt was runner-up in the Gr3 Byerley Turk at his KZN debut when beaten 0,75 lengths by Heartland, whom he meets on 3kgs better terms.
He was beaten a head by Harry’s Son in the Cape Guineas and should improve with the benefit of a local run under the belt.
Paul’s Fox
Paul Peter – saddles Forest Fox
Paul Peter sends out the Dupont gelding Forest Fox, who was beaten (though running on) 1,75 lengths by Harry’s Son in the Gauteng Guineas.
He was beaten out of the money in the SA Classic, where Harry’s Son was 5,75 lengths ahead of him.
Glen Kotzen’s Western Winter colt Light The Lights failed to quicken off a slow pace in the Gr3 Byerley Turk and was also well behind the likes of Harry’s Son and Kingvoldt in the Cape Guineas.
While he looks a horse that will win his races, he may be a few lengths inferior at this level.
Big Gun
Mike De Kock – Jayyed has drawn wide
Mike De Kock trained Jayyed was South Africa’s highest rated maiden until he won his first race at the Vaal last week.
He had run two good races to Harry’s Son in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes and the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes and is not too far behind the Lafferty star – but his 15 draw deters.
Anton Marcus rides the Australian-bred The Conglomerate who comes in here off a 16 week break following his good win in the Gr3 Politician Stakes on L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate day.
The son of Lonhro has taken a softer route so far, but is said to be a very capable sort, who may prefer further.
Raider
The Conglomerate – has Marcus up – how good is this horse?
Weiho Marwing’s Illuminati was beaten 3 lengths by Harry’s Son in the Gauteng Guineas and then ran unplaced in the SA Classic.
There is little to suggest he could challenge the fancies from his 13 draw.
Justin Snaith’s Heartland has drawn alongside Illuminati in 14 and Jackson’s full-brother looks a scopy sort.
He won the Gr3 Byerley Turk at his opening KZN start and although held by Act Of War earlier on, could well be the surprise package of the race, assuming he makes the expected further improvement.
Snaith said that his two KRA Guineas contestants Heartland and Ultimate Dollar had both come on since their first KZN outings. They both crossed the line first in their respective Champions Season pipe openers, but Ultimate Dollar was demoted after an objection by the connections of St. Tropez.
Snaith said, “Heartland has gears and is the closest thing to the two big horses (Legislate and Futura) that we have. He is a serious horse.”
Veteran
Karl Neisius – rides Amazing Strike
Karl Neisius rides Amazing Strike for Alec Laird.
Despite his being a son of Ideal World (out of a Strike Smartly mare) he has won twice over shorter than this and ran a 2,75 length sixth in the Premier’s Champion Stakes last term.
He would appear to be held on exposed form.
Anthony Delpech rides the recently improved again Australian-bred Anjaal, who came to form last time with a fluent win over Captain Aldo.
While he has plenty in his favour, including a good draw, he needs to confirm the improvement.
KZN Champion trainer Duncan Howells saddles the Right Approach gelding Easy Lover who returned from a Gauteng raid to stay on for third to Heartland in the Byerley Turk.
He meets the Snaith runner on 2kg better terms but could be held again by Kingvoldt.
Fair Exchange
Justin Snaith has another string to his bow in the form of Ultimate Dollar, an unlucky boardroom loser to St Tropez on his KZN debut.
The son of Jet Master was going for his fourth win on the trot there, but has been brought up the quiet route – so will be an interesting runner in the hands of stable jockey Richard Fourie.
Ultimate Dollar has an impressive stride but appears to take a while to wind up. Snaith felt that the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 would give him a better chance of classic victory than the Guineas. However, Ultimate Dollar has drawn in five on Saturday compared to Heartland’s 14
S’manga Khumalo rides Mac De Lago for Weiho Marwing and he grabs the paint draw after a disappointing run in the SA Classic – where he pulled up lame.
The Australian-bred son of Encosta De Lago won his first two starts impressively and is lightly raced.
Slow Thaw
The third of the Marwing runners is the Go Deputy gelding Rampant Ice, who has no excuses when well beaten in the SA Classic. He won his penultimate jump in a handicap, but needs to prove he is equal to this class.
Jeff Freedman’s Riff Raf is a maiden winner and looks a shot in the dark in this proven company.
The race could like between the Snaith and Ramsden runners.
Kingvoldt will improve on his Byerley Turk run, while Heartland has done nothing wrong and is highly regarded.
