Afrikaburn makes seasonal debut
A champion 2yo colt of last term and serious Cape Guineas candidate makes his seasonal debut in the R250 000 Gr3 Matchem Stakes at Durbanville today. Dean Kannemeyer’s Afrikaburn has all the hallmarks of the character and class required to set the Summer Of Champions on fire. He should make it a winning opening salvo in this field.
Once again, the Cape feature fields continue to suffer a debilitating subscription malnutrition with just sixteen runners pitching up for the day’s double feature with a half a bar’s feature race stakes for the taking.
It can’t excite the racing operator that on their big season’s opening day there are more entrants turning up for the jockey chase and running for charity and glory, than their much hyped features.
Quality
But there is some serious quality in both the Diana Stakes and the Matchem and the return to action of Fred Crabbia’s boom Champions Season 2yo Afrikaburn will liven things up for the racing purists – with the weight-for-age terms of both features adding to the pleasure of hopefully seeing the top horses winning.
The Drakenstein Stud bred son of Trippi, Afrikaburn, has won three of his four outings, including a superb effort in the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe.
Things didn’t quite pan out for him on Super Saturday when he finished 5,05 lengths behind Paul Lafferty’s Harry’s Son in the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes, when things didn’t go his way in running.
Rested and refreshed, he looks a cut above this lot, a fact confirmed by his superior merit rating.
Starting Point
Dean Kannemeyer holds the ace
Dean Kannemeyer confirmed this week that Afrikaburn has had one gallop and while Durbanville was not the ideal course for him to show his ability, he felt the Matchem as good a place as any to commence his summer campaign.
“I showed him the course over 1400m last Thursday. He went well and pulled up nicely. He isn’t a horse who shows a lot at home and his major target of the Cape Guineas is still three months away – so I will not have him anywhere near his peak on Saturday. But he is well weighted and while Karl can’t do 53,5kgs, I have the next most experienced man in the saddle. I won’t be disappointed if he gets beaten, but I expect him to go very close,” said Kannemeyer, who won the race last year with Capetown Noir.
With his age allowance of 6,5kgs, the likes of Chestnut’s Rocket, Reim and Top Jet will be pressed to go with Afrikaburn.
Pocket Rocket
Vaughan Marshall’s Chestnut’s Rocket is a powerful galloping 4yo who has won 5 of his 15 starts.
He comes off a 13 week rest from his July Day fourth placed finish behind Lockheed Jetstar and if fit could run into the money.
The Glen Puller-trained Reim is in the form of his life since the dual tweak of a distance drop and blinkers and burgled the race (a touch unfair maybe?) at his last outing where he simply galloped away from his field over 200m shorter.
That effort was assisted by a tailwind though and whether he can pull the same trick here is questionable.
Flying
Top Jet was 4 lengths behind Reim that afternoon but will enjoy the 200m extra after he visibly only got going very late.
His proximity to the likes of Futura and Legislate (two fair horses!) in KZN Champions Season are indicators of his ability and he looks the typical late developer who should develop into an above average 4yo.
Grant Van Niekerk rides him from a 1 draw.
Short Side
Too short for Dynastic Power?
Stan Elley’s Winter Derby winner Dynastic Power will find this on the short side and returns after a 14 week rest since his big win.
The son of Dynasty showed himself to be on the fringes of the best of his year and looks to have an exciting 4yo season ahead of him.
It Is Written is stable companion to Afrikaburn and returned from a rest last time to run unplaced over a mile at Durbanville behind end-to-end winner Global Destiny.
Dean Kannemeyer expressed a reservation about the going and his suitability to Durbanville:
“It Is Written has earned his stripes and we have placed him carefully. He has won his four races and I expect him to win his way through the divisions. I will aim him at one or two of the handicap features in the summer. But I am a touch concerned that he won so well on the wet – maybe he prefers those conditions? Also his one and only Durbanville run was a below –par effort. But maybe that wasn’t the track and rather his fitness levels after the break.”
He added that the 1400m would be an absolute minimum trip for It Is Written.
Tough Stuff
The remaining two 3yo’s Door Of Deception and Ferdnand The Bull should find it tough.
Door Of Deception has won 2 of his 8 starts and got the better of the highly thought of Asstar in a Conditions Plate over the Kenilworth 1200m at his last start.
He looks a fair sort but has shown none of the ability of an Afrikaburn and could sneak a place at best.
Ferdnand The Bull won well on debut when beating Door Of Deception but then never showed last time when 6,05 lengths behind the same horse.
He appears held by Snaith’s Count Dubois colt on that but looks a fellow who should stay on in time and could be running at them late.
Too Good
Even being slightly ring rusty, Afrikaburn looks a touch too good here.
Gerrit Schlechter will be mindful of the fact that it is his first race outing on a left-handed track and that the likes of Chestnut’s Rocket and Reim won’t be hanging around.
It should be a cracker and surely serve to light the Summer Of Champions fires.
