True Story. Mike De Kock’s Gold Bowl winner Canterbury Tale is ultra consistent and should run another cracker here
Trainer Mike De Kock seldom leaves a major race day without a bootload of trophies, and he looks to have a serious opportunity of winning the R400 000 Gr2 Mercedes Benz Gold Vase with the improving Greys Inn gelding, Canterbury Tale.
The staying races are always a crowd pleaser on the capacity days as the unique sight of the runners passing the post twice at a reasonable pace tends to give everybody a fair chance of enjoying the action close up.
The Gold Vase is also a final stretch for the longhaulers with the Gold Cup just three weeks away, so the Super Saturday picture could be a lot clearer after this race.
Class
While the Avontuur Stud bred Canterbury Tale is the form runner, it is Dean Kannemeyer’s good stayer Blake who is the class animal in the 15 horse field. The son of Dynasty gave this race a skip last year and instead opted for the consolation July, where he ran a cracking second to Tribal Dance, who runs in the July later on this programme.
Blake went on to run a superb third to his stablemate In Writing in the Gold Cup, before returning to the Cape with the albatross of a hefty merit rating around his neck.
His form since stepping in to the Sizzling Summer action down in Cape Town was not bad and he has gone through the motions without actually threatening to win again. His merit rating still seems on the high side.
Two Runs
Super Stayer. The capable Blake will be ready to regain his best form after a quiet patch in recent months
Blake has had two runs in KZN this season. He ran unplaced in the Highland Night Cup behind River Crossing and then improved behind the same horse in the Lonsdale, when only 2,30 lengths behind at better weight terms.
The Gold Bowl winner Canterbury Tale is yet to meet with Blake,and looks handicapped to run behind him. But Canterbury Tale is an improving younger horse and a serious runner here.
He went down narrowly to the shock winner Eton Mess at his last start, but now meets the Moore runner on 3,5kgs better terms which makes his prospects very strong.
Prior to that Canterbury Tale had won a great race when beating July hopeful Seal and Masai Warrior in the Gold Bowl. He is now 2kgs worse off with Masai Warrior who finished two lengths behind him there.
Disappointment
The Dynasty gelding Sage Throne continues to let us down and ran a disappointing race in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup when he finished downfield and over eleven lengths behind River Crossing. He was reported not striding out and coughing afterwards and just seems doomed to a career of excuses.
Alyson Wright’s grey Daylami colt Penhaligo ran on strongly for a half length second behind River Crossing in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup. Penhaligon ran handily there and showed reserves of stamina that should come in very handy over this 3000m test.
Turn Of Foot
Distance Suited. The former Cape campaigner Putney Flyer may provide some value over a distance which will suit him nicely
The Miesque’s Approval gelding Putney Flyer moved from the Hodgson yard in Cape Town during March and is now based with Weiho Marwing. He has always looked like a fair staying prospect and now gets an opportunity to try a distance that should suit him nicely.
He showed a nice turn of foot when running on well for second to General Sherman in the Listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m. That is way short of his best.
The Mike Bass trained Jallad gelding Jeppe’s Reef is in good form and dead heated with Canterbury Tale at level weights last time behind Eton Mess. Canterbury Tale is a kilo better off here, but Jeppe’s Reef could have the edge over Eton Mess.
In The Pool
Kum Naidoo’s consistent Opera King gelding Scoop The Pool has done little wrong since shedding his maiden in January. Now a winner of 3 of his 9 starts, he ran his best race to date when a solid second behind River Crossing in the Highland Night Cup.
Glen Kotzen sends out the Spectrum filly Beloved Betty. The 4yo is a game sort who seldom runs a bad race but is battling to register a third win. She ran a most disappointing race in the Queen Palm Handicap at her last start and will need to improve dramatically.
Enthusiastic
Piere Strydom rides the Requiem gelding Kolkata. He ran third in this event last year, but has been a trifle disappointing of late. He galloped at the July gallops last Thursday and looked enthusiastic and full of life as he stretched well.
Gavin Van Zyl sends out the 3yo grey stayer Balse who comes in here after running unplaced in the Derby behind Silvano’s Jet. The son of Fort Wood comes in with a galloping weight and could well appreciate the serious test of stamina.
Picture
All told, the Gold Vase should clarify the Gold Cup picture and we expect Canterbury Tale and Blake to fight it out. Putney Flyer, Jeppe’s Reef and Scoop The Pool could be best of the rest.
The class of Blake versus the form of Gold Bowl winner Canterbury Tale lies at the core of the Gr2 Gold Vase
