The SA Champions Season gets into top gear in style at Greyville this evening with the R600 000 Canon Gr2 SA Guineas heading a triple feature bill. The interprovincial clash of 3yo’s under the lights should provide a spectacle – but the draw and luck in running is likely to play a part in the outcome.
Rabada – top rated and another Azzie star
Just as they did at Turffontein last Saturday, SA champion trainer Sean Tarry and his old rival Mike Azzie clash head on with the top two rated runners – but the contest doesn’t end with them and that is what makes it all the more fascinating.
The record books show that there is little to choose between Azziie’s Rabada and the Tarry (formerly Dom Zaki) trained Prospect Strike.
They clashed over Friday’s course and distance in the very first day of the current term when the weather delayed Gr1 Premier Premiers Champion Stakes (a 2yo race in reality) with Rabada emerging the victor by 0,75 lengths.
It is fair to say that Prospect Strike was drawn in the bush and ran courageous race.
Interestingly both have had only three runs in the interim and met again at their last outing when Rabada got the upper-hand over 1400m at Turffontein.
They are both poorly drawn on Friday and this could be a leveller – with last Saturday’s big race jockeys Anton Marcus and Karl Zechner in the irons.
Beyond Azzie and Tarry, Dean Kannemeyer is enjoying a dream run and he sends out Gr3 Byerley Turk winner Mambo Mime for his longstanding patron, Fieldspring Racing.
Mambo Mime beats Baritone in the Byerley Turk – will we see a reversal?
The son of Mambo In Seattle surprised friend and foe with a lovely win last time over 200m, beating Baritone a head in a thriller.
Mambo Mime has to overcome a 4kg swing with the Snaith runner and that could make all the difference.
The course and distance winner would not be scoring out of turn and big race Stuart Randolph takes the reins again.
Justin Snaith is another guy who doesn’t like to be left out in the big race cold and he saddles a class three way coupling.
Jockey Anthony Delpech jumps ship from Byerley runner-up Baritone to ride Gr3 Politician Stakes winner Black Arthur and this could be a medium term investment on the top jockey’s part.
Black Arthur – Delpech takes the ride
Black Arthur looks more of a Daily News candidate given his likely state of race fitness but is a classy fellow whose Derby fourth was not his best run.
He beat Marinaresco in the Politician Stakes and that form was franked by the latter’s great effort to win the Cape Winter Guineas a fortnight ago.
Baritone ran from a wide draw in the Byerley Turk and absolutely flew late in the race from his weak position of a wide draw.
The son of Trippi was only 2,20 lengths off Noah From Goa in the Cape Guineas and is a serious class act.
The lightly raced It’s My Turn has not raced in 14 weeks since his breathtaking Cape Derby win under Piere Strydom.
While he won in the lower ranks over 1300m, he could find the Greyville a touch sharp.
Charles Laird trained Exit Here won five on the trot before running just out of the money in the CTS Million Dollar down in Cape Town.
Exit Here – was disappointing last time
He ran stone last in the Gr3 King’s Cup at his last outing and that is not a recommendation as he steps into the classic league.
Vaughan Marshall and MJ Byleveld had a great weekend with five winners but will not be thrilled about Victorious Jay’s awful 16 draw.
The son of Jay Peg was beaten 3,55 lengths out of the money in the Gr3 Byerley Turk and while his Cape feature form was good, he will have to improve on that last run – and beat his draw.
Sean Tarry has a second string to his bow in the King’s Chapel gelding Malak El Moolook, who seems capable of running the odd decent race.
He ran handily but was beaten 12 lengths by Abashiri in the SA Classic last time – and his form does not seem strong enough to feature here.
Muwaary is our dark horse
Mike de Kock’s Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes winner Muwaary has not really sparked in three feature starts since.
He produced no finish when 14,40 lengths behind Abashiri in the SA Classic at his last start. He is surely a lot better than that and improvement looks guaranteed under Weichong Marwing.
Duncan Howells has two smart sorts in the race.
His Listed Michael Roberts Handicap winner Ten Gun Salute has been brought along quietly and has done little wrong since winning his maiden at his fourth outing in November.
He found the classy older horses difficult to get past last time when 5,50 lengths by Solid Speed but looks to be in the top flight of the local hopes.
Duncan Howells – local attack
Stablemate Sylvester The Cat had no luck with the draw and that has probably destroyed whatever hope he may have had.
Local hope for trainer and new Mom Lezeanne Forbes is the Jay Peg gelding, Royal Armour.
While it takes a fair horse to win four on the trot, that was achieved on the polytrack and he did pull up lame last time. That does not inspire any confidence and he will have to run above himself to place.
Gavin Van Zyl’s Redcarpet Captain has been off form recently and ran an ordinary race when 8,35 lengths off Mambo Mime in the Byerley Turk.
The son of Captain Al would need to recapture his 2yo stakes form to be competitive.
This event is inevitably won by a top horse and we are leaning towards the class acts Rabada and Prospect Strike to slug it out – despite their wide draws.
Kannemeyer and Snaith look to be the natural dangers and Mambo Mime and Baritone could renew the Byerley Turk rivalry in a sub-plot of some proportions.
