Act Of War has the race at his mercy
As a former winner of the race, super sire Dynasty produced the cherry on the top when his progeny filled the first four places in last year’s R400 000 Gr2 Selangor Cup. He holds the trump card yet again in his top quality son Act Of War who appears to have scared away any serious opposition and looks tough to argue against.
The honour roll of this event in recent years is littered with stars.
A Met winner, an SA Champion Sprinter, a multiple SA Horse Of The Year – and that is just in the past five years!
The 3yo feature race is part of the twinning agreement established in 1997 between Gold Circle Western Province and Selangor Turf Club. A reciprocal race called the Kenilworth Cup is run every season in Malaysia.
Quality
Joey Ramsden has a rising star on his hands in Act Of War
While only seven line up, the field is brimming with quality and all eyes will be on the Arc En Ciel-bred Act Of War, one of four Joey Ramsden runners.
Act Of War races off an MR of 110 and on the weight conditions and past performance, looks home and hosed.
The Selangor weights are framed with penalties for a Gr1 win (4 kg), Gr2 (3 kg), Gr3 (1,5 kg) and Listed (1 kg)
Act Of War has won 4 of his 5 starts after being narrowly beaten on debut.
He has taken the traditional steps up the ladder with aplomb, with victories in the Gr3 Langerman, the Listed Winter Juvenile Stakes and last time the Gr3 Cape Classic in his stride.
The engagement of Piere Strydom adds even more value and the colt renews rivalry with Vaughan Marshall’s Mljet, whom he beat convincingly in the Gr3 Cape Classic last month.
Second Best
Vaughan Marshall – bidding to upstage JR with Mljet
Mljet brought Gr1 form out of the Premier’s Champion Stakes into that fight but despite receiving 4,5kgs from Act Of War, he could not beat the Ramsden runner.
He now only receives 1,5kgs from Act Of War.
There can be no excuses either we believe for his last defeat. Both were having their first season start and both were given every chance.
Saturday’s event is over 200m further and there is little question that this will suit Mljet. But Act Of War has proven himself over the trip already, and then in winter going.
Promising
Kingvoldt needs to find his best form again
Act Of War’s leading stablemate Kingvoldt looked like a champion 2yo colt when winning 3 of his 4 starts as a 2yo. These included outrageously easy wins in the Listed Somerset 1200 and the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery.
His last two starts have been slightly off the mark but it can only be a matter of time before he finds his feet again. His classic Lammerskraal pedigree also suggest that the trip will be well within his range.
Nine Lives
Third of the Ramsden attack is the Horse Chestnut colt Catkin.
While not quite is the same class as Act Of War and Kingvoldt, he did run the former to a length at level weights in the Listed Winter Juvenile Stakes and was a few lengths off in the Langerman.
He ran a cracker at his penultimate start, but was not striding out last time. He should earn a cheque.
The fourth of the Goodhope Racing quartet is the Antonius Pius colt Cotton Hill who has been thereabouts since winning his maiden back in March. He looks to have plenty to do off his handicap mark though.
A Curved Ball
Dennis Drier – saddles the Var Generalissimo
Visiting trainer Dennis Drier and his stable jockey Sean Cormack made a winning start to their Summer Of Champions campaign when the promising Var colt Generalissimo came out to win a Graduation Plate on his coconut.
He smashed the Kenilworth 1200m course record in the process and now has his first try at a mile.
Generalissimo has won 3 of 4 starts with a stamp of authority and if he stays, he could well upset the local star.
His six-time winning dam was an out and out sprinter.
Dark Horse
Bryn Ressell – part owner of Dean Kannemeyer trained Balance Sheet
Dean Kannemeyer is another man whose hand is largely unexposed.
He saddles the Silvano colt Balance Sheet for Bryn Ressell and Markus Shirtliff and while under pressure off his handicap mark, the lightly raced colt could be just about anything.
And he is something special if previous stable comment is anything to go on.
He made a smashing winning debut on the Greyville polytrack in July and needed his first run back when 4 lengths behind Evening Storm at Durbanville.
Despite not being ideally suited to Durbanville, he won a Novice Plate over a mile in convincing style a month back, beating Triptothestars by 1,25 lengths going away.
Brave Leader who was beaten 3,30 lengths by Balance Sheet came out next time to win impressively.
Balance Sheet and Generalissimo are a feather in the cap for Hymie Maisel’s Hyjo Stud as they both carry the small Phillipi Stud’s flag in a high quality race.
First Choice
Act Of War is proven and he looks the right horse given all the circumstances, including the weights and his versatility in terms of overcoming whatever the pace gods throw at him.
Generalissimo and Balance Sheets are the dark horses and are worth including as wild cards.
Mljet may warrant another chance, but he does look held.
A Proud Dynasty
The magnificent Dynasty
The outstanding Highlands based Dynasty has been a revelation in the SA breeding ranks and one of the most sought after producers in the country. The son of Fort Wood was trained in his racing career by Dean Kannemeyer and raced in the Fieldsrpring Racing silks. He is a former winner of the Selangor Cup.
Dynasty’s own race record was impressive.
Crowned SA Horse of the Year in 2003, he won 9 races (4x Gr1 3x Gr2) for R2.1m in earnings and raced off a MR114 at his peak.
He has twice been sire of Horse of the Year (2010 & 2014) and has produced 3 Equus Champions with 6 Equus Awards top his credit.
Dynasty is the sire of 10 Gr1 horses with 29 Gr Stakes winners and 40 individual black type horses.
Crowned Equus outstanding sire again in 2014, he has produced champion racers like Legislate – EQUUS Horse of the Year & Champion Middle Distance (2014), Beach Beauty– EQUUS Champion Older Female (2013 & 2014) and Irish Flame– EQUUS Horse of the Year & Champion Stayer (2010), amongst a host of impressive winners.
His yearlings were in great demand again in 2014, with his colts averaging R850 000 and his fillies averaging R450 000.
