Priceless Jewel
Adam Marcus sends out his top-class Ashaawes mare Priceless Jewel after a 25 week break in a bid to complete a R250 000 Gr3 Champagne Stakes double at Kenilworth today. Depending on her match fitness and the prospects of rain, she could well prove too classy for her nine rivals.
Priceless Jewel enjoyed a far more transparent and orthodox prep into her 2014 Champagne Stakes win, when the race was run a fortnight later to coincide with the annual Women’s Day celebrations at the track.
Kevin Shea rode her that day and she simply cruised in at fairly cramped odds to dispose of The Which Doctor – who is also back for another bite of the pie.
The eight-time winning mare has not run since fading out to finish unplaced to Inara in the Majorca Stakes on Met Day.
Aldo Domeyer – takes on Dad and has won on Priceless Jewel
Being a big strong athlete running over a distance slightly short of her optimum trip, she may well get away with suspect fitness by running this lot off their feet from the 1 draw. Aldo Domeyer has done the trick previously on her over the straight track.
The top four stand out and the balance should have too much to do at the weights.
Both Jet Supreme and Lanner Falcon look to give the Marcus runner most to do.
Jet Supreme ran just a week ago when making the pace in a slow-run affair in the Gr3 Final Fling Stakes. She was beaten 1,75 lengths by stablemate Cat And The Moon, but her run over 1200m on 12 April peaks the attention.
Justin Snaith’s Jet Supreme is fit – and will be right there if she gets away on terms
She finished a 2,25 lengths level weights second to Fly By Night – considering the Bass Gr1 winner ran a commendable 4,70 lengths fourth behind Captain Of All in the Mercury Sprint last Saturday, it sort of adds plenty of credibility to the Jet Supreme prospects.
The engagement of the wily Andrew Fortune (he rode her behind Fly By Night) also adds to the ticks.
One concern is that Jet Supreme gets away on terms.
Lanner Falcon – won Ladies Mile but at home over the sprints
Mike Bass has three of the ten runners. Lanner Falcon is bang in form and has won two of her last three starts – including a courageous win in the Listed Ladies Mile beating Petty Officer.
The daughter of Trippi is equally capable over the sprints and was rated as a potential serious prospect early on.
The balance of the Bass trio, Pure Power and Surfer Girl, are both decent sprinters on their day but look outgunned on these weight terms.
The same applies to the Darryl Hodgson runner Perini.
Mike Robinson-trained Gr3 winner Hot Affair returned from a year plus long break last time and tired to finish 2,50 lengths off Ntombe.
It is safe to assume that she will be a far fitter filly this time round – and she will need to be as The Which Doctor technically has the edge over her on the weight turnaround of that run – where the Kotzen runner finished 1,25 lengths ahead.
Andrew Fortune – takes on his son
The winner of that race was Geoff Woodruff’s Australian-bred Ntombe, who also looks outgunned on these terms.
The balance of the Bass trio, Pure Power and Surfer Girl, are both decent sprinters on their day but look to have it all to do on these weight terms.
The same applies to the Darryl Hodgson runner Perini.
Jet Supreme (Andrew Fortune) and Priceless Jewel (Aldo Domeyer) should fight it out, with a slight preference for the fitter mare.
