Juan Two Three – looks close to a good thing at best
The Eastern Cape juvenile crop looks a particularly high quality bunch this season and the locals look to have a very bright chance of wresting the R200 000 Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup trophy back from their Western Cape counterparts. Two promising sons of Var and Querari respectively, look to spearhead the hometown hopes of breaking the visiting stranglehold.
Stranglehold is something of a poetic overstatement, but there is nothing like adding a bit of needle and stirring the pot – and frankly it is difficult to look past the likes of local hopes Juan Two Three and Dynamic Speed sending the visitors packing with their tails between their legs.
Jet Set Go wins in 2014
Milnerton-based Vaughan Marshall’s Jet Master filly, Jet Set Go, was the first of the fairer sex to lift the honours in many a year when she scored a runaway win in 2014, and the year prior to that it was won by the ill-fated Antonius Du Bois, who was saddled by Glen Kotzen.
The Capetonians have thus won the 1400m test on the Fairview turf for the past two year’s running and Joey Ramsden and Justin Snaith won’t be entertaining any sentimentality from their hosts as they come to town with a three-pronged attack.
The Scribante’s Var colt Juan Two Three heads the ratings and this intriguingly talented galloper has won three of his four outings with contemptuous ease.
A full-brother to July day eThekwini Sprint winner Generalissimo, he steps up an extra 200m for the first time and faces his biggest test to date.
Greg Cheyne is riding with great confidence
While he was beaten in the East Cape Nursery, he bounced back to best with a breathtakingly easy win in the Listed Dahlia Plate. The manner in which he quickened when appearing to be under pressure was particularly heartening and Greg Cheyne is unstoppable in this centre.
The form may look jumbled between the top three at first look, but we are going with Juan Two Three’s last win as his true form.
The one-eyed Querari colt Dynamic Speed has won two of his four starts and is a course and distance winner – a fact that must count in his favour.
The Gavin Smith runner has to give the both Juan Two Three and Captain Swarovski 2kgs on his last start, but looks a very scopy improving sort who could step up to the plate – despite his physical impediment.
Justin Snaith-trained Captain Swarovski won the Listed East Cape Nursery at his third start beating Dynamic Speed and Juan Two Three.
He was then comprehensively slammed by the last mentioned in the Listed Dahlia Plate – with Dynamic Speed 1,75 lengths behind them in receipt of 2kgs.
Joey Ramsden’s coupling of Prince Of Thieves and The Stone Thrower both have top jockeys aboard and are decent sorts.
Joey Ramsden – coupling looks decent
Champion 3yo Act Of War’s half-brother The Stone Thrower was hampered in the Langerman when beaten out of the money behind Ready To Attack, but ran on steadily for second in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery prior to that behind Captain Chaos.
He has not been too far off in his four starts.
Bernard Fayd’herbe rides Prince Of Thieves who was scratched from the Langerman with an elevated temperature.
He was narrowly beaten at his last start by Ernie, who subsequently ran a modest fourth in the Lagerman.
Prince Of Thieves is well drawn and won his maiden at Durbanville over 1400m – so will enjoy the trip as he tried a right-handed turn for the first time.
Shiraz Cabernet is the only filly in the race and there may be something to read into her prospects, if one looks at the 2013 and 2014 winners.
Last year the race was won by a filly – and the previous year by an Antonius Pius bred by Highlands. Shiraz Cabernet fits the bill on those fronts and while she was well beaten by Jane S Piddy in the Listed Golden Slipper Stakes last time out, she also faces the boys for the first time.
She definitely goes the 1400m though, and has never been worse than second in six starts.
Debut winner King Of Chaos has been beaten by both Juan Two Three and Dynamic Speed, but registered a second win over the course and distance at his fourth outing last time.
He beat Nottinghamshire by a short head with a sustained run on soft going and could be improving – certainly to challenge the top few for place money.
The third of the Smith trio is the Right Approach colt Rosslyn Chapel, who has won once in eight starts. Despite a fair effort at his penultimate start behind Humble Harry, he really and truly looks to be in his place in this company.
The Visionaire colt Struben is the second of the Greeff runners.
His only win to date has been on the polytrack and he looks pretty well held by the chief protagonists.
Mitch Wiese saddles The Cat
Mitch Wiese saddles The Cat, who has only won on the polytrack and was comprehensively beaten over the course and distance last time by King Of Chaos.
The son of Bezrin is also well held by Dynamic Speed on an earlier run and will probably try and burgle a place cheque from the front in blinkers, for the second time in his career.
If he runs true to his ability, Juan Two Three will be too strong for them.
Dynamic Speed and Captain Swarovski look best of the rest.
