A likely Langerman grudge rematch could be the highlight of the R250 000 Gr3 Choice Carriers Cape Classic at Kenilworth today. It is difficult looking past local legend Joey Ramsden and super jockey Anton Marcus, who have won two of the last three runnings of this early season classic pointer.
Red Ray and Act Of War are the two big names that gave the powerful combination their recent successes in this quality contest – and let’s not overlook another common denominator in the rout in the form of leading SA owners, Mayfair Speculators.
Ramsden’s past Cape Classic winner Act Of War
On Saturday they team up again and the only variety is that this year it is an Australian-bred colt that carries the flag – although the Jooste ‘Bok’’ silks are carried by four of the ten runners.
The race is weighted off a base of 52kgs for maidens and one-time winners. Each additional win carries a 2kg add-on, with winners of Gr1 races getting 3kgs, Gr2’s attract a 2kg penalty, with Gr3’s just 1kg.
Smart Win
Ramsden’s Redoute’s Choice colt Table Bay, a thrilling winner of the Gr3 Langerman in June, carries topweight of 60kgs, and clearly needed the run when he reappeared in a handicap at Durbanville at the beginning of the month and finished third to the four-year-old Winter Prince.
The Langerman due – Table Bay beats Our Mate Art – will we see a rematch?
The latter was an impressive winner again last Saturday, so the form looks worth respecting.
Table Bay won three races as a 2yo from four starts and as one of only two course-and-distance winners in the field, looks a natural first choice.
His major opposition will be another Australian-bred and desperately narrow runner-up in the Langerman, in the Sporting Post top-rated Our Mate Art, who is 3kgs better off with Table Bay.
The son of Artie Schiller found the 1200m of his end September prep run on the sharp side and will have come on with the benefit of that start. He looks an exciting classic prospect in the making and can take advantage of his weight pull to gain revenge for the Langerman blow.
Brett’s Three
Brett Crawford has been in fine form and he saddles a trio of runners, headed jointly (on the official ratings) by recent hat-trick scorer Edict Of Nantes and the equally progressive, Boldly Respectable.
Brett Crawford – saddles three
Edict Of Nantes is improving with every run and gets his chance to show his colours for his first serious test of strength.
Boldly Respectable is the mount of Andrew Fortune and won a low-key handicap at Durbanville in good style last time.
The good-looking son of Bold Silvano has always been mentioned in positive threads and he could challenge for minor money at best.
Recent maiden winner Sunset Eyes jumps from the best of the draw and completes the Crawford trio in the hands of Richard Fourie.
The son of Western Winter meets Elusive Path on a 2kg advantage for a 2,25 length course-and-distance beating. He did step up and won his maiden well – beating little of note – at his third start.
Snaith Pair
Australian-bred Turbulent Air and the speedy Le Harve form the Snaith Attack.
Gavin Lerena – flies in for Turbulent Air
Gavin Lerena flies in to partner Turbulent Air, a two time winner (up to a mile and over the course and distance) from four starts.
He was beaten 4 lengths in the Langerman, but meets Table Bay on a kilo better terms – but is 2kgs worse off with Our Mate Art.
The beautifully bred Le Harve is yet to live up to his Gr1 family, but the son of Var looks very scopy and has earned at all four of his starts.
It will be interesting to monitor how he handles the step up in trip.
Vaughan Marshall and regular stable jockey MJ Byleveld team up with the Pathfork gelding Elusive Path, who runs from a wide draw but has won his last two. Beyond Table Bay, he is the only other course-and-distance winner in the field.
He beat last Saturday’s smart looking runner-up Summer Sky last time and will be likely to improve further.
Irish Luck
Braam Van Huyssteen – part owner of longshot, Lee’s Star
Owner Braam Van Huyssteen will still be on a high after his Leopardstown success on Sunday and hoping that he and good friend Greg Bortz’ Western Winter gelding Lee’s Star can produce the goods at his opening Cape start.
The Dennis Drier gelding beat the still trying Rand Hedge at his second start to win his maiden and his three subsequent runs have not suggested that he could go a few rounds with the better 3yo’s that he faces here.
That said, he made the Drier Cape Summer string (who had their opening winner on Wednesday) cut, so may be better than his overall form suggests.
The Burger-Van Reenen training partnership’s Elevated has run four second places in succession and that includes a fair runner-up berth behind the very decent Attenborough in the Listed Somerset 1200 last term.
The son of Elusive Fort tried the extra 200m at Durbanville last time and was running on smartly. He is worthy of quartet inclusion.
Revenge
Our Mate Art has the perfect opportunity at these weights to exact revenge on his Langerman conqueror Table Bay and if things go his way, it should be a titanic battle for supremacy.
Edict Of Nantes is the improver and is riding a wave of confidence as he steps into the bigger leagues.
Elevated and Turbulent Air look best of the rest.
