The Snaith’s Jet Supreme is a smart Gr3 winner and is coming back to best
The R250 000 Gr3 Final Fling Stakes to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday after being washed out last weekend is one of the traditional farewell features for those lady racers embarking on the next phase of their careers into the breeding paddocks and impending motherhood. The race also boasts a welcome substantially healthier stake this year, which sees an almost one hundred percent hike from the 2012 renewal.
A jump from the humble R138 000 in 2012 to the far more respectable R250 000 this year is not an adjustment to be snuffed at.
And don’t start thinking that horseracing’s fathers have gone all soft and generous suddenly.
Happier Days Here
Phumelela have, however, been forthcoming in applying the minimum stakes levels for graded races nationally.
In the bad old days of 2012, Gold Circle reduced stakes across the board but when Phumelela took over managing the Western Cape, they reinstated the stake of this race back to the R150 000 level in 2013.
Phumelela Racing Executive Patrick Davis confirmed as follows on Tuesday this week:
“In 2014, as part of the stakes increases in the Western Cape we increased all the feature races to bring them in line with the recommended increased minimum stakes levels for Graded races nationally. The new minimum level for Grade 3 races being R250 000. We also lifted those Grade 1 races in the Cape that weren’t at R1 million to that level from 2014.”
Now where are the sponsors?
Snaith Style
With some generous cash (and black-type!) to race for, this year’s renewal sees a competitive mixed bunch of twelve lining up with Justin Snaith holding a very strong hand with a trio of runners, who all emerge in the top four of our race ratings.
The weight for age terms of the race suggest that the handicapper could be our best guide and here the Snaith pair of Jet Supreme and the year younger Acrostar top the official ratings.
In the absence of regular stable jockey Richard Fourie, the riding engagements will give little indication of in-house preferences.
SA champion trainer elect Justin Snaith will be keen to get another Gr3 win under the belt of the smart Jet Supreme.
The 2013 Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes winner has battled to recapture the spark of her 3yo season but ran on well for third behind Butterfly Girl in the Ladies Mile recently.
She has just returned from a rather dull Champions Season where her best effort was a fourth behind Durban July close up Jet Belle in the Poinsettia Stakes.
She has never won over this trip but she should handle it after her strong finishing mile effort last time.
Down Under
Acrostar has turned the corner since winning the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes in early May. The omen may be there after another Australian bred in Rain Gal won the race last year.
Acrostar’s storming late effort when beaten 1,25 lengths by Irish Myth in the Winter Oaks run over 2200m was a good showing after a slow start. Glen Hatt rides her again and she looks to be ideally distance suited.
She’s A Pippa has fitness doubts but can gallop with the best
Top Var
Her fellow 3yo She’s A Pippa confounded the sceptics when she rallied strongly to win the Listed East Cape Oaks at the end of April.
While her dam won to 2000m, even her winning rider Richard Fourie seemed puzzled that she stayed the 2000m on the polytrack and it is perhaps more a measure of her heart and courage that the chestnut does manage that.
A winner of 4 of her 9 starts, She’s A Pippa is obviously maturing and should not be underestimated.
She is beautifully drawn and if not lacking match fitness after a 12 week break, must come into the reckoning as a serious candidate.
Bass’ High
Mike Bass will still be on a high following last Sunday’s terrific Gr1 win with Fly By Night and he goes in here with a Jet Master trio headed (based on jockey engagement) by the recent Ladies Mile winner, Butterfly Girl.
She appears to have matured after battling through the Cape summer and she has won her last two on the trot.
She showed great resolve when getting the better of the Trojan Priceless Jewel last time out and now has her first ever try beyond a mile.
The Bass’ inconsistent grey Jet Master filly Pan Amm seldom puts in a bad effort and has Puller up
High Flyer
The grey Pan Amm is the oldest of the three and while very talented, is a touch inconsistent at times.
She beat Initimateconnection with ease at her penultimate start in a handcap, but then flopped in the Ladies Mile.
She is 8kgs better off with Butterfly Girl on that run though and with her favourite jockey, Chris Puller, in the saddle, she could pull a race like this off.
She has never won at 1800m though.
Internet Jet is the third of the Bass runners and while currently in form, appears to lack the class of some of the others.
She is another filly that has taken some time to find her feet.
The Paul Reeves’ trained Nonki Poo returned from a five month break to run 4,25 lengths behind Butterfly Girl in the Ladies Mile.
The daughter of Stagelight is a course and distance winner and is much better off with Butterfly Girl.
- Ramsden and Winnaar team up with Schism who has place prospects
An Old Team
Joey Ramsden teams up in a rare get together with his apprentice of ten years ago, Morne Winnaar, who rides the Count Dubois filly Schism.
The lightly raced three-time winner just failed at her last outing when going down narrowly to Denia Tibbs in an MR 76 Handicap.
This will be tougher but she is well drawn and the prospects of a place cheque look very rosy if putting her best foot forward.
Nine Lives
Greg Ennion’s Black Kitten has drawn out wide but is 2kgs better off with Butterfly Girl for a 1,55 length beating in the Ladies Mile.
The daughter of Black Minnaloushe tends to run on too late in her races, but is a consistent course and distance winner who is capable of upsetting the odds.
Andries Steyn’s Irish May is a four time winning daughter of Dynasty who appears to have lost interest in her racing.
As a full sister to the top-class Irish Flame, there are no doubt plans afoot for her future at stud.
The well bred Atlantic Oak will be looking to overcome her recent slump in form
Matured Oak
Eric Sands saddles the beautifully bred former De Kock runner, Atlantic Oak.
The daughter of Singspiel is another nearing the end of her racing career and had nothing to come when just under four lengths behind Butterfly Girl in the Ladies Mile. She has run off a lifetime best MR of 98 (now at 80) but has drawn wide and cannot be fancied here.
Carl Burger saddles the Dynasty 3yo Dynasty’s Pride who has shown a return to form at her last two starts.
She beat Black Kitten at her penultimate outing but is 4kgs worse off with the Ennion runner and appears held.
Power Trio
Like so often this past season, Justin Snaith holds the upper hand and we would not be half surprised to see the stable celebrate with a trifecta.
Acrostar is fit and well and this may give her the upper hand over the rested but very capable She’s A Pippa.
Jet Supreme is a proven Gr3 winner and has a stamp of class. She ran on well last time in the Ladies Mile and will enjoy expert guidance from Karl Neisius.
For those ladies who will be celebrating their swansong – good luck and thanks for all the memories and the thrills.
Note jockey changes:
Gr3 FINAL FLING STAKES (WFA)
Race-7 R 250,000 1800m (Turf / Winter) 15:15 Ref-729
For Fillies & Mares at Weight For Age
WFA: 2yrs-10.5kgs 3yrs-1.5kgs
1 9 JET SUPREME 60.0 94 A R Fourie Justin Snaith
2 6 PAN AMM 60.0 90 A C PullerMike Bass
3 11 NONKI POO 60.0 83 A G Wright Paul Reeves
4 4 SCHISM 60.0 83 BA M Winnaar Joey Ramsden
5 10 BLACK KITTEN 60.0 81 A R Khathi Greg Ennion
6 7 IRISH MAY 60.0 81 A G Schlechter Andries Steyn
7 12 ATLANTIC OAK (GB) 60.0 80 A G Cheyne Eric Sands
8 3 BUTTERFLY GIRL 60.0 80 BA *X Carstens Mike Bass
9 1 INTERNET JET 60.0 70 A O Noach Mike Bass
10 5 ACROSTAR (AUS) 58.5 94 BA A Domeyer Justin Snaith
11 2 SHE’S A PIPPA 58.5 86 A C Orffer Justin Snaith
12 8 DYNASTY’S PRIDE 58.5 80 A B Morgenrood Carl J Burger
(1,10,11) (2,8,9)
