There are many that will be pleased to see 2017 fade away to a memory and the R250 000 Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes has the honour of bringing the national feature curtain down on a topsy turvy horseracing year at Greyville today.
Undefeated Hashtagyolo could make it three on the trot
The race is run at weight-for-age plus penalties of 3kgs for a Gr1 win, 2kgs for a Gr2 score and a kilo for a Gr3 success. It has attracted a quality field of thirteen, which includes two exciting undefeated daughters of Dynasty.
Both 3yo’s are unexposed and get a great opportunity to tell their connections exactly where they are headed in 2018.
Dean Kannemeyer – putting the filly to the test.
Dean Kannemeyer resisted the temptation to take the progressive Hashtagyolo to Cape Town for the season after the Varsfontein bred filly scored a facile end-to-end win in the KZN Guineas Trial over Sunday’s course-and –distance in October. He told us after that win that ‘she is a big galloping filly who will be much better in six month’s time’.
There has been no rush to get Hashtagyolo taking on the big guns and she steps out after a 10 week break with Anthony Delpech in the irons again. What was most impressive is that she won her maiden from miles back and picked up her second start success from the front. That shows versatility – an important trait in a good horse.
The Cheveley Stud-bred Statute, a full-sister to former Drakenstein stallion Legislate, blew her opposition away on debut at Scottsville at the beginning of this month and she gets thrown into the deep end by Muis Roberts, with the advantage of a 1 draw. Statute beat little of note and experience is the only factor likely to see her play second fiddle here.
Starling Stakes winner She’s A Giver is the class
SP top-rated She’s A Giver has been allotted topweight and the 2016 Gr3 Starling Stakes winner finally looks to be finding her best form after a quiet spell. She showed up well when finishing under a length behind L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate contender Nother Russia in the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge last time and can give Gavin Lerena a double after his nice win on Fort Ember last season.
The multiple stakes placed Sail is another smart daughter of Philanthropist and she should strip fitter after her prep run earlier this month. She was given a pipe-opener after a seven month break and with top-class place credits to her name, would be a danger if finding her best foot.
Lala is led in by Doug Campbell after a win
The seven-time winner Lala is the old lady of the race and ran a fair fifth in this race last year. She showed a welcome return to form – albeit on the polytrack – last time when carrying top weight to a courageous win.
The Trippi filly Dawn Calling must be the best one-time winner having her 19th career start in the country! The Duncan Howells-trained galloper gets the service of new stable jockey Anton Marcus and can improve on her third in this race last term.
It looks tough for the rest and we are siding with Hashtagyolo to continue on her winning ways at the expense of She’s A Giver and Sail. And we will find out how good Statute is.
Have a great 2018!
