Gr3 Prix du Cap - Winter Burst wins well
The progeny of former champion sire Western Winter have enjoyed something of a purple patch at the Cape this season and Winter Burst added her name to the likes of Solo Traveller, What A Winter and Lion In Winter when she gunned down favourite In Like Flynn to win the Riverworld Stud Prix du Cap over 1400m at Kenilworth, writes Matthew Lips.
In Like Flynn had run out the very easy winner of a handicap over the same course-and-distance on J & B Met day three weeks earlier and came into this conditions event for fillies and mares with bottom weight of 52 kgs. The only three-year-old in a field of eleven and representing the red-hot team of trainer Joey Ramsden and jockey Glen Hatt, In Like Flynn went off as the 14/10 favourite to record her first Feature race success. Croc Valley was the 4/1 second favourite in her bid for a fourth successive win, while In Like Flynn’s stable companion Possible Dream had her odds trimmed from 8/1 to 11/2. Winter Burst was facing Croc Valley on 3 kgs better terms for a beating of only 1.65 lengths over this course-and-distance in January and started as a 7/1 chance.
The early pace was reasonable enough with Seal Of Approval – another stable companion to the favourite – showing the way to On Her Toes, who had to come across from the deepest draw to race handy. Cocoa Beach, In Like Flynn and Keyra tracked the leading duo as Winter Burst settled in off the pace. In Like Flynn angled to the far rail in the straight and began to make her move not long after turning in. On Her Toes weakened quickly from 300m out and In Like Flynn looked set for victory as she opened up a comfortable lead, but Winter Burst was moving ever closer wider out and was clearly travelling well. These two pulled well clear of the rest, but it began to look quite apparent at least 100m from home that Winter Burst had the momentum to run down In Like Flynn and she duly did, winning by a widening three-quarters of a length under a cool and perfectly judged ride from young jockey Aldo Domeyer that his dad Andrew Fortune would have been proud of.
It was four lengths further back to Silver Apples, who stayed on to finish third a neck ahead of Croc Valley, who appeared to have every chance but who never really fired. Possible Dream didn’t seem to enjoy the greatest of luck in running down the straight, but was never in the race with a chance. On Her Toes had hinted at a possible return to form when beaten 3.25 lengths behind Covenant in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes on J & B Met day, but she folded tamely here and beat only one home. Even allowing for her wide draw and the considerable effort she had to put in early to come across, this was a somewhat lifeless display from the former Gr 1 winner.
In Like Flynn had absolutely every chance but was unable to repel the late challenge of a winner who has arguably flattered to deceive on more than one occasion, but who certainly isn’t short of ability. Judged on merit ratings and weights, Winter Burst had more chance than most of winning this race and 1400m has always appeared to be her optimum distance. She will make a more than valuable addition to the broodmare band at her owner/breeder Sabine Plattner’s La Plaisance Stud when the time comes. Winter Burst is out of the Australian-bred Danehill mare First Burst, who won four races up to 1200m from only eight starts when racing in the Plattner silks and who is also the dam of Stakes placed Quick As Lizard. Five-year-old Winter Burst is conditioned by Mrs Plattner’s private trainer Yogas Govender, whose horses have been in good nick lately, and has now won five times from 22 starts for earnings of R397 500.
Riverworld Prix du Cap (SAf-G3) (2/19)
Kenilworth, South Africa, February 19, R150.000, 1400m, turf, good, 1.25.50 (CR 1.24.00).
WINTER BURST (SAF), 55.5, b m 5, Western Winter – First Burst (AUS) by Danehill. Owner Mrs S Plattner; breeder La Plaisance Stud (SAF); trainer Y Govender; jockey A Domeyer (R99.457)
In Like Flynn (SAF), 52.0, gr f 3, National Assembly (CAN) – Cloud Ten (SAF) by Jallad
Silver Apples (SAF), 55.5, ch f 4, Victory Moon (SAF) – Milden Magic (SAF) by National Emblem (SAF)
Margins: ¾, 4, nk
Also ran: Croc Valley (SAF) 56.0, Twinkle Star (SAF) 55.5, Possible Dream (SAF) 55.5, Keyra (SAF) 55.5, Seal Of Approval (SAF) 55.5, Cocoa Beach (SAF) 55.5, On Her Toes (SAF) 60.0, Secret Pleasure (SAF) 56.0
