Last season’s Equus Champion 3yo, Green With Envy, and the 2024 Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July winner, Oriental Charm, launch their Cape Summer Season campaigns in the R600 000 World Sports Betting Gr2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July winner, Oriental Charm (JP van der Merwe) will kick off his Cape Summer Season on Saturday (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Disappointingly, only six horses, from four different stables, have accepted for this long-standing feature but what the field lacks in size, it more than makes up for in quality and intrigue.
“I have left something to work with going forward, but Green With Envy is so classy I would not be surprised to see him win first-up,” commented trainer Dean Kannemeyer earlier today. “His mission is the R5-million World Sports Betting Cape Town Met over 2000m on 25 January, but his preparation has thus far been flawless, and I am delighted with his progress,” he added.
Brett Crawford was equally positive with regards his “July” hero Oriental Charm. “He is flying at home, but there is always the chance he could find this a little sharp and be slightly in need of the run.” Crawford is also happy with stable companion Surjay – last season’s 1200m Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner – and is cautiously optimistic that the 6yo son of Vercingetorix will get the trip.
Current fitness points to Royal Aussie as a possible winner of this year’s renewal of the WSB Green Point Stakes. He needed his last run when a below-par fifth behind Rascallion in the Gr3 Cape Mile on 16 November and is capable of much better.
He should have improved with the benefit of that run under the belt and ought to make his presence felt. Sugar Mountain can never be discounted but was disappointing in his most recent start when finishing behind Royal Aussie in the Cape Mile.
Without Question completes the six-horse party. The son of The United States generally prefers a tougher test of stamina, but he can surprise the best of them on Saturday.
Oriental Charm is likely to go forward and could capitalise on a muddling pace but Green With Envy and Royal Aussie are expected to keep the July winner honest. It may be a small field, but not an easy race to make cast-iron predictions!
Hollywood Syndicate’s Asiye Phambili (Rachel Venniker) is likely to a popular choice in the WSB Gr3 Southern Cross Stakes (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Hollywood Syndicate-owned Asiye Phambili stands out in the R250 000 World Sports Betting Gr3 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m and will be a popular choice to bring home the bacon.
Richard Fourie takes the ride for the Gareth Van Zyl team and it’s virtually impossible to make a strong case for any of her seven rivals. Nordic Chief is very useful and is holding form well but should struggle to match strides with Asiye Phambili, who rates a confident top choice to take home the lion’s share of the purse.
The R225 000 World Sports Betting Cape Summer Stayers over 2500m looks far more open and all seven runners have winning claims. On the evidence of the Woolavington Stakes form, there is little to choose between Love Is A Rose, Holding Thumbs and Call To Unite but they may all have to take a backseat behind a rejuvenated Navy Strength who won this race two years ago.
Navy Strength bounced back to winning form over 1800m a month ago and appears to be in a good space.
Vihaan’s Bomb ran below expectations last time and is capable of sudden improvement while both Allez Moris and Royal Invitation are tackling this type of distance for the first time.
Here’s a look at the Final Fields:
