The improving Balance Sheet could follow up at Greyville today
Patience is the middle name of veteran Gr1 winning owner Marsh Shirtliff and his long-time partner Bryn Ressell. They have been around the racecourse often enough to know that when trainer Dean Kannemeyer suggests patience with a horse, it often leads to something.
Their Silvano gelding Balance Sheet fits into that ‘patience pays’ maxim and runs in today’s topliner at Greyville.
Sensational
The 3yo scored a sensational debut win in the hands of Kevin Shea over a mile on this track and surface in mid-July 2014 and won again at his third start at Durbanville.
Dean Kannemeyer – enjoying a great season
Kannemeyer doesn’t aim them at the Classics if they’re not good enough and Balance Sheet went the traditional Selangor Cup into Cape Guineas route.
He didn’t exactly feature in those proceedings, finishing fourth behind Act Of War in one of the smallest Selangor fields in years and then outgunned in the Guineas.
His Derby prep in the Listed Politician Stakes was the final straw.
Besides haemoconcentrating badly, a scope revealed mucous. He wasn’t himself.
A rest and a gelding followed and after a half decent 2,40 length fourth behind Lafferty’s hardknocking Double Clutch at his KZN season debut on 10 April, he came out and won a cracker in a handicap over a mile at Scottsville – beating the rated Run Rhino Run.
Better
While he has a big task here with topweight, Dean believes he is lengths better than his earlier shows.
Marsh Shirtliff – deserves another good horse
“He is maturing and is starting to blossom now. I was considering running him in the major features and will recommend to my owners that we go the KZN Derby route. He will be a likely Met horse in 2016. That is where I see him going if we maintain the patient approach,” he said.
Dean rates the ability of jockey Donovan Dillon and gives him an opportunity.
“He has got a good head on his shoulders and works hard. He rode a nice race to win on Solid Speed the other day. Anthony (Delpech) is committed to ride for Mike De Kock, so it makes sense to give him a chance.”
Delpech rides Trip To Rio, a highly rated son of Trippi who disappointed at the Vaal at his last start when a no show 7,15 lengths behind Zanzibar Man. He won 2 of his first 4 starts, so is no slouch.
Cat Nap
Stuart Randolph rides Cat In Command
Stuart Randolph who won on Balance Sheet, rides the 4yo Cat In Command for Pat Lunn.
He has been aboard at 4 of his 5 wins and the versatile son of Black Minnaloushe will enjoy the extra test after failing to kick behind Stolen Destiny over 1400m last time.
The SP top-rated Kentucky Guest is a 5yo son of Miesque’s Approval.
He ran on strongly over the course and distance at his penultimate start when beaten 1,25 lengths by Assegai – but enjoys a 2kg pull with the Alastair Gordon galloper who returns after a fair fifth behind Bouclette Top in the Listed Drum Star.
Another Two
Kannemeyer, who has enjoyed a glorious KZN season since opening his permanent satellite base at Summerveld in March, has another two runners on the card.
Cape Speed, a son of Ideal World, out of a Strike Smartly mare, makes his debut over 1200m in the second race.
A stakes winning son of Kingmambo, Ideal World has had a spate of winners in recent weeks.
He is closely related to successful sires Dansili, Cacique and Champs Elysees, and this is also the family of recent G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles – who bids for a double this past weekend in the Gr1 Irish 2000 Guineas.
“Cape Speed is a real bull of a horse and on breeding he should go double the trip. He has shown some decent work and wouldn’t be winning out of turn. Something tells me though that he may just need this first outing – so is no good thing,” he said.
Punters will recall that Kannemeyer won the first race last Wednesday in good style with the promising Never Settle, who was beaten into fourth at odds-on at his debut.
Right Race
His third runner is the Avontuur-bred Trippi colt Tripandie, who shed his maiden at his second start at Clairwood in the 2014 Champions Season. He has been rested since running unplaced on 1 November last year.
He runs in the fifth race, an MR 80 Handicap over 1200m.
“We have had a few issues with him and I will have to keep a close eye on his knee. That said, I have given him two good grass gallops and feel that I may have found the right race to establish his confidence again. It is no harm either that he is nicely drawn at 3.”
