High Class. The lightly raced Divine Jet returns to action and will be the danger to Happy Forever in Saturday’s Listed Southeaster Sprint
The R125 000 Listed Val De Ra Southeaster Sprint brings together an interesting collection of mixed sprinting talent over the Kenilworth 1100m on Saturday. An unbeaten son of Var from one of the Cape’s hottest feature race winning yards at the moment, could write yet another chapter of the Avontuur bestseller.
We have all heard the old silly clichéd analogy of sending out the stable cat, but Joey Ramsden could train three blind mice to win the Grand National, such is the form and strength of his yard this season.
Well In
The Goodhope Racing stable is represented in this feature by the three win undefeated son of Var, Happy Forever, who looks way ahead of the handicapper and somehow very well weighted on a galloping 52kgs in Saturday’s sprint.
Happy Forever returned from a long break last time out and ran a courageous race in an MR 94 Handicap over the Kenilworth 1000m. After looking dead and buried inside the final 300m, he came again to dead-heat with Cape Royal. He was subsequently awarded the race in the boardroom, and Cape Royal went on to endorse the form with a fluent win next time out.
Dean Kannemeyer sends out the boom horse Divine Jet, who returns from a ten month rest since winning a MR 9 Handicap on Met day with ease.
The handsome son of Jet Master has been plagued by problems, but remains a winner of 4 of his 5 starts his only defeat coming in the Cape Guineas last season, when he appeared not to stay.
He no doubt will have bigger fish to fry this Sizzling Summer Season and will not be tuned to the minute. But remains a huge factor on pure proven ability.
Include
Justin Snaith’s coupling of Cap Alright and Great Fox will warrant inclusion by Pick 6 players.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides Cap Alright again after his recent scintillating victory in the Betting World Merchants, and while he will enjoy the 100m less to run here, we know that weight stops trains and he has a hefty 63kgs to lumber.
Whether Cap Alright can give eleven kgs away to a top sprinter in the making like Happy Forever remains to be seen. But Cap Alright has won over most of his detractors in the recent past, and we suggest that he be included.
His stablemate Great Fox is an in and out sort, who failed to win in two runs in the weaker environment of Port Elizabeth recently.
Former Merchants winner Shades Of Indigo is coupled with Happy Forever and was a desperately unlucky loser of his last start when collared late by longshot Exploration, to whom he was giving ten kgs.
Shades Of Indigo may be best around 1200m and will not be expected to finish ahead of his highly vaunted stablemate.
Wide Out
Vaughan Marshall’s Cape Nursery winner The West Is Wide is consistent and runs at level weights with Happy Forever.
A winner of 3 of his 8 starts, the son of Western Winter goes to post a very fit horse and could be the surprise package against some fair older sorts. He ran Capetown Noir to 1,25 lengths at his penultimate start when giving hima half kilo, and we all saw what the Kannemeyer inmate did on Sunday in the Selangor Cup.
The former Marshall trained Twitter is now with Brett Crawford, following the Ecksteen dispersal sale, and the Listed Godolphin Barb winner has failed to fire at two attempts at 1400m.
It may be that his connections have accepted that he is just a very good sprinter and he reverts to that format here. Coming in on 2,5kgs, he could have a say if returning to his best juvenile form.
The likes of Jinzo, Casey Cool and Captain Harry all look unlikely to win this based on their current form.
Forever
Happy Forever would have come on after his last run and off a handy galloping weight he looks a tough nut to crack. Dean Kanemeyer will have some collateral with Cape Royal, and Divine Jet has the class and ability to dispose of this lot.He would also be settling a score over a boardroom decision that appeared to be a 50/50 call at the time.
The West Is Wide and Cap Alright look likely to make up the quartet.
