The classy Vincente should make his presence felt
Another Saturday. Another sparsely populated Kenilworth feature event. Only six runners go to post for the R150 000 Listed Sophomore Sprint and the major interest will centre on the undefeated Ashaawes speedster Asstar who clashes with the outstanding Val De Ra’s exciting full-brother, Vincente.
The first question we asked when looking at the final field was, where are Joey Ramsden’s runners?
The Milnerton conditioner was almost man alone at the forefront of supporting the minor winter juvenile features, offering fielding three or four runners, but he is missing in action here.
He has seven other runners on the day, but we can’t imagine he is sidestepping a hotshot in the feature. But we may be wrong!
With the Cape bathing in glorious sunshine after a few months of diabolical winter weather, things look to be turning for the better with the youngsters stepping out here into the second phase of their careers.
The feature could well announce the arrival of a bright new star.
Collateral
The Sophomore field of six have only nominal linking collateral form, so punters can be excused for leaning towards reputations and perceived scope, and the proven combinations when making their final choices.
After the diversity in going across the Kenilworth straight track in recent months, it probably also serves little purpose in making different day comparisons of times achieved.
Asstar is unbeaten in two runs
Glen Puller won this race last year with Strongman and he attempts the double with the undefeated Boland Stud bred Ashaawes gelding Asstar, who steps up 200m after two scintillating 1000m wins.
Puller told Michael Clower earlier this week: “There is nothing else he can run in so we will have to give it a go. I did have him in the Racing Association Graduation Plate on 16 August but that was cancelled.”
Puller has repeatedly expressed concern over the horse’s reluctance to settle and said: “He is a very quick horse and whether we will be able to slow him down remains to be seen but he can’t go that fast if he is to race over further.”
He streaked home by four lengths on debut and then came out five weeks later to slam a field of older horses in a handicap, both times using his speed to good advantage.
This is a step up in class and Asstar will not necessarily get away with running freely.
But just how good is he?
The handicapper seems to think he is quite okay – he runs off a 95 and his career is only ten minutes old. We will certainly know where he is headed after this race.
Cabaret Star?
We spoke about reputations earlier, and here we can throw big families into the assessment equation to tag a Var colt called Vincente.
The R1,1 million Avontuur bred Cape Yearling Sales graduate is a full-brother to champion Val De Ra and came out at the end of May to make it a no nonsense winning debut , when accounting for subsequent winner Charles Lytton with ease.
Vincente looks a magnificent specimen of a racehorse and obviously has a very bright future ahead of him.
He will be ridden again by MJ Byleveld and he also significantly hails from a yard that knows how to get them to win early.
Justin Snaith has two runners
Snaith Duo
Justin Snaith has two runners, both of which are the most experienced campaigners in the race.
The Count Dubois colt Door Of Deception won at third time of asking and then ran second to Kingvoldt in the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery.
He was beaten 6,75 lengths by the Ramsden star and something probably had to run into second.
He has subsequently run three fair places and meets Ferdnand The Bull on 1,5kgs better terms for a 0,80 length course and distance beating at his penultimate start.
He looks like a horse who may be looking for more ground.
Top KZN pilot Sean Cormack travels into Cape Town to ride Door Of Deception for Bernard Kantor.
No Surprise
Veteran Karl Neisius is aboard his stablemate, Alpha Pegasi.
The Riverton Stud bred Captain Al colt won his maiden at his third run when beating Night In Seattle over Saturday’s course and distance.
He got to within four lengths of Langerman and Winter Juvenile Stakes star Act Of War on his debut, and that form has worked out very well.
Owner Fred Crabbia enjoyed a cracking last season, and it would come as little surprise were this fellow to pop up here.
No Bull
Another course and distance winner is Greg Ennion’s Toreador gelding, Ferdnand The Bull.
Another rather astute looking Ennion buy – he cost just R15000 at sale-he is out of a mare that won up to 2000m and looks to have plenty of scope.
The Alchemy-bred came out firing at 75 to 1 on debut (in a winner’s race!) and even after being slow away, got up hard ridden to beat Milton by a short head.
He had Door Of Deception beaten just under a length and now meets the experienced Snaith runner on 1,5kgs worse terms.
Fairer Sex
The Judpot filly Mistico Lady took just three runs to score her maiden win. That was achieved at her last outing when she stayed on best in a workrider’s race to beat long-time maiden battler Tequila Fizz rather easily.
She gets 4,5kgs from Asstar but will still find this a lot tougher than what she has encountered to date.
The Analysis
With so little form to go, the only guarantee at the outset is that there will be five trainers who fancy their charges to have winning chances!
Asstar looks fast and progressive and they say we should back a winning horse till it loses.
He bumps the boy from the big family – Vincente.
Like Asstar, he has done little wrong and would need to be only half as good as his sister to win this my a mile.
Then Ferdnand The Bull. Are we discounting him because he was unfancied on debut and only just won?
Then Snaith approaches every race like it’s the July. Both his two have won and placed regularly.
The filly should find it very tough.
