Top trainer, top jockey, class and course and distance suitability. Just about everything points to a big effort from the Joey Ramsden-trained Gallica Rose in Friday evening’s R150 000 KRA Listed East Coast Cup. The daughter of Silvano won the Gr2 Gold Bracelet over the course and distance on the first day of this season and won a cracker at her last start.
Gallica Rose (yellow cap) looks the right one to achieve the double
It didn’t take Joey long to follow the lead shown by his colleagues Dean Kannemeyer and Justin Snaith in utilising the recent freelancing Delpech’s big race talents and the combo’s Listed Scarlet Lady win last time suggested big things in the pipeline.
The winner (beating Gr1 victress Bilateral) of this race last year, Gallica Rose is the class mare in a field of ten that includes Scarlet Lady runner-up Deputy Ryder, who is a kilo better off with the Ramsden runner for a half length beating.
Deputy Ryder was hard ridden to achieve that second and will strip fitter here.
Her stablemate Zante ran on steadily in the Scarlet Lady where she finished just out of the money for a 2,35 length fifth.
She won her penultimate start over a mile and will be reaching best fitness levels.
Gavin van Zyl – coupling
Kileigh is highly regarded by her connections and was expected to do a little better than her 7 lengths unplaced effort in the Scarlet Lady.
She has a weight pull but will need to do better than that.
Her stablemate Cassie O’Malley showed pace but faded behind Trophy Wife in the Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes last time.
Prior to that the daughter of Jet Master was thereabouts in the fillies features in KZN and assuming that Warren Kennedy had the choice of rides, she should be the stable elect.
Sean Tarry’s promising 3yo Intergalactic has run some really top-class races recently and based on her close finishes to Inara in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes and Bela-Bela in the SA Fillies Guineas, must have serious hopes of dethroning the Ramsden senior.
Anton Marcus rides her and she has won at Greyville.
Gathering Fame – good sort but comes off rest
Dennis Drier’s Gathering Fame comes off an eleven week rest and has maintained a decent consistent form profile.
The daughter of Jet Master ran fourth in this race last year and can again be expected to put her best foot forward.
Andre Nel’s Ma Choix won the Gr3 Victress Stakes at home before not being disgraced in the Paddock Stakes.
She was in need of the outing when 4,70 lengths adrift of Gallica Rose in the Scarlet Lady and can be expected to produce a much better showing – she has the benefit of the 1 draw as a free bonus.
Fellow Capetonian Tonya was outgunned in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes at her opening run here but followed up with a fluent win in a lower rated handicap last time.
The daughter of Dynasty should enjoy the trip and her connections will know where they are going with her after this run.
Joey Ramsden – Grey Light is longshot back up for Gallica Rose
Grey Light is the second of the Joey Ramsden runners.
The well bred daughter of Tapit showed great promise early on and improved marginally last time to run on well behind Three Blue Cranes. This is tough for her but she may well be recapturing her better form again.
Gallica Rose and the younger Intergalactic are the choice to fight it out.
We are siding with the seasoned campaigner to get the better of the classy improver.
It should be a great race.
