The smart Go Deputy mare Adobe Pink stays well and goes for the double on Sunday
A lack of immediate recent form in a number of cases throws the cat amongst the pigeons in Sunday’s R135 000 Listed East Coast Handicap to be run over 2000m at Clairwood. The lightly weighted She’s A Pippa, who comes in fit off her PE polytrack form, could be the value considering her handy weight.
Last year’s winner Adobe Pink is a good stayer and won the race last year in great style. But it won’t be a cakewalk this time round.
Snaith Duet
Justin Snaith saddles two runners in this wide open fillies and mares feature that has attracted a diverse array of runners from all over the country. She’s A Pippa won the East Cape Oaks on the Fairview polytrack last month when beating the promising Shingwedzi in a rousing finish.
She caught a few people napping with that run and we were further confused when her rider got off her and said that he still harbours doubts that she genuinely stays.
Tougher
We had considered the poly 2000m tougher than the turf equivalent but there was nothing wrong with the way she finished and she wasn’t stopping either.
So if we choose to give the beautiful daughter of Var the benefit of the doubt and consider that her two recent runs have her fighting fit, she must come in with a serious chance of landing the spoils.
Her stablemate Star Jet ran an excellent third last Sunday when giving weight and running under two lengths behind the promising Red Flame.
She has her problems though.
In The Pink
Neil Bruss trained topweight Adobe Pink won this race last year and ran a nice fifth over a mile at her pipe opener in her last outing.
That was her first run since finishing unplaced in the Gold Cup and went into South Africa’s premier staying event off a four run winning streak. She stays well and loves the course.
Smart Dynasty
Sean Tarry trains Tresco
Anton Marcus jumps aboard Tresco for Sean Tarry. The daughter of Dynasty is a six time winner who also achieved a four win streak before crumbling under the weight of her last three feature starts. She was found to be not striding out last time, but hails from a top yard and se not be overlooked.
Keep Guessing
Duncan Howells’ Educated faded out behind Dancing Dynasty last time when ten lengths off after running handy. That was a rare blot on her copybook and she warrants inclusion.
Mike De Kock’s Forgive No Forget is a course and distance winner who ran just behind Educated last time. There is little to choose between the two. Charles Laird’s Captain’s Daughter was outclassed wen running out of the money behind impressive winner Maybe Yes in the KRA Fillies Guineas. She should be happier at this track and down in class.
Disappointing
Mike Bass’ Alascan Maiden is anoter 3yo daughter of Captain Al. She has run two ordinary races since relocating to KZN for the Champions Season and has been an overall disappointment since sowing promise as a 2yo. She tries this trip for the first time and can only improve.
S’manga Khumalo rides Sky Pirate for Weiho Marwing. The daughter of Victory Moon was outclassed when miles back in the Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg last time out but stays well and has fair form over slightly further.
Cabin Crew
MJ Byleveld rides Hijacked
Dean Kannemeyer’s Hijacked is always a force in the KZN Champions Season and she comes in with a handy galloping weight with MJ Byleveld up. She has attended the last two runnings of this race and ran a fair third last year behind Adobe Pink.
She won twice in this season last year and improves lengths once she settles in. Jeff Freedman’s Royal Denise is a lightly raced daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar. She showed good pace behind Dancing Dynasty last time and stayed on fairly well for an eight length fifth. She looks likely to run a better race here and could be a factor for the back end of the quartets.
In Reach
The race is wide open as we have observed. Adobe Pink ran a cracking pipe opener last time and she could be cherry ripe to register the double.
If she fluffs her lines She’s A Pippa and Educated could be there to pick up the pieces.
