After a bumper Cape Derby day at Kenilworth last Saturday, the Gr1 silverware and appetising aroma of the prawn festival will be replaced by lower level competition and a humbler menu of toasted cheese sandwiches this weekend.
The R150 000 Kenilworth Cup is a 3200m handicap that hosts a past Cape Guineas winner and a Gold Cup-winning mare. So it could be interesting.
Only eight horses will line up to contest the event, a race whose name has a decidedly classier ring than the overall field.
Top O’Noth – improved form over ground (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
But carrying topweight of 62kgs, Tap O’Noth, who was Vaughan Marshall’s fifth Gr1 Cape Guineas winner, when he won the premier classic in 2017, adds a genuine touch of class – even though he comes in, despite being Gr1 placed, having never won a race subsequent to his Guineas victory. It may have been part desperation that his connections are testing his longhaul abilities and Tap O’Noth has almost come to the party, showing guts under 59kgs to chase Snapscan home in the 2800m Western Cape Stayers on Sun Met day.
Tap O’ Noth is a Captain Al half-brother to Silvano gelding Strathdon, who also runs in the same race in the famous Foster scarlet and gold. Their dam Wintersweet, is a one-time winning daughter of Western Winter (Gone West). Wintersweet’s full sister Grace Me Guide produced the Gr2 KZN Guineas winner Black Arthur (Silvano) and the Gr3 East Cape Derby winner Robert the Bruce (Jallad) – who all competed in the same silks.
Strathdon wins Woolavington (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
While the jury may still be out on Tap O’Noth’s tank to go the 3200m, Strathdon, who ran 0,60 lengths behind him at level weights in the Met day feature, has proven credentials and is a genuine stayer. While he has only won up to 2500m, he did run fourth and 2,55 lengths behind It’s My Turn in the 2018 Gold Cup, SA’s premier marathon of 3200m. Even though held on their last clash, Strathdon could easily turn the tables if things go his way.
Dynasty’s Blossom wins the Gold Cup (Pic – Gold Circle)
The 2019 Gold Cup winner Dynasty’s Blossom has had three return runs and had no luck in the Western Cape Stayers when she failed to settle and was then baulked for a run at an important stage. The daughter of Dynasty ran fifth behind Pacific Dynasty in this race last year and could be ready to come back to her best. She has a touch of class.
Stablemate to Strathdon, Swift Surprise cast a shoe when just under 4 lengths behind Snapscan in the Western Cape Stayers and looks fairly nicely in here off a 52kgs.
Cedar Man returns from a break (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Greg Ennion’s Cedar Man returns from a 42 week break and gets the blinkers and pacifiers on. While he has had a gallop, looks very likely to need a run or two to find his better form. He was considered a Gold Cup prospect last terms by his astute trainer and was a narrow loser in a tight finish of this race last year.
Candice Bass-Robinson’s Duke Of Marmalade gelding Celestial Prince had to travel to PE to find his second victory. That was a convincing win in the Lakeside Handicap and with his confidence levels boosted, he could maintain the form to run into the money.
His stablemate Mercurana is in under sufferance and stays well – but his form recently doesn’t suggest that he could conjure up a winning performance in this company.
Peter Wrensch has kept his big-hearted stayer Troop The Colour on the boil for some time. But the son of Twice Over inevitably kicks on when the race is largely over. His recent form is an indicator that he is in good health and fitness at the moment and he could well run into the back end of quartets, despite being harshly in under sufferance.
We are siding with the class and going with half-brothers Tap O’Noth and Strathdon to fight it out. Dynasty’s Blossom is a danger.
