First supplementary entries for the R2 million Gr1 Cape Town Met close at 11h00 on Monday and things are hotting up.
Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson, who enjoyed three feature strikes at a sunny Kenilworth on Saturday, is not entirely sold on the prospect of Gr2 Peninsula Handicap winner Firealley going for the Cape’s flagship race.
Firealley caught the eye on the balmy day under his 52kgs when scoring an authoritative Gr2 win.
But Candice, who is looking for her first Met trophy, has not yet made her mind up what route to go yet with the son of Flower Alley.
Firealley (Greg Cheyne) is led in after his Gr2 win by Mel Arnold, Candice Bass-Robinson and Carol Bass(Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“I don’t think the Met is an ideal option at the weights. It’s a tough decision to make though and maybe we will go the Premier Trophy route. That’s on L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate day on 8 January,” she told the Sporting Post.
Whatever the decision with Fiona Carmichael’s big-hearted 4yo, the biggest Met entry eye-opener this weekend was Justin Snaith’s Double Superlative, who came from some way off the radar to stamp his name as a horse for 2022 when winning the Cape Guineas.
The son of Twice Over is also going to be entered in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
The Double Superlative Brains Trust – Jono Snait, Nic Jonsson and Justin (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Others to entrench their Met prospects at Kenilworth on Saturday were another Bass-Robinson resident in the classy chestnut Marina, who showed terrific fight when winning the Victress Stakes, Piet Botha’s honest soldier Rockin’ Ringo, who chased Firealley home in the Peninsula and Kannemeyer’s Gr1 winner Russian Rock, who maintained his consistency when second behind Silver Operator over 1400m in a Pinnacle Stakes.
Less convincing was Met entry Hoedspruit who lumped top weight in the Peninsula. He was given every chance by Richard Fourie, but couldn’t find a top four spot in the nine horse field. Andre Nel’s Vikram, a recent shock winner of the Gr2 Cape Merchants, was five lengths behind Hoedspruit.
Dean Kannemeyer’s Waterberry Lane was another who appeared to have been given every chance in the Cape Guineas after impressively winning his only two starts this season. While he was the highest rated runner going into the classic, he failed to underline that and ran 6,60 lengths behind. He shouldn’t be written off yet.
At Turffontein on Saturday, Paul Matchett’s SA Triple Tiara superstar War Of Athena was back to winning ways after her Summer Cup unplaced effort when she registered her 11th win beating a quality field and conceding 5kgs to hardknocking 6yo Tierra Del Fuego in a Pinnacle Stakes over a mile.
The connections are still deciding on the Cape trip, which could could two-legged and commence with the Gr1 Paddock Stakes on 8 January.
Roy and Rose lead in their superstar with Muzi saluting – she could be headded to Cape (Pic- Chase Liebenberg)
Fellow Met entry Malmoos never showed and ran 14 lengths downfield. He was reported to be hanging out from the 200m and the stable was requested to report back on his condition when returning to the yard. Nothing obvious was detected and Malmoos may have other distractions that are taking his eye off the ball. He looks unlikely to travel for the Met.
One Met entry who ran recently was Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Puerto Manzano, who stepped out at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the Reconcilliation Day holiday last week.
Starting deep in the red, Puerto Manzano (113) was running over the ‘July’ trip of 2200m for the first time, and somehow managed to get beaten 0,45 lengths into third.
In front of him was Decorated (75) in receipt of 8,5kgs and Favour (97) in receipt of a half kilo. You work it out!
After tomorrow’s next entry stage, final Met supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Monday 10 January, when weights will be published.
Declarations are due by 11h00 on Wednesday 19 January.
Barrier Draws will be done electronically by the NRB on the same day.
