Supreme Dynasty goes for four in a row
The Cape Summer Of Champions fireball is just above the horizon and with the Durbanville roster well behind us, the quality of Cape racing is set to gain radical momentum in the next weeks. And the presence of a quartet of runners from the power yard of KZN Champion trainer Dennis Drier is bound to attract plenty of interest on Kenilworth’s nine-race card on Wednesday.
Drier arrived at Phillipi with his string of 24 in the last week of September and sent out his first three Cape runners for the summer at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Soft Landing
He went on record recently confirming that the travel and settling-in logistics had gone much smoother this year than in 2014, when things had gone awry from day one.
On Wednesday they could start off on a midweek winning note in the first race when the 3yo Speightstown (USA) colt Ante Omnia has his second run, after powering on strongly for second on his debut at Scottsville last month. He had been backed to adds-on there and was obviously showing plenty at home.
Drier also has last season’s Listed Jamaica Handicap winner Gathering Fame making her season debut after a KZN Champions Season on the fringes of glory, as well as the Roy Moodley bred Royal Union Jet, who returns after a break of two months following an excellent post-maiden effort behind the impressive Exit Here.
Topliner
Sean Cormack – rides Supreme Dynasty
His runner in the day’s seven-horse topliner and Bipot opener, an MR 92 Handicap run over 1200m, is the highly thought of Supreme Dynasty.
She is owned by Vanessa Harrison, who also raced the superb Jet Aglow and this Gary Player Stud-bred 3yo looks to be going in the same classic direction.
Labelled a potential Majorca-Paddock Stakes prospect by her trainer, she returns from a break of 30 weeks after being left alone when wintering badly.
“She’s above average, so we’ll see what opportunities pop up,” said Drier recently.
A winner of 3 of her 4 starts to date, Supreme Dynasty has her first outing on the turf, but that should be little hassle given her Gr1 pretensions – and she could make it four straight wins.
Cat Call
Sea Cat – will need to find her best form
Topweighted Sea Cat is back with Paul Reeves and races these days in the Mauritzfontein black and yellow flag.
The quirky daughter of Var returns from an eight week break and will need to improve to feature. She will have other goals in the next few months.
Mike Robinson’s Hot Affair is a course and distance 2yo Gr3 winner and is another who returns from a long break. It was 13 weeks ago that she ran a shocker in the Champagne Stakes, and her return will be watched with interest.
Brett Crawford saddles the Irish-bred Folk Law for Wilgerbosdrift.
A winner of a 1000m sprint from five starts in the UK, she has not raced in 13 months and is another who presents a fitness poser.
Snaith Coupling
Sunset Tripp wins the Sweet Chestnut
Justin Snaith’s coupling of 2014 Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes winner Sunset Tripp and the paperweighted 3yo Acaciawood warrant consideration.
Sunset Tripp ran a cracker over the course and distance at her penultimate start and has shown touches of genuine class.
Acaciawood carries only 48,5kgs courtesy of the claimer and won her maiden over the track and trip. She is one of the few runners with race fitness credentials, and could prove the dark horse as she can run handy and from off them.
Adam Marcus enjoyed a nice double at Durbanville last Wednesday, but his Horse Chestnut filly Crystal Cavern may be found lacking for pace (even though she won her maiden this course and distance) and is no doubt having a pipe opener for her engagements that lie ahead.
Fitness
Questions of fitness will be the major unknowns in a field where only one filly has been seen out in the past month.
Dennis Drier rates the Phillipi training track highly and with her Gr1 aspirations, he could have Supreme Dynasty ready to make it four on the trot.
She is the selection ahead of Hot Affair and Acaciawood.
