Things get serious on the first day of South Africa’s Champion Season as many of the country’s top gallopers start their build-up to the bigger plums of the three-month season.
The entries for the G2 WSB Guineas, Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas and the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes were released on Monday, the races to be run on Saturday, 2 May.
Cape Met winner Rainbow Bridge and stable companion Golden Ducat are the stand-out entries for the Drill Hall Stakes. Both have drawn relatively well at 12 and 15 respectively.
The unbeaten colt Kommetdieding drew 11 in the WSB Guineas where he is likely to stay out, but he drew 14 in the Drill Hall, between Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat, where he should end up closer to the rail after final acceptances.
GUINEAS (Grade 2)
| 4 | Bartholdi | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | 96 | |
| 5 | Catch Twentytwo | Paul Peter | 116 | |
| 15 | Copper Mountain | J A Janse van Vuuren | 121 | |
| 7 | Infinite Wonder | Ashley Fortune | 74 | |
| 11 | Kommetdieding | HWJ Crawford/M Rix | 117 | |
| 2 | Linebacker | Vaughan Marshall | 115 | |
| 1 | Mk’s Pride | Paul Peter | 119 | |
| 9 | Preemptive Strike | Dennis Drier | 80 | |
| 14 | Puerto Manzano (ARG) | J A Janse van Vuuren | 110 | |
| 10 | Russian Rock | Dean Kannemeyer | 114 | |
| 13 | Seeking The Stars | Vaughan Marshall | 117 | |
| 8 | Sound Of Summer | Paul Peter | 84 | |
| 6 | The Gatekeeper | Justin Snaith | 110 | |
| 3 | Tread Swiftly | Peter Muscutt | 95 | |
| 12 | Willow Express | Sean Tarry | 103 | |
| (15) | ||||
For Kommetdieding it will be a toss-up for Harold Crawford and his daughter Michelle Rix as to which course they follow.
Hollywoodbets ante-post betting here
Copper Mountain, close-up second to Gotthegreenlight in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, pulled the widest marble in the Guineas and another wide draw in the Drill Hall which will give Johan Janse van Vuuren a sleepless night.
DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2)
| 23 | Astrix | Paul Peter | 110 | |
| 8 | Cartel Captain | Dennis Drier | 115 | |
| 5 | Catch Twentytwo | Paul Peter | 116 | |
| 4 | Chimichuri Run | Sean Tarry | 126 | |
| 19 | Cirillo | Sean Tarry | 120 | |
| 16 | Copper Mountain | J A Janse van Vuuren | 121 | |
| 11 | Do It Again | Justin Snaith | 129 | |
| 1 | Eden Roc | Sean Tarry | 119 | |
| 15 | Golden Ducat | Eric Sands | 128 | |
| 18 | Guru’s Pride | Gavin van Zyl | 104 | |
| 14 | Kommetdieding | HWJ Crawford/M Rix | 117 | |
| 25 | Mk’s Pride | Paul Peter | 119 | |
| 7 | More Magic | Candice Bass-Robinson | 101 | |
| 9 | Mr Fitz | Shane Humby | 95 | |
| 20 | Pearl Of Asia | R A Hill/S R Hill | 108 | |
| 21 | Pinkerton | Justin Snaith | 104 | |
| 12 | Rainbow Bridge | Eric Sands | 134 | |
| 6 | Russian Rock | Dean Kannemeyer | 114 | |
| 13 | Seventh Gear | Dean Kannemeyer | 103 | |
| 24 | Silver Operator | Vaughan Marshall | 112 | |
| 3 | Socrates | Shane Humby | 102 | |
| 26 | Sunset Eyes | Peter Muscutt | 112 | |
| 2 | Trip To Africa | Duncan Howells | 101 | |
| 17 | Ultra Magnus | Peter Muscutt | 120 | |
| 28 | Vars Vicky | Stuart Pettigrew | 115 | |
| 27 | Whorly Whorly | Clinton Binda | 111 | |
| 10 | Wild Coast | Justin Snaith | 110 | |
| 22 | Zouaves | Grant Maroun | 113 | |
| (28) | ||||
MK’S Pride drew pole in the Guineas alongside Jonsson Workwear Derby winner and Cape Guineas second Linebacker which should make for an interesting match-up.
Justin Snaith’s star filly Captain’s Ransom pulled a top draw of 3 in the WSB Fillies Guineas and the manner of her recent wins should make her difficult to beat although 16 fillies have been entered to test her.
FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)
| 3 | Captain’s Ransom | Justin Snaith | 126 | |
| 2 | Caya Coco | Glen Kotzen | 102 | |
| 13 | Chanty Lane | Wendy Whitehead | 84 | |
| 10 | Ecstatic Green | Sean Tarry | 98 | |
| 8 | Freestate Star | Dennis Drier | 92 | |
| 9 | Gee For Go | Paul Matchett | 105 | |
| 14 | Hugs Accepted | Peter Muscutt | 87 | |
| 1 | Miss Elegance | Lucky Houdalakis | 105 | |
| 6 | Only The Brave | Paul Matchett | 88 | |
| 7 | Paton’s Tears | Lucky Houdalakis | 90 | |
| 15 | Princess Anastasia | Dennis Drier | 85 | |
| 11 | Princess Calla | Adam Marcus | 118 | |
| 16 | Quepid | Duncan Howells | 87 | |
| 4 | Thumbs Up | J A Janse van Vuuren | 99 | |
| 5 | Vihaan’s Pie | Kumaran Naidoo | 90 | |
| 12 | Zarina | Candice Bass-Robinson | 107 | |
| 17 | Zimbaba | Sean Tarry | 98 | |
| (17) | ||||
Please Note:
- Supp entries close @ 11h00 on Friday 23 April 2021.
- Decs close @ 11h00 on Monday 26 April 2021.
Media release by Gold Circle on 2 April 2021
