Crissy Sanchez. Has her first PE outing and could surprise
The record breaking Snaith Racing Team are doing what they do best again. They send out a powerful trio headed by the effervescent Windrush mare Hurricane Katrina in Friday’s R130 000 Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes. The race will be run down the Fairview 1200m straight and heads an attractive nine race programme.
Justin Snaith surpassed Geoff Woodruff’s South African record for winners this past Saturday at Kenilworth and he looks to add further to his winning margin here.
Exotic
While all eyes will be firmly centred on Greyville and the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday, the Friday faithful won’t be holding back as they trudge the elusive road to riches. A healthy place accumulator payout appears on the cards.
This eighteen horse field of fillies and mares sees a diverse bunch going to post, with many of the mares on the fringes of the paddocks and hoping for some further accreditation with a good performance here.
The six year old grey mare Hurricane Katrina has won 9 of her 34 starts and is the top rated runner in the race. Justin Snaith has dispensed with the apprentice riders of her past two starts and Wayne Agrella gets aboard to provide some strong handling.
Hurricane Katrina ran on steadily for third behind Stormy Coast over 1400m lats time after being bumped, and will be at home over the 200m shorter here.
The multiple course and distance winner is a half kilo worse off for a 2,75 length defeat.
On Stage
Her stablemate Big On Broadway has relocated from Ivan Moore in KZN and returns from a 138 day rest. She has won five races but her form has tapered negatively of late and she will need to improve.
The third of the Snaith runners is the 3yo Black Minnaloushe filly Cat’s Paw who appears to be better over 1000m.
Gavin Smith now trains the Toreador mare Crissy Sanchez. The 5yo has left Sean Tarry’s KZN home base and has put in some excellent performances against stronger in the past.
She does appear however to be held by Sue For Peace on a meeting in mid April.
Legal Action
Sue For Peace is her stablemate and a classy and capable former inmate of the Dennis Drier yard.
Justin Snaith. Top season all round!
The daughter of Western Winter hung badly when fading right out at the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint at her last start.
She was withdrawn last time as she was off her feed and could challenge if not in need of it.
The Var filly Miss Cantona also has her first PE start.
Formerly with Louis Goosen, she is fairly consistent and has collateral form to some very good sprinters.
Grant Paddock’s Opera King mare Poppins is one of the most consistent horses around but blotted her copybook when running unplaced behind Stormy Coast last time. She had excuses however as she had been cramped in running and eventually ran 10,90 lengths behind.
She had run six seconds from her previous ten starts and is was overdue to score her fourth win.
Paddock also sends out the lightly raced Var filly Vivalda who won over the course and distance at her penultimate start. She is very fast but appears held by Cat’s Paw on her last outing.
Allan Greeff’s Fort Wood mare Stormy Coast has found good form recently and won her last start in great style over the Fairview 1400m.
She beat the talented Rush For John with Hurricane Katrina 2,75 lengths away in third. Stormy Coast is a half kilo worse off here with the Snaith runner.
Punctuated
The second of the Greeff runners is the Caesour mare Grammatica, who appears to have soundness issues. She was not perservered with at her last outing and will have to be at her best to challenge here.
Greeff’s Muhtafal filly Flashing Star has drawn right on the outside of her field and is a course and distance winner who is capable of challenging for top honours on best form.
She ran prominently when showing speed and being bumped when just over four lengths off the top class Agra last time out.
The Mike Bass yard has been in great form in PE and Splendid Sun has her first local run for Gavin Blake.
The daughter of Lundy’s Liability is capable and as a four time winner in the Cape, could run a forward race in this company.
Trio
The Sham yard send out three runners.
The Solskjaer mare I Got You Babe is a winner of 5 of her 29 starts and is always thereabouts. She is 4 kgs better off with Cat’s Paw for a 2,75 length beating at her penultimate start and could definitely be involved on that score.
Cashmere Mafia has lost form in her last four runs but is better off with her stablemate I Got You Babe if we look at a run all the way back to January
The third of the Sham runners is the former Mike Azzie trained Jewel Of The Nile produced a shock course and distance win at her penultimate start, but was then outpaced last time in the Milkwood Stakes.
In a typically difficult fillies and mares affair, Hurricane Katrina may have the class to assert herself when it counts. Stormy Coast and the consistent Poppins may be best of the rest.
