Fit Filly. Adam Marcus’ Priceless Jewel is a dangerous frontrunner and could make all
Some really outstanding fillies have won the R250 000 Two Oceans Racing Gr3 Prix Du Cap over the years. The 1400m event to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday is the final feature race of the Cape Summer Of Champions Season and there is plenty of class and quality amongst the sixteen runners.
The curtain comes down on a great season of racing and with many of the stars and champions being rested, the door is opened for a top daughter of Jet Master to open her stakes race account.
Transferred
Jet Belle was sent down from Gauteng by Robbie Sage to Glen Kotzen for the Cape Summer Season and is now co owned by Drakenstein Stud and Colin Bird. She had lived in the shadow of the Triple Tiara princess Cherry On The Top and put in some outstanding stakes placed performances in a lightly raced career.
She made her Cape debut in the Gr2 Sceptre Stakes run over 1200m in January and showed up smartly after a nine week rest when taking Reflective Image all the way to the wire, eventually only going down a short head. Jet Belle‘s last outing when a 3,85 length seventh to Beach Beauty in the Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes was a fair effort. She never showed and we may want to put that down to the second run conundrum. She had two runners whom she meets again on Saturday, ahead of her in the Majorca.
Frontrunner
Adam Marcus trained Priceless Jewel is the first of those. The daughter of Ashaawes finished 1,85 lengths ahead of Jet Belle after showing up prominently for much of the mile trip. The frontrunning Priceless Jewel has not drawn too well but enjoys the services of Anthony Delpech and is rated on a par with Jet Belle by the official handicapper.
The five time winning multiple course and distance achiever has the gate speed to overcome her wide gate and will undoubtedly enjoy the 1400m trip. She is fit and well and should provide an interesting contrast to the more relaxed Jet Belle.
Bass Quartet
Mike Bass has a good record in this event and he saddles the promising Trippi filly Lanner Falcon, who jumps from pole position. Lanner Falcon ran an excellent race in the Klawerveli Majorca Stakes on Met Day when only 3 lengths behind Beach Beauty , and is proven over shorter. Her stablemate Pure Power is drawn at 14 and has been a touch disappointing in her mid 3yo career. Pure Power has failed to show at her last three outings and will need to up her game here.
Maiden
Anton Marcus rides the Captain Al filly Alascan Maiden for Bass. The R1,2 million purchase has only won one race and moved up menacingly only tp fade to fourth behind Black Kitten last Saturday. She was not striding out there and may be worth another chance. At this stage she can only be classed as disappointing.
JP van der Merwe rides the promising lightly raced Sail From Seattle filly Going My Own Way who has won two races. She was unlucky to go down narrowly to subsequent winner Black Kitten in January in a quest for a post maiden hat trick, and could challenge if she does not find the trip on the sharp side for her.
Snaith Trio
Justin Snaith is always a factor in these features and he saddles three good sorts. First choice stable jockey Richard Fourie rides the Captain Al filly Highly Decorated who ran a cracker in the Gr2 Choice Carriers Championship when just failing to beat subsequent Fillies Guineas winner In The Fast Lane.
She ran no kind of race when suffering a nasal discharge and not striding out in the Fillies Guineas and if not lacking fitness after an 11 week break, could challenge here. She is a very classy sort who has has drawn worst of all and won’t have it easy.
Luckless
Snaith has had no luck with the draws here and his smart Var flyer She’s A Pippa is drawn right next door Highly Decorated on the Cape Flats. She has not been seen out since running handy in the Cape Fillies Guineas and may need the outing. The third of the Snaith trio and the only one to draw in single figures is the year older Diva’s Daughter.
Karl Neisius rides the 4yo daughter of Trippi who has no exposed form at this level. She did run a good under two length third in a lowly rated handicap behind stablemate Lift Off after being hampered on Met day, and as a course and distance winner comes into the play. Paul Reeves’ Sea Cat has not won in close on a year and has often encountered traffic issues when moving up in her races. She is not well drawn and can only have an outside quartet chance at best.
Game Sort
The Yogas Govender trained Gold Academy does not have a very easy task at the weights with the top two rated runners, The Goldkeeper mare is very game though and has won 4 of her 21 starts, including a resounding victory over Jean’s Pride last time over the course and distance.
Brett Crawford’s Tiger Ridge filly Maybe Yes is a progressive sort and a winner of 3 of her 5 starts. She appears to be improving quickly and while she has a tough ask on paper, could well challenge for place money.
Outsiders
Mike Stewart’s Jean’s Pride has returned from a stint in the Eastern Cape in the pink of health and relaxation. The mare has carried this to her performances and she won an MR 81 Handicap beating Lielums over the Kenilworth 1200m two weeks ago . She is fit and well. Darryl Hodgson’s Smiling Mistress is poorly drawn at 13 and comes in under sufferance. She looks very pressed to make any sort of impression in a field of this nature.
Belle Of The Ball
Glen Kotzen has had a quiet season by his own high standards and Jet Belle looks to have found the perfect race to win on the eve of her KZN campaign. The daughter of Jet Master is selected to beat Highly Decorated with Lanner Falcon and Priceless Jewel fighting over minor money.
