Progressive. The Darryl Hodgson-trained Hamba Kahle looks a good sort in the making
The lack of form over the 2400m trip makes the R125 000 Listed Graham Beck Sun Classique Handicap a difficult race to unravel. Darryl Hodgson’s lightly raced but promising Victory Moon filly Hamba Kahle may have found the right race to register some early black type.
We would not ordinarily jump in boots and all into a recent 3yo maiden winner having her fifth start and first attempt at the arduous 2400m. But Hamba Kahle has caught the eye once or twice to suggest that she could be above average. And there is very little else that appeals in any event.
Good Buy
Hassen Adams went to R100 000 to acquire the Drakenstein Stud bred Hamba Kahle .
And as her name indicates, she may well have been a good buy. Or was that a good-bye? Whatever, she is out of a Wolfhound mare who only won once and that at 1200m. So are we being over optimistic?
After an unplaced sprint, Darryl Hodgson slotted her straight into an 1800m race. Turning for home close to last in the fifteen-horse field, Hamba Kahle literally flew down the outside and was unlucky to find that For The Count had gotten there a split second before her.
It is a sobering consideration that For The Count has failed in her two subsequent starts, and nothing else behind them has won. But it was Hamba Kahle’s subsequent start that we would rather focus on.
Light Weight. The outsider Star Jet could improve to challenge for top honours
Followed Up
She came out to win the 2000m maiden with authority by 3,50 lengths beating the Snaith’s highly thought of Showdown. That daughter of Dynasty won her next start, and followed up with a good post-maiden third 2,10 lengths behind Rose Moon Bay.
Hamba Kahle then came out again in an MR 76 Handicap over 2000m and ran on steadily for fourth, 2,20 lengths behind two-time winner Adobe Pink.
She received 2kgs from Adobe Pink there and now meets her at level weights, which won’t do her cause any favours. Adobe Pink is also drawn 1 , while Hamba Kahle is out at 11.
The rest are generally well tried,with little 2400m collateral pointers.
The topweight Rush For John comes off her excellent win in the Listed Lady’s Bracelet at Fairview two weeks ago. She got first run on Rivatorio that day and won well enough to record a second stakes win.
Rush For John looks likely to stay this trip based on her Winter Oaks victory over 2200m last season, and is a consistent daughter of Jet Master who invariably gives of her best.
Mike Bass trained the brilliant Sun Classique in whose honour this race is named, and he sends out the fast improving Daily Flight, a winner of 3 of her last 4 starts.
Another Jet Master filly, Daily Flight is yet to go beyond 2000m and it concerns us that her very smart dam won her five races between 800m and 1200m. This is also Daily Flight’s first dip into stakes company, something that looked unlikely six months ago!
Picking Fruit
Her stablemate, Solo Traveller’s full sister Strawberry Line, has won 2 of her last 4 starts, and carries a paperweight of 50,5kgs. She is one who could pop up into the places.
Drakenstein-based Michael Robinson sends out yet another Jet Master in the lightly raced 3yo Star Jet, who won her maiden so impressively in the dead of winter last year.
She has not set the world alight since and was outclassed in the Fillies Guineas, where she set the pace and then fell right away.It is worth noting that Star Jet was rated 90 at her peak, and if running to that level of ability off her 52kg mark, she could cause a surprise here. There is no guarantee of course that she will stay, and is another whose dam won over much shorter.
Top Form. Rush For John comes off a recent win in the Listed Lady’s Bracelet in PE
Promising
We are going with untapped potential as opposed to proven resilience.
Hamba Kahle looks a promising progressive staying filly in the making and her ability to relax and turn on the charm when it really counts, appeals to us. It is of obvious concern that she lacks the experience of the likes of Rush For John, a dual stakes winner and a girl with the heart of a lion.
Daily Flight, the value bet Star Jet and Adobe Pink look most likely to fight the quartet out.
The pace is likely to be on and a true-run affair should produce the desired result.
