Progressive. Joey Soma’s Fort Wood filly Athina gets her chance to show her ability
The R275 000 Gr3 Gauteng Fillies Mile is one of the most open races on a bumper programme at Turffontein on Saturday. With chances to many of the field of sixteen, it will pay punters to cast the net wide and take the insurance deemed necessary in risk situations.
Sean Tarry takes centre stage yet again with the highest rated runner in the field. The smart Trippi filly For The Lads ran no kind of race in the Gr3 Starling Stakes at the beginning of November, but jumped from another planet with a shocking draw and may deserve another chance.
Every sportsman is entitled to an off day at the office and it seems that her rider, July winning jockey S’manga Khumalo, was not at his brilliant best on Charity Mile day. He took something of a hammering for an overconfident ride on Willow Magic in the Graham Beck Stakes, but can’t be lumped with the blame for the Starling Stakes.
The Gr1 Golden Slipper winner has been a mile previously, and appeared to stay the trip. She ran on well behind Along Came Polly in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes, and looks to seal her run in the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas next Saturday.
Tarry also saddles the Stronghold filly Rainy Day. The smart looking winner of two of her three races is very fast, but poorly drawn and will need plenty of luck in running.
Soma So Good
Joey Soma saddles the extremely smart Fort Wood filly Athina, who ran the race of her life at her penultimate start when just failing to collar the rampant Ilha Bela in the Gr3 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge. In a great result for Wilgerbosdrift (they both run in the black and scarlet), we saw a flash of Athina’s promising potential.
She ran somewhat below par in the Starling Stakes, but apparently had a sore off hind muscle. That run is best ignored, and it is notable that Sean Cormack rides her again.
The Starling Stakes winner steps up a further 200m after her surprise feature win, following a deceptive work riders maiden victory. Glen Hatt is back to ride Sarasota, and he will have to conjure up some genius from that 12 draw.
Lucky Houdalakis also saddles the Captain Al filly, Captain’s Delight, who was beaten close to nine lengths in the Starling Stakes. Piere Strydom takes the ride, but she is drawn very wide and looks held by her stablemate. Ormond Ferraris and Robbie Fradd team up with the beautifully bred Fort Wood filly, Close The Gap.
A winner by an aggregate eight lengths of her last two starts over Saturday’s distance, she will find the mile at the bottom end of her range, and could we be better than rated.
Superman
Anton Marcus rides the Admire Main filly Admiral’s Eye for Charles Laird. The two time winner ran too handily in the Ready To Run Cup and faded out after having to overcome a poor draw. Laird also saddles the Kahal filly Nisa’s Love, who ran stone last in the Ready To Run Cup.
Mike De Kock’s three way coupling is headed by the impressive maiden winner, Square Dance. The daughter of Oasis Dream showed character on her debut under the lights when making up ground for a workmanlike win. She has her second run here, but has drawn terribly. She should not be left out if howing further improvement.
De Kock Balance
De Kock also saddles two nice local breds in Santa Clarita and Silent Force. Santa Clarita has won twice, including a course and distance effort in weakish maiden company. Silent Force has shown her best form on the sand, and is a likely pacemaker to stretch the field for her stable companions.
Geoff Woodruff was very lucky with the draws, when his coupling of Wild Ash (1) and Sprinting Queen (3) drew nicely. While Wild Ash may need the outing and slightly further, Sprinting Queen ran on well in the Starling Stakes after being baulked at a crucial stage. She needs to find more at the weights on Saturday, but is worth including as a value horse in the hands of Bernard Fayd’herbe.
Tough Puzzle
The race is a difficult one to unravel. Using the handicapper as a guide, means we have to give For The Lads another chance and incorporate the smart Athina. Beyond those two, it makes sense to include Mike De Kock’s impressive debut winner Square Dance and the as yet still unexposed Close The Gap.
