R25.00 No. 1720
MONDAY 11th - THURSDAY 14th APRIL 2011
5
ISSN 1023 / 6996
This daughter of Fort Wood has her third run after a rest here and that has to be a plus. She has clearly been below best in both starts since returning from her most recent layoff though, and out at the weights against younger up and coming fillies, she does seem unlikely.
FLAMINGO PARK
12:20pm (Monday) p.6
CLAIRWOOD
11:30am (Tuesday) p.15
TURFFONTEINNIGHT 5:40pm (Tuesday) p.27
Goat
DURBANVILLE 1:10pm (Wednesday) p.34
VAALSAND 12:20pm (Thursday) p.40
Named after the legendary Empress Club who won no less than eight Gr1 races in South Africa, it usually takes a top sort to win the feature event at Turffontein on Tuesday evening. Mother Russia won this race last season and amongst the thirteen going to post this time around, there are a few who have the potential to follow in her footsteps, writes STEVE FURNISH.
Dancewiththedevil-3 wins in a row over course and distance Marwing’s 6yo is in the form of her life right now and races here off her highest ever mark in the merit ratings. The vast majority of her successes have been gained over shorter though, and she is now considerably up in class. A place is perhaps her best hope.
Mike’s Big Five
Gr1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein (stand side) on Tuesday night
T
he runner with the highest merit rating in the field, and indeed best in at the weights, is Dancewiththedevil.
Dancewiththedevil
plenty in her favour here, she looks sure to fight it out. Stable companion Engagement has also made good progress this season and has fully deserved her two recent wins. She was finishing best of all when a runner up to the Jet Master mare Miss Turbulence in a pinnacle plate over 1450m in her penultimate start and out at the weights in that event, she could well be better than rated. She is now taking a big step up in class here though and having failed dismally in soft going last time out, and badly out at the weights also, she is not easy to fancy.
Highly regarded from day one, St John Gray’s charge has gone from strength to strength in recent months and was completing a smart hattrick when trouncing some very useful rivals over 1600m here in the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes last time out. Those latest three successes (all over today’s course and distance) were achieved in soft going and although not too much rain is Miss Turbulence forecast for the days leading up to this event, there should still be The veteran of the thirteen some give in the ground. This horse party is the ultra consistent daughter of Modus Vivendi is Miss Turbulence. A winner of clearly still improving and with eight of her 39 outings, Weiho
Globetrotter Mike De Kock has been in tremendous form in the local features of late and with five very serious runners here, there is strong possibility that he will add this prestigious event to his tally. The joint highest rated of the five are Alderry and the Summer Cup winner Flirtation. Alderry took a few runs to find her form earlier in the season, but she did then bounce right back to best when winning the Gr2 November Handicap over today’s course and distance in November. With that in mind, Alderry may well have needed the outing when a running on second to stable companion Fisani after a break last time out and should strip fitter here. Flirtation beat Alderry going away by 2,75 lengths when winning the Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap on just 1kg less favourable terms in October, and she also left
Alderry well behind when victorious in the Summer Cup. She ran a cracker when flying up late to finish second in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes in her next start, but was then beaten after holding every chance in the J&B Met last time out. Flirtation has been off the track since that Met effort and it is a concern that she was reported as having been coughing in each of her two starts in Cape Town. Flirtation would ideally prefer further, but interestingly, she is unbeaten at this circuit. Champion jockey Anton Marcus has been booked to ride and if all is now well, she could improve. Fisani lost her way after winning the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas over today’s course and distance last season, but since returning from a break in November, she has come to hand nicely. She ran on best of all when winning the Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap over 1800m here last time out and having gained three of her four career wins over 1600m, and effective on both good and soft ground, she must have a shout if showing some improvement. A winner of eight of her seventeen starts, the Pivotal mare Headstrong is as consistent as they come. Her successes have all been gained in lesser company over
shorter though and having been beaten fair and square by Dancewiththedevil in her only ever start over today’s distance, others from the yard are preferred. The one I like best from the stable is the dark horse of the race, Welwitschia. The only 3yo in the race, and behind at weight for age to boot, this Northern Hemisphere bred daughter of Oasis Dream has done absolutely nothing wrong. She couldn’t have been more impressive when cruising in by seven on debut, and she did then catch the eye when running on stoutly from well off the pace when behind the Triple Tiara hopeful Igugu in the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas in only her second career start. She again came from the rear when easily winning her only subsequent start over today’s distance at the inner track. Anthony Delpech now jumps into the saddle and they do receive 4,5kg from all of her rivals. On paper, Welwitschia has a bit to find in order to score here, but she does have an enormous amount of scope for improvement. She can fight it out.
Queen’s Bay Michael Azzie’s charge was not the most consistent of performers during the course of 2010, but she does go particularly well at this circuit and has won four of her eight starts over 1600m. She would be thereabouts if finding her best form, but having been well beaten in her latest outing, and returning from a four month break here, she is perhaps best just watched for now.
Bedloe’s Island Sparingly raced since winning the Gauteng Oaks over 2450m here two years ago, Bedloe’s Island would ideally prefer further.
When YYou ou Have That Vision TToo Mak Makee
The Big Catch
ItIt’s ’s Good TToo Know Who Stocks The Dam
Beaten less than two lengths by the subsequent July winner Bold Silvano in the Greyville 1900 last season, the Labeeb mare Goat has come to hand nicely since being campaigned in Gauteng following a break. She has been beaten fair and square by Dancewiththedevil in each of her last two starts though, and again racing off levels here, she won’t find it easy to turn the tables.
Jo Piper Although Dennis Drier’s charge is yet to boast black type, she has silently been progressing well. This daughter of Goldkeeper has won two of her five starts over today’s trip, and setting off from gate four, is sure to hold every chance when push comes to shove. She is taking a big step up in class here though and at the weights does have a stiff task.
Reconcile Formerly with Cape Town based trainer Glen Kotzen, Reconcile would look to be up against it here at first glance. She has caught the eye running on best of all down field on a number of occasions in recent starts though, most notably when beaten less than three lengths in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes. She is yet to win over a trip shorter than 1800m though, and coming off a bit of a break, and drawn wide to boot, she has no easy task.
About The Pace With a number of candidates for the role of frontrunner, not to mention two very powerful couplings, a fair pace can be expected. Course and distance specialist Dancewiththedevil is best in at the weights and looks sure to be right there. The lightly raced Welwitschia has been progressing very nicely though and having an enormous amount of scope for improvement, being behind at weight for age, she could cast out the devil.
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