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SPORTING POST • FRIDAY 20th - SUNDAY 22nd MAY 2016 Captain's Flame was an impressive winner last time - and looks set to follow up
The smart Silvano mare Gallica Rose could make it an East Coast Cup double
KRA EAST COAST CUP (Listed) at Greyville on Friday
Double Bid By The Rose
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Top trainer, top jockey, class and course and distance suitability. Just about everything points to a big effort from the Joey Ramsden-trained Gallica Rose in Friday evening’s R150 000 KRA East Coast Cup. The daughter of Silvano won the Gr2 Gold Bracelet over the course and distance on the first day of this season and won a cracker at her last start.
t didn’t take Joey long to follow the lead shown by his colleagues Dean Kannemeyer and Justin Snaith in utilising the recent freelancing Delpech’s big race talents and the combo’s Listed Scarlet Lady win last time suggested big things in the pipeline.
Double Bid The winner (beating Gr1 victress Bilateral) of this race last year, Gallica Rose is the class mare in a field of ten that includes Scarlet Lady runner-up Deputy Ryder, who is a kilo better off with the Ramsden runner for a half length beating. Deputy Ryder was hard ridden to achieve that second and will strip fitter here. Her stablemate Zante ran on steadily in the Scarlet Lady where she finished just out of the money for a 2,35 length fifth. She won her penultimate start over a mile and will be reaching best fitness levels. Kileigh is highly regarded by her connections and was expected to do a little better than her 7 lengths unplaced effort in the Scarlet Lady. She has a weight pull but will need to do better than
that. Her stablemate Cassie O’Malley showed pace but faded behind Trophy Wife in the Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes last time. Prior to that the daughter of Jet Master was thereabouts in the fillies features in KZN and assuming that Warren Kennedy had the choice of rides, she should be the stable elect.
Promising Sean Tarry’s promising 3yo Intergalactic has run some really top-class races recently and based on her close finishes to Inara in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes and Bela-Bela in the SA Fillies Guineas, must have serious hopes of dethroning the Ramsden senior. Anton Marcus rides her and she has won at Greyville. Dennis Drier’s Gathering Fame comes off an eleven week rest and has maintained a decent consistent form profile. The daughter of Jet Master ran fourth in this race last year and can again be expected to put her best foot forward. Andre Nel’s Ma Choix won the Gr3 Victress Stakes at home before not being disgraced in the Paddock Stakes.
She was in need of the outing when 4,70 lengths adrift of Gallica Rose in the Scarlet Lady and can be expected to produce a much better showing – she has the benefit of the 1 draw as a free bonus. Fellow Capetonian Tonya was outgunned in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes at her opening run here but followed up with a fluent win in a lower rated handicap last time. The daughter of Dynasty should enjoy the trip and her connections will know where they are going with her after this run. Grey Light is the second of the Joey Ramsden runners. The well bred daughter of Tapit showed great promise early on and improved marginally last time to run on well behind Three Blue Cranes. This is tough for her but she may well be recapturing her better form again.
Experience Gallica Rose and the younger Intergalactic are the choice to fight it out. We are siding with the seasoned campaigner to get the better of the classy improver. It should be a great race.
STORMSVLEI MILE (Listed) at Kenilworth on Saturday
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Trainer Andre Nel’s smart Captain Al filly Captain’s Flame caught many of us by surprise when she burst on to the feature scene with a superb victory in the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes last month. She steps up to the mile in the second leg of the R600 000 Cape Winter Series at Kenilworth on Saturday – and could well follow up. aptain’s Flame was having her first run beyond the sprints when lining up from a 14 draw in the Sweet Chestnut. She showed terrific maturity and solid ability as she skipped clear of her opposition in the straight to beat the late finishing Goodtime Gal.
Meet Again
The two clash again in the R150 000 Listed Stormsvlei Mile and with Goodtime Gal once again grabbing the pole position draw, it makes things interesting. The daughter of Royal Air Force has excellent recent form, including a smart second to the talented Princess Royal. Both fillies should easily handle the mile and their return match will make for an interesting sub plot. The good stakes winner Anglet came on late to finish a further 2,25 lengths behind Goodtime Gal and she should once again be involved in the finish. The daughter of Biarritz performed commendably there as she was returning from a four month break following her Cape Fillies Guineas fourth placed finish With improved fitness, she could give them lots to think about.
Low-key
Joey Ramsden’s Supercilious was a 0,75 lengths fourth behind Anglet in the Sweet Chestnut and has drawn in much the same position again. A three-time winner, the daughter of Visionaire has been quietly campaigned and her 88 MR may not be a true reflection of her genuine ability. Mike Bass has two in the race, including the well performed Inara’s full sister, Inanna. The daughter of Trippi may have had excuses for her eleven length unplaced finish behind Captain’s Flame as she was hampered and has two wins over a mile to suggest that she could be competitive. She is enjoys the same merit rating as Anglet and Captain’s Flame and is the ride of stable
jockey Grant van Niekerk, which suggests she is the elect. Her stablemate Miss Marker is well drawn and has also won over a mile against weaker. She was well beaten in the Cape Fillies Guineas and is a place hope at best.
Chart Topper
Glen Kotzen’s Trippi filly Jane S Piddy has shown herself to be very capable at best and was drawn widest of all when slow away and eleven lengths behind Captain’s Flame in the Sweet Chestnut. She beat a decent field of hardknocking males at her penultimate jump and has shown that she stays a mile. She may be the value kicker if the top few go astray. Justin Snaith trained Nordic Wind has been beaten twice by Captain’s Flame – the last tiem a solid 6,75 lengths in the first leg. The daughter of Windrush has been campaigned away from home and in a few tough races – and has been battling to register her second win. Brett Crawford’s beautifully-bred Icy Fire was only 3 lengths off Silver Mountain in the Choice Carriers Championship but her two runs since have not suggested that she is equal to this test She won at only her second start though and improved fitness levels may see her up her game.
Held Tight
After taking seven runs to shed her maiden, Variance followed up with a tactically well ridden handicap win. She could battle to hold Icy Fire on the weight turnaround. Let’s Go Get It was well beaten in the Sweet Chestnut and could battle on these weight terms. Van Dam’s Force runs off a 66 and would be a shock winner. Captain’s Flame is the confident selection to make it two from two in the Winter Series. We will worry about her getting the R150 000 bonus and the 2200m of the third leg, the R150 000 Winter Oaks (Listed) 2200m later.