By David Thiselton
Val De Ra, the reigning Equus Champion Sprinter, is ready to run a “big race” in the Grade 2 weight for age Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m at Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday and her stablemate Miss Ipanema has “improved tremendously” since her last outing so should run well in the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas.
Dennis Drier said, “Val De Ra hasn’t put a foot wrong since arriving in Cape Town. She has been to Kenilworth twice for grass gallops and I’m very happy with her progress. I’m expecting a very, very big run.”
Alec Forbes will be back aboard having missed her last start through injury when she won the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over the Scottsville 1200m back in May.
Stuart Randolph rode her that day and said recently that he had no concerns about her handling the Kenilworth track, which is probably the toughest sprint course in the country and can find out front runners in the final furlong.
“She has early pace, but she has that extra kick too,” said Randolph. “That’s what separates the best from the rest, they can always give you extra when you ask them.”
Drier said of the Fillies Guineas, “We will all be running for place money, I think Princess Victoria is just too good, but Miss Ipanema has improved tremendously from her last outing and will be thereabouts.”
Miss Ipanema, an Australian-bred by General Nediym out of a Zabeel mare, has always been highly rated by the Drier yard and has run in a Grade 1 before, the Thekwini Stakes for two-year-olds over 1600m at Greyville on July 31.
She finished a 6,8 lengths sixth to the Mike de Kock-trained Amanee, but that race can be ignored as she simply hated the very soft going.
Saturday’s race will be her third run after a rest as she ran a 1200m pipe opener at Clairwood before leaving for Cape Town, where her only start has been an eye catching 3,5 length fourth place to Princess Victoria in the Grade 2 Choice Carriers Championship over 1400m.
She should be cherry-ripe to deliver a good run, although her barrier position of seven isn’t an easy draw in an eleven horse field.
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