David Thiselton
Brett Crawford is enjoying a fine season to date and holds the trump cards in Saturday’s Grade 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas, where he sends out the favourite Captain America as well as the fancied De Kock and the outsider Elusive Gold.
He said, “I am very happy with all three of them. Their preps have all gone well and there is not much more we can do now.”
Captain America has won his last four on the trot after being beaten into third over the too sharp 1200m on debut.
In his last start he showed magnificent turn of foot before getting the better of the highly regarded Red Ray in the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m at Kenilworth to win by a cosy 1,25 lengths with the rest of a classy field a further 4,25 lengths back.
The Captain Al colt is a big, strapping horse with a magnificent stride and it is hard not to draw comparisons with the yard’s superstar, Jackson, particularly considering that he should be well suited to the latter’s probable best trip of 2000m.
However, Crawford is not getting carried away yet and said, “Jackson has won three Group 1s and Captain America has only won a race that although it was worth R2 million was a restricted event. In time he might prove to be as good, but he has a long road to travel.”
Crawford also found it difficult to say who was the better horse, Captain America or the Dynasty colt De Kock, who showed a fine turn of foot when winning the Grade 2 Selangor Cup over 1600m on the same day as the Ready To Run Stakes.
He said, “It is hard to say as they are two different horses. Captain America is a stronger sand horse than De Kock, but De Kock has won a Grade 2 over the distance.”
However, the stable jockey Glen Hatt will be aboard Captain America, and told reporters last week: “I think Captain America is the better horse at this stage and he has improved (since the Lanzerac).”
He then added, “I am scared of De Kock because I know he will run a cracker.”
Elusive Gold is a tall colt by the promising sire Sail From Seattle and looks to have plenty of scope for improvement.
He has won both of his starts since being stepped up to 1600m and did particularly well last time over the Cape Guineas course and distance when finding a strong finish to win a MR78 Handicap, despite having been caught wide the whole way from a high draw and having to make up plenty of ground in the straight.
However, he is the officially lowest rated horse in Saturday’s race and is quoted at 35-1 by Betting World.
Captain America is at 18-10 and De Kock at 14-1.
MICHAEL CLOWER
New tactics may be adopted on Red Ray in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday as his connections strive to come up with a way of reversing the form with Captain America.
Anton Marcus struck for home early in the straight in the Lanzerac Ready To Run only to be hunted down inside the last 50m and Derek Brugman, racing manager for owner Markus Jooste, said: “ We may give him a chance this time.”
Trainer Joey Ramsden added: “If Red Ray was drawn better we would definitely ride him differently but Anton must decide. He is a champion and he is also the ultimate home worker. He will be thinking all the time between now and Saturday how the horse should be ridden.”
Glen Hatt, in the form of his life this term, has explained the reasoning behind his decision to partner Captain America rather than Selangor Cup winner De Kock who will now be ridden by jockey-of-the-moment Sean Cormack.
Hatt said: “I think Captain America is the better horse at this stage and he has improved [since the Lanzerac]. But I am scared of De Kock because I know he will run a cracker.”
However de Kock is badly drawn at 13, two worse than Red Ray, while Captain America is drawn mid-field at eight.
David Thiselton
Glen Kotzen is expecting a better run from his well regarded colt Antonius Du Bois in Saturday’s Grade 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas.
The Antonius Pius colt finished a 6,3 length fifth last time out in the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m, so needs to do a lot to reverse form with Captain America and Red Ray, although he was quite badly hampered just before the turn in that race.
Kotzen said, “He ran below par, so we did a lung wash afterwards and it wasn’t exactly clear. He is a much better horse than that and we are hoping he will redeem himself on Saturday, although it’s in a very tough race. He is working well, is fit and fresh, and will love the trip.”
The colt showed class and heart when staying on resolutely to win the Grade 3 Langerman over 1500m in heavy going at Kenilworth last June.
He then proved he had a decent turn of foot as well as plenty of courage when fighting his way through a tight gap to win the Grade 3 Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m at Fairview next time out.
In his first start this season he had to give 2kg to Red Ray and was only beaten 2,9 lengths in the Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m and that is likely a better reflection of his ability than his last outing.
He is drawn perfectly in six on Saturday and could be in the money.
Kotzen gives the one-eyed horse Political Playboy a chance in the Non-Black Type Cape Thoroughbred Sales Jet Master Stakes over 1600m.
He said, “I have felt his merit rating has been too high and under the conditions of this race he is well handicapped.”
David Thiselton
Justin Snaith views the Grade 1 Grand Garade Cape Guineas as a much more open race than the betting suggests and feels that five horses could win it, including his Dynasty colt Legislate.
He also sends out the Captain Al colt Cape Cutter.
Snaith said, “Legislate is doing very well and the Guineas and Derby have always been his aims. He has had bad draws up to now, meaning we’ve had to drop him back and run on. He had no chance from his bad draw in the Selangor (1600m), but only just failed. He now finally has a good draw and is a serious contender. Can he win? Yes he can for sure.”
He considers Captain America, Red Ray, Forest Indigo and Whistle Stop to be the other four that can win the high class contest.
“I think it’s an incredibly open Guineas, but Legislate’s draw is a big bonus and some of the others have draws to overcome.”
The five mentioned are duly the top five on the Betting World boards, but range from the 18-10 of Captain America out to 11-1 for Legislate.
Legislate is a strong, long-striding sort, who caught the eye with his powerful finish through the centre of the field in the Selangor after turning for home near the back.
He should be ideally suited to the New Course with its longer straight and is already proven over the trip.
Stable jockey Richard Fourie will keep the ride and both he and Snaith will be attempting a Cape Summer Of Champions Guineas double, having won the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas with In The Fast Lane.
Snaith felt that Cape Cutter had been “a bit heavy” last time out and was “lethargic” in the finish, so he has stepped up his work since then.
“We have pushed him hard and galloped him again. We have given him a lot of work in order to get every inch out of him. I am not sure if he is up to it, but it is an open Guineas.”
Cape Cutter’s owner Barry Irwin of Team Valor International will not be flying out for the race, but will apparently be attending the Cape Premier Yearling Sale in January.
“It is important for South African racing that Barry will be at the Sales again and great news for everybody.”
Snaith also felt that the Cape Guineas sponsorship by Hassen Adams’ Grand Parade Investments was good news for South African racing.
“We will now be attracting a diverse group of people to enjoy our thoroughbred racing,” he said.
Snaith is expecting a good day on Saturday and quipped, “When the crowds are there, that’s when our horses are ready.”
The yard has proved this time and time again.
Of his other twelve runners on the card he mentioned Cigar Boy, who runs in the sixth race.
He said, “The jockey dropped the stick last time out. Cigar Boy is a massive runner.”
David Thiselton
Alec Laird’s Grade 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Forest Indigo could not have been more impressive in his final preparation race for Saturday’s Grade 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas and will give the Gauteng-based trainer a chance to erase the memory of London News’ defeat at odds of 6-10 in this race in 1996.
The Judpot colt burst into the limelight as a late two-year-old when beating Kochka narrowly to win the Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville before losing narrowly to the latter in the Grade 1 Premier Champions Stakes over 1600m at the same course.
He has been staying at Eric Sands’ yard in Milnerton for some time now, so there will be no concern about the effects of a long journey that hangs over the head of the only other visiting horse in the race, Whistle Stop, who arrived in Cape Town from Johannesburg yesterday morning (Wednesday).
Forest Indigo made his seasonal reappearance on November 6 over the too sharp 1200m at Kenilworth, where he was entitled to need the run.
However, after finishing third there, he came out a month later on December 4 at Kenilworth and won hard held by 2,75 lengths over 1400m in a Graduation Plate, despite the field including two Guineas contestants, Top Jet and Cape Cutter.
Laird said, “He won very nicely, but I’m not sure what he beat. There were some fair horses who are improvers in the field, but the opposition on Saturday is obviously going to be stiffer and he will need to be lucky from that draw.”
However, Laird is not worried about him over-racing from that wide draw of 14.
He said, “You can do anything you want with him and take him where you want. He is a clever horse and doesn’t overdo it. At home he worked out a long time ago that work is not the real deal.”
Laird is not sure how much scope the athletic bay still has and said, “He is not a very big horse and hasn’t got big feet, but he’s not small either. The bottom line is I’m not sure how much more he will strengthen, although he is sure to get wider and heavier as a four-year-old.”
Laird believes Forest Indigo should get 2000m, considering his pedigree, but revealed, “Win or lose, he will be going back to Johannesburg after this race. The Cape Derby is an attractive race, but taking him back next week will give us a chance to let him down a bit before getting him ready for the Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic.”
The only other horse Laird has down in Cape Town, Earl Of Derby, will be his travel companion again.
Forest Indigo will be in the excellent big race hands of Kevin Shea, which will give him even more of a chance of settling and finding a good position from which to strike.
On the Betting World board he is currently the 11-2 joint third favourite together with his fellow Gauteng visitor Whistle Stop.
They will both need to be at the top of their game to have a chance against the market leaders Captain America and Red Ray.
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