Avontuur Fillies Guineas

The R1 million Avontuur Estate Fillies Guineas to be run on Saturday 6 December at Kenilworth Racecourse is the first Grade 1 event of the Summer of Champions and is a not to be missed sporting and social event.

It is on this glamorous, fun-filled and charitable raceday that the pecking order among the country’s best three-year-old fillies is decided as the finest from the north travel to meet the always high class contingent from the Western Cape.

This year the brilliant Johannesburg-based grey Majmu, who is fast becoming the new darling of the South African turf, looks likely to make the journey to meet Cape Town’s best, Cold As Ice, in a contest that will match any of the greatest clashes this race has ever seen.

There will be a further incentive to win the race this year, because it has now been included as an alternative first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara.

The Triple Tiara carries a bonus of R1 million for any horse that can win all three legs, which now constitutes either the Avontuur Estate Fillies Guineas or the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

On top of that patrons can look forward to seeing some of the best sprinting fillies and mares in the land running in the Tony Taberer Southern Cross Stakes (Grade 2), while some top class male sprinters will be in action in the Val De Ra South Easter Sprint. (L).

Plenty of additional on course entertainment has been provided for ahead of this invariably sun-drenched summer’s day and all ages have been catered for.

Adults will be able to enjoy an Avontuur Wine Bar, a Craft Beer Garden hosted by Wild Clover Brewery, Gourmet Food Trucks and Music, and there will also be Spot Prize Giveaways.

A host of attractions for the younger set include jumping castles, pony rides, face painting and much more.

Kenilworth Racing and Avontuur Estate will be making a donation of R100 000 to The Peninsula School Feeding Association. All selected underprivileged schools participating will receive a portion of this amount and not one of them will walk away empty handed. This worthy cause can be supported by reserving a table for ten in the Somerset Room for R3950, which translates to a cost of R395 per person. The price includes a three course buffet lunch, a complimentary bottle of Avontuur Wine per table and complimentary soft drinks. A cash bar will be available. For bookings contact Micaela: micaelac@kenilworthracing.com.

Striker has already booked the ride

Entries and draws for the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas (Grade 1) over 1600m at Kenilworth:
5 AQUILA JET Neil Bruss

15 ATAAB (AUS) Mike de Kock

7 CARRY ON ALICE Sean Tarry

17 COLD AS ICE Joey Ramsden

14 COME FLY WITH ME Mike Bass

2 DOUBLE WHAMMY Glen Kotzen

10 ELUSIVE STARS R G Sheehan

8 EROS’S GIRL Justin Snaith

18 GREY LIGHT Joey Ramsden

9 HOT AFFAIR Michael Robinson

3 INARA Mike Bass

1 INDABA Dean Kannemeyer

4 JET SET GO Vaughan Marshall

20 LUCKY TUESDAY (AUS Mike Bass

13 MAJMU (AUS) Mike de Kock

16 PINE PRINCESS Mike de Kock

12 PRINCESS CHLOE Justin Snaith

11 SCHOOL RUN Yogas Govender

21 SILVER CLASS Johan Janse van Vuuren

6 SIREN’S CALL Sean Tarry

19 SUNSET TRIPP Justin Snaith

The final field announcement and charity draw function for the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas to be run at Kenilworth on December 6 was held at Avontuur Estate today (Thursday 27 November) and there was much anticipation when the draw for the charities to be attached to the ten runners began.
The main interest at the announcement of the field was whether the classy Gr 1 winner Carry On Alice would be travelling down from Johannesburg to take on the like of Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Filly from last season Majmu and the Cape’s leading three-year-old filly Cold As Ice.
However, Carry On Alice was absent from the line-up, meaning that only two out of province contestants will take part, the brilliant Majmu and her Mike de Kock-trained stablemate Ataab.
Ataab is rapidly improving and is favourite for the Gr 3 Fillies Mile at Turffontein on Saturday, which is run just one week before the Avontuur Guineas.
The Glen Kotzen-trained Double Whammy landed an ideal pole position draw for her front-running style and will likely make a bold bid to lead from pillar to post.
The other front-running type in the field, Sunset Tripp, drew widest of all and this will likely force her to adopt aggressive tactics, so her and Double Whammy’s presence could ensure a good pace.




This will play right into the hands of Majmu, who drew seven, as she is capable of producing a powerful finish from off the pace.
If the pace is too slow it would be no surprise to see Ataab going out and ensuring that her more illustrious stablemate is given every possible chance to win this prestigious event and thereby land her first career Gr 1 victory.
Cold As Ice has a superb turn of foot, but does have a slight stamina doubt, so her draw of eight, one outside of Majmu, is not ideal.
However, a good pace should enable her to find the cover she will need to reserve her energy for the straight. 
The Charity representatives were on tenterhooks and held their breaths when Majmu’s name was drawn.
In the end the lucky charity that will be represented by the high class grey filly was Kalkfontein Primary School.
However, beneficiary Stand Secondary was also thrilled as they drew Cold As Ice.
There were 16 charities and only ten horses, so six of the charities that will be present on the day will not be represented by horses. However, they will still receive a donation of R3000 each.
The charity money will be split as follows:
1st place; R30 000
2nd place: R20 000
3rd place: R10 000
4th place: R5000
The rest: R3000.
The Charities that were lucky enough to draw one of the ten contestants are listed below underneath the horses and their respective trainers, jockeys and draws.
 
MAJMU Mike de Kock, Anthony Delpech (7)
                Kalkfontein Primary School
__________________________________________________
COLD AS ICE Joey Ramsden, Bernard Fayd’Herbe (8 )
                Strand Secondary School
__________________________________________________       
DOUBLE WHAMMY Glen Kotzen, Greg Cheyne (1)
                HJ Kroneberg Primary School
__________________________________________________      
GREY LIGHT Joey Ramsden, Sean Cormack (9)
                 Gateway Primary School
__________________________________________________          
JET SET GO Vaughan Marchall, MJ Byleveld (5)
                 John Ramsay Secondary School
__________________________________________________          
ATAAB Mike de Kock, JP van der Merwe (6)
                Valhalla Secondary School
__________________________________________________              
INARA Mike Bass, Grant van Niekerk (2)
                 Macassar High School
__________________________________________________              
SUNSET TRIPP Justin Snaith, Richard Fourie (10)
                Wellington Primary School
__________________________________________________        
CUVEE BRUT Brett Crawford, Corné Orffer (5) 
                Rosmead Central Primary School
         
__________________________________________________
JEWELLER'S JOY Glen Kotzen, Karl Neisius (3)
                 Danie Ackerman Primary School
___________________________________________________      
 
The beneficiaries that did not draw a horse are listed below:
Grassdale High School
Parow Valley Prep School
Kasselvlei High School
Elswood Secondary School
Buck Road Primary School
Bellville South High School

Small but quality field. Majmu looks the one to beat.

If they doddle they can beat her

If they go a pace she wins a gap

Ataab to run twice in a space of 7 days, on a wicked drift for the Turffontein meeting.

If they doddle - she wins unextended, If there is a strong pace - she SHITES in! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Bob Brogan wrote: If they doddle they can beat her

If they go a pace she wins a gap

Will have to pull of heads to make a slow pace with Double Whammy and Cold as Ice in that field -

My limited knowledge tells me that Majmu could end up being amongst the very best fillies to race in SA...I know a long way to go but she seems most likely to achieve that pinnacle...

bayern wrote: Ataab to run twice in a space of 7 days, on a wicked drift for the Turffontein meeting.

oops please delete my post

TNaicker wrote: My limited knowledge tells me that Majmu could end up being amongst the very best fillies to race in SA...I know a long way to go but she seems most likely to achieve that pinnacle...

Agreed. She is the best 3 yo in training this year ( of either sex). She will win this race easy.