Cape Guineas rematch Le Drakkar/Bush Pirate.

Cape "Derby" promises Guineas rematch


South Africa: Le Drakkar and Bush Pirate, first and second in the Cape Guineas at Kenilworth earlier this month, could meet again in the Cape Derby over ten furlongs on the same course on January 31.

Joey Ramsden confirms Bush Pirate an intended runner and, while Dean Kannemeyer insists that he is "keeping his options open" with Le Drakkar - 16-1 fourth favourite for the J&B Met on the same day as the Cape Derby - he is giving the Classic serious consideration.

Kannemeyer said: "I want to do the right thing for the horse and he's got the rest of his three-year-old career in front of him.

"I will take him to Durban for their season when there will be races like the KZN Guineas for him.

"But he came out of the Cape Guineas so well that you wouldn't think he had even had a race, and he is maturing all the time.

"I've entered him for the Cape Derby and, looking at the colt's pedigree, I see the dam went ten furlongs so he could stay the trip."

Ramsden'sMother Russia, third in the Cape Guineas and second to Sparkling Gem in the Fillies Guineas a fortnight before that, will have her next run in the Fancourt Majorca Stakes on the same January 31 card.

"She is in a valuable sales race a few days after the Majorca but we will have to go for the Grade 1," said Ramsden.

"She is still a bit under-rated, probably because she is not very big, but she ran well in both Guineas and she gets the trip."

Sparkling Gem will also run in the Majorca and trainer Justin Snaith reckons she is capable of a lot better than her fifth to Le Drakkar would suggest.

He said: "The Cape Guineas came too soon after the fillies' race for her. She was ten kilos lighter, she was badly drawn and she didn't run up to her best."




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