The Geoff Woodruff-trained Emblem of Liberty, an impressive winner of the Grade I TBA Paddock Stakes over 1800m in her last start, will be even better suited to the 1600m of the Grade I Fancourt Majorca Stakes to be run on J&B Met day. This race has always been her chief target for the Cape’s Sizzling Summer Season.
The Justin Snaith-trained Sparkling Gem, highly rated by her trainer, won the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas and heads the three-year-old challenge. The Joey Ramsden-trained Nania was not striding out when disappointing in the Paddock Stakes and at her best this Grade I winning miler could be a threat, as could her three-year-old stable companion, Mother Russia, who ran a fine third in the Grade I Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas against colts, having finished second to Sparkling Gem in the Fillies Guineas.
Another Ramsden entry, Ice Belle, bounced back to her best when winning a 1400m plate race last time out, but she must face the Paul Lafferty-trained Oracle News on 1,5kg worse terms for a 0,5 length beating in that race. Oracle News is one of only two raiders in the race and that run heralded a form return after two well below par previous runs during the Sizzling Summer Season. She has finished third in two Grade I’s over 1600m in her career before, so the mile suits her well, and what further enhances her chances is that she finished just 0,25 lengths behind the Brett Crawford-trained Nordic Moon in that 1400m plate race having finished way behind her in the Victress Stakes, an indication of her improvement. Nordic Moon faces Oracle news on 1,5kg worse terms for a 0,25 length beating in that plate race.
The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Rose Lipped Maiden beat Sparkling Gem in the Dianne Stakes over 1400m on weight-for-age terms last September and her unplaced run in the above-mentioned 1400m Plate race would surely have been a preparation run as it was her first outing since. However, Kannemeyer stable jockey, MJ Byleveld, will be aboard the Stan Elley-trained Rei Rei. The KZN Fillies Guineas winner returns to her probable best trip after a fifth place finish in the Paddock Stakes and she can’t be discounted.
The Mike Bass-trained Consensual is the third three-year-old in the race. This champion juvenile of last season had an interrupted start to the Sizzling Summer Season and has been disappointing since. However, her 3,1 length fourth place finish to Emblem of Liberty in the Paddock Stakes could have heralded the start of her recovery and at best she will be a lively contender. Mike Bass’s other runner, Via Della, ran unplaced in a Listed race over 1800m on Saturday and with a Merit Rating of 90 only has the Mitchell Wiese-trained Port Elizabeth raider, Favourite Island (89), below her in that regard. Favourite Island finished third in the Grade II Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Weight-For-Age and has won over 1600m before so she is not a forlorn hope. The former Robbie Sage-trained Urabamba has his second run for Basil Marcus and this former Grade I SA Fillies Classic (Turffontein 1800m) winner has the ability to go close, having finished a narrow and somewhat unlucky second in the Gauteng Guineas last season as well.
ends
Gill Simpkins
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