Fear Not can make it a 27th birthday to remember for Adam Marcus in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting tomorrow.
The Majorca fifth has been in cracking form in recent months and her trainer, who won this with Priceless Jewel two years ago, is understandably optimistic.
Adam Marcus
He says: “Fear Not is maturing and getting better all the time. I think this 1 400m is probably her ideal distance because over it she can quicken right to the line which she can’t quite do over a mile.”
Rider Aldo Domeyer has won two of the last five runnings and his mount yesterday opened an appealing 6-1 joint second favourite with World Sports Betting who made Cuvee Brut favourite at 33-10.
No favourite has won this since Mother Russia seven years ago but uncle Anton’s mount is rated the best horse in the race with a kilo to spare. She has only once raced beyond sprint distances – when sixth to Majmu in the 2014 Cape Fillies Guineas – but Brett Crawford will not hear of stamina doubts.
“She won’t have a problem getting the trip,” he insists. “She is doing very well and I think she will be hard to beat.”
Stable jockey Corne Orffer partners 6-1 shot Alexis in preference but mainly because she is owned by Delma Sherrell whose son Lance sponsors Orffer through his firm. “Alexis has finally come back to her best and think this trip is perfect for her,” says Crawford.
However the filly has to concede 3kg to everything because of her win in last year’s KRA Fillies Guineas and that is going to make it tough for her.
No three-year-old has won since Mother Russia but 10-1 shot Acaciawood, on ratings the best of her age group, comes out less than a length behind Fear Not.
Next best Flying Ice (16-1) was a sick horse after disappointing in the Fillies Guineas but Neil Bruss gives her a good chance – “I would think so with that weight, and she has been doing very well.”
Heartland (Liesl King)
The unbeaten Lohnromance is surprisingly short at 8-1. “She is at least 30lb under sufferance but it is going to be interesting,” says Andre Nel. “She is as fit as she has ever been and we will know where we stand with her after this.”
Coltrane should win the CTS Chairman’s Cup for the second year running even if he is not much of a price at 15-20.
Stable companion Hard Day’s Night is 33-10 favourite for the Calulo Cape Mile but this is wide open with Marcus’s mount Night Trip (9-2) top-rated but only a kilo better than Heartland (6-1), Milton (7-1) and 9-1 chance As You Like.
Marginal preference is for Heartland and Justin Snaith says: “Heartland was a bit unlucky in the Queen’s Plate in that he was a bit further back than the jockey wanted. He and Kingvoldt (5-1) are both in good nick and should run well.
“My worry with them, and indeed all our horses, is that the ground is hard and they are getting a bit jarred. The track manager has put on a lot of water but we need rain.”
By Michael Clower
