Kilindini can book his Guineas ticket by winning the Cape Town Summer Of Champions Handicap at Kenilworth today.
Corne Orffer’s mount is on a hat-trick after winning a Durbanville maiden and readily following up in a handicap at the first time of asking. The way he came away in the closing stages last time suggests he will relish this extra furlong and that a five-point increase in the ratings is unlikely to stop him.
He was fractionally odds-on yesterday, with the bookmakers and the form book both suggesting that the danger is likely to come from Beach Beauty’s small son Wild Coast (33-10). Richard Fourie’s mount was beaten just under a length when third to Super Silvano (9-2 here) over this course and distance 18 days ago and should be able to reverse the placings on 2kg better terms.
Fourie is favourite at 13-10 to take the opener on Warrior Tiger for Piet Botha and this gelding, unusually for a maiden, has already run in a handicap and in a Listed race. “He is one of the hardest horses to work with that I have ever come across and I ran him in those races to keep him fit,” explains Piet Botha. “But I think he has a big chance here.”
Indeed he does and on the book he should win. Loyalty rather than logic – plus a wish to avoid that sickening feeling when he wins and I have finally gone against him – makes me tip our old (and rather expensive) friend Al Bragga instead. Last time he led, was headed at the 200m marker and fought back but then didn’t seem to realise he was expected to go on again. He was only beaten a neck and Mike Stewart’s post-race verdict was that he needed more racing.
The bookies are still a bit wary and are quoting him at 33-10 but Aldo Domeyer, now really putting his Hong Kong experience to profitable use, saw enough to make him ring for the ride and he has ridden work on the horse.
Also worth noting in this race is 7-1 newcomer Hello Tomorrow, not least because the Dynasty filly is a Ridgemont horse. “She is quite speedy, a little bit temperamental but not without a chance,” says Eric Sands. “I would have preferred to start her in a fillies race but there was no suitable maiden.”
Whatever his fortunes with that one, Sands should take the Tabonline.co.za Maiden (race three) with Still Tappin in the same colours. Greg Cheyne’s mount is 28-10 favourite, was only a short head behind the much more experienced Retail Therapy (4-1) on debut and that run alone suggests she will reverse the form. A bigger danger is probably 7-2 shot The Vow who was nearly two lengths behind the selection four weeks ago and lost at least that at the start.
By Michael Clower
