Voice Of Reason, having only her second start when beaten a neck over this course and distance on Cape Guineas day, looks the part for the Racing Association Maiden Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow.
The Gavin van Zyl filly is again ridden by Keagan de Melo and has opened favourite at 22-10. She is reasonably drawn and probably has most to fear from 9-2 shot Still Tappin who was two and a quarter lengths behind last time despite coming back with a cut on a hind leg and making an abnormal respiratory noise (not a good sign).
Foxy Lady (7-1) was three-quarters of a length further back and may again make the frame but one to bear in mind is the Hassen Adams-owned What A Flirt (9-2). She was found to be not striding out when a disappointing favourite on her most recent start but she was only beaten a short head previously and she is the highest rated of the eight who have been given a mark.
All except the first three of the seven two-year-old races run in Cape Town this season have been won by a horse who has had the advantage of a previous run – but it could be worth taking a chance with 28-10 newcomer Bowie in the opening Maiden Juvenile Plate.
Nothing sensational about the colt’s pedigree – although the R220 000 Cape Yearling Sale purchase is By Twice Over out of a National Assembly mare who won as a two-year-old – but he is trained by Sean Tarry who did not bring him all the way from Johannesburg just to run a place. And it is surely significant that Anton Marcus has taken the mount.
The Dennis Drier-trained Pray For Rain, odds-on when only fourth of six on debut, is again favourite here. He had last Saturday’s runaway scorer Erik The Red a length and a half behind but the filly Musical Glitch (33-10) has perhaps the strongest claims on form.
Mr Fergie (22-10) is rated 1.5kg behind 12-10 favourite Pacific Rim in the 1 400m maiden (race two) but the Eric Sands gelding couldn’t get a clear run at a crucial stage on New Year’s Eve and might have finished in front of Red Rock Canyon had he done so. He gets the vote to make amends although it should be noted that Red Rock Canyon over-raced last time.
In Auro has to give weight all round in the Betting World Maiden Handicap but Marcus’s mount is favourite and looks the one they all have to beat.
By Michael Clower
