Dutch Philip looks set to give the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion a miss on Saturday fortnight and stay at home for the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery on the same day despite making it three out of four with a convincing performance in the Somerset 1200 at Kenilworth on Saturday.
“We did talk about Scottsville but I’m not sure that I really want to take him there,” said Candice Bass-Robinson. “He is going in the right direction and he can only improve.”
That right direction is heading tantalising towards the Cape Guineas. True, the colt’s task was made easier by the viral infection sweeping through Joey Ramsden’s horses – Ricardo Sobotker found it in half the 14 he tested including Morning Catch and Speedpoint, but Dutch Philip was conceding weight all round and he won in good style.
There is a certain inevitability when Aldo Domeyer begins to wind up a fancied contender and it was obvious that the 14-10 shot was going to win well before he hit the front 300m from home. Certainly he looked value for a little more than the length he beat the 4kg-receiving Kasimir.
“I knew he would get there when I needed him to but I didn’t want to give them too much start with me giving them all weight,” Domeyer related. “At the 400m mark I felt I couldn’t hold him back any longer – I was interrupting his stride – and he quickened like I thought he would.
“He has quite a bit of class and a really nice turn of foot. He should get a mile in time because he switches off like a lamb.”
Mike Stewart
Magical Wonderland, who followed up for the same connections in the Perfect Promise Sprint, will also be back in action on May 27 – for the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery – and she is also by What A Winter. Little wonder that Marsh Shirtliff has already bought nine yearlings by the sire he raced with such success.
What A Winter also describes the present climate but nobody follows the weather patterns more closely than Mike Stewart and the Noordhoek trainer is convinced the rain will come – and that, when it does, he will clean up with Al Wahed. Donovan Dillon’s mount took the 1 000m handicap despite the fast ground.
“Al Wahed is going to win plenty – he has such a low rating. At one time he was running off 89 and he will only get three points for this,” Stewart explained before adding, tongue in cheek, “At the end of the winter he can retire and become a trail horse.”
Platinum Prince, who initiated Domeyer’s treble with a comfortable win in the mile handicap, is seemingly also one to put in the notebook.
“At one time Richard Fourie rated him our best two-year-old,” Jonno Snaith recalled. “He is going to be a really nice stayer and I’m just sad we didn’t put him in Saturday’s East Cape Derby. It looks particularly weak this time.”
Michael Clower
