Andrew Harrison

JUST how good is Belgarion was the question that came to mind after bowling home from last to nail Rainbow Bridge and Cirillo in the WSB Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday?

The Gr2 Green Point is widely regarded as a pipe-opener for the L’Ormarins Queens Plate and the Cape Town Met next month but punters will have been left with a few points to ponder.

Belgarion is not a ‘miler’, but nor is Rainbow Bridge in spite of his successes in the Gold Challenge at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the final leg of the unofficial Gr1 WFA mile series that encompasses the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and the L’Omarins Queen’s Plate.

The Green Point field was given a good lead by the ever-game Cirillo, arguably at his best over seven furlongs, but he stayed on in a sweaty finish, beaten less than a length by the two big guns.

With the two aforementioned races in the offing where Cirillo, a Queen’s Plate maybe and the Met unlikely, is it possible to unpick the form with any certainty.

Both Belgarion and Rainbow Bridge would hardly have been at their peak given their programme leading into the Western Cape’s two biggest races, but just who put in the better showing?

Nothing splits them except the neck at the line on Saturday.

Belgarion may have been the more impressive, coming from off the pace to snaffle Rainbow Bridge and Cirillo without seemingly working up a sweat as Richard Fourie gave his mount a clear passage to the line and pulled off what was basically a hands-and-heels victory.

The run by Rainbow Bridge was more difficult to work out. From his inside draw he jumped into the race early and although not particularly aggressive, Luke Ferraris, aboard for the first time, had to keep him hard into the bit before Cirillo made his play out front at a decent gallop.

Two furlongs out, Rainbow Bridge looked to have run his race and in danger of finishing out of the money, but he then kept plugging away to come back at Cirillo and edge into second.

Cirillo, a little suspect over the mile, may have run out of gas over the last 50m but Rainbow Bridge came back stoutly and although Belgarion made up many lengths on him to win the race, there was only a neck separating them at the line, Rainbow Bridge ever game in defeat.

Justin Snaith was not to be drawn on whether Belgarion would contest the Queen’s Plate with the Met the obvious target but I suspect both winner and runner-up will be in the line-up.

With Golden Duct definitely in the mix for the Met, we are in for a big one.

It was another red-letter day for Snaith as Captain’s Ransom added to his growing feature race list and gave Suzette and Bassie Viljoen their first Grade 1 success as the daughter of Captain Al made hacks of the Gr1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Viljoen and her husband, unheard of two seasons back, have burst onto the scene and have horses in training throughout the country so it was more than fitting that they should finally have Grade 1 success with a filly that certainly looks to be going places.

The 1800m Paddock Stakes on Queen’s Plate day is an obvious target and a race that has been a happy hunting ground for sophomore fillies in recent seasons. Both Snaith and pilot Richard Fourie were cautious with their summation but the Paddock Stakes is an obvious target as is the Gr1 Majorca Stakes on Met day should they choose to by-pass the Paddock Stakes.