Trainer Mike Azzie will be delighted Abashiri, one of the three highest rated runners in the field, has drawn No 3 for the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 27 February.
The Grade 2 race is the alternate first leg of the R2-million SA Triple Crown. The Grade 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas is also recognised as the first leg and that was won by Noah From Goa who is not among the Gauteng Guineas entries.
The other two legs of the Triple Crown are the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m and the Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m, both races to be run in April.
Nominations for the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) also closed yesterday. This is the alternate first leg for the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara which comprises the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m and the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m. The Cape Fillies Guineas also counts as the first leg and that was won by Silver Mountain.
Abashiri, a son of Go Deputy, is only beginning to show his true ability following a short but notable two-year-old career. He won his Maiden on the Polytrack at Greyville and followed that up with a fast-finishing third place in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m on the Greyville turf, finishing just 0.80 lengths behind stable companion Rabada. Just a short head in front of Abashiri came Prospect Strike, a top-class colt formerly with Dominic Zaki who is currently with Sean Tarry.
Prospect Strike, with a merit rating of 109, is also one of the three highest rated Guineas entries, the other being Brazuca, trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren. Unfortunately they did not land the best of draws – Prospect Strike at No 13 and Brazuca at No 10.
Van Vuuren also has nominated New Predator who was disappointing when fourth in Saturday’s Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1450m, despite a flood of money coming for him. He is better than that run but has drawn No 11.
Champagne Haze ran well in the Tony Ruffel, finishing second behind Suyoof, and the connections will be delighted the half-brother of Pierre Jourdan has drawn at No 6.
Mike de Kock has entered Tony Ruffel winner Suyoof as well as Muwaary (pictured) but has landed up with “bookend” draws – No 1 for Muwaary and widest-of-all No 19 for Suyoof.
There are 23 entries for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and the highest rated runners are Negroamaro, Madame Dubois, She’s A Dragon and Juxtapose, the first four past the post – not in that order – in Saturday’s Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m.
The first three have all drawn well in the Fillies Guineas, but Juxtapose has landed up with No 18 barrier position.
Supplementary entries for both races close at 11am on Monday 15 February with final declarations by 11am on Thursday, 18 February.
Nominations for the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) (1st Leg SA Triple Crown) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 27 February 2016 (under draw, name, weight, merit rating and trainer):
3 Abashiri 60 109 Mike Azzie
10 Brazuca (AUS) 60 109 Johan Janse van Vuuren
13 Prospect Strike 60 109 Sean Tarry
11 New Predator (AUS) 60 107 Johan Janse van Vuuren
6 Champagne Haze 60 106 Gary Alexander
16 Rocketball 60 103 Gavin van Zyl
19 Suyoof (AUS) 60 103 Mike de Kock
1 Muwaary (AUS) 60 102 Mike de Kock
18 Romany Prince 60 101 Ormond Ferraris
8 Le Clos 60 99 Mike Azzie
12 Lineker (AUS) 60 99 Justin Snaith
4 Lunar Approach 60 95 Sean Tarry
2 Celtic Captain 60 94 Gavin van Zyl
9 Liege 60 93 Sean Tarry
7 Rikitikitana 60 93 Sean Tarry
5 Malak El Moolook 60 91 Sean Tarry
15 Ole Gunnar 60 87 Paul Lafferty
17 Coral Fever 60 79 Robbie Sage
14 #Count Tassilo 60 73 Sean Tarry
Nominations for the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) (1st Leg SA Triple Tiara) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 27 February (under draw, name, weight, merit rating and trainer):
8 Negroamaro 60 104 Johan Janse van Vuuren
1 Madame Dubois 60 102 Robbie Sage
3 She’s A Dragon 60 101 Craig Mayhew
18 Juxtapose 60 98 Stanley Ferreira
14 Princess Varunya 60 98 Kumaran Naidoo
9 Heaps Of Fun 60 95 Sean Tarry
7 Persian Rug 60 94 Mike de Kock
20 Frosty Friday 60 93 Gavin van Zyl
23 Noor 60 92 Mike de Kock
15 Kilauea 60 91 David Nieuwenhuizen
21 Melliflora 60 90 Mike Azzie
12 Crystal Glamour 60 88 Gary Alexander
16 Alexa 60 87 Geoff Woodruff
11 Khonza 60 87 Weiho Marwing
17 Bella Sonata 60 84 Gavin van Zyl
4 Christmas Carol 60 83 Geoff Woodruff
13 Shivering Sea 60 83 St John Gray
6 Angelic Appeal 60 82 St John Gray
2 Penny Serenade 60 82 Mike Azzie
22 Polyphonic 60 82 Alec Laird
10 Deep Down Rebel 60 80 Kumaran Naidoo
19 Bajan Fantasy 60 79 Gary Alexander
5 Runalong 60 74 Paul Peter
