Missisippi Burning, who has not raced since springing a 22-1 shock in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas more than three months ago, pleased Adam Marcus when partnered by Craig Zackey in a spin at Summerveld yesterday.
Marcus said: “She travelled to Durban exceptionally well. She is not a big filly so she doesn’t need that much work – it’s just a case of keeping her happy and so far all has gone according to plan.
“One of her main aims is the WSB Fillies Guineas on May 1 and I have entered her for the Umzimkhulu over 1 400m on April 5. But there are penalties in that race – she gets 6kg for being a Grade 1 winner – so I am going to analyse the strength of the field and look at the draw before deciding.”
Vardy, winner of the WSB Green Point and L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate but badly hampered when only sixth in the Sun Met, remains on course to start his Durban campaign in the Independent on Saturday Drill Hall on May 1. However last year’s Vodacom Durban July third Twist Of Fate will now take a different road towards the big one.
Marcus explained: “He is a horse who gives his all and I feel that three hard runs prior to the July could set him back. I want to freshen him up, and have him happy and confident, so he will probably go on a route away from the weight-for-age races.”
Despite Summerveld’s variety of gallops and training tracks Marcus says – a little surprisingly perhaps – that so far he slightly prefers his Milnerton home base. “Summerveld is more spacious and the stables are nice but I feel that at Milnerton you can maintain horses at their top level for longer. With the sea breeze and the Cape Town climate they seems to thrive there. But if we win one of the big ones I am sure I will like Summerveld just as much!”
Favorita
Favorita may be upped in class after demolishing the opposition in the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery at Fairview last Friday.
Justin Snaith said: “I thought she would win – but not by almost ten lengths going away! It was a hell of an impressive run. She is not a big filly but she is extremely gutsy and she will maybe go for a feature here next.”
Klawervlei race
Glen Kotzen and Vaughan Marshall dominate (numerically at least) the R225 000 Klawervlei Farm Sale Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday. Between them, they account for seven of the 11 runners.
No racing in Mauritius
The start of the Mauritius racing season has been postponed for at least a fortnight because of CoronaVirus. The Turf Club decided that meetings scheduled for this Saturday and April 4 should be postponed “until further notice” following Prime Minister Pravin Jugnauth‘s announcement of a two-week period of confinement that began last Friday. The country’s citizens have been ordered to stay indoors for 14 days.
By Michael Clower
