Justin Snaith is confident Bela-Bela will stay 2000m and is the runner to beat in Saturday’s R1-million Woolavington 2000 at Greyville.

Bela-Bela won the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas over 1600m at the course and has been priced up at 8-10 by Betting World to win this Grade 1 race over 2000m.

“She’s doing very well at home and I don’t think 2000m will be a problem against her own age group. She ran well enough in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth and finished just three lengths behind Smart Call. I would say 1800m at Kenilworth is equivalent to 2000m at Greyville so the distance is not an issue.”

Bela-Bela was a late scratching from what was due to be her first run in KwaZulu-Natal on 8 April but Snaith feels that has worked in her favour. “She’s a light filly and missing that race was the best thing that could have happened to her. The day after I scratched her I felt quite relieved that it had happened.”

In the Guineas Bela-Bela came from a long way back off a slow pace and then kept going to beat Nightingale by 0.50 lengths. Snaith’s charge actually came from behind Nightingale but the daughter of Silvano, trained by Mike Bass, was running on the better at the end. However, Bela-Bela did have the race wrapped up before she started to ease up.

“People forget how intimidating the finish at Greyville is for horses with all the screens lighting up. She did put her ears back at the finish but it was her first run under lights so I thought she performed well.

“You’ve got to respect Nightingale but I would like to think we will have come on from that run and she has improved. Bela-Bela has got all the right things about her to be a top filly.”

Nightingale is at 22-10 with Negroamaro at 7-1.

Black Arthur has been taken out of the R2-million Daily News 2000 as Snaith is attempting to keep his weight down for the Vodacom Durban July. “After Legislate won both the Guineas and Daily News he came into the July with 57.5kg. It took a lot out of him. You are throwing these three-year-olds in the deep-end running them over 2200m. It’s a hard race for what are young horses.

“You’ve got to choose your races. I discussed it with the owner and said we could win the Daily News and take quite a bit out of him or we give it a miss and know we have a big chance with a good weight in the July.

“I believe Black Arthur has a big future and I would like to think he can go back to Cape Town and contest bigger things. It’s quite ironic. I almost left him in Cape Town for the winter. It was a 50-50 call whether we would bring him or not.”

Snaith still has Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn and improving Brooklyn Brawler in the race. “It’s My Turn got caught a bit wide in the Guineas. It was too short and he needed the run. He’s not a miler and he’s only getting warmed up after 2000m. Whether he is good enough to win we can only hope. I do believe he will be there. Anthony Delpech is confident the horse is well and I’m glad to see he’s smiling.”

Brooklyn Brawler had an impressive win over 1600m last time but there is a concern as to whether he will see out 2000m. “He had very impressive win last time. It was a little bit of a shock because we felt he needed the run. “To win this he will need to run to his absolute best and have everything go in his favour. I am a bit concerned about the distance but although he is not bred to stay he does look like a stayer. He deserves his place in this race.”

Rabada and Drill Hall Stakes winner New Predator are joint favourites at 3-1, with Mambo Mime and Samurai Blade at 8-1. It’s My Turn is at 10-1 with Brooklyn Brawler at 20-1.

TABnews