Fantastic clashes over 2 400m are set to take place at Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday when two competitive fields go to post for the Track & Ball Derby and Track & Ball Oaks, two Grade 3 races that have all the makings of thrilling and close finishes.
The two former three-year-old “classics” have been converted to open weight-for-age races with penalties for graded race performances.
The “Derby” will see Captain Splendid from the Justin Snaith stable bid to follow up his good win in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup with another graded victory while Dean Kannemeyer will be hoping his Silvano gelding Mr Winsome will make a strong showing to convince the July Selection Panel that his late entry today (Monday) was not without merit and together with his third place in the Betting World 1900, he deserves a place in the final big-race field.
Top stayers Ovidio and Helderberg Blue will take their place with Helderberg Blue hoping to go one better than his second to Captain Splendid in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.
Let It Rain, from the Weiho Marwing yard, second in the Caradoc Gold Cup and fourth in the Gold Bowl will make his presence felt and Three Balloons from the Candice Bass-Robinson yard could follow up on his good run in this race last year when he finished third to Cape Speed.
Sean Tarry will return to his scene of triumph where he won the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint and the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint a few weeks ago to try and complete the perfect “Oaks” double with his Kahal filly Witchcraft, also batting for a place in the July, and the country’s doyen of thoroughbred conditioners, Ormond Ferraris, will try to turn the tables on the Geoff Woodruff-trained Spook Express winner Silver Stripe with his Ideal World mare Patchit Up Baby.
Silver Stripe has followed that win up with a third behind Epona from the Joey Ramsden stable in the East Coast Handicap but the large weight turnaround should see Epona in front again and quite possibly spearheading the field when they cross the line.
Both races are competitive and an exciting day of racing in the Capital is on the cards.
By Richard McMillan
