It was no surprise to see the Geoff Woodruff-trained Bi Pot entered in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic after her impressive win on Saturday in a MR 82 Handicap for three-year-old fillies over 1600m at Turffontein. The Judpot filly will be coming in under the radar so might offer some fair value in the race which is to be run on April 1.

Geoff Woodruff (Nkosi Hlophe)

Woodruff had two runners in last year’s SA Fillies Classic, including Bi Pot’s half-sister Alexa, and they  both finished unplaced. However, Bi Pot, looks to have more scope than Alexa did. Furthermore her relatively young sire Judpot has an outstanding record at the Classic meeting.

Last year Judpot’s daughter Juxtapose won the SA Fillies Classic and two years earlier his daughter Along Came Polly was runner up in this lucrative race. In 2014 the Judpot colt Mister Cricket finished second in the SA Classic to triple crown hero Louis The King. A year later another Judpot colt, Deputy Jud, finished third in the SA Classic. Bi Pot is a long-striding bay and has won two of her four starts to date. Woodruff is sure to have her tuned up as a trainer whose string always peak for the Autumn classics and she has a plum draw of five.

There were 16 entries in the SA Fillies Classic and the favourite will undoubtedly be the Sean Tarry-trained Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Smiling Blue Eyes. This grey Dynasty filly also won the Gr 3 Fillies Mile. However, she is out of a Badger Land mare and has won over 2000m before, so will have no problem with the 1800m trip, especially from a good draw of 7. She looks to be a genuine Triple Tiara candidate.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Her stablemate Safe Harbour went close in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over this trip, losing narrowly to the champion filly Bela-Bela, so has a chance in the SA Fillies Classic. She needed her last run in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, so her unplaced effort there can’t be taken literally. However, she did have a tough campaign in Cape Town and Smiling Blue Eyes will be fresher.

Al Hawraa was running on well when runner up in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and on that evidence looks likely to stay the SA Fillies Classic trip. She has drawn in pole position. The third fourth and fifth placed horses in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, Orchid Island, Babbling Brooke and Belle Rose, will all appreciate the step up in trip.

An interesting raider is the Joey Ramsden-trained Captain Gambler, who was third against the boys in the Gr 1 Investec cape Derby. Those look to be the main players, although the enigmatic Judpot filly Maleficent has the ability to be a player too and on pedigree should stay the trip being a full-sister to the SA Derby runner up Rocketball.

By David Thiselton