GOLDEN Chateau (photo), winner of the Betting World Gauteng Guineas, will have to improve further if he is to continue his quest to capture the SASCOC Triple Crown.
The final fields for both the R2-million SA Classic and R1-million SA Fillies Classic, both over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday next week, were finalised on Thursday.
Champion trainer Mike de Kock’s team is almost guaranteed to have the Australian import at a peak for the second leg of the Triple Crown. Golden Chateau faces tough opposition in the form of L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Gimmethegreenlight and some of the runners he met in the Guineas who will be better suited to this extra distance.
Justin Snaith’s runner indicated in a recent Conditions Plate over 1400m at the course that he had acclimatised to the Highveld and was in the pink of condition. He will have to overcome No 16 draw, although he could move in two more places if both reserve runners come out.
He has a merit rating of 117 and as these two events are run at level weights, Gimmethegreenlight has an advantage of at least a 3.5kg over his rivals. Piere Strydom has been given the ride again.
Slumdogmillionaire ran third in the Guineas, beaten just one length. Prior to the race trainer Gavin van Zyl expressed the view that 1600m was too short for his charge and that he would be more competitive in the SA Classic. Slumdogmillionaire was running on strongly at the finish and is likely to be more experienced this time around, as the Guineas was only his third career star.
De Kock and Sean Tarry saddle five runners apiece in this 16-horse field and they could well dictate the way this race goes. Derreck David reprises his ride on Golden Chateau but it is interesting to note that Anthony Delpech has climbed off Silver Flyer and to ride Royal Ridge. Glen Hatt, who won the Dingaans aboard Silver Flyer and then guided him to second spot in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas, is back on the son of Silvano.
Whiteline Fever disappointed in the Guineas but Tarry has engaged champion jockey Anton Marcus to rid the Right Approach colt. He has put Weichong Marwing on Pomodoro, Sean Cormack on E-Jet and Sherman Brown on Baracah.
Potala Palace had to overcome a poor draw in the Guineas and is sure to perform better over this distance from a No 9 barrier. Gavin Lerena rides.
Go Indigo won the Fillies Guineas and will be attempting to win the second leg of the Triple Tiara, which offers a R1-million bonus to the filly who wins all three legs. She has been declared to run in the SA Fillies Classic. There are some doubts about her ability to see out 1800m but she has a decent draw at No 7 this time. Last time out she was caught widest of all and put up a great performance to beat Ilha Bela, Hidden Beauty and Zimbabwean runner Control Freak.
Ilha Bela jumped from pole position in that race but is now draw at No 11. However, Control Freak is well positioned at barrier No 4. She will have fully adapted to the Highveld conditions and is likely to be priced up favourite.
Duncan Howells will be bringing Felix The Cat from Durban. She demonstrated her well-being with a 0.50-length victory over Bambina Stripes at Greyville on Tuesday night. The runner-up is also in the field and is now 1kg better off.
The balance of the card for Classic Day will be finalised on Tuesday.
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Final fields are:
R2-million SA Class (Grade 1) over 1800m:
1 – 16 GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT (J S Snaith) P Strydom 58.0 – 117
2 – 17 SILVER FLYER (M F De Kock) G Hatt 58.0 – 110
3 – 9 POTALA PALACE (M G Azzie) G Lerena 58.0 – 105
4 – 15 WHITELINE FEVER (S G Tarry) A Marcus 58.0 – 105
5 – 8 MUSHREQ (M F De Kock) R Fradd 58.0 – 103
6 – 10 GOLDEN CHATEAU (M F De Kock) D David 58.0 – 102
7 – 5 POMODORO (S G Tarry) W Marwing 58.0 – 102
8 – 14 BROOKS-CLUB (G H Van Zyl) R Simons 58.0 – 101
9 – 13 SLUMDOGMILLIONAIRE (G H Van Zyl) M Mienie 58.0 – 100
10 – 3 HEAVY METAL (S G Tarry) …………… 58.0 – 95
11 – 2 ROYAL RIDGE (M F De Kock) A Delpech 58.0 – 95
12 – 4 WINTER MISCHIEF (H/F Brown/Robinson) K Latham 58.0 – 95
13 – 6 BARACAH (S G Tarry) S Brown 58.0 – 93
14 – 1 E-JET (S G Tarry) S Cormack 58.0 – 93
15 – 18 GOVERNOR GENERAL (M F De Kock) T Appie 58.0 – 92
16 – 7 INDIAN HAWK (I S Moore) S Randolph 58.0 – 91
Reserve Runners
17 – 12 ZAMBUCCA (S Mohideen) Reserve 1 58.0 – 90
18 – 11 CARNABY STREET (R P Lerena) Reserve 2 58.0 – 89
Coupled for Pick 6 ONLY: (2, 5, 6, 11, 15); (4, 7, 10, 13, 14); (8, 9).
R1-million SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m
1 – 14 AMANEE (M F De Kock) G Hatt 58.0 – 101
2 – 4 CONTROL FREAK (A I Harris) G Lerena 58.0 – 101
3 – 3 FELIX THE CAT (D C Howells) W Marwing 58.0 – 101
4 – 6 KATY’S LANE (T Zackey) P Strydom 58.0 – 99
5 – 7 GO INDIGO (L J Erasmus) S Brown 58.0 – 98
6 – 11 ILHA BELA (M F De Kock) A Marcus 58.0 – 97
7 – 13 BLUROUTE (M F De Kock) D David 58.0 – 94
8 – 1 TRESCO (S G Tarry) S Cormack 58.0 – 91
9 – 5 AWESOME BEAUTY (K Naidoo) R Simons 58.0 – 90
10 – 10 AVENUE OF GOLD (W H Marwing) R Fradd 58.0 – 89
11 – 9 KALAMI (R R Sage) G Wrogemann 58.0 – 89
12 – 8 WINGED FOOT (M F De Kock) A Delpech 58.0 – 85
13 – 12 BAMBINA STRIPES (D R Drier) A Forbes 58.0 – 83
14 – 2 CLASSIC ILLUSION (G M Alexander) R Fourie 58.0 – 80
Coupled for Pick 6 ONLY: (1, 6, 7, 12).
