TRIPLE Tiara winner Cherry On The Top is among the entries for the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap for fillies and mares to be run over 1800m at Turffontein on Tuesday night 22 October.
The Ormond Ferraris-trained runner has not been seen in action since finishing a disappointing 2.20-length fourth behind Do You Remember in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville in June. Cherry On The Top has a record of eight wins and three places from 12 starts. In April she followed in the footsteps of Igugu by winning the SA Fillies Guineas (Grade 2), the SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) and the SA Oaks (Grade 2) to capture the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.
Cherry On The Top currently runs off a merit rating of 118 which is substantially higher than any other runner nominated.
Formation is one of the only runners entered who has beaten Cherry On The Top. She gave the Ferraris-trained filly 1.5kg on that occasion and this time the weights will significantly favour St John Gray’s six-year-old mare who runs off a turf rating of 94.
Bluroute, Yellowwood hopeful.
Mike de Kock has nominated Al Kindi, Bluroute and Semra, who had an encouraging first start on the Highveld last Saturday when a 1.75-length third behind Admiral’s Eye.
Also run on the night is the Listed Java Handicap over 2450m and this could see a return match between Grade 1 SA Derby winner Wylie Hall and runner-up Gothic. On that occasion 0.50 lengths separated the pair at level but as Wylie Hall is rated 113 and Gothic is at 106, the weights will hugely favour Kom Naidoo’s charge this time. The De Kock entry, Kindle, made a good impression winning last Saturday and is another to keep an eye on.
Ferraris has entered S’il Vous Plait while Gavin van Zyl has put in up-and-coming stayer Balse.
Supplementary entries close at 9am on Monday 14 October after which the weights will be announced. Declarations must be made by 10am on Wednesday 16 October 2013.
Entries for the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap (F&M) R175,000 1800m
AL KINDI (M F De Kock); ARABIAN PRINCESS (B D Botes); BLUROUTE (M F De Kock); CHERRY ON THE TOP (O A Ferraris); CLASSIC ILLUSION (G M Alexander); CYCLONE MICHELLE (W H Tolmay); FORMATION (S J Gray); GO INDIGO (L J Erasmus); GOLDEN DAWN (G S Kotzen); MAGIC SMOKE (M G Azzie); MYSTIC TIGRESS (G M Alexander); RHYTHMIC ROXY (G V Woodruff); SEMRA (M F De Kock); SUNNY DISPOSITION (D N Stenger); UNDERCOVER CAT (S J Gray)
Entries for the Listed Java Handicap R150,000 2450m
BALSE (G H Van Zyl); CYCLONE MICHELLE (W H Tolmay); DESERT RAPTOR (A G Laird); EASTERN COBBLER (M G Azzie); GOTHIC (K Naidoo); INDIAN GIANT (J Vos); INDIAN RIVER (A G Laird); KINDLE (M F De Kock); MIRAGE DRIVE (T Zackey); MONEY FLOWS (S Moffatt); RHYTHMIC ROXY (G V Woodruff); S’IL VOUS PLAIT (O A Ferraris); SALUTATION (S T Pettigrew); THE WHO (B Webber); VENTURE (E Verdonese); WINTER DESIRE (S T Pettigrew); WYLIE HALL (W H Marwing)