CHAMPION filly Majmu will be making her first racecourse appearance this year when she bumps a good field in Saturday’s R1-million Gr1 L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein,reports NICCI GARNER in Racing Express.

The Australian-bred Redoubte’s Choice filly has not run since winning the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas early in December. There was talk about perhaps going for the Triple Tiara and she was nominated for the second leg, the SA Fillies Classic, 10 days ago. However, assistant trainer Mathew de Kock explained: “We didn’t feel she was close enough to full fitness to give of her best. When we don’t believe she can, we don’t run her because it’s not easy to push the boundaries and deliver a peak performance every time.

Mathew de Kock.

“She is doing nicely now – the two weeks have done her good – and although she is not quite at a peak yet, she is fit enough. I’m very happy with her.”

De Kock said she faces a stern test even though she is the best-weighted filly in the line-up.

“It is a very competitive race. There’s not much between the three-year-old fillies and the older horses are all hard knockers. It won’t be given to her on a plate.”

Majmu is entered in three races on Champions Day at the end of the month, including the SA Oaks, but no decision has been taken yet about which one she will target. “She will improve with this run. We’ll see how she takes it before making any decisions.”

De Kock sends another three-year-old into battle against older horses in the Listed Spook Express Handicap over 2450m, recent 2600m winner The Centenary.

“She’s turning into a decent stayer, although this represents a big step up in class for her. If she wins or runs well, maybe we’ll look at going into the SA Oaks. However, we need to protect her merit rating and don’t want to completely ruin her chances into the future by doing well in that race. We’ll also see how she goes on Saturday,” said De Kock.

Final field for the R1-million L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday. 1 – 10 HAMMIE’S HOOKER (M W Bass) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 112 2 – 2 ARCETRI PINK (K Naidoo) G Lerena 60.0 – 106 3 – 5 NOT SULKING (G V Woodruff) A Marcus 60.0 – 98 4 – 12 WHATALADY (S M Ferreira) S Cormack 60.0 – 99 5 – 11 WINTER STAR (J A Janse van Vuuren) D Mansour 60.0 – 99 6 – 6 ENCHANTED SILK (S G Tarry) R Simons 60.0 – 90 7 – 8 MAJMU (M F de Kock) A Delpech 57.5 – 114 8 – 4 SAME JURISDICTION (D C Howells) P Strydom 57.5 – 108 9 – 1 BANBURY (G H Van Zyl) M Yeni 57.5 – 104 10 – 9 TROPHY WIFE (S G Tarry) R Danielson 57.5 – 103 11 – 3 SMART CALL (A G Laird) J Geroudis 57.5 – 101 12 – 7 TAMAANEE (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 57.5 – 100 Same Trainer: (6,10,12)