MIKE de Kock has reported back on three-year-old colt Muwaary, who finished 10/12 in last Saturday’s Gr2 Selangor Cup over 1600m at Kenilworth, starting 12-10 favourite.

Muwaary was beaten 3,60-lengths in what appeared to be a lacklustre performance and Mike said: “He pulled up with a cough, but while we’d like to offer that as an excuse, form doesn’t lie.  Sean Tarry’s three-year-old Liege, who’d finished second to Muwaary in the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes, also ran downfield when competing in the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes on Saturday.”

Muwaary.

“Interestingly another runner from the Graham Beck formline was Sean’s Lunar Approach, who was beaten into fifth by Muwaary and escaped a penalty, but couldn’t make the frame in a subsequent handicap won by Noah From Goah.

 “I think the jury’s out on last season’s top two-year-old colts and fillies, who may not be as good as we have been thinking they are. Rabada, Seventh Plain and our own Entisaar have all failed to win their first three-year-old starts.  There are more, including Lauderdale, Chestnuts N Pearls, Melliflora (beaten in a Graduation Plate by a runner rated 46 merit-rating points lower than her 100-rating on the day) and Persian Rug . All won or were Graded-placed as two-year-olds and haven’t yet delivered as three-year-olds.

“The exception is Robbie Sage’s Madam Du Bois, who won the recent Gr3 Starling Stakes. I also like Mike Bass’ filly Silver Mountain, but as for the rest we’ll have to wait and see.  At this time last year there were a number of three-year-olds showing top form including Alboran Sea,  Majmu, Pine Princess, Carry On Alice and Same Jurisdiction among the fillies and Harry’s Son and French Navy among the colts. Three-year-olds of this ilk don’t seem to be around in abundance this year, though Champagne Haze looked impressive beating Rabada in the Ready To Run Cup.  Arguably champions still have to emerge.”

Mike added: “The weight-for-age events coming up in the Cape and on the Highveld during the next few months will bring different generations together on weight-for-age terms and will shed more light on the strength of this three-year-old crop.

“The rich sales races staged on the same day as Graded events for three-year-olds will inevitably lead to the strength of the graded races on the same day being diluted.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying there is anything wrong with chasing the money. If I was in a position to choose between a grade stakes race and a rich sales rich I will go for the money too.”

Muwaary, meanwhile, will return to Randjesfontein for a rest. He will be prepared for the Gauteng Autumn Season in 2016.