Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Harbour Light to shine

David Thiselton
The midweek Champions Season highlight is the Listed Queen Palm Handicap over 2400m at Scottsville tomorrow. An interesting runner in this race is the former KwaZulu-Natal horse Harbour Light, who has run six times over this distance in Port Elizabeth for the Gavin Smith yard and won three of them.
She goes well for her pilot tomorrow, Warren Kennedy.
Her latest victory, by 4,25 lengths in late April, was particularly impressive.
Furthermore, on April 1 this year all Port Elizabeth based horses were dropped three points, while horses from the main centres were all raised three points.
She thus comes into the race with a handicap chance.
The Mike de Kock-trained Atlantic Oak was highly enough regarded to have been given a chance in the Grade 1 Woolavington over 2000m in just her second career start.
She finished sixth, just 2,4 lengths behind the winner.
The downside is that this year's three-year-old fillies crop has been weak overall, but on the upside she is from the family of the stamina-influential sire, Fort Wood, so should relish this step up in trip.
The De Kock yard is also in devastating form at the moment.
The Joey Ramsden-trained Pagan Princess is by Fort Wood and is a half-sister to a few multiple winning stayers, so will also love this distance.
In her last start she ran on well from midfield over 2 400m at Greyville to finish a length second to Equiparada, who finished a good fifth from a tough draw in Saturday's Grade 2 Gold Circle Oaks.
This will be Pagan Princess’ third Durban start and another plus is that she has Kevin Shea aboard.
The Mike Bass-trained Ashbrook has faced tough tasks since arriving in Durban against good fields over 1 600m to 2 000m and hasn't been disgraced.
She is by Doowaley and is a half-sister to July winner, Trademark, so should also enjoy this trip, especially from her pole position draw.
Gilmore Girl has done well since joining the Glen Kotzen yard and is ideally course and distance suited.
She is effectively off the same Merit Ratings as when finishing a 1,45 length fourth to Sangria Girl in the Listed Cape Breeders over this trip at Kenilworth in January.
Sangria Girl went on to win the Grade 2 J&B Reserve Stayers, underlining the merit of that run.
There is not much between the Craig Eudey-trained topweight, Maritime Mist, and Gilmore Girl on previous 2400m form.
Felix Coetzee is aboard Maritime Mist and will suit her handy or front-running style.
Saltwater Girl beat Maritime Mist in the Gold Bracelet over 2000m at level weights, but the latter did the donkey work and on a previous 1800m meeting should have Saltwater Girl's measure. However, the Gavin van Zyl yard is in form and his runners can't be ignored.
The Herman Brown pair, Miss Lovita and Miss Chatty, are capable of earning on their day, while the Kotzen-trained Special Assignment has the breeding to surprise in her first try at this trip.
Bit Of Bizet loves this track and can’t be ignored from a good draw over a likely suitable trip.
String Of Stars is considerably under sufferance.
The selection is Harbour Light to win from Atlantic Oak, with Pagan Princess, Ashbrook and Gilmore Girl next best, while Maritime Mist and Saltwater Girl can be included in wider perms.

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