Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Noordhoek Flyer sets the standard

BRENDAN PATHER
After his impressive Cape Guineas win, Noordhoek Flyer is a worthy favourite to win the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2 000m at Kenilworth tomorrow and the talk at Milnerton this week was that he could be one of the better bets on the card. Dean Kannemeyer’s three-year-old Pivotal colt has shown tremendous improvement in the last two months and his Guineas win catapulted him to the head of his generation. He continues to impress in his work and Kannemeyer has few doubts that he will see out the 2 000m.
But is Noordhoek Flyer as effective over the extra two furlongs? Only tomorrow’s race will tell and with that in mind, a few of the opposition warrant consideration. Trainer Mike Bass has a high regard for Captain’s Secret and the versatile son of Captain Al was only beaten by the draw in the Guineas. Bernard Fayd’Herbe was forced from a hopeless position to gamble on the outside rail but it didn't pay off. Captain’s Secret, similarly to Pocket Power, seems a better horse when switched out and given something to fetch. He did this to good effect in winning the Gr 3 Cape Classic last October, his most impressive performance to date. He gave 3kg and a 4,6 length beating to Ancestral Fore that day and meets the latter at level weights tomorrow. Ancestral Fore has improved a few lengths since though and was one of the few running on behind Noordhoek Flyer in the Guineas. The son of Dynasty has been a length or two off the best of his generation this term but this 2 000m trip could bring out the best in him. The three possible improvers Bravura, Chindit and Irish Flame also warrant consideration but Noordhoek Flyer certainly sets the standard and is expected to fight this out with Captain’s Secret. After three close-up seconds in the Green Point Stakes, the Victress Sakes and the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes, Sparkling Gem looks the proverbial good thing to win the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes tomorrow. Her trainer, Justin Snaith, feels she will be hard to beat but fellow trainers Glen Kotzen and Mike Bass are not convinced.
Kotzen was very satisfied with Lady Windermere’s last run and believes that the Gr 1 Garden Province Stakes winner could be one of his best runners on the day. She has the class to win this and Kotzen seems determined to bring this filly back to her best. Bass felt that Love Is In The Air was a realistic danger to Sparkling Gem and reports are that the Jet Master filly is showing improved work at home. It does look like Sparkling Gem’s race to lose but she can expect stern opposition from both Lady Windermere and Love Is In The Air.

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