Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Big girls don’t cry

Brendan Pather
It’s clear from the list of races that Sparkling Gem contested this summer that Justin Snaith expected a lot from her this season. The big filly did not disappoint, brave in defeat in all off the Green Point Stakes, the Victress, the Paddock and the Majorca. She was never more than a length off the winner in any of her races this summer with the only win coming in her pipe-opener, the Diana Stakes contested over 1400m at Kenilworth. In fact, she has been dominant in the last year over trips just short of a mile with three wins from three starts. Considering her programme this summer, it is a slight surprise to see her lining up in the Riverworld Stud Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday but the big girl must have taken her races well. If she’s at her best, Sparkling Gem should outclass her opposition in this Grade 3 event to be run over 1 400m.
The Prix Du Cap is a conditions event for fillies and mares but after penalties are considered, there is no clear weight advantage to any of the runners this season. So with the “best weighted” list looking rather congested, the determining factor in separating the runners becomes their ability to run to their respective ratings. A quick glance at Sparkling Gem’s record over the last year and it’s clear that she is by far the most likely to run to her best rating over this track and trip. Besides being at her best over the 1400m trip, Sparkling Gem has also been racing in much stronger races than her opposition. She’s earned her rating against the likes of Fabiani and J&B Met heroines River Jetez and Mother Russia. Mother Russia outclassed the opposition in this race last year and Sparkling Gem can do the same on Saturday. A surprise second to Mother Russia last year was the diminutive Temair. She’s back again this season and is well weighted on ratings. But she has been nowhere close to her best this season and it’s hard to see her repeating last year’s effort. A more likely place candidate could be her stable-companion Sunsational who has been in good form this summer and faired admirably well when given a chance in the Paddock Stakes. The Mike Bass trained four-year-old actually has a 4kg turnaround at the weights with Sparkling Gem for a three length defeat in the Paddock. That said, she seems at her best over a mile but she should be doing her best work late and she has a good draw to boot. Seal Of Approval is another in-form handicapper and she seems at her best over this trip. Joey Ramsden’s four-year-old daughter of Silvano has her first test at this level but she loves this trip and is another with strong place credentials. The Ramsden-yard have come good of late and they have also entered the back-in-form Badger’s Cove. The four-year-old Joshua Dancer filly was a shock winner of the Sceptre Stakes early last month and was subsequently bumped up to a 99 after hovering around the 90 mark for the last year. She needs to confirm the improvement but loves this track and trip and jumps from a favourable inside draw. Just two three-year-olds, Lemonade and Strawberry Ice, contest this season and both are lightly raced and improving youngsters. Lemonade has won three of five starts but was well beaten by Sparkling Gem in the Diana Stakes. She is likely to have improved since though and was gallant when going from start-to-finish over this track and trip last November. Similar tactics here with just 50kg on her back could see her hold on for a place. Strawberry Ice has been a few lengths off the best of her generation this summer but the Western Winter filly was impressive when dropping back in class last time. There is alot of early pace in the race and Felix Coetzee will have plenty of options aboard Sparkling Gem from draw four. Expect the big filly to be sitting handy and this should be hers for the taking once they hit the straight. Sunsational and Seal Of Approval are the two most likely to chase her home.

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