Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Guineas shapes into cracking contest

David Thiselton
The Grade 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday is shaping into a cracking race with a number of leading trainers quietly confident of their chances. Mike de Kock has scratched Gluwein from the race and only Laverna will represent the yard with Laverna already on her way to the Cape yesterday. De Kock said, “The Group 1 juvenile fillies’ form from last season has turned out weak, but Laverna is better than her last two starts. We have battled with her preparation as she picked up a respiratory problem along with many others in the yard. We can’t be too confident, but she did beat My Kazzie easily in the Thekwini so we will see.’’
De Kock’s main hope for the Cape Sizzling Summer Season will be with Mother Russia, who is being aimed at the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over 1 800m on January 9. Meanwhile, he said that Eagle Mountain is sound and will strip a lot fitter than in his last start when he defends his Group 1 Cathay Pacific Cup at Sha-Tin racecourse in Hong Kong on December 13. “His preparation in England was not a touch on what it was last year. So we gave him that run when he arrived in Hong Kong. He will run a lot better than in that race and will then head off for Dubai.’’ The Mike Azzie-trained My Kazzie was also on her way down from the Highveld to the Cape yesterday and Azzie expected her to travel well.
“We have her as close to peak as we could get her without having a run. She was due to have run recently but got naughty in the box and hurt herself. She could have run on Saturday but I felt that her second run after a long rest would have then come too soon.’’ Azzie said that he was not too concerned with the weakness of the Grade 1 Juvenile form. "I’m known for shouting my mouth off about my horses and would like to about her, but I have to be realistic. I think she will be in the shake up. I think Mike Bass has a nice runner in Croc Valley. I know also that Eric Sands doesn't send his horses out into big races as early as this unless he has a good one, so I would be wary of his runner, Secret Pleasure, too.’’
Felix Coetzee will be riding My Kazzie, despite being regular stable jockey for the Justin Snaith yard, who will send out one of the favourites, Townsend.
“We have been talking about My Kazzie’s run in the Guineas for a long time,’’ said Coetzee. “Townsend has since improved and I think will be hard to beat, so I was in a bit of a predicament. But my agent and myself decided to stick with My Kazzie. Justin is very good in that way and gives me free choice. We also had to consider that MJ had ridden Townsend in her last victory.’’
Townsend won the Grade 2 Odessa Stud Fillies Championship over 1 400m in her last start, holding off the Sands-trained Secret Pleasure.
MJ Byleveld was recently announced as Avontuur's on-course ambassador so it will be fitting if Townsend, who was bred by Avontuur, wins.
Mike Bass gave Croc Valley a chance, “She only arrived at our yard in the winter. She won well from a wide draw last time in her second start. I don't know how good she is yet, so would have liked one more run. But I've entered her because she seemed to be showing a lot at home. Bernard has ridden one or two of the horses in the race and thinks that on her work at home she has a chance. So, I'm guessing, but I think she won't be far off them and is in with a chance from her good draw.’’ Bass’s champion Pocket Power makes his reappearance on Saturday in a Pinnacle Plate over 1 500m, where he faces his Vodacom Durban July conqueror, Big City Life, but this time on 7kg better terms.
Bass said, “He was originally due to run on the 19th, so we have rushed him a little as the big races are getting closer and we need to get him going as soon as possible. Big City Life was scratched from the Green Point two weeks ago to give him more time to recover from a cough he had picked up ten days earlier. However, Glen Kotzen is now very happy with him and had similar sentiments to Bass about his chances.

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