Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Purple Lake to blitz rivals

David Thiselton
The Clairwood meeting today (Wednesday, April 21) has a sprinkling of Cape horses up for the Champions Season including a few taking part in the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes.
The ground is likely to be fast for the 1 200m event and this will suit the very speedy Kumaran Naidoo-trained Lake Coniston four-year-old filly, Purple Lake. Purple Lake finished an excellent 2,25 length second to the superstar sprinting filly Val De Ra at level weights over 1 000m at Clairwood last time and she was three lengths clear of the third horse Mia Joshua.
Dennis Drier reckons Val De Ra is the best filly he has ever trained and even commented on what a fine run that was by Purple Lake immediately after the event.
Purple Lake will now be 2kg worse off with Mia Joshua but that will not be nearly enough to reverse the placings.
Her merit rating of 89 is misleading
as she only started her career as a four-year-old and is steadily climbing up the ratings.
Darryl Hodgson and Andrew Fortune were confident that Comet Chaser could beat Val De Ra last time when receiving 2kg but reckoned without her class and were defeated by 3,5 lengths over 1 000m at Greyville.
The relative weights between her and Purple Lake will be the same for this race.
She is a three-year-old so should be improving and will give Purple Lake something to think about.
The Joey Ramsden-trained Badger’s Cove has had a 60 day break so this 1 200m trip should be ideal for her at this stage considering she had the speed to win the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes over the tough Kenilworth 1 200m in the summer but can also win over 1 400m.
Lady Windermere is the highest rated horse in the field and is officially the best in at the weights.
However she had a disappointing summer after being named last season’s Equus Champion Three-year-old Filly.
She was beaten 2,9 lengths by Badger’s Cove in the Sceptre Stakes at the same level weights as here.
She enjoys fast ground and thrived in Durban last season so could possibly turn her recent form around.
Mia Joshua is an honest sort but does appear to prefer a bit of cut in the ground.
The Dylan Cunha-trained Giant’s Jewel was beaten just 0,5 lengths by Badger’s Cove in the Sceptre Stakes and is now 0,5kg better off.
She probably needed her last run and the yard reported her in good shape although admitting that it was a competitive field.
The Darryl Hodgson-trained Purple Orchid was beaten 1,6 lengths by Badger’s Cove at the same weights as these in the Sceptre Stakes.
She is now 4kg better off with Comet Chaser for a 3,25 length beating in the Laisserfaire Stakes over 1 100m on January 23, but it must be remembered that Comet Chaser is a three-year-old and now a few months more mature.
The Sean Tarry-trained Nimley will be ridden by Anthony Delpech, but she has a hard task at the weights and returns from a 162 day rest. On the other hand she appears to thrive in Durban, although she is especially effective at Greyville.
The Dennis Drier-trained Charming Lady ran a good race last time behind her talented stable companion Clearly Silver but she might be drawn on the wrong side here according to current trends.
The selection is for Purple Lake to blitz them from the off and keep going to beat Comet Chaser with Badger’s Cove, Lady Windermere and Giant’s Jewel next best in that order.
Mike Bass has his first runners of the Champions Season and said Grisham would be fit and could go close in the fourth.
He said his three in the sixth are having preparation runs but gave Blue Tiger a chance considering how well he is in at the weights, while it is also worth remembering that Rushing Wind made a fine Durban reappearance last season over 1 450m.
He also gave Novelty a chance in the eighth.

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