Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Tassie Belle of the ball

David Thiselton
The main race at Scottsville’s standside track tomorrow (Wednesday, May 5) is The Scarlet Lady, a handicap for fillies and mares over 1 800m, and it is not an easy race to decipher. The Michael de Beer-trained Tassie Belle has some very good Cape Town form and was running on over 1 700m when winning the Listed Cape Breeders Jamaica Handicap in her penultimate start at Kenilworth.
The three-year-old daughter of Casey Tibbs followed up by running a close third at Durbanville over 1 600m off what was effectively her current mark having only been given a three point raise. Adam Marcus, the Summerveld assistant to Michael de Beer, said that her preparation had gone very well, so from the pole position draw she should have a good chance. The Glen Kotzen-trained Reconcile has won easily in her last two starts over 2 400m and 2 000m respectively. Her last start was her first in Durban, at Clairwood, so it would appear that she is thriving here as many Cape Town horses do. She is by the top sire Silvano and Felix Coetzee rides so the only concern would be that she is widely drawn and this is also her first run around a right hand turn. Goat is the best filly in the field, but consequently carries top weight of 60,5kg. Both her’s and Propiciada’s jockeys had not been declared by the time of going to press and with Anthony Delpech not yet declared as a rider in the race he could be on either of the pair. Which one he ends up on could provide a pointer. Paul Lafferty said that he had left a “lot of meat on the bone” with Goat as her main target is the Vodacom Durban July at the end of July. He felt that she would still run a good race, but it should be noted that she has always run below her best when running fresh. The Craig Eudey-trained Maritime Mist is a big striding sort, who is at her best when allowed to use that stride. She must therefore be handy or tucked in off a strong pace. Eudey felt that her wide draw was therefore against her, but pointed out that she is 3kg better off with Reconcile for a 3,25 length beating over 2 000m. The Mike Bass-trained Novelty is 1,5kg under sufferance but beat a Fillies and Mares MR 78 field easily in her first Durban appearance. She is also probably thriving in Durban and like many Bass horses should be progressing all the time as a three-year-old. She is distance suited and well drawn with MJ Byleveld up. The Mike de Kock-trained Propiciada is 3,5kg under sufferance but did finish just 1,5 lengths behind the classy Imperious Star when receiving 4kg last time in a Grade 3 feature over 1 400m. She was running on and should relish the step up in trip. However, she does have a wide draw to overcome. Doug Campbell is going all out for this race as he is trying to get black type for Silvery Cove. He said that although she has raced mainly over shorter, she should see out the trip being by Silvano and did place over 1 750m as a young three-year-old. He also pointed out, interestingly, that 1 800m is often easier to get as the pace is slower.
Silvery Cove is drawn well with Kevin Shea up, but will need to improve from her last start which was a close fourth in a far weaker handicap than this in which the field finished on top of each other. Kumaran Naidoo’s runners often do well in these sort of features and although both Tea Break and Frozen Delicious would ideally prefer a mile, they can’t be ignored especially considering the strong finishes they both possess. The Alyson Wright yard were hoping for a minor place with Clarkie’s Promise, who is well but has a tough draw to overcome. Touch The Moon is talented but has been a bit disappointing. She appears better suited to a galloping track like Clairwood, as a long-striding sort, but her last win did come at Greyville.She is widely drawn and 0,5kg under sufferance. The selection at this stage is Tassie Belle to beat home Reconcile with Goat, Maritime Mist and Novelty next best although the jockey bookings for Goat and Propiciada respectively should be carefully noted.

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