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Today's Racing :

Val De Ra and Gibraltar Blue set to clash at Scottsville

19 MAY 2010

Recent KRA Fillies Guineas (Gr 2) winner, Gibraltar Blue will clash with current sprinting sensation Val De Ra in the R500 000 SA Fillies Sprint to be run over 1200m at Scottsville Racecourse on Saturday, 29 May, in what should be one of the highlights of Champions Season.

Scottsville patrons will be treated to an exceptional day’s racing that features four Grade 1 events headed by the Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Gr 1).

The Dennis Drier-trained Val De Ra is being touted as the quickest thing on four legs and has hardly been tested in five trips to the racecourse. Jockeys Alec Forbes and now Singapore-based Sean Cormack, are both in awe of her talent and the clash with Gibraltar Blue should prove a thrilling spectacle.

Gibraltar Blue, who has made a huge impression since making her South African debut, has been dropped back to a sprint by master trainer Mike de Kock although the Irish-bred filly is still many pundits idea of a Vodacom Durban July winner. De Kock indicated after her KRA Fillies Guineas win that his charge was doubtful for the big race, but she still remains an entry.

Other smart fillies in the race are Captain’s Gal and last year’s winner and Equus Champion three-year-old filly, Lady Windermere.

Gibraltar Blue will carry 1kg less than her other sophomore rivals as she is bred to northern time and is some six months younger.

The R500 000 Gold Reef Resorts Medallion (Gr1) has drawn a crack line-up of two-year-old colts and geldings in what could well be a watershed race for Equus award honours at season’s end.

Runners include the highly rated Copper Parade out of the Joey Ramsden stable who will go head-to-head with the likes of impressive debut winner, Kavanagh, Link Man, who won by the proverbial street for trainer Dennis Drier over the course and distance recently, Sports Coach, a nine-length winner on debut and the highly rated and unbeaten Tuscan Sky out of the Alistair Gordon yard while trainer Kom Naidoo has outdone the big gun trainers with five runners entered.

The R500 000 Allan Robertson Championship (Gr1) kicks off a jackpot of Grade 1 sprints on Scottsville’s biggest day and the race has brought together the best from the three main racing regions.

Best performed to date is the Louis Goosen-trained Waywest Goddess who already boasts victories in the Ruffian Stakes (Gr2) and the Fillies Nursery (Gr2) where she beat the Dominic Zaki-trained Ibrox Park into second.

The Mike de Kock-trained Mahbooba, unbeaten in two starts and a winner of The Debutante (Gr2) over the course and distance, is likely to be among the fancied runners along with Debutante second, Big On Broadway.

Stormy Coast, third in the Fillies Nursery, will do duty for veteran trainer George Scott while Pretty Polly Stakes (Gr3) winner, Oochee Agent will do duty for the Paul Matchett stable.

The final field for the R600 000 Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Gr 1) will be announced at a function at the Golden Horse Casino at Scottsville racecourse tomorrow, May 20, at 5pm, where the draw for barrier positions will also take place.

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