Western Storm puts last season’s top Cape two-year-old form on the line in the Betting World Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow and is expected to be a reasonable price with the sponsors.
The Glen Puller-trained gelding beat all except Tar Heel in the Somerset (when he gave weight all round) and was then third to Captain Chaos in the Cape Nursery. The handicappers have taken no chances with their 98 assessment but the capable Heavelon van der Hoven is light enough to claim all 4kg of his allowance.
The hat-trick seeking Captain Sam is the TAB sheet forecast favourite but strictly speaking Villa Del Largo is weighted to turn the tables. Muscatt holds the course record for this distance and has won in the soft.
Muscatt (Nkosi Hlophe)
Newcomer Bela-Bela is held in high regard and is expected to start favourite for the Land Rover Cape Town Maiden. The Dynasty filly is a half-sister to both the Cape Guineas and Daily News winner Rabiya and Secret Of Victoria (Sceptre and Southern Cross).
“She is one of my better fillies and she will give a good account of herself,” says Justin Snaith. “But she will have to be very good to win first time out.”
Don’t take too short a price – and odds-on would definitely be too short – because Sandton Rocker and Forever Alert both have strong claims. The former has the better draw but the running of Like Janis and Septima in the first will give a good guide to their relative merits.
Forever Alert was two and a half lengths further back when Septima was second last time despite not getting an entirely clear run. Like Janis had Sandton Rocker a length behind when only beaten a short head and Ronnie Sheehan is on song. That said, Septima’s form has been boosted since and she is much better drawn. She is blinkered for the first time and gets the vote.
Snaith introduces the R1.8 million Twinkle Toes, a Captain Al first foal of the Allan Robertson and KRA Fillies Guineas winner On Her Toes. “This is a much stronger race and she will need her run, more so than the other filly,” says her trainer.
Stable companion Johnny Rockets looks the one in the Jenny Morris ‘Giggling Gourmet’ Handicap after running so well over the trip last time when giving away an impossible amount of ground at the start.
Maiden winners first time in handicaps are usually a bookmakers’ benefit but the lightly raced Sea Glass fairly romped home last month and looks worth an interest in the Kitchen Aid Handicap, particularly as both Acrostar and Harvard Crimson have been scratched as they were coughing.
By Michael Clower
Picture: Justin Snaith
