Mambo Mime warms up for the Cape Guineas by taking on older horses in the Wynberg Cricket Club Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow and he should win if his trainer’s classic hopes are to be realised.
Dean Kannemeyer, who has a major chance with Power King 30 minutes later, says: “Mambo Mime put up a bloody good run last time. He gave Black Arthur 5kg and was only beaten half a length. He wasn’t fully stripped either because he’d had a setback before that race.”
Grant Behr’s mount missed his previous outing because he was found to be going short on his near hind but his biggest problem this time could be that the handicappers have put him up 2kg for running so well against fellow Guineas hope Black Arthur.
That stable’s Bianzino has also been raised 2kg for running on into second at Durbanville and, as Mike de Kock’s Alghadeer is having his first Cape Town run of the campaign, the biggest danger is probably Big Cat.
Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)
The ex-Stan Elley gelding was only three lengths behind subsequent Green Point winner Captain America on his Pinnacle reappearance and Dennis Drier says he should have come on from that.
Breathless Bertie, so often living up to his name by running out of steam before the end, has found a new lease of life that enables him to last home and he goes for a hat-trick in the Swartz Family Handicap.
“I got a special hood from Ireland,” explains Mike Stewart.” It has rubber earmuffs built into it and this means he can’t hear the horses behind. He is a much better horse as a result.”
However the handicappers have hit him hard with a 4kg increase and Saint Donan should be able to reverse the form. He is 5.5kg better for being beaten a length (admittedly when Breathless was racing without the magic hood) and has the 4kg benefit of Shadlee Fortune who was on the Stewart horse last time.
Saint Donan probably has most to fear from Ovar who was having his first run since February when fifth last time and is marginally better in. Furthermore the modest Andre Nel (“I’m only winning maidens”) has the Plattner horses on fire.
Nel runs the consistent Arctic Teon in the Iron Lady Maiden but, as he is not expecting any dramatic improvement (“his form is as good as he is”), the vote goes to Shall Be Free who comes out a length and a half best of all on adjusted merit ratings.
“Shall Be Free will relish the step up to 2 000m,” says Mike Robinson who adds that he also likes his other runner – “Rock Country can work with anything at home and I don’t know which I would put my money on.”
Forecast favourite Heart Of Darkness has been hit with a wide draw in the opening Cape Kidney Association Maiden and so Grant van Niekerk’s mount may not cope with Doctorow. This one’s last run would read better had he not lost valuable ground at the start and victory would augur well for Kannemeyer’s later hopes.
By Michael Clower
