The Mike Bass-trained Silvano filly Silver Mountain obliterated the field in the Gr 1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas yesterday under Aldo Domeyer and was later described by Bass’s daughter and assistant Candice Robinson as “a freak.”
Robinson believes she could even be better than the like of Sun Classique, who won a Gr 1 overseas, and another former stable star Crimson Palace, or at least as good, although she added, “Time will tell.”
Bass watched at home but was on the phone to the connections shortly after the victory, which is bound to provide him with a tonic in his own private battle to overcome his well-publicised recent health problems.
The tall and rangy bay started at odds of 9/10 with the two main dangers being the unbeaten pair, the Mike de Kock-trained Highveld raider Noor, and the Justin Snaith-trained Bela-Bela. They started at 28/10 and 11/2 respectively.
The pace was a fair one in windless conditions and was set by Oceans Swell, while Noor was quite handy in a field that became strung out. Domeyer managed to place Silver Mountain in about midfield on the outside from a wide draw, where she looked like a ball of energy waiting to be let loose. Bela-Bela sat right at the back.
In the straight the field fanned out and Silver Mountain was angled to the centre. She put the race to bed in a matter of strides and was soon powering clear. She showed no signs of stopping and put many length between herself and the second-placed Glen Kotzen-trained 100/1 shot Our Destiny, with the Bass-trained Taffety Tart in third.
The three-year-old fillies crop this season has not shone at all overall to date, but Silver Mountain now stands out like beacon. On visual appearance alone she looks to be a star in the making.
She is owned by Maine Chance Farms Stud and was bred by Highlands Farms Stud.
Earlier, the brilliant Sean Tarry-trained four-year-old Captain Al filly Carry On Alice stamped herself as the best sprinting filly in the country after beating a top class field in the Gr 2 World Sports Betting Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m under S’Manga Khumalo. In a thrilling finish she only just got her nose down in time to beat the Brett Crawford-trained Cuvee Brut, but she was carrying a 2kg Gr 1 penalty. Carry On Alice started at odds of 2/1 and jumped well before tracking Rock On Baby towards the inside. The rest of the field were bunched towards the outside.
Khumalo switched Carry On Alice inward at about the 400m mark and she showed her usual fantastic turn of foot. A wall of horses had quickened towards the outside headed by the Glen Kotzen-trained Princess Royal and Carry On Alice began drifting to that side. However, Cuvee Brut produced a late burst and emerged as the main challenger on the standside and as the horses drove to the line it was impossible to separate them with the naked eye. However, the slow motion replay favoured Carry On Alice and the photo finish confirmed it. Cuvee Brut, running off a mere 98 merit rating, was 6,5kg under sufferance with Carry On Alice, so this was a cracking run. The Dean Kanemeyer-trained Real Princess finished third.
The Listed World Sports Betting Southeaster Sprint, a handicap event over 1100m, was also a thriller. The Dean Kannemeyer-trained four-year-old Captain Al gelding Captain Al Fredo caught the brave Kimberly raider, the Coenie de Beer-trained Talktothestars, close to home but then had to hang on grimly as the Bass-trained Ernie flew home on the inside. Captain Al Fredo just got there under Grant Behr from Ernie and Talktothestars.
By David Thiselton
