Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth, who will wear blinkers for the first time, has been installed 8-10 favourite with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday. Favourites have won three of the last five runnings.
Rainbow Bridge is second favourite at 4-1 to remain unbeaten while Fifty Cents is next and as big as 8-1 even though Richard Fourie’s mount has won on all his four previous visits to the course. Last year’s winner Our Mate Art is a 10-1 chance as he was 12 months ago.
Tap O’Noth (Liesl King)
Goodtime Gal, like Tap O’Noth to be ridden by Anton Marcus, is 3-1 favourite to repeat last year’s success in the WSB Diana Stakes with Freedom Charter, Angel’s Trumpet and the three-year-old Lesedi La Rona all sharing second favouritism on 9-2. Langerman winner One World, yet another big Marcus ride, is 5-10 for the First Deposit Match Progress Place.
Met winner Whisky Baron, fresh from that stunning second in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood, now travels to France for the Qatar Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Saturday. William Haggas has still to finalise riding arrangements for the Group 2 test.
Charles, a R6 million record-equaller when bought as a yearling for Sue Magnier and Markus Jooste, still races In Mrs Magnier’s dark blue but the Mayfair Speculators’ share has been taken over by Diane Nagle, Linda Shanahan, Dina Sherrell and B.L. Rae.
The colt managed only a well-beaten fourth behind runaway winner Hemmingway in the Settlers Trophy Handicap at Durbanville yesterday but Brett Crawford still had a good day with three winners including a future star in Front And Centre who started 15-10 favourite for the 1 400m fillies handicap and made up six lengths inside a furlong to win pulling up.
Anton Marcus said: “I am pretty excited about her. She is just so professional – she put herself into position.”
Crawford is now considering the Western Cape Fillies Championship at Kenilworth on the 28th saying, with masterly understatement, “She is a very smart filly.”
The winner is owned by the Kieswetter brothers and the Ridgemont Highlands Stud of their father Wayne who piloted himself to the course in his own helicopter and who was also on the mark with stable companion Heaven’s Embrace in the 1 400m fillies maiden. The 4-1 newcomer showed an impressive turn of foot under Marcus.
Crawford said: “I expected her to run very well but not to win – she is still very immature and has a lot to learn. I will give her another run and then make a decision about plans 15-10“
By Michael Clower
