A MR 90 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m heads a low key nine race card at Turffontein on Saturday and there is also a MR 88 handicap for fillies and mare over 1000m on a day where careful form study should reap rewards.
In the main race Aurelia Cotta looks the one to beat. She has been a bit disappointing after a fine start to her career but has not been disgraced against some of the best in the land in her last five starts. In fact the last time she ran over this trip against females she finished second in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile to Folk Dance. The latter finished a fine fourth in the Grade 1 Empress Club on Saturday despite having to make up plenty of ground on the back of a slow pace. Lyle Hewitson has proved the headlines he makes have not just been hype and has matured into a genuinely top echelon rider. From a draw of two he looks sure to reserve enough fuel for his mount’s final dash to the line.
Lyle Hewitson
Seal My Fate has been in fine form from 1600-1800m and has a fair draw. The underrated Ryan Munger is her regular pilot and should get the best out of her again. In her penultimate start she beat Secret Potion over 1800m and the latter went on to finish third in the Grade 1 SA Classic over that same trip. Last time out in the Grade 3 Jacaranda over 1800m Seal My Fate was 3kg under sufferance and after her usual front-running role faded out to finish 8,8 lengths behind Al Danza. However, the latter then proved how good she was by finishing second in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes.
The last time Seal My Fate went this trip she finished a two length second in a handicap. She is now an effective six points higher but that race was against the boys, so it was a commendable effort and she should make a bold bid from the front tomorrow. Dressed To Impress has caught the eye before and might have been caught napping the last time she ran over this trip by a horse who stole a march down the inside. However, her good finishing run did peter out slightly so there is a question whether she saw it out. This concern is exacerbated by the fact she over raced in her penultimate start, also over this trip. Her sire Pathfork won a Group 1 as a two-year-old over seven furlongs but her dam by Western Winter is a half-sister to Grade 1 SA Classic winner over 1800m Divine Jury, so she should be given another chance, considering she has only had three starts to date.
Waity Katy has proved she has plenty of ability since joining the David Nieuwenhuizen yard and being ridden by Dylan Lerena, scoring a three wins in a row and a narrow second two weekends ago against a stand out form horse in Sha-Boom Sha-Boom. On the downside she was given a two point raise for that last run and Lerena rides 2kg overweight tomorrow. The two factors combined are a big obstacle to overcome but she is well drawn and should be in the shake up. Topweight Costa Da Sol has to be taken seriously. She finished just three lengths behind Al Danza over 1500m in her penultimate start and was making late progress against the decent Oh My Darling from draw 9 of 11 over this course and distance last time out. She now has the identical draw, but in a bigger field, and she is two points lower in the merit ratings, so has a chance. Those five are the stand outs and should get punters through the exotics.
In the eighth over 1000m Cals Crush has turned the corner and although seven points higher for her course and distance win three weeks ago she can produce another storming run from behind. Topweight Movie Show has class and Piere Strydom on her side and also has a fine course and distance record. Opera makes most appeal of the rest as she is a massive 7kg better off with Cals Crush for a 0,75 length beating over this trip at the Vaal and as a three-year-old daughter of Oratorio should now be coming into her own.
By David Thiselton
