The CTS 1200 and CTS 1600, to be run at the Sun Met meeting on Saturday, are the two richest races in South Africa with stakes of US$500,000 apiece and this year there are stand out competitors in both events.
Cirillo looks to be the meeting banker in the CTS 1200. Van Halen beat him easily in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson over this trip at Scottsville last year but that was only after he had completely taken him out when they went for the same gap. Cirillo has since only run in one sprint, romping home in his maiden over 1160m. However, he showed a lot of pace when winning the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m. Meanwhile, Van Halen has not had a good time of it in Cape Town, although with first time blinkers on last time he did run an improved race in the Needforspeedsprint over 1000m where he had to give weight to the field. If bouncing back to his best he could be the chief danger.
Some regarded CTS 1600 favourite One World’s third place finish in the Cape Guineas, his first defeat in his sixth start, as a below par run. However, the winner Soqrat came out and only just failed in an ultra strong L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. The runner up Twist Of Fate then showed just what a big engine he has when not settling too well but still winning the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m going away despite giving lumps of weight away. His half-a-length beating of One World in the Cape Guineas was likely no fluke and he could repeat the dose.
However, Bernard Fayd’Herbe will not be aboard this time, although he has been replaced by a champion jockey in S’Manga Khumalo. A dark horse in this race is Mr Greenlight, who has a fine turn of foot and is improving rapidly. Silvano’s Pride, who finished runner up in the Cape Fillies Guineas, will ensure a good pace and as an ever improving daughter of Silvano could hold on for a place. Majestic Mozart is an immature sort who is also improving all the time and having not been disgraced in the Cape Guineas, where he was beaten 4,25 lengths into fifth, he could also earn.
By David Thiselton
