Saturday’s R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m at Turffontein has an open look about it and trainer Mike de Kock’s assistant John Buckler summed up the general view of many camps, saying: “It’s a very competitive race with competitive horses.”

Buckler will saddle Suyoof (7-1 with Betting World) and Muwaary (10-1) in the first leg of the SA Triple Crown. Buckler says he would be more confident if Suyoof had drawn well in the big race. “It’s not going to be easy for him from No 16 draw. I’d be confident if he’d drawn in the first four. But he won a good race in the Tony Ruffel Stakes last time out and has improved since that run.”

Suyoof, returning from a two-month layoff, was not that well drawn in stall 10 of 13 in the Tony Ruffel Stakes but, as Buckler said: “It was a smaller field. He jumped slowly and managed to get in. I don’t know if Anthony Delpech can slot him in again.”

Buckler believes Muwaary, the mount of Callan Murray, might not be quite at best in his first run in three months. “He hasn’t had a prep run since coming back from Cape Town and it’s hard to say if that will affect him. Horses always seem to improve after a run, especially if they’ve been to Cape Town and back. But he galloped well last Saturday and is well in himself.”

Persian Rug is the De Kock stable’s representative in the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Buckler believes she might find the mile a bit sharp. “We threw her out after she finished a well-beaten fourth behind Negroamaro in November and she ran a nice race on her comeback in the Three Troikas Stakes, when beaten only three lengths by Madame Dubois.

“She seems to have lost that early toe but has definitely improved since the Three Troikas Stakes.

“The 1600m might be a bit sharp for her – the 1800m of the SA Fillies Classic and 2450m of the SA Oaks will be right up her alley – so if she runs a place we’ll be happy.”

Jayyed will be trying further again in the Grade 2 1400m Hawaii Stakes after running pleasing races over 1200m in his last two starts. “He’s working well and will be competitive if he keeps rolling over the extra 200m,” said Buckler.

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Picture: Suyoof (JC photos)

Last year’s Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas proved the pecking order of the crop only begins to be sorted out after this event, considering Trophy Wife finished second off the second lowest merit rating, so outsiders cannot be ignored in this alternate first leg of the Triple Tiara.

The ruling favourite for Saturday’s renewal, Negroamaro, who has a plum draw of three, was flying late in the Gr 3 Three Troika Stakes over 1450m last time out to finish a close up second.

However, a detractor to her current odds of 75/100 with Betting World could be the proximity of Juxtapose, who finished just over half-a-length behind her and was finishing just as strongly, a notable imp

rovement from her 7,25 length third to Negroamaro in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile. She was receiving 1kg from Negroamaro, but being by Judpot out of Sunsational, who won two Gr 3 races at Kenilworth over 1800m and 1400m respectively, the tough Turffontein mile should be ideal. As a hold up horse who settles well, her wide draw of 13 shouldn’t be too much of a disadvantage.

Geoff Woodruff

A detractor on paper to Juxtapose’s form is her failure to win a three-year-old fillies MR 89 handicap over the 1400m of the Turffontein Standside course off a merit rating of 89 in her previous start. However, it was run at a canter and turned into a sprint, so she did well to run on from behind with topweight for a 0,8 length third. Gauteng Fillies Guineas contender Jungle Mist also did well to finish a neck second as she was unsettled in a handy position, although she was receiving 3,5kg from Juxtapose.

Juxtapose, 12/1 with Betting World, should be good value each/way on the Tote, which will pay four places as things stand.

How often have Geoff Woodruff outsiders been ignored on this day? He has a phenomenal record on big Turffontein racedays and his Western Winter filly Christmas Carol comes into the race off the back of three wins on the trot from 1400m to 2000m. An obvious detractor is her 1600m handicap win being achieved off, effectively, a mere 72 merit rating. However, Louis The King won the Gauteng Guineas by 5,25 lengths off a merit rating of 94 two years ago, showing how much improvement Woodruff is capable of extracting. Furthermore, “King Louis” did it in testing going, which brought fitness to the fore, a factor which will always favour the Woodruff yard. There is 40mm of rain forecast between Tuesday and Saturday this week so the scopey Christmas Carol, who is a full-sister to Castle Tankard winner Winter’s Night, could well relish the tough test it will present.

Another 25/1 shot who comes in under the radar is Bella Sonata. She is rated by the Gavin van Zyl yard and was found to have pharyngitis after her 3,7 length seventh in the Three Troikas, so is better than that. She had proven her liking for the Standside track before that with a facile victory over older horses in a 1400m handicap off a merit rating of 78. She quickened well in the Three Troikas, but her effort quickly petered out, indicating she was not herself.

However, her stablemate Frosty Friday is shorter in the betting and has top jockey Muzi Yeni aboard. This well-bred Western Winter filly is unbeaten in her last three and an interesting point is last time out, when running on strongly from a handy position to win a Graduation Plate over 1450m on the Inside course cosily, she thrashed Jungle Mist by seven lengths, despite giving her 3kg. On collateral formlines this brings Frosty Friday into the race with a serious chance and she has also proved she stays this trip. She does have a tough draw of 14 though and is 12/1 in the betting.

Princess Varunya (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jungle Mist was caught wide in the race against Frosty Friday and interestingly produced her best performance next time out over the same course and distance when settling properly for the first time, albeit right at the back. She flew for a close second and on lines through Intergalactic and Tahini looks good longshot value on Saturday at odds of 50/1.

She’s A Dragon is second favourite for Saturday’s race at 7/1 and certainly caught the eye in the Three Troikas. She was initially outpaced in the straight, but then picked up and stayed on resolutely for a 2,2 length fourth, so is likely to relish the step up in trip.

The connections who are likely to be viewing the weather forecast with particular glee are those of Persian Rug, a giant of a filly who stayed on for a 3,1 length fifth in the Three Troikas. She threw away a Gr 1 victory by stopping while approaching a shadow in the Thekwini Stakes at the end of last season, but still picked up to run third. The form of that race had not worked out well until fourth-placed Flying Ice finished second in Saturday’s Prix du Cap. However, Persian Rug has palpably not been suited to the hard going which has blighted the Highveld for most of the season. It is no coincidence she improved with the more forgiving going of the Three Troikas and the Mike de Kock-trained daughter of Ideal World could well be a factor.

Bookmakers are taking no chances with KZN raider Princess Varunya, who will relish the long straight even if the distance is a bit short for her. They have priced the solidly built Australian-bred filly up at 10/1. Anthony Delpech is a master of the Turffontein Standside track and this filly is likely to be relaxed in the running and running on strongly at the finish.

By David Thiselton

Jingle Belle gets another chance to show her potential in the Summer Of Champions Maiden at Durbanville today after missing her engagement a fortnight ago when she was under medication.

“It was routine medication but, as the meeting was on the Tuesday rather than the usual Wednesday, I didn’t want to take any chances,” says Andre Nel, adding: “She ran above expectations first time.”

Indeed she did, coming from last two furlongs out to finish a most encouraging third despite starting at 35-1. Stable companion Leisure Trip (second) has franked the form by winning since.

Aldo Domeyer

However she is no certainty. Apart from anything else she is drawn quite wide and she has never been to Durbanville for a gallop. The obvious threat is Secret Plan who started favourite here last time but was caught a bit wide and was run out of it close home. This Vaughan Marshall filly opened 22-10 joint favourite with Jingle Belle and Sugar Frosted with World Sports Betting yesterday but, surprisingly, nobody wanted to know and she was 9-2 yesterday. Jingle Belle, on the other hand, hardened to 13-10 while the Joey Ramsden runner shortened to 18-10.

Sugar Frosted ran well enough to win this in two starts last year but has not been seen since her second in May when she returned choked up and blowing hard.  “She has been back in work for a long time,” says assistant Ricardo Sobotker. “She hasn’t been to Durbanville but she has been doing nicely.”

Form horse State Ballet has been scratched from the opening five furlong maiden. A rope burn at the back of a hind heel opened up when she disappointed at Kenilworth on Saturday and Riaan van Reenen had to put her on medication.

Andre Nel’s newcomers Telekinesis and Cuduiari head the market. Aldo Domeyer had the choice and plumped for Cuduiara who is favourite – 22-10 with WSP and 2-1 with Betting World – while Bernard Fayd’ Herbe’s mount is 5-2 with both firms.

Nel says that neither of his has been to Durbanville and neither is that special.  He feels that Domeyer may have gone for the wrong one. This is a difficult course for first-timers but, with so little to beat from those that have raced, a tentative vote goes to Telekinesis.

Adorada has been supported for race two from 22-10 to 16-10 while second favourite Excellent has eased from 5-2 to 7-2. However both were raised a kilo for their last runs and preference is for Good Grace who looks value at 11-2.

Another to bear in mind is 7-1 chance Pirangi. It’s her first time out of the maidens but she did win quite comfortably three weeks ago. “She has her work cut out but I think she is in with a shout at the weights,” says Mike Robinson.

By Michael Clower

Anthony Delpech rides promising Australian-breds in both the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara races at Turffontein’s big Guineas day meeting this Saturday and admits  both have tough tasks.

He rides the Kumaran Naidoo-trained Princess Varunya in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas from a draw of nine and said, “Kumaran has placed her very well, so she hasn’t had to beat much. This is her first time against this class, so we will have to wait for the race to see whether she is up to it. It’s a bit short for her, but she is going for all three legs, so had to run in this one.”

Delpech believes the likely favourite Negroamaro is going to be very hard to beat.

Princess Varunya (Nkosi Hlophe)

Princess Varunya, as a strongly-built, long-striding daughter of Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral, will love the galloping nature of the Turffontein Standside track as well as its long straight.

This beautiful looking bay filly has won her last four on the trot from 1900-2000m and has done it easily, so is without doubt the dark horse in Saturday’s race.

She was defeated three times in the Maidens over 1600m, but wide draws, immaturity and unsuitably tight tracks looked to be more responsible for the defeats than anything else.

Meanwhile, Negroamaro flew late last time out to finish a neck second in the Gr 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m and will relish the step up in trip. However, the overall form of the three-year-old fillies crop this season is uninspiring to date and the Cape’s Silver Mountain is the only one who has stood out. Therefore, an unexposed horse like Princess Varunya has to be more respected than would normally be the case.

Delpech rides the Mike de Kock-trained Magic Albert gelding Suyoof in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas, where he has to overcome the widest draw of all, 16.

He said, “He is a nice horse but being drawn badly it’s going to be very hard. Abashiri is a nice horse and New Predator and Brazuca are the others who look good but this is a very hard Guineas.”

Suyoof was narrowly defeated by the more experienced Brazuca when making his debut over 1200m, but he followed up with three wins on the trot from 1160m to 1450m, including the Listed GVSC Communications Secretariat Stakes over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside Track and the Gr 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track. He quickened well in both the latter races and on each occasion held off a challenger gallantly.

De Kock believes he will stay the 1600m, although his sire was a sprint-miler and his dam’s two wins were over 1400m, so there is plenty of speed in the pedigree.

By David Thiselton

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who rode his first British winner when the ex-Joey Ramsden-trained Cold As Ice won at Chelmsford four days before Christmas, will return to partner her in the Fillies & Mares Final at Lingfield on Good Friday.

Part-owner Brian Finch, who will also fly out for the meeting, said: “William Haggas is now very excited about Cold As Ice. That last run added a new dimension to her in his eyes.”

The Choice Carriers, Sceptre and Laisserfaire winner flew home to take third in a six furlong Listed race at Lingfield early this month and, according to a report in The Irish Field, only one horse has covered the final two furlongs faster at Lingfield since the introduction of sectional timing. The report, dealing with her chance at Easter, was headed Cold As Ice A Certainty.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Cold As Ice (Liesl King)