Alistair Cohen
Before seasonal rain arrives in Cape Town due in the coming weeks, horses with sheer speed will hope to take advantage of fast track conditions. Candy Town is one of the quickest around. She has not been easy to keep racing regularly but she seems to be into the swing of things. These factors could take her to victory in race 6 over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday.
She once topped some of the best around. In January 2025, she turned over subsequent Grade 1 placed and Grade 2 winner Questioning over this track and trip. She broke them coming out of the stalls with her natural pace and the light weight she had to carry helped her propel across the line. When she is in the mood, she can run nearly anything off their feet.
She did not race for three months between December and March but she returned to the course with a pleasing 0,75-length second behind Sardinia Bay over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. She drifted in the market giving signs that she was expected to need the run. There was layers of speed in that race and her sharpness might have been tested. She still came through that effort without losing any marks and she should be able to build on that effort under Richard Fourie for Andre Nel. It is a good sign that she races a few weeks later considering her usual sequence of usually months between outings.
Elusive Winter is such a good-doer and he too had tons of speed. His outside gate of No 8 is a slight worry because he might have to track across and once he does, Candy Town could get a useful early advantage. Trainer Michelle Rix has shrewdly used Sifiso Bungane on this horse to lighten the load but senior jockey, Corne Orffer takes over. He is stable rider for the Rix yard. The weights in the race behind Sardinia Bay do not read ideally being 4kg worse off for being nearly a length behind Candy Town. Whenever Elusive Winter runs over 1000m at this course, he is given close attention.
North Point has been slightly below his best lately but he could come bouncing back at any stage simply because he is a good sort. He ran behind Candy Town at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and they meet on identical terms. One could argue that North Point was less assured at Hollywoodbets Durbanville than he is down the straight. He has also had a run in between which was not his best in the Easter Sprint when he finished two lengths behind Dance Variety. He cannot be taken lightly.
Andrew Fortune is back in the saddle with two rides for Justin Snaith. Both of them must have serious winning chances. From The Island runs in race 3 over 1400m. The weights suggest that he has 3kg against him for beating Hero’s Journey by a short head over this trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last month. They should fight this out unless a Vaughan Marshall-trained debutant is of fair quality. He trains Hero’s Journey so check the market for clues.
Fortune gets aboard Future Free in race 8 over 1600m. He has to get the better of Show Off who has been terribly unlucky in his last few runs. Show Off could simply be best suited to this trip while Future Free could crave slightly further. It is an intriguing contest because both look capable of stepping up a division in the coming months. Show Off has the services of Richard Fourie for James Crawford. His last run came behind Prairie Dawn who is upwardly mobile. He finished a neck behind over this trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. Prairie Dawn gives the impression that he is narrowly ahead of Future Free over this trip. Anything further, Future Free could have his measure.
Magma Flow easily has the best form on offer in race 1 over 1000. Keagan de Melo takes the ride. In four starts to date, he has run in two feature races. Although not a threat to the judge, he still ran fairly. Unless a first timer is quite good, Magma Flow should exit the maiden ranks.
Peach Cobbler is not a confident choice in race 2 over 1200m. Despite good improvement from her debut to her second start and coming from a frighteningly in-form yard of Candice Bass, her last run behind Preacher Man might not be the most solid piece of form to follow. She was beaten into third by 4,5 lengths over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. There is simply little else to be confident with on paper. It will not take much for a first timer to do the business so another market check is advised.
Theleia stands out as the best bet on the card in race 4 over 1400m. She was tipped out so narrowly in her last run by Little Nimbus over this trip at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when she tried to steal the race. She easily has the best form on offer. Craig Zackey is serving a weeks’ suspension so Keagan de Melo takes the ride for Andre Nel. If she fails to win this, she might battle to get a deserved win.
If From The Island succeeds in race 3, that will enhance the claims for Le Concierge in race 5 over 1200m. He finished 4,55 lengths behind when they met last month over 1400m. Le Concierge seems to be back to a more suitable situation in a sprint with his speedy pedigree. Again, the opposition seems to be taking its time to find a rhythm and consistency. There is always a disclaimer with two-year-olds facing older opponents but he looks set for a big effort.
Candice Bass has a good hand in race 7 over 1400m and it could be a tip from the saddle that Aldo Domeyer has opted for South Of France who has an obvious chance as opposed to the upwardly mobile Peaches And Cream. Both carry heavy weights so that would not be a reason. South Of France has finished runner-up in her last two runs behind the useful Star World and the solid Gin Palace.
Masterofthemoon could be an appropriate winner of race 9 over 2000m if he sees out this extra distance. He hit the line with plenty in hand last time over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when he had his second run after a 10-month rest. If he is not stretched or this run comes too soon, he should triumph under Fourie for Crawford.
