In the R3,85 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup he has the second highest rated horses in the race, the 92 merit rated Go Deputy colt Pioneer Spirit, and also runs the 90 merit rated Brave Tin Soldier colt Iwo Jima.
Van Zyl said, “I was very happy with Pioneer Spirit’s preparation run over 1200m in which he came from off them and ran all the way to the line. He has come through his preparation very well and has been working well throughout the week. We respect Rich Girl, who has proven she’s top class, but we definitely feel we are in the race with a chance and expect him to be in the first three.”
He continued, “We would have appreciated a better draw for Iwo Jima, but I was happy with his prep in the same 1200m race as he finished well and also ran all the way to the line. He will prefer 1400m but will be even better suited to a mile as he is a half-brother to Smanjemanje. He will be doing his best work late and could finish in the money.”
Pioneer Spirit has stable jockey Keagan de Melo up from draw five and Iwo Jima will be ridden by Stuart Randolph from draw 13.
Van Zyl is bullish about the chances of his Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile runner No Worries (pictured) despite his wide draw. Upon hearing that the five-year-old Kahal gelding had opened at 20-1 said, “I think that must have been a printing error. They must have put a zero on the end of the two by mistake! He carried 63kg at Scottsville when needing the run in his penultimate and it didn’t bother him as he finished well, so the 59,5kg he has to carry on Saturday doesn’t frighten us. He has earned his merit rating and is getting better as he gets older. I would be disappointed if he doesn’t finish in the first three based on the way he has improved physically as an individual, on his trackwork and on the way he won last time. He is a horse who is on the up.”
De Melo rides from the widest draw of all in the 16 horse field.
The yard’s Go Deputy filly Kileigh finished like a train over the too sharp 1400m last time to record her third win on the trot and looks to be very promising. She runs in the Gr 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m from draw eleven with De Melo up.
Van Zyl said, “Majmu is the stand out horse and Kileigh wants further but there was nothing else that could be used as a prep for the Fillies Mile on Summer Cup day, so we are taking our chances. She is getting 2kg from Majmu, but that might not be enough over this trip and she has a wide draw too. But she is all heart, never gives up, so could find a place and is not out of it at all.”
Van Zyl is hoping the yard can start the day with a winner in race 2, the HSH Prince Charlene maiden plate over 1600m, with the Ideal World gelding Spekboom. Ideal World’s appear to improve all the time and Van Zyl said, “He had a bad draw last time and despite running without cover still ran a very good race to run third, so he will be very competitive.” De Melo is up from draw 8.
The yard might have their best runner of the day in race 4, a maiden over 1600m where they run two Fort Wood fillies, Withbatedbreath and Princess Milo.
Van Zyl said, “Withbatedbreath ran an excellent second on the poly last time considering she didn’t like the kickback and ran wide. She’s a very nice filly and is working well so from her good draw we expect her to take a lot of beating. Princess Limo came all the way from last to run fourth last time. A bad draw doesn’t help here. However, with a bit of luck we expect her to be in the hunt.”
Withbatedbreath is drawn three with De Melo Up and Princess Milo is drawn widest of all in the 15 horse field with Marthinus Mienie aboard.
The yard run the Way West colt Out My Way in the last, a MR 72 handicap over 1160m, from draw eleven with De Melo up and Van Zyl said, “He was very impressive last time (when winning a maiden over 1200m on the inside track by 4,75 lengths), but this is a jump in class and we will have to see how he is going to perform.”
Picture: Nkosi Hlophe
