Andrew Harrison
The Gr1 Daily News 2000 is one of the defining races when it comes to three-year-old honours and also a gateway into the Gr1 R10 million Hollywoodbets Durban July. The race heads the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville today along with the Gr2 Lucky Fish Woolavington and the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup. Punters should note that races 4 to 7 are on the turf, the balance will be run on the poly track.
If one follows the handicap ratings then we are in for a tight finish with many of the runners rated within a pound or two of each other.
The James Crawford-trained Star Major has been in then out like most of his opposition however he put up a commanding performance in the Gr2 WSB Guineas at his last start. Visiting French jockey Mickaella Michel retains the ride and held her nerve in the Guineas as Star Major came from a long way last to beat the smart Tin Pan Alley. He does stay the trip and a wide draw should not be a factor given his style of racing and tomorrow he may well stamp himself as the best of his generation.
However, the Justin Snaith-trained Note To Self looks to be the pick of a smart Snaith trio and likely bookmakers choice as favourite. He ran an excellent race behind older stable companion and more than useful Okavango last time out and he has not been out of the money in seven starts. He gets the services of the super confident Andrew Fortune and could be a worthy favourite.
Mathew de Kock celebrated his Gr1 success in partnership with his father Mike with Haute Couture last Saturday and they will be pinning their hopes on Jan Van Goyen. A double Gr1 winner, he does look to be peaking at the right time and if he stays the trip he is a big runner.
Out to spoil the party will be Snaith’s possible third string, Malmesbury Missile. He is well exposed but has done well on this course. He goes this trip of the first time and is one to watch. Corne Spies has shunned the Gr2 Woolavington with the filly Hazy Dazy to take on the males. She fell at the last hurdle of the Triple Tiara, behind Littlemissmillion but has exceptional form against her own sex and it will be interesting to see how she fares.
Viva’s Liberte has been coming along the right way for Candice Bass and was a close-up second last time out. If Craig Zacey can get him to settle early he could upstage the more fancied runners.
Wish List is likely to be in short order for the Gr2 Lucky Fish Woolavington 2000 although she does take on older runners. Snaith’s three-year-old filly was most impressive when winning the Gr1 WSB Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville after winning the Gr1 Cape Derby against males at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. She is bidding for a fourth straight win and looks to have the class to pull it off.
Biggest threat could come from fellow three-year-old Keukenhof. Dean Kannemeyery’s filly was doing her best work late behind Wish List in the Guineas. She is still improving and the extra will suit. The older brigade consists of Rainbow Lorikeet who was not at her best in the recent Gr1 Empress Club Stakes but has smart Cape form to her credit. She won over course last season when rounding off in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet which is to her benefit and although she has not won since, barring the Empress Club, she has been in the money in all four of her other starts.
There should not be much between Highveld raiders Callmegetrix and Minogue who met last time out. Minogue is 1kg worse off at the weights for a length beating so that form should hold up.
Snaith could well be in line for a feature-race treble as he saddles Ahead Of The Facts in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup (Listed) over 2400m. Ahead Of The Facts was just in need of his last run in the Gr3 WSB 1900 and although he gives plenty of weight to all of his rivals he stays well and should give a good run for your money although he does face a rising star in the filly Curious Girl.
Mike and Mathew de Kock’s charge is unbeaten since going over ground and put the colts to bed in the Gr1 SA Derby. She gets 8.5kg from Ahead Of The Facts which is a lot of pudding but as a Hollywoodbets Durban July entry one can expect another forward effort.
Of the balance, Continentalexpress is back over his preferred trip with a light weight while Douglas Dragon has his first run for Vaughan Marshall and has some useful Highveld staying form to back his claims although he is well down in the pecking order according to handicap ratings.
