Justin Snaith finally broke his winter season ice at Scottsville on Wednesday, hopefully for him the start of a winning streak as he saddles his bomb fillies, Snowdance and Oh Susanna, in the two Guineas races at Greyville tonight.
The build-up to South Africa’s Champion season has delivered some mouth-watering prospects for the racing aficionado and it all begins in earnest this evening with the official launch.
The Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes is the traditional season opener and the Gr2 race could fall the way of Brett Crawford whose stable is in almost invincible form at present.
Oh Susanna (Candiese Marnewick)
After drawing on Marriott Road for the Guineas, Crawford opted for the Drill Hall for Undercover Agent who comes into this evening’s race off a winning streak that includes the CTS1600 and more recently, the Byerley Turk over course and distance.
The colt does take on some hard-knocking older horses but looks to have more than just a touch of class. Peter Muscutt, who oversees Crawford’s Summerveld yard, is confident of a big run saying; “He is quick out of the gates and comes into this race very well.”
Stable companion and last season’s Champions Stakes winner, Sail South, has to give his younger rival 5kg which may prove a tough ask given that he has not been out since Sun Met day at the backend of January.
Duncan Howells will be looking to break a string of second places with Saratoga Dancer who has come back well since being side-lined through injury. The six-year-old has been putting in good work at home although Howells is weary of the deep draw.
“Drawn between one and six we nearly win it. From 12 it will not be easy.” Since Howells commented, there have been four scratchings so Saratoga Dancer jumps from stall eight which makes things interesting.
Snowdance, only once beaten in her career, will start at cramped odds for the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and is currently 1-3 in the ante post market with only Lady In Black (5-1) in single figures.
Winner of the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas at the expense of stable companion and subsequent Sun Met winner Oh Suzanna, and beating older horses in the Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes, defeat will come as a major upset.
Lady In Black looks held on all current form but Dennis Drier had a difficult time during the Cape summer with his string never firing and Lady In Black appears to have come good back on home turf. But whether she can match Snowdance is debateable.
Snaith has avoided a potential clash between Snow Dance and Oh Suzanna with the latter taking on males in the Gr2 Daisy Guineas where she faces a much more daunting task.
The WFA conditions of the Sun Met suited the filly, as did the distance, and tonight’s mile could be a tad on the sharp side especially as she takes on the likes of Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Tap O’ Noth and runner-up White River.
The Gr1 Woolavington would be her logical Champions Season target so this will be a warm-up. That said, she is a class act and current 14-10 favourite with Tap O’ Noth and White River next best in the market.
Snaith has a second string to his bow in Gr1 Cape Derby second Do It Again although he too could prove a better proposition in the Gr1 Daily News 2000.
By Andrew Harrison
