3 minute read
The action on Sunday is at Kenilworth in Cape Town where the running of the Grade 2 Selangor Cup over 1600m takes place.
Photo by Liesl King
This race is often used as a stepping stone to the Cape Guineas and this year is no different as some of the top three year olds come together for the first time. Interestingly the top five contenders come from just two stables.
Joey Ramsden saddles three runners, Variety Club, Master Mascus and Silver Haven, with Variety Club appearing to be the stable elect. Champion jockey Anton Marcus has the ride.
Variety Club won the Grade 3 Langerman over 1500m at Kenilworth as a two-year-old and should relish the 1600 despite winning his first two starts over the sprint distances.
The Var colt won the Grade 3 Matchem Stakes (1400m) at Durbanville on his first start of the season. He will have come on from that run and Ramsden considers the colt to be one of the best three-year-olds in the country.
Master Mascus is an improving sort who won the Listed Winter Juvenile Stakes(1600m) at Kenilworth by 1.25L. The colt by Western Winter won a Graduation Plate on his seasonal debut and will have come on from that run. He is likely to contest the minor places.
Silver Haven was beaten by Liancourt Rock when they last met and seems held here. The Silvano colt has however shown improvement as he matures and he could also contest the minor places.
Master of the Classics, Dean Kannemeyer saddles two runners both with winning chances. Depardieu won the Grade 3 Nursery as a two-year old by 2.25L, with Variety Club in 5th. The Du Pont colt returned to his best when winning the Grade 3 Cape Classic, catching long time leader Gimmethegreenlight(AUS) in the final metres. Felix Coetzee has the ride.
Interestingly, Kannemeyer's stable jockey, Karl Nesius has elected to ride the second runner Liancourt Rock(AUS). The colt by Fastnet Rock has yet to win a feature but is unbeaten and has won all of his starts with contemptuous ease.
Kannemeyer calls Liancourt Rock a true classic horse with natural speed and it is hard to see the colt getting beaten come Sunday.
Justin Snaith saddles just one runner, the More Than Ready colt, Gimmethegreenlight. The colt won his first four starts and since then he has just found one better each time. He finished third behind Potala Palace in the Grade 1 Premier's Champion Stakes at Greyville at the end of the season. He then got caught late by Depardieu, in the Cape Classic, on his seasonal debut when not fully fit.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Gimmethegreenlight will have improved from that run and Richard Fourie takes the ride. The stable has however advised that some of their horses are affected by a virus and Gimmethegreenlight will only run if his bloodwork is favourable.