3 minute read
The draw for the R2.5m, Grade 1, J & B Met (2000m) at Kenilworth on January 28th was held at the course on Thursday with the South African Horse Of The Year Igugu drawing perfectly in barrier seven.
Photo by Liesl King
The mare likes to race handy and Mike de Kock, who has had a multitude of wide draws in the Cape, will be well pleased.
Igugu is preparing for her fifth Grade 1 race after winning four of her previous outings including the 2011 Durban July over 2200m, as a three-year-old against older horses. Stable jockey Anthony Delpech rides with the mare carrying 57kg under the race conditions.
The Joey Ramsden trained top-weight Bravura, with 60kg; drew wide at barrier 12 for Anton Marcus, as did the Mike Bass trained Chesalon who was the final horse to be called and only barrier 16 was left for the Grade 2 Premier Trophy winner.
Chesalon carries 57.5kg under Karis Teetan. All is not lost for Chesalon in the opinion of major owner Hassen Adams, who commented after his own colt Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) drew well at eight, that last year his own Past Master won the Met from barrier 15.
Photo by Liesl King
Gimmethegreenlight, trained by Justin Snaith, carries 54kg, 1kg less than in his last start victory in the Grade 1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate over 1600m on January 7th. It will, however, be the three-year-olds first race over 2000m. Piere Strydom continues his association with the colt after their Queen's Plate win.
The two four-year-old mares Emerald Cove, with 57kg, and Beach Beauty, with 55kg, both drew well in barriers one and five respectively. With Igugu expected to set the early pace, they have the right draws to slot in behind her. Felix Coetzee will be on Emerald Cove, while regularly jockey, Alec Forbes, will partner Beach Beauty.
Dennis Drier, trainer of Beach Beauty, said after the draw that the mare was in fine form and that her half-length second to Thunder Dance in the Grade 1 TBA Paddock Stakes over 1800m on January 7th did not reflect her ability due to the slow pace of that race.
Photo by Liesl King
Tales Of Bravery was another whose Met ambitions were not helped with his barrier draw of 15. The Vaughan Marshall trained and MJ Byleveld ridden five-year-old will carry 58kg. Third to Gimmethegreenlight in the Queen's Plate where they carried 60kg and 55kg respectively, the weight difference closes to 4kg for the Met.