Bela-Bela looks tough to beat
Two-year-old races are highly competitive.
MASSIVE CONTENDER. Bela-Bela is well weighted, well drawn and looks hard to oppose in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on 1 July.
Trainer Justin Snaith’s decision to run Bela-Bela in the R1-million Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m as opposed to the Vodacom Durban July should pay dividends if statistics are anything to go by.
The daughter of Dynasty and three-year-old Safe Harbour are the jointly the best handicapped runners in this weight-for-age race for fillies and mares. However, Bela-Bela did beat Safe Harbour by 0.40 lengths in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth in January but is now 4.5kg better off.
That difference is based on the weight-for-age adjustment but that does mean Safe Harbour would have to have made that level of improvement in order to reverse the results. Bela-Bela has an ideal No 5 draw, which could come in to No 3 if the reserve runners come out, and has a top jockey in Anthony Delpech. She has won six of her 12 starts, two of which have been Grade 1 events.
Anton Marcus will be aboard Just Sensual and she will jump from barrier No 7 (which could improve to No 5).
On merit ratings the pair have a 3kg advantage over Bella Sonata and Star Express with Fort Ember and Polyphonic next best.
The two Grade 2 events for juveniles – Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Gold Circle Golden Slipper – over 1400m look extremely competitive and good draws could well decide the outcome.
Final field for the R1-million Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) (F&M) over 1600m
1 – 5 BELA-BELA (S J Snaith) A Delpech 60.0 – 109
2 – 8 BELLA SONATA (G H Van Zyl) N Juglall 60.0 – 103
3 – 13 STAR EXPRESS (S J Snaith) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 103
4 – 10 FORT EMBER (P A Peter) L Hewitson 60.0 – 100
5 – 11 POLYPHONIC (A G Laird) P Strydom 60.0 – 100
6 – 3 CHEVAUCHEE (B Crawford) G Cheyne 60.0 – 98
7 – 6 FROSTY FRIDAY (G H Van Zyl) W Kennedy 60.0 – 97
8 – 12 KILAUEA (D J Nieuwenhuizen) C Murray 60.0 – 96
9 – 15 LOUISIANA (B Crawford) C Orffer 60.0 – 92
10 – 7 JUST SENSUAL (J Ramsden) A Marcus 59.0 – 109
11 – 1 GIMME SIX (S J Snaith) G van Niekerk 59.0 – 106
12 – 9 BI POT (G V Woodruff) C Maujean 59.0 – 98
13 – 4 ORIENTAL OAK (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 59.0 – 97
14 – 2 SHE’S A GIVER (J A Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 59.0 – 95
15 – 14 CAPTAIN GAMBLER (J Ramsden) Reserve 1 59.0 – 92
Same Trainer: (1,3,11) (2,7) (6,9) (10,15)
Final field for the R600,000 Durban Golden Horseshoe (Grade 2) over 1400m
1 – 9 ANCESTRY (J Ramsden) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 86
2 – 11 ARGO MAGIC (M D Miller) A Forbes 60.0 – 91
3 – 3 CAPTAIN AND MASTER (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 85
4 – 5 DOWN TO ZERO (M G Azzie) L Hewitson 60.0 – 91
5 – 7 FLYING FREE (G H Van Zyl) K de Melo 60.0 – 92
6 – 8 HAKEEM (M F De Kock) A Delpech 60.0 – 88
7 – 14 NAAFER (M F De Kock) G Lerena 60.0 – 102
8 – 2 PURPLE DIAMOND (S G Tarry) N Juglall 60.0 – 89
9 – 17 SIR FRENCHIE (S J Snaith) G van Niekerk 60.0 – 97
10 – 16 TROJAN HARBOUR (G van Zyl) W Kennedy 60.0 – 93
11 – 1 VARALLO (C Laird) A Marcus 60.0 – 102
12 – 13 VARIMAX (M G Azzie) P Strydom 60.0 – 91
13 – 10 WHY WOULDN’T YEW (M L Roberts) J P v’d Merwe 60.0 – 89
14 – 6 WOLJAYRINE (V H Marshall) M Byleveld 60.0 – 98
15 – 15 BORYA (G H Van Zyl) Reserve 1 60.0 – 85
16 – 12 REAL VISION (G B Puller) Reserve 2 60.0 – 85
17 – 4 PACK LEADER (G S Kotzen) Reserve 3 60.0 – 84
Same Trainer: (3,8) (4,12) (5,15) (6,7)
Final field for the R600,000 Gold Circle Golden Slipper (Grade 2) over 1400m
1 – 14 BRIDAL VEIL (C Laird) C Murray 60.0 – 82
2 – 10 DESERT RHYTHM (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 96
3 – 5 GEE WHIZZ (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 60.0 – 86
4 – 11 GREEN TOP (A G Laird) M Yeni 60.0 – 87
5 – 3 LET IT FLOW (M N Houdalakis) A Delpech 60.0 – 81
6 – 15 LIGHT ON HER TOES (L Forbes) A Forbes 60.0 – 89
7 – 8 LONDON SECRET (S G Tarry) G Lerena 60.0 – 86
8 – 7 MARA (D Kannemeyer) W Kennedy 60.0 – 82
9 – 17 NEPTUNE’S RAIN (D C Howells) K de Melo 60.0 – 95
10 – 1 OUTLANDER (C Spies) G Cheyne 60.0 – 85
11 – 13 ROCKIN RUSSIAN (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 60.0 – 83
12 – 4 SPRING BREEZE (M G Azzie) N Juglall 60.0 – 81
13 – 12 STAR PROFILE (C Spies) C Zackey 60.0 – 92
14 – 16 TSESSEBE (D R Drier) M Byleveld 60.0 – 84
15 – 9 LADY IN BLACK (D R Drier) Reserve 1 60.0 – 78
16 – 2 AWESOMENESS (C L Bass- Robinson) Reserve 2 60.0 – 78
17 – 6 GREEN ICE (A Wright) Reserve 3 60.0 – 75
Same Trainer: (2,7,11) (10,13) (14,15)
