Queen Elizabeth II’s runner Reach For The Moon was a red-hot 2-5 favourite to win the Hampton Court Stakes, but the colt was given a galloping lesson by Claymore, owned by South Africa’s Mark Slack. Picture: iStock
Fairview remains a very happy hunting ground for Justin Snaith and the champion trainer is odds on to land another feature race at the course on Friday.
He might have given up on a satellite yard in Eastern Cape a few years ago, declaring it unworkable, and setting up in KwaZulu-Natal instead, but Snaith raids Fairview every few weeks and seldom returns home empty handed.
He fields promising filly Maryah in the Sophomore Stakes on Friday, taking on males, and the money is down. The daughter of Querari was quoted at 9-10 in the ante-post market and number demands attention.
Maryah’s recent form isn’t the reason for the support, but her exploits as a juvenile partly are. And one suspects she has been showing a return to her best in morning work.
The filly began racing under the care of Lezanne Forbes – with bang, winning in style at Scottsville in June last year. She was then chucked in the deep end against the hot-shot Desert Miracle in the Golden Slipper on July day but didn’t have the best of the running.
She was back in business in the Debutante on Gold Cup day, flashing past her rivals in an eye-catching win.
Transferred to Team Snaith, Maryah returned a holiday before returning to action in two very quiet outings at Kenilworth recently. She needed those runs badly and has probably come on a lot with them.
The filly seems to have a spot of star quality and this could be an ideal platform for launching the rocket.
SELECTIONS
1: Many first-timers; watch the betting
2: 1 Born A Star, 16 Temple Bar, 8 Trumps Express, 9 Tara Iti
3: 11 Fly By, 8 Lauretta Mia, 7 Iqembulabesifazane, 17 Wildest Dreams
4: 2 Homer Fidget, 10 Interstate, 3 Jaspero, 1 Doppio Oro
5: 6 Ferrari Ice, 7 Firstamongequals, 1 Alado’s Pride, 3 Last Of The Legend
6: 8 Maryah, 1 Safari Blue, 4 Forged By Fire, 3 Angry Warrior
7: 3 Green Light Gal, 7 Freedom Seeker, 4 Sound Check, 6 Aye Aye
8: 16 Great Guy, 7 Bold Captain, 6 Timkat, 2 Brass Bell
Pick 6: 7,8,11,17 x 1,2,3,5,7,10,16 x 6 x 8 x 1,3,4,5,6,7 x 2,3,4,6,7,9,11,13,16 (R1512)
PA: 1,8,16 x 8,11 x 2,3,10 x 6 x 8 x 3,4,7 x 2,6,7,16 (R216)
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