Santa Therese can be angel of mercy in Paddock Stakes

Lifting of the ban on jockey travel comes in the nick of time as it might have been difficult to find enough locally domiciled riders for Friday’s East Cape Paddock Stakes. The 1600m Listed race – the second leg of the Eastern Cape Fillies & Mares Challenge – has attracted a full field of 16 that bristles with in-form fillies and mares.

Local champion trainer Alan Greeff is mob-handed with seven runners, but it is Santa Therese that will get most attention from punters. Stable No 1 jockey Greg Cheyne isn’t riding this three-year-old, but we shouldn’t read too much into this as the easing of travel protocols during the week probably resulted in a confused booking window.

Santa Therese is partnered with Grant van Niekerk and few supporters will have any quibble about that, the Cape Town ace having been in cracking form for months. Indeed, if it wasn’t Van Niekerk in the irons a barrier draw of 11 might have been deemed too wide by some.

The filly has had a brilliant start to her career, with five wins from seven starts, and on Friday she goes for five in a row. Her last two successes have been over this course and distance, the last one coming after a three-month break.

Another Greeff runner, Carioca, took the first leg of the three-part Challenge – the East Cape Breeders Stakes over 1200m on 25 June – and is the class horse of this race. A five-year-old mare, she has a merit rating of 104 courtesy of nine career wins – one of which was over a mile.

Carioca is as honest as they come, but hasn’t galloped this far in a while, so her stamina will be tested under 60kg from draw 9. Still, she has a squeak.

The Cape Town contingent include two from Candice Bass-Robinson, and one apiece from Justin Snaith and Brett Crawford. For good measure, Corne Spies raids from the Highveld.

Snaith’s Sovereign Secret has made the trip up the coast twice before and clearly took a shine to the Fairview turf, winning both times. Craig Zackey jumping her from three off the inside rail puts the three-year-old on the shortest list.

All of Me is another game five-year-old mare in top form who can’t be left out of calculations. The shrewd Spies isn’t travelling all the way from the Highveld for the sea view.

It doesn’t stop there. Bass-Robinson’s duo Springisintheair and Marmalisa are talented individuals but must overcome wide draws. Another two Greeff runners with decent chances are Water Spirit and Step Lively. And there are more. Exotics punters should go as wide as they can afford.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

3 VV Power, 6 Overjoyed, 1 Bold Captain, 4 Bobbety Boo

Race 2:

3 Curly Top, 7 Grayswood Pink, 8 Ladonna Mia, 6 Flower Seller

Race 3:

5 Impressive Duchess, 2 Delicasea, 9 Beneficiary, 11 Trippin The Stars

Race 4:

2 La Banquiere, 9 African Hope, 4 Just Judy, 3 Alloway Grove

Race 5:

1 Tenacity, 2 Diamonds And Toads, 4 Pearl Dancer, 3 Queen Louise

Race 6:

2 Scared Ibis, 9 Legend Has It, 1 La Bastide, 7 Dancing Girl

Race 7:

4 Santa Therese, 2 Sovereign Secret, 3 All Of Me, 1 Carioca

Race 8:

3 Blingking, 2 Encryption, 6 Storm Commander, 1 Oscar Wilde

Race 9:

1 Alaskan Fate, 2 In Limbo, 3 Emaline, 12 Sheeba Darling

Pick 6:

2,3,4,9,11 x 1,2,3,4 x 1,2,9 x 1,2,3,4,7,9 x 2,3 x 1,2 (R1440)

PA:

2,5 x 2,9 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 2,4 x 3 x 1,2 (R64)