No fillies in Guineas

Trainer Mike de Kock might be kicking him­self after the final fields for the R1-million Bet­ting World Gauteng Guineas and R500,000 Wilger­bosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas on 4 March were announced yes­terday.

De Kock entered fillies Ektifaa and Orchid Island in both races and they drew badly in both. In the end he opted to run them in the Fillies Guineas which com­prises a full field of 16 runners so Ektifaa ended up with No 14 draw and Orchid Island at No 7.

However, only 10 runners ac­cepted for the Guineas and Ek­tifaa, who was one of the high­est rated runners in both fields, would have ended up with a de­cent draw.

She beat the colts in the Tony Ruffel Stakes and would have been competitive in that field.

De Kock still has three strong contenders in the Gauteng Guin­eas, including both highest rated runners in Heavenly Blue and Ja­noobi. Heavenly Blue will be riden by Callan Murray and jumps from barrier No 10 while Janoobi will have Piere Strydom in the irons and they are drawn No 7.

De Kock’s third runner is Daff­iq who has Randall Simons up and they are drawn No 3.

Sean Tarry also has a potent hand and he saddles Matador Man, unbeaten Al Sahem, Furiosa and Tilbury Fort. It is interesting to note that stable jockey S’manga Khumalo has opted to ride Furio­sa, who was an impressive winner at Turffontein recently.

Secretariat Stakes (Listed) winner Matador Man will be rid­den by apprentice Lyle Hewitson, Anthony Delpech rides Al Sa­hem while Raymond Danielson is aboard Tilbury Fort.

The Grade 2 Fillies Guineas looks interesting because the best runners are badly drawn. Tarry-trained Safe Harbour is the best handicapped runner but she is drawn No 16.

Weichong Marwing has been tasked to overcome that hurdle.

Khumalo has the ride on Red­berry Lane who looked moderate until fitted with blinkers and then won her maiden by 8.80 lengths.

Final field for the R1-million Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) (1st Leg SA Triple Crown) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 4 March

1 – 10 HEAVENLY BLUE (M F De Kock) C Murray 60.0 100

2 – 7 JANOOBI (M F De Kock) P Strydom 60.0 100

3 – 8 DOOSRA (J A Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 60.0 98

4 – 9 MATADOR MAN (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 60.0 96

5 – 1 CHILI CON CARNE (M N Houdalakis) M V’Rensburg 60.0 94

6 – 2 UNAGI (G M Alexander) A Fortune 60.0 94

7 – 4 AL SAHEM (S G Tarry) A Delpech 60.0 93

8 – 5 FURIOSA (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 90

9 – 3 DAFFIQ (M F De Kock) R Simons 60.0 88

10 – 6 TILBURY FORT (S G Tarry) R Danielson 60.0 84

Same Trainer: (1,2,9) (4,7,8,10)

Final field for the R500,000 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) (1st Leg Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara) over 1600m

1 – 16 SAFE HARBOUR (S G Tarry) W Marwing 60.0 108

2 – 14 EKTIFAA (M F De Kock) C Murray 60.0 103

3 – 4 MALEFICENT (A G Laird) R Simons 60.0 99

4 – 15 ANNA PAVLOVA (R R Magner) J P v’d Merwe 60.0 93

5 – 9 BABBLING BROOKE (O A Ferraris) P Strydom 60.0 93

6 – 7 LAST CHIRP (S J Gray) A Fortune 60.0 93

7 – 10 ORCHID ISLAND (M F De Kock) A Delpech 60.0 93

8 – 6 AL HAWRAA (M F De Kock) M Yeni 60.0 91

9 – 5 BEING FABULOUS (J A Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 60.0 91

10 – 19 SMILING BLUE EYES (S G Tarry) …………… 60.0 89

11 – 1 POOL PARTY (R R Magner) J Penny 60.0 88

12 – 12 SANTIBURI (R R Sage) C Maujean 60.0 87

13 – 18 VISUALITY (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 60.0 87

14 – 2 ELUSIVE STRIKE (S M Ferreira) M V’Rensburg 60.0 86

15 – 13 BELLE ROSE (M F De Kock) R Munger 60.0 85

16 – 3 REDBERRY LANE (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 84

Reserve Runners

17 – 11 BIBLICAL SUSAN (M F De Kock) Reserve 1 60.0 82

18 – 17 ORIENTAL OAK (R R Sage) Reserve 2 60.0 80

19 – 8 MY FRIEND LEE (M N Houdalakis) Reserve 3 60.0 78

Same Trainer: (1,10,13,16) (2,7,8,15,17) (4,11) (12,18)