Along Came Polly to get in the fast lane this time

There will be highs and lows this weekend because a new princess will be crowned at Kenilworth tomorrow, when the Grade 1 Avotuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas (Grade 1) is to be run over 1600m, and Arlington will host its final race meeting today.

The Fillies Guineas is one of three feature races on the Kenilworth card, the others being the Val De Ra Southeaster Sprint, which could be fought out by Casual Var and Tevez, and the Tony Taberer Southern Cross Stakes, which should go the way of sprint star Via Africa.

The Fillies Guineas is not as clear-cut as the other two features but talented Along Came Polly is expected to improve on her seasonal debut in the Choice Carriers Championship last month.

Winner of the Thekwini Stakes last season, she drifted ominously in the betting for that 1400m race and came from well off the pace from a wide draw. Her finishing kick came too late and she had to settle for ninth behind In The Fast Lane.

She might have needed to experience an anti-clockwise track and will be much better suited to this distance. She is also better drawn this time.

In The Fast Lane was backed from 10s to 11-2 that day and lunged late to beat her stablemate Highly Decorated by a long neck, with Alascan Maiden (fourth in the Thekwini Stakes) not far back in third.

Trainer Justin Snaith’s stable rider Richard Fourie has jumped off Highly Decorated to ride In The Fast Lane this time and the switch could be informative. Snaith, however, has booked ruling champion jockey Piere Strydom for Highly Decorated and that must bring both horses into the picture with strong chances.

Highveld trainer Sean Tarry pulled Rainy Day out of last weekend’s Gauteng Fillies Mile to take her place in this line-up and his faith in the filly could be rewarded.

She has won her last two races, most recently going away from Var’s Die Geld in an 1160m race at Turffontein. She has won over the Turffontein 1450m and should enjoy this longer distance, which she tries for the first time.

Princess Ofthe Sky rises in class but scored a quality win when Mike Bass first tried her over 1600m last month. She is held by Highly Decorated on previous form, but is suited by the trip and could finish in the money.

The Bass stable’s No 1 jockey Grant van Niekerk will ride Lanner Falcon and his opinion must be respected, but the Trippi filly is drawn at No 15 and she will have her work cut out from that draw.