Barend Botes not forgot at Vaal

There appear to be some really top three-year-old fillies around as we have seen with the recent victories of Quid Pro Quo and Fatal Flaw.

Unfashionably bred Quid Pro Quo came back from a four-month break and gave some of the best colts around a hiding in the Grade 2 Betway Dingaans over 1600m at Turffontein on Summer Cup day, while Fatal Flaw, after winning the Grade 3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes, overcame a wide draw and the trip to Cape Town to destroy the field in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Barend Botes, who was left flabbergasted by the manner of Quid Pro Quo’s Dingaans victory, has another useful filly in Care Forgot. While not in the league of her accomplished stable companion, this daughter of The United States is a three-time winner and she did pick up a minor feature at Hollywoodbets Greyville when winning the Beach Beauty Mile.

She defeated Mike de Kock-trained Destiny Of Fire, who is no slouch, and the two met again in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile at Turffontein. This time Destiny Of Fire got her revenge as the pair finished seventh and eighth respectively.

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Before that race Botes spoke about Care Forgot, saying: “She’s done well in Durban but this is a step-up in class for her. I think she’s more suited to the Triple Tiara distances.”

However, with that run under her belt, she could be good enough to win Race 3 on Thursday, a MR 93 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m on the Vaal Classic track. The Fillies Mile should have brought her on nicely and with 53.5kg on her back she could pick up her fourth career victory. Philasande Mxoli takes the ride.

The main threat could come from consistent Doitwithdiamonds. This Tony Peter-trained filly was touched off 0.10 lengths by Happy Mo last time over this trip at Turffontein but is now 2kg better off and should be able to reverse the placings. Calvin Habib takes the ride once again.

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Another interesting three-year-old in the field is Roy Magner-trained Queen Of Love who has two wins and two seconds from her six starts. She did run in the Starling Stakes behind Fatal Flaw but was never really in it.

She comes in with 54.5kg on her back this time which must give her a winning chance, but she has yet to prove she will see out 1600m. Kabelo Matsunyane is the jockey, and they jump from barrier No 1.