Bela-Bela looks tough to beat

Two-year-old races are highly competitive.


Trainer Justin Snaith’s decision to run Bela-Bela in the R1-million Jons­son Workwear Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m as opposed to the Vodacom Durban July should pay dividends if statistics are any­thing to go by.

The daughter of Dynasty and three-year-old Safe Harbour are the jointly the best handicapped runners in this weight-for-age race for fillies and mares. How­ever, Bela-Bela did beat Safe Har­bour by 0.40 lengths in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth in January but is now 4.5kg better off.

That difference is based on the weight-for-age adjustment but that does mean Safe Harbour would have to have made that lev­el of improvement in order to re­verse the results. Bela-Bela has an ideal No 5 draw, which could come in to No 3 if the reserve runners come out, and has a top jockey in Anthony Delpech. She has won six of her 12 starts, two of which have been Grade 1 events.

Anton Marcus will be aboard Just Sensual and she will jump from barrier No 7 (which could improve to No 5).

On merit ratings the pair have a 3kg advantage over Bella Sonata and Star Express with Fort Ember and Polyphonic next best.

The two Grade 2 events for juve­niles – Durban Golden Horseshoe and the Gold Circle Golden Slip­per – over 1400m look extremely competitive and good draws could well decide the outcome.

Final field for the R1-million Jon­sson Workwear Garden Province Stakes (Grade 1) (F&M) over 1600m

1 – 5 BELA-BELA (S J Snaith) A Delpech 60.0 – 109

2 – 8 BELLA SONATA (G H Van Zyl) N Juglall 60.0 – 103

3 – 13 STAR EXPRESS (S J Snaith) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 103

4 – 10 FORT EMBER (P A Peter) L Hewitson 60.0 – 100

5 – 11 POLYPHONIC (A G Laird) P Strydom 60.0 – 100

6 – 3 CHEVAUCHEE (B Crawford) G Cheyne 60.0 – 98

7 – 6 FROSTY FRIDAY (G H Van Zyl) W Kennedy 60.0 – 97

8 – 12 KILAUEA (D J Nieuwenhui­zen) C Murray 60.0 – 96

9 – 15 LOUISIANA (B Crawford) C Orffer 60.0 – 92

10 – 7 JUST SENSUAL (J Ramsden) A Marcus 59.0 – 109

11 – 1 GIMME SIX (S J Snaith) G van Niekerk 59.0 – 106

12 – 9 BI POT (G V Woodruff) C Mau­jean 59.0 – 98

13 – 4 ORIENTAL OAK (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 59.0 – 97

14 – 2 SHE’S A GIVER (J A Janse van Vuuren) G Lerena 59.0 – 95

15 – 14 CAPTAIN GAMBLER (J Ramsden) Reserve 1 59.0 – 92

Same Trainer: (1,3,11) (2,7) (6,9) (10,15)

Final field for the R600,000 Dur­ban Golden Horseshoe (Grade 2) over 1400m

1 – 9 ANCESTRY (J Ramsden) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 86

2 – 11 ARGO MAGIC (M D Miller) A Forbes 60.0 – 91

3 – 3 CAPTAIN AND MASTER (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 85

4 – 5 DOWN TO ZERO (M G Azzie) L Hewitson 60.0 – 91

5 – 7 FLYING FREE (G H Van Zyl) K de Melo 60.0 – 92

6 – 8 HAKEEM (M F De Kock) A Delpech 60.0 – 88

7 – 14 NAAFER (M F De Kock) G Lerena 60.0 – 102

8 – 2 PURPLE DIAMOND (S G Tarry) N Juglall 60.0 – 89

9 – 17 SIR FRENCHIE (S J Snaith) G van Niekerk 60.0 – 97

10 – 16 TROJAN HARBOUR (G van Zyl) W Kennedy 60.0 – 93

11 – 1 VARALLO (C Laird) A Marcus 60.0 – 102

12 – 13 VARIMAX (M G Azzie) P Stry­dom 60.0 – 91

13 – 10 WHY WOULDN’T YEW (M L Roberts) J P v’d Merwe 60.0 – 89

14 – 6 WOLJAYRINE (V H Marshall) M Byleveld 60.0 – 98

15 – 15 BORYA (G H Van Zyl) Reserve 1 60.0 – 85

16 – 12 REAL VISION (G B Puller) Re­serve 2 60.0 – 85

17 – 4 PACK LEADER (G S Kotzen) Reserve 3 60.0 – 84

Same Trainer: (3,8) (4,12) (5,15) (6,7)

Final field for the R600,000 Gold Circle Golden Slipper (Grade 2) over 1400m

1 – 14 BRIDAL VEIL (C Laird) C Mur­ray 60.0 – 82

2 – 10 DESERT RHYTHM (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 – 96

3 – 5 GEE WHIZZ (G S Kotzen) R Fourie 60.0 – 86

4 – 11 GREEN TOP (A G Laird) M Yeni 60.0 – 87

5 – 3 LET IT FLOW (M N Houdala­kis) A Delpech 60.0 – 81

6 – 15 LIGHT ON HER TOES (L Forbes) A Forbes 60.0 – 89

7 – 8 LONDON SECRET (S G Tarry) G Lerena 60.0 – 86

8 – 7 MARA (D Kannemeyer) W Ken­nedy 60.0 – 82

9 – 17 NEPTUNE’S RAIN (D C How­ells) K de Melo 60.0 – 95

10 – 1 OUTLANDER (C Spies) G Cheyne 60.0 – 85

11 – 13 ROCKIN RUSSIAN (S G Tar­ry) L Hewitson 60.0 – 83

12 – 4 SPRING BREEZE (M G Azzie) N Juglall 60.0 – 81

13 – 12 STAR PROFILE (C Spies) C Zackey 60.0 – 92

14 – 16 TSESSEBE (D R Drier) M Byleveld 60.0 – 84

15 – 9 LADY IN BLACK (D R Drier) Reserve 1 60.0 – 78

16 – 2 AWESOMENESS (C L Bass- Robinson) Reserve 2 60.0 – 78

17 – 6 GREEN ICE (A Wright) Re­serve 3 60.0 – 75

Same Trainer: (2,7,11) (10,13) (14,15)

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