Cape Guineas lures Joburg smarties

An exciting list of 21 names was unveiled when the deadline passed for first entries for the Cape Guineas this week.

Many of South Africa’s top three-year-olds are among “possibles” for the most prestigious classic race in the country – worth R2-million and sponsored by Hollywoodbets – over 1600m at Kenilworth in mid-December.

Among the interested parties are a trio of crackerjacks from the powerhouse Highveld yard of Mike de Kock – including the much-talked-about Heather’s Boy.

In all, seven Joburg-based horses have been put up for the taxing raid on Cape Town.

If the Guineas promises a highly competitive full field, its specially positioned lead-up race, this weekend’s Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup, looks dreadfully thin. Only six horses will scrap for the R500,000 prize.

Four Punters Cup runners will be prepping for the Guineas, including highly rated One Stripe from Vaughan Marshall’s stable.

The only female nominated for the Guineas is Gimme’s Countess. Dean Kannemeyer’s precocious filly is also entered for the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, which takes place a week earlier. She could opt for one or the other – or both.

The Fillies Guineas’ entry list has a slightly less cosmopolitan look about it, with only two out-of-town nominations among the 13 – Allan Greef’s Eastern Cape champ Splicethemainbrace and Fatal Flaw from the Crawford family’s Joburg satellite yard.

The Guineas is the headline event on the Kaapse Klopse Voorsmakie race day at Kenilworth on 14 December – the third in the series of eight Summer Festival Of Racing events, which commences this coming Saturday.

ENTRIES
(draw, name, trainer MR)

Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, Grade 1, R2m, 1600m:

19 Air Raid Candice Bass-Robinson 92
20 All Out For Six Vaughan Marshall 107
21 Artist’s Model Mike de Kock 96
9 Bjorn Ironside J A Janse van Vuuren 110
17 Boundless Energy Candice Bass-Robinson 109
10 Eight On Eighteen Justin Snaith 110
15 Empire State Candice Bass-Robinson 89
5 Fire Attack Alec Laird 111
8 French Flame Dean Kannemeyer 98
13 Garrix Piet Steyn 87
1 Gimmie’s Countess Dean Kannemeyer 111
3 Great Plains Justin Snaith 110
6 Greaterix Mike de Kock 105
7 Heather’s Boy Mike de Kock 96
16 Legend Of Arthur Sean Tarry 111
14 Maphaka Dean Kannemeyer 94
4 On My Honour Glen Kotzen 108
2 One Stripe Vaughan Marshall 112
11 Powerandtheglory Justin Snaith 95
18 Sail The Seas Justin Snaith 97
12 The Specialist Sean Tarry 113

WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, Grade 1, R1.25m, 1600m:

5 Beware The Bomb Justin Snaith 107
13 Fatal Flaw Brett Crawford 110
12 Gimmie’s Countess Dean Kannemeyer 111
7 Goodnessgraciousme Justin Snaith 88
3 Kamchatka Andre Nel 91
8 Kinda Wonderful Eric Sands 104
6 Little Suzie Justin Snaith 103
11 Mai Sensation Lucinda Woodruff 99
2 Mon Petit Cherie Brett Crawford 108
1 Omikami Lucinda Woodruff 92
4 Scarlet Macaw Candice Bass-Robinson 93
10 Splicethemainbrace Alan Greeff 108
9 Whistle The Tune Glen Kotzen 103