Cape Guineas: A springboard to legend status

The Cape Guineas is one of those races that is never won by a bad horse, say wise old racing pundits. A glance at the honour roll confirms that.

Gold leaf might be fading from the names of Jerez, Colorado King, Renounce and Hawaii, but their Guineas victories in the 1960s are still cherished by racing fans of a certain age.

An epic battle in 1972, when In Full Flight beat Sentinel by a nose, is sometimes remembered as the famous race’s most epic moment – kicking off racing’s golden age, in which the likes of Jamaican Music, Gatecrasher, Politician and Bold Tropic used the Cape Guineas as a springboard to legend status.

Great fillies made a rare mark in the early 1990 with the marvellous Star Effort becoming the only female to win both the Fillies Guineas and the Guineas. She was followed by Empress Club in 1992 and Little Ballerina in ’93.

The race’s influence on the thoroughbred bloodline was underlined by the subsequent triumphs of Jet Master, Horse Chestnut, Captain Al, Jay Peg, Capetown Noir, Act Of War, William Longsword, Soqrat and Charles Dickens.

The Cape of Good Hope Guineas was first run in 1955, when Marion Island landed the prize before going on to win the Cape Town Met. In the old days the venue was the long-gone Milnerton, where the mile was regarded by many as the finest stretch of turf in the country.

New contenders

Saturday’s renewal of the Guineas, the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas at Kenilworth is being eagerly watched for the possible emergence of a new superstar.

Most watchers expect that to be One Stripe, a colt with four wins from six starts thus far. Trained by Vaughan Marshall and ridden by the in-form Gavin Lerena, the son of boom sire One World dipped to even money in the ante-post market this week.

Also boasting four victories (from seven) is Justin Snaith-trained Great Plains, who looked most progressive in his warm-up race six weeks ago.

Raiding from Joburg, Mike de Kock’s unbeaten Heather’s Boy faces his first real test but would not be a surprise winner.

The seven other runners have all shown exceptional talent and could mature and improve dramatically to upset the odds and go on to carve a niche in history alongside the likes of Colorado King and Horse Chestnut.

SELECTION:

4 Heather’s Boy, 1 One Stripe, 2 Great Plains, 6 Eight On Eighteen