Fillies’ time to shine

Of relevance is that the Listed Swallow Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein and the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes over 1200m in the Western Cape both contain the best bets of the respective cards.

Heading up the Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies is the Ormond Ferraris-trained Lazer Star, who is unbeaten in three starts. She is getting better with every run and gave her opposition a galloping lesson when winning the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap over this course and distance on Summer Cup Day, beating Winter Star by 3.25 lengths.

As expected this daughter of Toreador was severely penalised 5.5kg for that victory but it should not be enough to stop her. She goes up from 53kg to 58kg but under the race conditions remains at least 3kg better handicapped than any of her rivals. Bred by the Tawny Syndicate Lazer Star is owned by Anneline Marwing, wife of jockey Weichong who will once again be in the irons.

If one takes Lazer Star out of the equation this race becomes quite tricky with a number of runners with chances.

Best of the rest could be Sean Tarry-trained Spanish Dawn, another daughter of Toreador, who won on debut and followed up with a superb 2.75-length third behind Dingaans winner Unparalleled in a Graduation Plate over this course and distance.

Impressive Cold As Ice takes on some older fillies in the Sceptre Stakes but like Lazer Star, is weighted to win.

After running a 0.75-length second behind Double Whammy on debut, this Joey Ramsden-trained filly has reeled off four successive victories.

She was carded to take on Majmu in the Grade 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas last month but unfortunately dumped jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe at the start and ran the course without a jockey or the opposition and had to be withdrawn.

She came back well with a win in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m and will appreciate the extra 100m in this event. Sean Cormack takes the ride. The main dangers look to be Priceless Jewel, Piere Strydom’s lone ride at the meeting, and Double Whammy, who might appreciate the drop in distance.