Trainer Mike de Kock looks to have a strong hand in both the World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas and the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas over 1600m on the Standside track at Turffontein on Saturday 5 February.
The two Grade 2 races form the respective first legs of the SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara for fillies. The two other legs of the Triple Crown are the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m and Grade 2 SA Derby over 2450m while in the case of the Triple Tiara, they are the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and Grade 2 SA Oaks.
The Cape Guineas and Cape Fillies Guineas count as alternate first legs for the Triple Crown and Tiara which means we could see WSB Cape Town Met fourth-placed Double Superlative and Chansonette, a close runner-up to Captain’s Ransom in two Grade 1 fillies’ features at Kenilworth, on the Highveld for the respective Classic races.
Last year there was a unique situation where De Kock-trained Malmoos won the Triple Crown while Paul Matchett’s charge, War Of Athena, captured the Triple Tiara.
De Kock has Dingaans winner Safe Passage and third-placed Aragosta in the Gauteng Guineas, but they will face far stronger opposition this time against the likes of William Robertson, the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained pair of Outofthedarkness and Prince Of Fire, and Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Supreme Warrior.
The Fillies Guineas, however, looks to be at the mercy of De Kock with top-class Desert Miracle, who is backed up by talented Bold Act and Clafoutis. – 4Racing
World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m:
1 – 4 SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock) S Khumalo 60.0 – 110
2 – 3 ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock) R Fourie 60.0 – 109
3 – 6 RED SAXON (J A Soma) B Fayd’Herbe 60.0 – 107
4 – 9 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) R Munger 60.0 – 105
5 – 10 OUTOFTHEDARKNESS (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 60.0 – 104
6 – 2 PRINCE OF FIRE (J J van Vuuren) C Habib 60.0 – 104
7 – 7 SUPER EXCITED (P F Matchett) M Yeni 60.0 – 102
8 – 11 PYROMANIAC (S G Tarry) G Lerena 60.0 – 101
9 – 5 VAL D’ORCIA (P A Peter) W Kennedy 60.0 – 100
10 – 1 HASTA MANANA (L Karriem) S Moodley 60.0 – 97
11 – 8 SUPREME WARRIOR (M/A Azzie) G van Niekerk 60.0 – 90
Same Trainer: (1,2) (5,6)
Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas (Grade 2) over 1600m:
1 – 10 DESERT MIRACLE (M F De Kock) G Lerena 60.0 – 117
2 – 2 RAIN IN HOLLAND (S G Tarry) R Fourie 60.0 – 109
3 – 1 SPRINKLES (P A Peter) W Kennedy 60.0 – 107
4 – 7 BOLD ACT (M F De Kock) C Zackey 60.0 – 105
5 – 3 ETERNITY RING (B/Y Botes / Vosloo) S Khumalo 60.0 – 105
6 – 4 CLAFOUTIS (M F De Kock) K de Melo 60.0 – 103
7 – 8 PERFECT WITNESS (C Dawson) C Habib 60.0 – 103
8 – 11 FOLLOW ME (S T Pettigrew) D De Gouveia 60.0 – 102
9 – 6 MARYAH (Z Oosthuizen) M Yeni 60.0 – 102
10 – 5 SUPREME QUEST (C Spies) R Munger 60.0 – 102
11 – 9 HOLLYWOODBOUND (R R Magner) M Khan 60.0 – 94
Same Trainer: (1,4,6)
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.