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By Mark van Deventer

Journalist


Follow the Silk Road in Cape

Experienced trainer Vaughan Marshall potentially has a smart sprinter in Silk Road, and the Kabool gelding is the pick to win Race 6, a MR 92 Handicap over 1200m, at Kenilworth today.


A precocious winner of his first two starts, he subsequently ran 2.50-length second to highly touted Red Ray at level weights over this course and distance in April. He was gelded recently and there was much to like about his fighting place behind Bad Winter when chasing bravely all the way from a wide draw around the turn.

While Epic Tale is better over further, he did sprint with some success at the start of his career. His prime effort though came in the Guineas over 1600m when beaten around six lengths by star colt Capetown Noir. He had an excuse last time as he was cut into, and rates a danger if approaching his true performance level again.

Awesome Power is another who cannot be discounted, despite his forte being flying finishes over more ground. Earlier in his career he put up some good displays over this course and distance and this feisty gelding is too classy to be ruled out.

Captain Harry can be counted on to run a game race, and strictly at the weights ought to get close up yet again. But he needs to find more in the finish to notch a rare win. Victory Cruise and Western Jet both produced fast finishing times when running on behind Trade Emblem in this same class level a few weeks ago and that brings them into the picture too.

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