High Horse can be a Lady

The four-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream had finished in the money in all three of her previous starts and was well fancied in that 1450m race at Clairwood in June, her first outing after a six-month layoff. However, she finished tailed off behind Hunting Blues.
She was not really in contention when getting hampered 400m from the line in that race, although jockey Anthony Delpech did not persevere with the British-bred filly and she probably shouldn’t have been beaten quite as far. But that run was too bad to be true and she looks worth another shot.
High Horse Lady showed promise in her debut when a 1.50-length third behind Spartan Princess over 1200m at the Vaal and made no mistakes next time, when beating Adella going away by two lengths over the Turffontein 1400m.
She was not disgraced in her first start out of the maiden ranks, when keeping on at one pace for fourth, 5.50 lengths behind Fire Wheel over 1600m at Turffontein in December. She might have found that distance beyond her at that stage of her development and is bred to enjoy the trip.
Orange Blossom, from the Duncan Howells stable, is a three-time winner and has been knocking on the door in recent months. She will capitalise if High Horse Lady fails to deliver the goods.
She beat Special Occasion by 0.50 lengths over the Scottsville 1600m in February and ran a rare bad race in a minor feature over 1400m at that track next time out. Her three runs since have yielded places, a second to Keigai over 1450m at this venue in April, a 1.60-length fourth behind Caviar over 1400m at Greyville and a fast-finishing two-length third behind Chili Pepper over this course and distance last time out. She is well drawn and will make her presence felt.
Lightly weighted Guest El Grande is another to consider, having run well in both her starts for trainer Colin Scott. She gave her previous trainer Neil Bruss a farewell victory over 1400m at Durbanville and followed up in her first run for Scott, over 1600m at Scottsville, beating Antonia’s Fortress by 5.75 lengths. Many fancied her to score the hat-trick next time out, but the five-year-old daughter of Fan Club’s Mister faded from the lead to fourth, 1.55 lengths behind Danseuse over 1400m at Scottsville. Awesome Beauty was 1.30 lengths ahead of her in second but is 5kg worse off.
Guest El Grande is not well drawn, but will be cherryripe now in her third run after a layoff.
Reason To Believe and Awesome Beauty make some appeal.
Reason To Believe tried to make all the running last time out, but was overhauled late by 1.25-length winner Danseuse over 1400m at Scottsville.

Awesome Beauty was 0.60 lengths behind her in sixth and is 0.5kg better off, which should see them virtually dead-heat, particularly because Reason To Believe is not as well drawn as her rival.