Ilha Bela could be a hot ticket in the Oaks

Traditionally the Oaks is defined as a race for three-year-old fillies run over a mile and a half, which is around 2400m. The Americans did not accept the British tradition and like the Derby, run the Oaks over 1800m. This year Gold Circle have opened the race to fillies and mares of all ages and it will be run over 2500m at Clairwood on Sunday.

Ilha Bela won the SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein two years ago by seven lengths and it would come as no surprise if she were to achieve a similar result on this occasion. The Mike de Kock-trained runner came back after a layoff and ran poorly in both the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m and the Gold Bowl over 3200m, both at Turffontein, before dropping in distance to 1600m in the Syringa Handicap on the inside track. She ran on strongly to run a 0.25-length second behind Negev.

She is one the best handicapped runners in the line-up and with Anthony Delpech, and back against her own sex, could be hard to beat. The one concern is that she has yet to race at Clairwood but she has performed well at Kenilworth which also has a left-handed turn. She jumps from barrier No 5.

Zephira was all the rage to win the Grade 1 SA Oaks at Turffontein in April but ran a shocker, finishing a 7.25-length seventh behind Ash Cloud. That was clearly not a true reflection of her ability and one will expect a better display from Geoff Woodruff’s charge.

She comes off a great run in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville in which she ran a five-length fifth behind In The Fast Lane. She should appreciate the extra 500m and with Gavin Lerena up one can expect a solid effort.

Ash Cloud won the SA Oaks but finished 3.30 lengths behind Zephira in the Woolavington. Weichong Marwing rides the daughter of Black Minnaloushe for his brother, Weiho.

The old Derby has now fallen completely away and has been replaced by the Grade 2 Betting World Stakes over 2500m. One of the reasons was to try and get a larger field but if the nine runners lining up for this year’s event is the yardstick, the experiment has been an abject failure.

The good news is that Hot Ticket looks an outstanding bet. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge, to be ridden by Karl Neisius, looks a division better than his opposition and stands out as the best bet on the card. The trainer has expressed a lot of confidence in his runner as well.

“Hot Ticket is doing well and we’re having a full go. He needed his run badly in the Greyville 1900 which was too sharp for him, but the race brought him on tremendously.

“Last Thursday we worked him over 1800m on the grass at Clairwood and he put up a very nice gallop. He will love the long run in at Clairwood.

“There is a great possibility that he will be in the Gold Vase on July day as part of his Gold Cup programme, but it will depend on his run on Sunday.

“In Writing ran in the Gold Vase before winning the Gold Cup (in 2012) and Hot Ticket is really tough and is nearly a five-year-old. He is also a Silvano, so he’s improving,” said Kannemeyer.

It is hard to look beyond Hot Ticket but perhaps the Joey Ramsden-trained Disco Al is improving and could run a forward race.