Irish Myth favoured in Paddock Stakes

The race is the second leg of the Eastern Cape Fillies and Mares Challenge but with Yoshie having won the first leg and not contesting this event, the bonus for winning all three races cannot be won.

Irish Myth travelled to Port Elizabeth in May to contest a merit rated 65 handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m and ran out a comfortable winner, beating Bride’s Dowry by 1.25 lengths. She returned to Cape Town and Snaith entered her in the Listed Winter Oaks over 2200m.

Snaith also saddled Acrostar, who went off favourite and was fully expected to win, but Irish Myth, who was sitting at the back of the field for most of the journey, flew up late to beat her stable companion going away by 1.25 lengths.

In this event she reverts to 1600m but is well weighted under the race conditions. As a result, if jockey Richard Fourie can get her going in time the three-year-old daughter of Dynasty should notch up her second victory from as many starts at the course.

The concern is that when she won her last start at Fairview, Irish Myth raced off a merit rating of 69. Her last two victories have seen it rise to 85, an increase of 8kg. Only the race will tell if she has improved by that amount.

The main threat looks to be Silvan Spirit, the mount of Greg Cheyne, but like Irish Myth the Alan Greeff-trained filly would probably prefer a little further. Her last two victories were over 2400m but she did show pace over 1800m in her last start and Greeff has fitted blinkers in order to keep her more alert.

Skysign is in the same boat. She is weighted with a chance but she would also be happier had this race been over 2000m. The Glen Kotzen-trained filly contested the EP Derby over 2400m and did well to run third. Her last start was in the Listed East Cape Breeders over 1200m and she ran on well to run just 3.75 lengths behind Yoshie.

She did win her maiden over this distance at Kenilworth so Skysign has to come into the reckoning.