Joburg G1 entry for Snow Pilot

It has been quite a while since we have seen a Justin Snaith-trained runner in action on the Highveld but that could be the case on Classic Day at Turffontein.

The race meeting on Saturday 1 March sees the running of three Grade 1 races, the first two being the SA Classic and Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both over 1800m, which are the respective second legs of the SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.

But the third Grade 1 at the meeting is the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes which is one of only three Grade 1 races over 1600m open to all horses.

The nominations for the three Grade 1 races close at 11:00 today with a supplementary stage on Friday when the nominations for the other races on the card close.

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However, there are some early entries and among the six available at this stage for the R1.5-million Horse Chestnut Stakes is 2023 Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot, trained by Snaith.

This four-year-old son of Lancaster Bomber is one of only two runners to have lowered the colours of star three-year-old One Stripe. However, the latter reversed that defeat when winning the Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Cup at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last month.

Snow Pilot has not had much luck with draws recently and landed No 13 barrier position for both the King’s Plate and his next start over 1400m when beaten by Meu Capitano.

Main Defender is the defender of the title and no doubt he will be among the entries later today.

Only Parisian Walkway and Spumante Dolce can be the respective winners of this year’s SA Triple Crown and Triple Tiara after their victories in Leg 1, the Gauteng Guineas and Gauteng Fillies Guineas over 1600m on 1 February.

Alec Laird, who trains Parisian Walkway and Gauteng Guineas third-placed Aristotle, has entered both of his runner in the SA Classic. Laird was also desperately disappointed when he had to pull Fire Attack out of the Guineas after he contracted a virus but the son of Fire Away is back among the nominations for the SA Classic.

Fire Attack is carded to have his warm-up in a Graduation Plate over 1500m at Turffontein on Thursday with Gavin Lerena up.

Mike and Mathew de Kock have not entered any runners at this stage for the meeting but there is no doubt Spumante Dolce will be among them. The three-parts sister to Sparkling Water is unbeaten in three starts and put up a brilliant performance to hold off Quid Pro Quo and VJ’s Angel in the Fillies Guineas and with Quid Pro Quo among the early entries for the Fillies Classic, we could see a rematch between the three again at Turffontein on 1 March.

Early entries for the R1.5-million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) (Weight for Age) 1600m

BARBARESCO (J J van Vuuren); BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW (G J Maroun); COSMIC SPEED (S G Tarry); IMILENZEYOKUDUDUMA (G van Zyl (Jnr)); LUCKY LAD (S G Tarry); SNOW PILOT (J S Snaith)

Early entries for the R1.5-million SA Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m

ARISTOTLE (A G Laird); BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW (G J Maroun); CHESTNUT BOMBER (J J van Vuuren); DIWALI ROCKET (M Pandaram); DON’T CRY FOR ME (S G Tarry); FIRE ATTACK (A G Laird); LEGEND OF ARTHUR (S G Tarry); PARISIAN WALKWAY (A G Laird).

Early entries for the R1.25-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m

BAKWENA (J J van Vuuren); CARE FORGOT (B D Botes); GERBERA (S G Tarry); QUID PRO QUO (B D Botes); TOO LATE MY MATE (A G Laird); WORLD OF ALICE (S G Tarry)