Racing tips: Find a Soul Mate in the Oaks

It is quite rare that when you have two like races, one for colts and one for fillies, that the latter gets higher status than that of the colts.

But that is actually the case tomorrow at Hollywoodbets Greyville where the TABgold Oaks is a Grade 2 event while the TABgold Derby is a Grade 3 affair.

Both races are run as weight-for-age plus penalty events but unlike most Derby and Oaks around the world which are only open to three-year-olds, these two races will accept any runner from cradle to grave into the final field.

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However, as far as the Oaks is concerned it is a three-year-old who is the runner to beat and that is Candice Dawson-trained My Soul Mate.

There aren’t any stars in the race and with Richard Fourie aboard, this daughter of Master Of My Fate may be hard to catch.

She has been racing against some of the best fillies in the land and sadly for her connections, she came up against High-flying Gimme A Nother four times. Gimme A Nother was unbeaten in seven starts and will be continuing the next part of her racing career in the USA.

But against the rest of her own age group My Soul Mate has performed well, finishing second in two Grade 2 races at Turffontein. The first came in the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks when she was runner-up Frances Ethel, beaten 1.75 lengths.

She followed that up with a 0.40-length second place behind Beating Wings in the TAB Igugu Stakes over 2000m.

She then came to KwaZulu-Natal and contested the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 over 2000m at Greyville where she finished fifth, but just 1.80 lengths behind Silver Sanctuary. In the SA Oaks at Turffontein My Soul Mate finished ahead of Mike de Kock’s charge, but significantly, that was over 2450m.

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The Oaks tomorrow is over 2400m and in lesser company, My Soul Mate will take a ton of beating. The main threat looks to be Saartjie, who finished 2.10 lengths behind My Soul Mate in the Woolavington.

However, she is 0.5kg worse off and looks unlikely to reverse the form under the race conditions, and over the longer distance, even though she suffered interference during the running of the Woolavington.

In fact, Future Girl split the pair, finishing 1.60 lengths behind My Soul Mate, but she too is 0.5kg worse off and looks unlikely to reverse the form line.

The Derby appears to be a more open event and there are a number of runners with chances.

Andre Nel-trained Cape Eagle won his first attempt at 2400m, flying up late to catch One Way Traffic by 0.10 lengths at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. However, Justin Snaith’s charge is now 1.5kg better off and should easily reverse the form.

One Way Traffic did not fare well in his next start but it was his second race after a layoff and is best forgotten. Craig Zackey takes the ride for the first time.

Cape Eagle may not have the pedigree for it to beat the best but the ultra-consistent runner and should be in the firing line at the end.

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At his best Future Pearl would have this field for breakfast but Sean Tarry’s charge lost went off the boil last year after winning the Gold Cup over 3200m at this track.

However, he showed signs of his old self last time when showing good pace over 2000m before fading late. But Fourie has decided to stick