MJ BYLEVELD
The one question any punter will have to answer at Kenilworth today is: will The Secret Is Out be able to win the Grade 2 Choice Carriers Championship over 1400m from No 12 draw?
She will, but she’s going to need an awful lot of luck. This distance on the Winter course is not a place to be drawn wide and unless she is a lot better than her opposition, jockey MJ Byleveld could have a torrid time as he also has to concede weight to the entire field.
She might still be in need of the run but I prefer the chances of Final Judgement. She has an excellent record over 1400m having run three times for two wins and a third place. Included in those victories was the Grade 2 Golden Slipper in which she beat Dawn Calling,
Her last run was in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at Greyville but she was drawn wide and did not seem to enjoy the soft going. In this event Glen Kotzen’s charge jumps from barrier No 6 and has Greg Cheyne up.
Dennis Drier has had a decent start to the Cape season and already has a winner to his credit. He sends out Sail, who finished a 0.90-length third to Final Judgement in the Golden Slipper and then a 1.15-length third behind Querari Falcon in the Thekwini. She is drawn No 3 and has Sean Veale Up.
The Grade 3 Drakenstein Vet Clinic Cape Classic over 1400m looks to be a race between Our Mate Art and Table Bay. The latter, trained by Joey Ramsden, got his nose in front to win The Langerman but is now 3kg worse off.
Our Mate Art has Grant van Niekerk in the irons while Anton Marcus gets the ride on Table Bay.
Charming Charlie has been an expensive horse to follow so far but one gets the feeling the further he goes, the better he will be.
