Snowdance can lower Oh Susanna’s colours as Snaith hopes for Guineas double

Justin Snaith’s two superstar three-year-old fillies both make their Champions Season bow at Greyville tonight, and in a clever move they have been split up in an attempt to capture the KZN Guineas for both sexes.

Snowdance appears to have no peer among local females over 1600m, and takes her place in the Daisy Fillies Guineas.

This dual Grade 1 winner has been rested since a comfortable win in the Majorca on Sun Met Day. She should simply be too good, with the only slight cause for concern being that her only career defeat so far came following a break.     

However from a good draw and with Bernard Fayd’Herbe back aboard, this daughter of Captain Al can be confidently expected to take top honours and justify her prohibitive current odds of 1-4 with Betting World.

The racing silks of Jack Mitchell should be very prominent in the finish here, as both Snowdance and her only real credible danger Lady In Black sport his well-known black and white colours.

Dennis Drier’s filly is undefeated in three starts at Greyville, including her Grade 1 win in the Thekwini Stakes as a Juvenile. Another thing in her favour is that she has had a most impressive prep run.

That was in the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes a month ago where despite conceding plenty of weight all round she ran on well to score.

She was no match for Snowdance in either of their Cape season meetings, but can be expected to get a lot closer now enjoying home advantage despite being drawn widest of the nine acceptors.

Fiorella, Twice As Smart and sole conqueror of Snowdance Elusive Heart should fight out the minor positions.

In the Daisy Guineas Met heroine Oh Susanna is the only filly entered, and is priced up 14-10 favourite.

She faces sterner opposition then her Snaith stable “sister”, and Cape Guineas winner Tap O’ Noth is narrowly selected to lower her colours.    

He produced a mystifying no show in the Cape Derby on Sun Met Day, but won the Guineas a little easier than the margin suggests, after striking the front earlier than anticipated.

This Captain Al colt has plenty of class, and can be expected to lay down a hefty challenge despite – like quite a few others here – being new to Greyville and encountering a right-handed turn for the first time.

Oh Susanna of course needs no introduction, and it would be no surprise if she won this comfortably, as her merit rating of 121 would suggest. The feeling remains she could be vulnerable over 1600m against the colts after a rest, though.

Just those two should safely see you through all exotics.

White River and Do It Again can be expected to be finishing strongly, but may well have the Daily News 2000 as their main mission.

Paul Lafferty’s Sniper Shot would appear the best hope for a KZN victory, if rather a forlorn one.

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