Top talents raring to go as KZN season kicks off

Champions Season in KwaZulu-Natal looks set for a cracking launch on 4 May, with the country’s best three-year-olds converging on Durban’s Greyville racecourse.

The potential lineup for the WSB Guineas has Grade 1 lustre about it, even though it disappointingly remains a Grade 2 contest.

Highveld-based stars Main Defender, Sandringham Summit, Lucky Lad and Mid Winter Wind are in the mix with Cape Town standouts Green With Envy, Snow Pilot and Hluhluwe.

A full-scale interprovincial showdown might not happen, though, as many of the big names are nominated for both the 1600m Guineas and the 1400m Drill Hall Stakes on the same card. Both races have Grade 2 status and R500,000 purses, so the strategic choices to be made will be contemplated with keen interest.

One of those facing a key decision is Joburg trainer Tony Peter, whose charge Main Defender, with a merit rating of 131, tops the quality rankings.

Sandringham Summit

Some pundits had the son of Pathfork down as more of a 1400m horse than a miler – until his stunning stunning victory in the 1600m Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein last month, for which he copped a 10-pound penalty from the handicappers.

His old rival Sandringham Summit is another that could go for either the Guineas or the Drill Hall. He was considered to be more of a staying type, but trainer David Nieuwenhuizen opted for the 1400m of the Hawaii Stakes instead of the Horse Chestnut’s 1600m – and won with aplomb.

Entries for the WSB Fillies Guineas are not quite at the same elevated level as the males, but the likes of Mrs Geriatrix, Double Grand Slam and Let’s Go Now should ensure a tight race.

Erstwhile Gold Challenge and Queen’s Plate champion Al Muthana is the elder statesman in the Drill Hall Stakes. Apart from the possible upstart competition, the six-year-old might line up alongside bigtime wannabes like Cousin Casey, At My Command and Royal Aussie.

ENTRIES
(Draw, name, age/gender, weight, MR, trainer)

WORLD SPORTS BETTING GUINEAS, Grade 2, R500 000, 1600m, 3YO

5 MAIN DEFENDER (3G) 60.0 131 Tony Peter
6 SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT (3C) 60.0 123 David Nieuwenhuizen
10 SNOW PILOT (3C) 60.0 120 Justin Snaith
8 GREEN WITH ENVY (3C) 60.0 119 Dean Kannemeyer
13 LUCKY LAD (3C) 60.0 119 Sean Tarry
11 MID WINTER WIND (3G) 60.0 114 Sean Tarry
1 ORIENTAL CHARM (3C) 60.0 113 Brett Crawford
4 GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE (3G) 60.0 111 Mike de Kock
2 HLUHLUWE (3G) 60.0 111 Justin Snaith
9 BARBARESCO (3G) 60.0 109 J A Janse van Vuur
3 ZINOVI (3C) 60.0 108 Mike de Kock
12 NAVAJO NATION (3G) 60.0 103 Robbie Hill
7 ANCIENT WORLD (3G) 60.0 92 Michael Miller

WSB FILLIES GUINEAS, Grade 2, R500 000, 1600m, 3YO fillies

5 DOUBLE GRAND SLAM (3F) 60.0 118 Justin Snaith
8 MRS GERIATRIX (3F) 60.0 115 H Sean Tarry
4 RASCOVA (3F) 60.0 115 Glen Kotzen
1 LET’S GO NOW (3F) 60.0 114 B Sean Tarry
2 WHITE PEARL (3F) 60.0 112 Mike de Kock
6 MINOGUE (3F) 60.0 102 Wendy Whitehead
9 SOLDIER’S EYE (3F) 60.0 98 Weiho Marwing
7 SOVEREIGN GRANT (3F) 60.0 98 Michael Miller
3 BOMBER GIRL (3F) 60.0 97 Michael Miller
12 CELTIC BEAUTY (3F) 60.0 94 Tony Rivalland
11 CEUTA (3F) 60.0 81 David Nieuwenhuizen
10 MISS PLATINA (3F) 60.0 75 Tienie Prinsloo

INDEPENDENT ON SATURDAY DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2), R500 000, 1400m, WFA + penalties

5 COSMIC HIGHWAY (5G) 58.5 121 Dean Kannemeyer
9 GLADATORIAN (4G) 58.5 120 Stuart Ferrie
4 MAIN DEFENDER (3G) 58.0 131 Tony Peter
17 SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT (3C) 58.0 123 David Nieuwenhuizen
18 GREEN WITH ENVY (3C) 58.0 119 Dean Kannemeyer
15 AL MUTHANA (AUS) (6G) 57.0 125 Ricky Maingard
2 ROYAL AUSSIE (4G) 57.0 124 Justin Snaith
3 COUSIN CASEY (4C) 57.0 123 Sean Tarry
10 AT MY COMMAND (4G) 57.0 119 Brett Crawford
19 WATERBERRY LANE (5G) 57.0 112 Ricky Maingard
6 UNZEN (4G) 57.0 109 Robbie Sage
8 ITSRAININGWILLIAM (4G) 57.0 108 Justin Snaith
7 TEXAS RED (4G) 57.0 104 Robyn Klaasen
11 HUMDINGER (5M) 56.0 116 Mike de Kock
14 MID WINTER WIND (3G) 55.0 114 Sean Tarry
12 GIMMEANOTHERCHANCE (3G) 55.0 111 Mike de Kock
13 ZINOVI (3C) 55.0 108 Mike de Kock
1 TEFLON MAN (3C) 55.0 99 Dean Kannemeyer
16 WHITE PEARL (3F) 52.5 112 Mike de Kock