The two-day L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Festival on Friday and Saturday is one of the highlights of the racing year and culminates with the running of the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m.
Friday’s card contains two features for fillies and mares – the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m and the Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap over 2000m.
Race 6 is the Jamaica Handicap and this is a highly competitive event. Many runners have winning chances but one filly who is on the up is Brett Crawford-trained Celtic Night.
The four-year-old daughter of Vercingetorix has a lot going for her, barring one thing – she is untried over the distance. Her best runs to date have been over 1600m although she has managed to pull off one victory over 1800m.
But that was at Durbanville, which is generally a quicker track, and she managed to hold on by a head.
However, Crawford has two runners in the field and stable jockey Louis Mxothwa has elected to ride this filly rather than Pink Tourmaline who is a course-and-distance winner. Celtic Night is up in class but that has resulted in a lower weight, and she carries just 55kg in this event.
A bigger danger to Celtic Night is Justin Snaith-trained Silver Darling who comes in with just 54kg on her back. She has run just five times for two wins and two seconds, but she has not raced beyond 1600m. She is by Silvano, so there is stamina in her bloodline, but progeny of that sire tend to develop it as they get older.
Snaith has engaged Muzi Yeni for the ride.
Fynbos has won over the course and distance but these days she seems to need even further and has been contesting events over 2400m. Vaughan Marshall’s charge is drawn No 11 and will need a good early pace if she is to win.
Snaith has good back-up with two other runners besides Silver Darling and they could also get into the fray. Black Silver won a good race over the course and distance last time and if she can deal with the jump in class, must also come into the reckoning.
She is beautifully drawn in gate No 1 and has Grant van Niekerk in the irons.
Ntinga only won a Maiden Plate last time, but she looks to be better the further she goes. S’manga Khumalo takes the ride.
The Sceptre Stakes is run under weight-for-age plus penalties conditions and three-year-old Sound Of Warning stands out in this field. She has won three of her five starts and included in those victories are two Grade 3 events on the Highveld.
She is the best-weighted runner and will be very hard to beat.
Preview By Clive Robinson
