The form of the Grade 2 Dingaans comes under the spotlight on Saturday with the running of the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes for three-year-olds over 1800m on the Turffontein Inside track.
Safe Passage, trained by Mike de Kock, won the Dingaans over 1600m on the Standside track on 30 November.
He also trained third-placed Aragosta, who was beaten 2.50 by his stable companion. Fifth in that race came Castletown, who finished a further three lengths back.
Both will be lining up in the Sea Cottage Stakes and with the SA Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara for fillies starting on Saturday 5 February, many of these runners will be looking ahead to bigger things.
Prior to the Dingaans De Kock intimated his one concern about his runners was that 1600m could be too sharp, but added it was not the strongest of line-ups.
As a result, this 1800m should prove more suitable and, if not in need of the run, Aragosta should be the runner to beat. In his favour is that his win prior to the Dingaans was over this course and distance so we know he will have no problems with the tighter-turning course and the shorter straight.
Aragosta is narrowly the best weighted competitor and has run four times for two wins and his third in the Dingaans.
Richard Fourie is making the trip from Cape Town to ride the Rafeef gelding.
De Kock also has filly Clafoutis in the eight-horse field, and she is just rated just 0.5kg behind her stable companion on the best handicapped list. She was probably a little disappointing when she could only manage a four-length fourth in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile followed by a 4.25-length fourth behind Bold Fortune in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.
But she did come back to form with a hard-fought victory in her next start, and as is the case with Aragosta, she is unbeaten on the Inside track, winning both times with ease.
She has yet to race over further than 1600m but on breeding, the additional 200m should suit her.
Keagan de Melo won on her last time, and he has once again been engaged for this race.
Sean Tarry sends out Platinum Sky, who has loads of potential. Tarry has so far kept him out of any feature races, and like so many of Silvano’s progeny, he might just need some time to mature.
This colt has won two of his five starts and as a half-brother to top filly Princess Calla, the bloodline looks highly potent. He won his last race, which was over 1800m, so the distance will be of no concern to him.
Gavin Lerena takes the ride.
Although on paper she has little chance, the mystery package looks to be Paul Peter-trained Shining Armour. She has only raced once and totally obliterated the opposition, leading almost from start to finish and winning by 4.50 lengths.
Two winners from six runners have come out of the form line so it looks a performance loaded with merit.
The question of how good this daughter of Capetown Noir really is will be answered in this race.
Preview by Clive Robinson
