The Racing Renaissance Cape Summer Season Of Champions has well and truly taken off with a revamped Hollywoodbets Kenilworth having delighted all and sundry last week and the racing there hasn’t been too bad either.
It is great to see a 10-race programme on Wednesday, as trainers look to get their stock ready for the season and as usual there are plenty of value options.
At R3-million, one of the more expensive purchases in recent times, Celtic Chief will be the one to watch in Race 3, a 1400m Maiden Plate. He is worth keeping an eye on, not just to see why his buyer kept raising his hand, but he has good solid form, and he is overdue. The Andre Nel-trained colt has had subsequent winners such as Get Impressed, Infrared and Willie John around him in his first two starts but last time out he had subsequent impressive winner and Derby hope Call To Unit 0.40-lengths ahead.
He has also been learning what it is all about round the sharper Hollywoodbets Durbanville track but as he seems to take time to unwind, he may just be looking for Kenilworth with its gradual bend and longer run-in. To boost his chances, he has been given a plum draw while dangers such as Golden Grey, Spelling Bee, King Of Spin and The Night Ferry have a lot more to do from wide barriers. It is a 17-strong field with plenty form which is why he is worth a solid eachway go.
Durbanville should not have suited big, long-striding filly Family Power either, yet she has run two good seconds in a row there. The Greg Ennion-trained daughter of Triple Crown winner Louis The King has already beaten her main protagonists, whom she meets again in Race 5, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 2000m and if the theory is right, she should more than confirm her ability at Kenilworth.
The sole question mark is to the pace or lack thereof. It is interesting to note Richard Fourie who finished behind Family Power aboard Sansa Stark has jumped off the latter to ride her. He could ensure that the top-rated horse Sansa Stark who jumps from a wide gate doesn’t get close as he judges the speed near the head of affairs.
The best horse that could come out of this race meeting could be Royal Swan Master. He was left in KwaZulu-Natal to learn the trade and strengthen up and, after quickly running down his field in his second start (never easy on the poly) and impressing his connections he was brought to the Cape. He immediately made an impression. On his debut around a left-hander, he came from last to find only one better in enigmatic and talented Kingdom Of Heaven.
He could be anything. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer will be hopeful Royal Swan Master could be headed for the classics. The gelded son of Master Of My Fate lines up in Race 7, a competitive Class 4 Handicap where most of his field have shown useful ability so he will be tested.
Two more horses to follow that appear to be worth solid eachway strikes are Masterofallstorms (Race 6) and Great Cat (Race 9). Both were eye-catching with strong finishes in their respective races recently.
Clive Robinson
