The Listed Betway Swallow Stakes over 1160m for fillies and mares heads up the race meeting on the Standside track at Turffontein on Saturday and it looks to be quite an intriguing affair.
There are some talented fillies in this line up and they appear to be improving at quite a rate. Some of them met as juveniles last season and there was little between them at the time, but many of them have improved subsequently.
There are three runners looking for a hat-trick of wins and two of them in particular are expected to feature prominently in this race.
Topping the list is Cullinan Blue, a winner of three of her five races. She won over 1200m on the Inside track on debut and then did not shine in two ensuing feature races. The first was the Fillies Nursery at Turffontein where she found Mrs Geriatrix far too good.
Brett Crawford’s charge then travelled to Hollywoodbets Scottsville to contest the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship over 1200m, but she could only finish 19th, 12.30 lengths behind Mrs Geriatrix once again.
However, Cullinan Blue would not be the first runner to fail on their first appearance on the undulating Scottsville course.
That brought her two-year-old career to an end and we did not see her in action for almost six months. But when she returned to the track on 30 November at Turffontein we saw a different Cullinan Blue. She was allowed to go off at 8-1 but despite a slow start she got to the front close home and went on to win by a comfortable 0.75 lengths.
Just before Christmas she lined up in a MR 90 Handicap for fillies and mares, this time going off favourite. The outcome was never in doubt as Cullinan Blue raced clear of the opposition to beat Gimmealight by 3.25 lengths.
What is of particular relevance is that both of those wins were over the same course and distance of the Swallow Stakes, and she does look the runner to beat.
Kabelo Matsunyane has ridden the daughter of Vercingetorix in all of her starts and he will be back in the irons again.
Interestingly, Cullinan Blue is not the best weighted runner. That role goes to Sean Tarry-trained Troppo Veloce who has also notched up three wins against some very decent runners.
However, all of those victories were over 1000m but she has failed in both of her races over any further, including one of this course and distance. If she does see out the trip, Troppo Veloce will be a contender.
Leaving Las Vegas looked very impressive when winning her first two starts, including the Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m as a juvenile. She has not won since, but trainer Tony Peter has fitted blinkers for this race which could result in some improvement.
However, Peter also has One Fell Swoop in the race and based on jockey arrangements, she appears to be the stable elect.
The Lancaster Bomber filly is another seeking a hat-track of wins and does need to be included in all of one’s bets.
Clive Robinson
