Since 1950, just three fillies have won the Grade 1 Cape Derby, with the last of those fairer-sex victories achieved 25 years ago by Mike de Kock-trained Fort Wood filly Dog Wood under Weichong Marwing in 1999.
Suffice to say the record books will be rewritten on Saturday 24 February should Beach Bomb – the latest star off the Drakenstein Stud conveyor belt – better the boys and win a third Grade 1 event this summer in the prestigious 2000m race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
The 2024 SplashOut Cape Derby is Race 8 on a bumper 10-event Cape Racing fixture that is littered with feature races, such as the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m (Race 7), the 1400m Grade 3 SplashOut Prix Du Cap (Race 6) and the Grade 3 City Of Cape Town Cape Of Good Hope Nursery (Race 3) for two-year-olds over 1200m. There are also two Listed races as well as a carryover Pick 6 MEGAPOOL for bettors to sink their teeth into.
Beach Bomb, from the stable of Candice Bass-Robinson, looked a smart prospect during a three-start juvenile campaign last season which culminated with a win in the Listed Irridescence Stakes over 1500m, but few could or would have predicted the rapid rise she has made as a sophomore.
She confirmed early promise by finishing second on her seasonal reappearance over 1400m and took a big step forward to win the WSB Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas at her next start over 1600m before downing reigning Horse-Of-The-Year Princess Calla in a close finish to the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day.
Beach Bomb, a well-bred Lancaster Bomber filly out of multiple Grade 1 winner Beach Beauty, was unsuited by the return to 1600m in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes on Met day and starting from the widest gate (No 11) won’t have done her chances much good either.
She does, however, retain all of her ability and should relish the step up in distance to 2000m, so is expected to bounce back to her brilliant best. Beach Bomb is the only Grade 1 winner in the race and the highest-rated runner in the lineup, thus the best-weighted as she receives a 2.5kg sex allowance from all eight male rivals.
Grade 3 Politician Stakes Derby Trial winner Green With Envy gave weight and a beating to several re-opposing rivals over 1800m last time and should confirm his superiority over them at level weights, so should pose a threat to Beach Bomb along with Gold Rush winner Rapidash who is another likely to improve stretching out to 2000m for the first time.
Bereave finished an encouraging third in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship on Met day and lines up in defence of his Diadem Stakes title with a fighting chance. However, Adam Marcus’ charge faces an insurmountable task against familiar foe Thunderstruck who has thrived in the Cape this summer.
This Sean Tarry-trained Rafeef colt, a Grade 1 winning juvenile, began his campaign with back-to-back course wins before succumbing to Dyce in the closing stages of the Cape Flying over 1000m.
He is equally effective over 1200m and carries 1kg less than he did last time, so is good value to recapture the winning thread under favourabe conditions.
Richard Fourie, who is reunited with Thunderstruck, resumes his partnership with ‘fan favourite’ Mrs Geriatrix in the Prix Du Cap with the step up in trip, from 1200m of her last start to 1400m on this occasion, likely to suit last season’s Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. She ran on from a long way back to be beaten just 2.05 lengths by October Morn in the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes seven weeks ago but is better off at the weights this time around with the advantage of having raced and won over 1400m, so it could pay dividends to keep faith with Tarry’s charge who should represent eachway value in a hotly contested Grade 3 sprint.
Earlier on the card, Justin Snaith-trained last-start winners Summer Lily (Race 2) and Roman Agent (Race 3) are worth including in a TAB Double. Both are promising individuals with progressive profiles and it should pay to follow their progress.
Snaith’s plethora of runners on the day include Royal Aussie who, on the form of his third-place finish in the King’s Plate, should hold too many guns for the opposition in Race 5.
Clive Robinson
