Prominent Cape Town jockeys Aldo Domeyer and Bernard Fayd’Herbe have long been associated with top-level success all over the country, but their decision to ‘stay put’ and ride at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 6 April – instead of being lured to the Highveld for the Grade 1 prizes and big stakes on offer on Champions Day at Turffontein – is likely to pay off handsomely!
Cape Racing’s nine-race fixture is headlined by the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile (Race 7) – Leg 1 of the Winter Series open to all horses – and includes the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes (Race 6) over 1400m – Leg 1 of the Winter Series for fillies and mares.
In the latter event, Domeyer is reunited with promising three-year-old filly Kyalami Girl, who he has ridden twice for a win and a second.
This unexposed daughter of Querari from the Candice Bass-Robinson stable finished second in both starts as a juvenile but was out of competitive action for 11 months. She has, however, confirmed that early promise with two encouraging comeback outings, winning over 1200m on her reappearance before finishing a close-up third in a much stronger race over 1100m.
On that occasion, she only got going late to finish 0.15 lengths off the winner in a hotly contested sprint fillies-and-mares sprint, which gave the impression that she could be looking for (and be more effective) over an extended trip.
So, while the conditions of the race don’t suit Bass-Robinson’ charge, lightly raced Kyalami Girl is probably better than currently rated, especially with the likelihood of improvement to come from her over 1400m with Domeyer back in the irons.
This trainer-jockey combination should also get the meeting off to a winning start with well-bred Gimmethegreenlight filly Sheets And Goggles good value to improve for the step up in trip to open her account in Race 1 over 1200m, having run two encouraging races over 1000m.
Vaughan Marshall-trained Rascallion was regarded as somewhat of a ‘nearly man’ as a three-year-old having held his own at the highest level against his own age group as well as in other features, although without success.
He bounced back to his best with blinkers refitted to finish second under a front-running Fayd’Herbe ride in the Grade 1 Cape Town Met over 2000m in his last start 10 weeks ago, and a similar performance in Race 7 should see this well-performed Silvano gelding return to winning ways with a deserved Grade 3 success.
Unsurprisingly, Fayd’Herbe and the headgear worn that day are retained.
Elsewhere on the card, Etoilefillante fits a similar profile in Race 4, having finished second in consecutive outings with blinkers on and Fayd’Herbe aboard. This improving Duke Of Marmalade gelding ought to get his head in front on this occasion over 1600m, as his previous narrow defeats have come over 1400m and 1800m.
Domeyer is likely to steal the show, though, with a closing race-to-race double. He rides progressive last-start winner Meu Capitano in Race 8 over 1200m and in Race 9 partners Piet Botha’s recent acquisition Shifting Path, who was in good form at a similar level before leaving Marshall’s yard.
Clive Robinson
