Trainers in the Western Cape must be pulling their hair out in frustration with meeting after meeting being abandoned due to torrential rain.
While all the trainers are affected equally by the inclement weather, the yards with promising juveniles have extra reason to feel frustrated as there are a number of races on offer with a R100,000 Cape Racing Sales bonus for youngsters shedding their maiden tag.
With the Kenilworth track, as well as the Milnerton training facility, completely waterlogged, Cape Racing have decided to try their luck and stage a race meeting at Durbanville on Thursday 25 July.
The first three races on the card are Maiden Juvenile Plates over various distances where the CRS-bonus is up for grabs. With this huge incentive, it comes as no surprise that trainers have opted to declare no less than 36 runners for these events, despite the fact that most have been unable to have a decent gallop in the last two weeks.
Two juveniles who were carded to make an appearance at Kenilworth last week who will now be in action at Durbanville are Scarlet Macaw and From A Distance from the yard of Candice Bass-Robinson, who will be contesting Race 2 and Race 3 respectively.
Earlier, Bass Racing’s media, advertising and photography guru Chase Liebenberg said both these youngsters have been coming along beautifully with racing.
“Obviously neither have had a chance at a gallop leading up to their heats, but if they don’t need it, they will both have a comfortable eachway chance,” commented Liebenberg.
“Horses have had interrupted prep throughout, so we are all on a very level playing field. It is not the ideal conditions to prepare for a meeting. On the contrary.”
After three place finishes over 1000m, Scarlet Macaw by all accounts will relish the extra when trying 1250m. It will be her first run around the turn, but from gate 1 she has everything in her favour.
It is interesting to note that it will be her fourth run, and her fourth start from pole position, but with her first three runs down the Kenilworth straight, the draw was not that important.
Aldo Domeyer will be doing duty in the saddle.
From A Distance has finished runner-up twice over 1200m and could go one better this time round stepping up to 1400m.
Her first three career outings have produced four subsequent winners, so if she did salute the judge on Thursday, it would not be out of turn.
She will, however, be tested by the Vaughan Marshall-trained Pentolina, who has the benefit of having raced over 1400m around the turn in her last three outings. This daughter of One World jumped at 63-100 last time out when beaten 2.5-lengths by Eureka Diamond, so she will be expected to reward followers for their faith in her.
In Race 7, a Class C contest for fillies and mares over 1250m, She’s My Captain will have to overcome a wide draw, but on current form that will not be a problem for the daughter of Captain Of All.
Durbanville is not a particularly happy hunting ground for the five-year-old, but she did finish third last time she tried the course. Having achieved all five her career wins with Richard Fourie in the saddle, it does count in her favour that she enjoys his services again on Thursday.
Clive Robinson
