A week on from Cape Racing’s successful ‘Bubbles & Blossoms’ race day – that was headlined by two 1400m Grade 3 features – at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, racing returns to the country course on Saturday for another bumper 10-race card which, although devoid of any feature races, is chockful of attractive betting propositions.
Brett Crawford saddled a double at last weekend’s meeting and should repeat that feat with Tuscan Romance (Race 5) and Great Cat (Race 8). Louie Mxothwa, who rode 40-1 winner Twentytwentyvision for the stable seven days ago, rides both potential scorers.
He has partnered Tuscan Romance, a three-year-old daughter of Master Of My Fate, in her three appearances and finished second aboard the Crawford-trained filly on each occasion. The most recent of those starts was over 1400m on her seasonal debut 25 days ago after a six-month absence, so she ought to strip fitter with that encouraging comeback run under her belt when she lines up over the same course and distance in this Maiden Plate for fillies and mares.
Tuscan Romance is unfavourably drawn in gate No 14 but the strength and consistency of her form, together with that recent course-and-distance experience, will stand her in good stead.
Great Cat is somewhat a country course specialist. She has raced five times at Durbanville and always finished in the first three, winning once and filling the runners-up berth on another three occasions. Crawford’s charge has maintained her form and consistency in both starts this term over 1250m, the same course and distance as Race 8.
Mxothwa, whose 11 starts aboard Great Cat have yielded two wins, four seconds and four third-place finishes, steered the daughter of Dynasty to second in a similar contest on her 23 August reappearance and was in the irons aboard the five-year-old mare who acquitted herself well in a stronger race last time out, finishing third under 60.5kg.
Great Cat races off an unchanged mark and will appreciate the slight ease in grade that could see her rewarded for consistency.
Champion Jockey Richard Fourie rode three winners, two seconds, two thirds and a fourth from nine rides at last week’s meeting. He has another strong book of rides and should find the target in Race 2 over 1000m for Piet Botha on Captain Of All colt Fencing Captain, who deserves a change of luck after finishing second in consecutive course-and-distance outings.
There are several well-bred newcomers in Race 3 over 1250m but Fourie mount, Justin Snaith-trained Champagne Kisses, should make her experience count. This Vercingetorix filly improved with each start to finish second over 1000m in her first Durbanville outing and she was strongly fancied to go one better over 1400m last time out. However, she only finished fifth under Fourie who dropped his crop in the concluding stages. Not only will the shorter trip be more to her liking, but Fourie will be hell-bent on making amends.
Clive Robinson
