As the only Grade 1 Guineas in the country, the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas is the most revered of its ilk in South Africa.
This Classic over 1600m boasts an impressive honours roll that includes breed-shaping stallions Jet Master (1998) and Captain Al (2000), and active sires Charles Dickens (2023), Soqrat (2018), Act Of War (2014) and Capetown Noir (2012) – not to mention Colorado King, Politician, the ‘Galloping Goldmine’ filly Empress Club, as well as globetrotting top-level achievers Jay Peg (2007) and Variety Club (2011).
This year’s renewal, Race 7 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 14 December, has attracted a small but quality field of 10 colts and geldings, headed by Vaughan Marshall-trained ruling favourite One Stripe.
A dual Grade 3 winner during a promising two-year-old campaign, One Stripe is a son of One World, who finished third in the 2018 Cape Guineas before being crowned Equus Champion Older Male of 2019-2020 and Leading First Season Sire of 2023-2024.
One World, like Captain Al, and the champion sire’s Cape Guineas-winning sons Tap O Noth (2017) and William Longsword (2016) are all former stable stars of Milnerton maestro Marshall.
One Stripe warmed up for Saturday’s showpiece by winning the key Guineas trial last month, the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup on 23 November over the same course and distance. He reeled in frontrunning stablemate All Out For Six (himself a son of One World) before drawing away comfortably under Gavin Lerena to win by an unextended 1.75 lengths – a margin of victory which probably flatters Marshall’s runner-up.
A repeat of that performance should suffice, though the likelihood of further improvement makes One Stripe an attractive betting proposition and it should pay to follow his progress.
Justin Snaith’s hopes of defending the title won last year by Snow Pilot, lie with Cape Punters Cup third-placed Eight On Eighteen and Grade 3 Cape Classic winner Great Plains. However, both may be short of a run having raced just once this season.
Unbeaten Highveld raider Heather’s Boy may emerge as more of a threat to Marshall’s bid of reclaiming the title he last won in 2017. Mike de Kock’s charge has won all three appearances at Turffontein – each one better than the last – including consecutive 1600m scores on the Standside track under Craig Zackey.
This Rafeef colt travels to Cape Town with a big reputation and, given his trainer’s know-how and record in the race, it wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise were he to pass this test and keep his 100% intact.
This is, however, his toughest test yet and he’ll need to improve to be competitive but, as the most inexperienced of the runners in the lineup, Heather’s Boy has the most scope for improvement.
So, including One Stripe in Swinger and Exacta bets with Heather’s Boy is the safe play and should yield a decent profit.
Elsewhere on the card, Andre Nel-trained Saartjie is good value to land the spoils in Race 4, the 1800m Grade 3 Victress Stakes. She caught the eye with a fast-finishing third in the 1600m Summer Bowl and should build on that encouraging comeback to turn the tables on familiar foe Rainbow Lorikeet (4.5kg worse off).
Snaith runners Triple Time and Future Swing should fight out the finish to Race 8, the Grade 3 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m.
Clive Robinson
