Across the country, three-year-olds have shone against their older rivals at feature race level. One Stripe, Eight On Eighteen, Fire Attack have all taken big scalps against the tried and tested and well-performed elders. If that trend is to be backed up, Garrix could be the next promising youngster to win a feature race against good opposition. He runs in race 7, the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Garrix showed his worth by running close-up at Grade 1 level through the Cape Summer Racing Festival behind Eight On Eighteen in the Splashout Cape Derby over 2000m in February. He lacked that little extra late after looking like a serious threat for much of the run home. There has always been doubt whether he has the stamina for a true 2000m race but there is no doubting his game for this 1600m trip.
Despite being a two-time winner from six starts, he has never really had the rub of the green. Three runs back he finished fifth, 3,8 lengths behind Sail The Seas over this course and distance. From a shocking draw of No 15, he dropped out and was forced to make headway. He made up ground from a distant position but the race was all over. He then had no charm with the slow-run race in the Grade 3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes over 1800m in late January. The idea was clearly to drop him out but he took a hold off a walking pace and he was forced to loop runners. He was hardly disgraced, finishing 2,75 lengths behind Zeitz in second place.
This time he has drawn No 3 and a light weight of 52,5kg. Ashton Arries rides particularly well for Piet Steyn so there is already some harmony from that point. Garrix has better days to come and he could start a seriously good last three quarters of 2025 with a bang here.
One could argue that The Grey King was moving up to threaten All Out For Six in the HSH Princess Charlene Big Cup last month when interference occurred, and he was the victim of the incident. Bygones are bygones and he has a chance to turn it all around. If there is a feature attainable for him this winter, it is probably this race. Craig Zackey is carded to be aboard again and he gets the most out of the quirky character.
Rascallion won this race last year. He is pound-for-pound the best horse in the race, certainly the best performed. His run in the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met in late January was admirable as always finishing a 1,2-length fifth behind Eight On Eighteen. He has the roughest of the draws in gate No. 11 but he gets the sympathetic hands of Andrew Fortune, which could be a masterstroke. Expect a solid effort if he does not win.
Kinda Wonderful somehow emerges on the big occasion despite having mixed form. She is a classy three-year-old filly and she could continue the trend of youngsters against older opposition in the Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes over 1400m, race 6. Her effort in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes over 1600m was full of merit, finishing fourth behind Rascova. That level is sufficient to win. Trainer Eric Sands seems to have prepped her well for this run with a five-week break going into this. Her last start was a 1,5-length second behind Give Me Everything in the Schweppes Cape Oaks over 1800m. Give Me Everything has won again since and she clearly has more to come. Craig Zackey is carded to ride for Sands.
Miss World and Rainbow Lorikeet make appeal as dangers. Miss World has talent but she has underachieved but would be no shock if she put everything together and gave Kinda Wonderful a fright while Rainbow Lorikeet broke through during summer but this distance is short of her best. Regardless, she has come of age and would not be a shock winner.
La Pulga looks set to win race 8 over 1800m. If The Grey King goes close a race earlier in a race roughly two divisions stronger than this, he should take a power of beating. His run in the Gold Rush was admirable staying on to finish 1,75 lengths behind All Out For Six in second. He made up ground too late over 1400m, a distance short of his best. He has clearly found his stride after taking time to show the promise trainer Candice Bass-Robinson expected. He has bloomed over the last few months and the extra trip is key to his chances. Sean Veale takes the ride with just 55,5kg on his back.
The rest of the card stacks up with big fields and an open look to it. Ashikule ran a cracker on debut to finish 2,5 lengths behind Military Command in second. Miliary Command subsequently won the Cape Racing Sales Cape Slipper for a princely sum. Ashikule runs against some very well-bred debutants but it will take a good one to beat him in race 1 over 1100m.
There is less inspiring form to work with in race 2 so check the betting on all first timers. Marketa could have the best run on offer because she finished third on debut, 3,3 lengths behind Cliffscape. She stayed on very strongly, too, so if she has learned anything, she should take a huge step forward. Corne Orffer is carded to be aboard for Greg Ennion.
Cape Captain is due her win and she has a great opportunity in race 3 over 1200m. Her last run took her closest to winning when she finished a 1,25-length second behind the well-overdue Lhasa over this course and distance. To be fair, she had no answer to the winner but this field looks at a similar level. Trainer Des McLachlan is having a good start to 2025 and that should enhance some confidence.
Tripping Thunder would be a deserving winner of race 4 over 1000m. He has found consistency and he has been banging at the Maiden Plate exit door for a while. He has a habit of finding something better but he just looks set to be the next off the conveyor belt. There are a few rivals who enter the considerations for similar reasons. Heritage Ridge would not be a wildly out-of-place winner, while Gimmeathrill needed his last run when ending up fourth, not far behind Sugarbush.
Race 5 stacks up as an interesting event with a few hints of rapid progress among the field. Gold Dust has only two starts under his belt and he looks set to continue on the right track. His debut was fair but his next start he finished 1,3 lengths behind Dubbelosix at 1600m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville. He drops to 1400m and this looks like the right time and the right place to strike. Zackey and Sands team up. Threats include Vapour Trail, Konnichiwa and Gimme The Best.
Race 9 over 1100m could be the race of the day in terms of competitiveness with some rapidly improving horses in the equation. Preference is for Gimmelightning who was tested and given a challenge when seemingly outgunned in the Grade 2 De Grendel Cape Merchants in December. He ran a ripper, 3,55 lengths behind Outlaw King in fifth keeping faith that there would be wins to come. He was simply run off his feet at his next start behind Candy Town which was hardly an embarrassment. He is selected to win under JP van der Merwe for Justin Snaith.
Kaiboy has held his form and he is an exciting three-year-old going forward who would not be a shock winner. Elusive Winter has found life. Trainers Michelle Rix and Harold Crawford have this gelding running in good heart and he cannot be ignored. Nordic Chief is fresh off a smart win while Arctic Wizard ran into traffic last time and he should finish closer. All of them warrant respect if Gimmelightning fails to fire up.
United Nation could be the right horse in race 10 over 1000m. He returned off a mini-break in his last run when he gave plenty of cheek before falling short in third behind Peace Of Mind. He should be better for the run under the belt. Rattlesnake should go close again but he has been costly to follow lately losing his penultimate in the Stipes’ Boardroom and then finishing second in his last run.
