Jack Milner: Celtic Sea looks geared up to win the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes for the second successive year.
Jockey Gavin Lerena decided to go and ride in Cape Town when the lockdown restrictions kicked in, and one of the main reasons was to be aboard Celtic Sea in Friday’s Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth.
Lerena must have a massive place in his heart for this five-year-old daughter of Captain Al. After all, he has ridden her nine times for five wins, three seconds and one third. This five-year-old mare has been a wonderful asset for the Beck family, who own her, and trainer Sean Tarry.
There are a few good bets at the two meetings that form the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival on Friday and Saturday, but none stands out more than Celtic Sea. She has raced 25 times for 11 wins and 10 places, and while one can argue she really enjoys racing at Kenilworth, a look at her form indicates she just enjoys racing – no matter where it is in South Africa.
Celtic Sea won the Sceptre Stakes last year, and she is quoted at 1-3 to make it a double.
She is the best weighted runner and is at least 3kg better handicapped based on merit ratings than and of her opposition.
Pretty Young Thing is next best but, although she has won over the distance, she may prefer a little further than 1200m. But with Anton Marcus up there is little doubt Brett Crawford’s charge will have her supporters.
But Pretty Young Thing is facing a mare who has won three Grade 1 races, placed in three others, and also has two Grade 2 successes on her CV, and is only getting 2kg from her. That’s probably not going to be enough.
Roll In The Hay ran third to Celtic Sea last time and perhaps is the runner to include in Exactas and Swingers.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 High Hosanna, 7 Seeking Peace, 1 Winter Mosaic, 3 Global Goddess
Race 2: 4 Ohwhatanight, 10 Little Doe, 2 Wife Of Windsor, 1 Queen Niyabah
Race 3: 4 Duplicity, 11 Starboard, 1 Katie To, 3 Our World