Jack Milner
There is quite an interesting 10-race card at Kenilworth on Wednesday and the fields include some very decent horses who will soon be making their way to KwaZulu-Natal for the upcoming Champions Season.
Two horses who really catch the eye are 2020 Durban July winner Belgarion trained by Justin Snaith and Marina, trained by Candice Bass-Robinson.
Both line up in Race 6, the Hybrid Stakes over 1600m. Belgarion comes into the race as the best weighted runner in this seven-horse field and is 3.5kg better handicapped than Marina.
However, in his comments in Computaform, Snaith says his charge will need the outing and has a “small each-way chance”.
In an interview at Turffontein on Saturday Bass-Robinson spoke about Marina, who is a full sister to Marinaresco, winner of the Durban July in 2017.
Asked about her prospects for the KwaZulu-Natal season, Bass-Robinson responded the main mission for the four-year-old daughter of Silvano was the Durban July.
With doubts over the fitness of the two main contenders it does throw this race at Kenilworth wide open but both Belgarion and Marina look far classier than their opposition and there is no substitute for class. These horses find a way to win and cannot be ignored.
A slight preference is for Marina because she is the younger of the pair and as a late four-year-old should be reaching her prime. She is also quite versatile and has a record of three wins and a third place from four runs over 1600m, two wins and the place coming at Kenilworth.
Her last outing was in the Cape Town Met at the end of January, and she is likely to be quite fresh for this race. Aldo Domeyer takes the ride.
Belgarion has not raced since last year’s Durban July and will have Anton Marcus up.