Delectable clash in Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas

Jack Milner

The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas is one of the prime targets for any three-year-old and the roll of honour contains the names of many South African champions.

But this year, the R2-million Grade 1 race over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday promises to produce one of the finest duels we have seen in many years as the all-conquering three-year-old takes on last season’s champion two-year-old.

It is a racemeeting that will whet the appetite of any horseracing aficionado and bettor. There are 11 races on the card which includes the Grade 2 Ridgemont Highlands Peninsula Handicap and the Grade 3 Victress Stakes for four-year-old fillies and mares, both over 1800m.

Betting action sees two BiPots (Race 2 to 7 and Races 6 to 11) and three Jackpots (Races 1 to 4, Races 5 to 8 and Races 8 to 11).

Of most significance for punters are the two carryovers - R1-million to kick off the Pick 6 where the pool is likely to reach R6 million, with R250,000 added to the Quartet pool for the Cape Guineas (Race 8) which is likely to climb to R1 million.

There are some massive reputations on the line in the Guineas. Charles Dickens is unbeaten in five starts and the prodigiousness of this colt has praised to the skies from all those around him. While much of it has been earned, does this Trippi colt have the sublime skill attributed to him?

Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge has certainly done nothing wrong and any naysayers were sharply silenced by the manner in which he disposed of older rivals last time. Despite giving all but Captain Of Stealth weight, he almost ambled past those rivals to beat Russian Rock, himself a Cape Guineas winner, by 3.50 lengths and could not have been more impressive.

Jockey Aldo Domeyer, who is rarely lost for words, was left almost speechless after that triumph.

Charles Dickens tries 1600m for the first time but will not be an issue. He is a full brother to both Charles and Somerset Maugham and a half-brother to Steinbeck (by Silvano) and none of them had any issue with this distance – and even further.

He is drawn at No 11 but runners seem to be coming to the outside in the straight currently so that should help level the playing fields. Charles Dickens seems an easy enough ride as he has come from the back as he did last time, and he has won racing from just off the pace.

Nothing seems to perturb him.

Cousin Casey is another exciting prospect. Glen Kotzen’s charge dominated the top two-year-old races during the KwaZulu-Natal Winter season, winning the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe followed by the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes, both at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

The son of Vercingetorix was given a decent break at the end of the season and then made his comeback at Kenilworth in the Grade 2 Cape Cup over 1600m, running out an imposing victor.

He had many of Saturday’s opponents behind him, although some of them ended up too far back from wide draws but did run on well in the straight.

Cousin Casey also has had no luck with his barrier position and will jump from No 14. Grant van Niekerk has ridden him in his last four races and has not tasted defeat on the colt.

The one hesitation is that he has only been running against his own age group and is untested against older horses.

The Joburg challenge is headed up by Mike de Kock-trained Union Square and Shoemaker, first and second respectively in the Grade 2 Dingaans at Turffontein. Interestingly, Union Square is the only runner in the field who ran against Cousin Casey in Durban, finishing third behind Kotzen’s runner in The Gatecrasher over 1400m.

However, De Kock describes his charge as more of Derby kind of horse and the son of Rafeef would have found that race short of his best. He also has improved since fitted with blinkers.

De Kock, however, holds Shoemaker in very high regard and has described him as a “real horse”.

The Gimmethegreenlight colt has not had the best of luck in his last two races but this time he has a better draw and De Kock has engaged Bernard Fayd’Herbe to ride him.

Brett Crawford has two interesting runners – At My Command and Le Morne. Both were among those who had to make up loads of ground from wide draws in the Cape Cup finishing second and third respectively behind Cousin Casey.

This time At My Command has No 1 draw and although held on form by both the top two in the betting, is not without a chance. Le Morne won his first three races prior to the Cape Cup but has landed No 15 draw this time.

Grant Maroun’s Anfields Rocket also needs to be considered as he had both De Kock runners behind him when winning the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes at Turffontein.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 5 Rainbow Colours, 11 Gimme's Laddie, 7 Black Egret, 8 Aussenkehr

Race 2: 1 Miss Hannigan, 6 Articuno, 8 The Charleston, 10 Winter Cloud

Race 3: 8 Icy Blast, 1 Captain Arrow, 7 Speeding Bullet, 12 Manchester Fighter

Race 4: 11 Jazz Diva, 8 Great Cat, 5 Global Songstress, 7 Misty Cliffs

Race 5: 4 Priceless, 5 Cattaleya, 7 Broadway Girl, 2 Royal Invitation

Race 6: 2 She's My Captain, 13 Jury Duty, 12 Wordsworth, 11 Axl

Race 7: 5 Love In Winter, 4 Sun Dazed, 3 Red Impact, 10 Rod The Mod

Race 8: 11 Charles Dickens, 14 Cousin Casey, 1 At My Command, 7 Shoemaker

Race 9: 10 Somerset Maugham, 16 Silvano's Timer, 5 Warrior, 4 Han Solo

Race 10: 4 Marina, 5 Chansonette, 3 Silver Darling, 7 Bye Bye Bombshell

Race 11: 2 Runaway Song, 3 Future Swing, 4 Triple Time, 6 Lion's Head

BEST BET

Race 8 No 11 Charles Dickens

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 2 She’s My Captain

BEST SWINGER

Race 10 4x5

BIPOT – RACES 2 TO 7

R324

Leg 1: 1, 6, 8

Leg 2: 1, 7, 8

Leg 3: 5, 8, 11

Leg 4: 4, 5

Leg 5: 2, 12, 13

Leg 6: 4, 5

BIPOT 2 – RACES 6 TO 11

R192

Leg 1: 2, 12, 13

Leg 2: 4, 5

Leg 3: 11

Leg 4: 4, 5, 10, 16

Leg 5: 4, 5

Leg 6: 2, 3, 4, 6

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 1, 7, 8

Leg 2: 5, 8, 11

Leg 3: 4, 5

Leg 4: 2, 12, 13

Leg 5: 4, 5

Leg 6: 11

Leg 7: 5, 10, 16

PICK 6

R1200

Leg 1: 5, 7, 8, 11

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5, 7

Leg 3: 2, 10, 11, 12, 13

Leg 4: 3, 4, 5

Leg 5: 11

Leg 6: 4, 5, 10, 16

JACKPOT 1 – RACES 1 TO 4

R360

Leg 1: 5, 7, 11

Leg 2: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12

Leg 4: 5, 7, 8, 11

JACKPOT 2 – RACES 5 TO 8

R60

Leg 1: 2, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 2, 10, 11, 12, 13

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5

Leg 4: 11

JACKPOT 3 – RACES 8 TO 11

R60

Leg 1: 11

Leg 2: 4, 5, 10, 11, 16

Leg 3: 4, 5

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9