Jack Milner
Almost every year there is one three-year-old colt with a huge reputation participating in the KwaZulu-Natal Champion Season.
Last year we had two in Charles Dickens and See It Again, and neither let the side down.
This year it is Green With Envy, and based on what he has shown so far, his steadily building myriad of fans will not be disappointed.
Dean Kannemeyer’s charge is just getting better with every run and the manner in which he won the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Guineas over 1600m on 8 May was nothing short of sensational.
Sitting at the back of the field and in spite of the slow pace, the son of Gimmethegreenlight accelerated like a well-tuned Bugatti to get the better of Sandringham Summit by 0.30 lengths. The runner-up is certainly no slouch and Green With Envy’s performance saw scribes reach for a thesaurus to unearth fresh adjectives to describe that display.
He will be even better over 2000m and that will make him a daunting competitor for his eight rivals in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.
There is a carryover of R1-million to the Pick 6 at the meeting and Green With Envy should provide a banker for those seeking to catch a share of the likely R3-million pool.
Anybody who studiously perused the replay of the Grade 1 Cape Guineas will observe how unlucky Green With Envy was when finishing a 2.05-length fourth behind Snow Pilot. He was drawn widest of all, got taken out at the start and still finished like a train.
Since then, he has not lost a race. Despite carrying top weight in the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, Green With Envy proved far too good for his rivals and then went on to spreadeagle a strong field in the Grade 1 SplashOUT Cape Derby, comfortably leaving Cape Fillies Guineas champion Beach Bomb in his wake.
Jockey Craig Zackey must be sending messages of thanks to Keagan de Melo everyday for choosing to ride in Hong Kong this season. That opened up the door for Zackey to pick up the job as first-line jockey for Khaya Stables.
Zackey has marveled at the ability and potential of Green With Envy who he described as the best three-year-old of this Classic type he has ridden.
Barring things going wrong, we should be hearing further accolades from both him and Kannemeyer.
As to who will chase him home is not easy to decipher. The others are all very close together and many of them will be racing against one another for the first time. That is one of the exciting facts about the KwaZulu-Natal season is that it brings all the best from all over the country to one centre.
Hluhluwe has twice finished in front of Green With Envy, in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup and then again in the Cape Guineas. In the former Kannemeyer’s colt was beaten 0.45 lengths and in the Guineas it was by a short head.
Since then, it has been all Green With Envy, firstly in the Cape Derby where Hluhluwe finished 5.25 lengths back and then in the Guineas at Greyville where it was two lengths.
That was Justin Snaith’s charge’s first run after having been gelded and he could improve further, but it is doubtful he will trouble Green With Envy.
Then there is Pure Predator who has been racing on the Highveld and he set the tone when a 0.25-length second behind Purple Pitcher in the Grade 1 TAB SA Derby and then went on to defeat older horses in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein.
Whether that form will hold up against the Cape runners, only the race will tell.
The Grade 1 TABgold Woolavington 2000 has been opened up to include fillies and mares so it will prove a test for the three-year-olds.
There are a number of Highveld-based runners contesting the event but three-year-olds Frances Ethel and Silver Sanctuary appear to be the pick. Frances Ethel is the form runner of the two based on her facile victory in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks where she beat Mike de Kock’s charge by 3.25 lengths.
But in fairness to Silver Sanctuary, there were excuses. She had a tough season, travelling to Cape Town for the Fillies Guineas and then contesting all three legs of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.
She found unbeaten stablemate Gimme A Nother too good in the first two legs and then faded late in the Oaks over 2450m. She was slow coming out of the stalls that day and was cut into, and according to jockey Richard Fourie she did not see out the distance.
She is a full sister to Safe Passage who also does not see out that sort of trip but he did win the Daily News two years ago over 2000m at Greyville.
That could see her turn it around with Frances Ethel, but Brett Crawford’s charge has suffered only one defeat in five starts and that was on debut over 1400m.
Since then, the daughter of Rafeef has impressed with every run and has to be a massive contender.
The leading Cape representative is Saartjie who made a winning comeback from a break over this course and distance in the Listed East Coast Cup for fillies and mares. That run makes the Andre Nel-trained four-year-old a serious runner in this line-up.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 3 The Ghost, 6 Avernian Goddess, 5 Pearl In Her Crown, 2 Spirit Of Levana
Race 2: 13 Future Flo, 2 Celtic Chief, 9 Barry Du Grond, 12 Galactus
Race 3: 6 Rhydian, 2 Karoo Gold, 1 Chestnut Bomber, 7 Flyingcool
Race 4: 2 Lucky Dollar, 7 Down By The River, 11 Madison Valley, 14 Bristol Hercules
Race 5: 6 One Way Traffic, 10 Down To Business, 4 Cape Eagle, 3 Good Council
Race 6: 1 Silver Sanctuary, 2 Frances Ethel, 5 Future Girl, 6 Saartjie
Race 7: 5 Green With Envy, 6 Hluhluwe, 3 Pure Predator, 1 William Iron Arm
Race 8: 10 Mary's Greenlight, 6 That's My Baby, 7 Lady Heist, 5 Rockie Reef
Race 9: 7 French Princess, 9 Simply Magic, 12 Western Wishes, 2 Spirited Flight
BEST BET
Race 7: 5 Green With Envy
VALUE BET
Race 1: 3 The Ghost
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 3x6
BIPOT
R192
Leg 1: 2, 9, 12, 13
Leg 2: 6
Leg 3: 2, 7, 11
Leg 4: 3, 4, 6, 10
Leg 5: 1, 2, 5, 6
Leg 6: 5
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R288
Leg 1: 6
Leg 2: 2, 7, 11
Leg 3: 4, 6, 10
Leg 4: 1, 2
Leg 5: 5
Leg 6: 5, 6, 7, 10
Leg 7: 2, 7, 9, 12
PICK 6
R2500
Leg 1: 2, 7, 9, 11, 14
Leg 2: 3, 4, 6, 7, 10
Leg 3: 1, 2, 5, 6
Leg 4: 5
Leg 5: 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Leg 6: 2, 7, 8, 9, 12
JACKPOT 1
R120
Leg 1: 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 6
Leg 3: 5
Leg 4: 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
JACKPOT 2
R100
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 6
Leg 2: 5
Leg 3: 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Leg 4: 2, 7, 8, 9, 12