Jack Milner: Favourites show their class in Cape feature races at Kenilworth on Saturday.
I haven’t even got close to the bottom of him yet.
That was Mike de Kock’s comment after Malmoos captured the Grade 2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup over 1600m.
In doing so, the three-year-old son of Captain Al extended his unbeaten run to four.
Ridden by Luke Ferraris, the colt went off as the 4-10 favourite, and won the race easier than the 0.50-length margin suggests. Ferraris placed his mount in third position on the rail behind My Bestie and Linebacker, and once the field turned for home Malmoos moved in to challenge. It looked as if he was going to win with ease but although Linebacker (12-1) stuck with him over the final 200m, he could not make any further inroads into the leader’s advantage.
Rascallion (11-2) stayed on to take third, a further 1.25 lengths back, with Silvano’s Timer (16-1) in fourth.
Considering that he had to travel from Joburg and was having his first run on a left-handed track, it was a wonderful performance from this handsome colt. But he did show signs of inexperience, and even in the closing stages Ferraris had to work at him to keep him on a straight course.
“He is a still a big baby and was quite green going around today,” said Ferraris. “But he has a beautiful attitude for a colt and he just does everything right.”
De Kock added: “He’s got a beautiful pedigree but this horse still has a long way to go. The penny really hasn’t dropped with him.
“I know he’s won four from four but I haven’t even got close to the bottom of him yet. He was all over the show today, running in snatches. I think he’s still got a lot of improvement to come.”
The second and third-placed horses were both trained by Vaughan Marshall, as is Seeking The Stars , the 9-10 favourite who won the CTS Ready To Run Stakes (Non-Black Type) by 5.50 lengths a race earlier.
De Kock confirmed Malmoos would be aimed at next month’s Grade 1 Cape Guineas. “He’s going to need to improve to win the Guineas. There’s a good line of form with Vaughan’s horses, in both this race and the previous race, so Malmoos is going to have to step it up.
“He will stay in Cape Town and hopefully he will just keep getting better mentally.
“But looking at his pedigree, I think we’re only going to see the best of him when he runs over 2000m.”
Erik The Red (2-1) confirmed his ability as a top sprinter when he ran on well to win the Grade 2 CTS Sales Cape Merchants over 1200m. He carried just 52kg, and ridden by Richard Fourie, sat just off the pace and then kicked on strongly to comfortably beat stable companion Rio Querari (33-10) by 0.75 lengths.
Constable (50-1) was just 0.10 lengths further back in third with Cartel Captain (14-1) in fourth.
At Turffontein, Gee For Go proved her last start was no fluke as she ran out a convincing winner of the Grade 3 Fillies Mile.
Based on her second place behind Due Diligence in the Grade 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m last time, Paul Matchett’s charge was allowed to go off at generous odds of 5-1.
Ridden by S’manga Khumalo, she beat Lucky Houdalakis-trained Miss Elegance (11-1) by one length with Due Diligence (3-1) another 3.25 lengths back in third.
Well-supported Miss Caralluma, who went off as the 23-20 favourite, was never seen with a chance but jockey Lyle Hewitson reported that she choked up in the running. The vet examined the filly and reported that she was “not striding out left fore”.
Weichong Marwing proved there was life in the old boy yet as he outrode all his younger opponents to win Race 8 on 13-2 shot Comaneci for brother Weiho in a finish that saw 0.80 lengths separate the first five horses past the post.