Jack Milner
While there is so much attention being paid to the duel between Charles Dickens and Jet Dark in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, the superb field assembled for the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday has almost fallen under the radar.
This is one of the best-performed fields of fillies and mares ever strung together for a race of this nature in South Africa. Of the eight runners, five are recent Grade 1 winners and another of them is a Grade 2 winner who has placed in Grade 1 races.
The field is headlined by Equus Horse-Of-The-Year and defending champion Captain’s Ransom who has been priced up as the 1-1 favourite and Justin Snaith’s charge fully deserves her spot at the top of the betting boards.
But she will be meeting Hollywoodbets Durban July champion Sparkling Water for the first time and Mike de Kock’s charge is certainly no slouch.
The balance of the field includes Grade 2 Gold Bracelet champion Marina, Grade 1 Fillies Guineas winner Make It Snappy, reigning Triple Tiara champion Rain In Holland and Woolavington 2000 winner Silver Darling.
Perhaps the best key to unravelling this race lies in the outcome of last year’s event. There was some doubt going into the race as to whether Captain’s Ransom would see out 1800m but she showed her never-say-die qualities to keep Chansonette at bay by a head.
However, the fastest finish came from Marina who absolutely took off late to go down by 0.30 lengths. Her time from the final 400m was 23.8secs against Captain’s Ransom’s 24.4secs – and hers was the third fastest.
“She just didn’t get going in time,” said trainer Candice Bass-Robinson yesterday. “I think in two more strides she would have won.”
Marina, a full sister to Durban July winner Marinaresco, is a typical Silvano in that they get better with age. “She’s definitely a better filly this year than she was last year,” added Bass-Robinson. “She’s such a big, tall rangy filly that she needed time to fill out.
“She does have Captain’s Ransom to beat but I think she should have a big chance.
“After all, if anyone deserves a Grade 1 win, Marina does.”
The manner in which she won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville last year was very impressive and earlier she did finish best of all in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes over 1600m when second behind She’s A Keeper - and had Captain’s Ransom behind her.
Aldo Domeyer is back in the irons and at 5-1 Marina does look the value of the race.
Of course, one can never ignore Captain’s Ransom who loves this course, with a record of seven wins and a 0.20-length second in her eight races. She is a proven champion and will not go down without a fight.
Then we have Sparkling Water, who destroyed the opposition in the Hollywoodbets Durban July last year. She was strongly fancied to win the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup in November but was found not to be striding out and finished out of the places for only the second time in her career.
This is another daughter of Silvano who has improved with age and it would not be wise to leave Mike de Kock’s charge out of the carryover Pick 6, especially with S’manga Khumalo up.
Three-year-old Make It Snappy has a win over Marina and Silver Darling and then went on to win the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas. At the turnaround in weights she has little chance of holding off Marina this time but she is one of those rare runners who likes to go to the front and can then give another kick at the 400m.
She is improving all the time and could very well contest the finish. Louis Mxothwa rides for Brett Crawford.
Rain In Holland has not found her best form since coming back from minor surgery but if at her best, cannot be ignored. It is interesting Sean Tarry has engaged Piere Strydom to ride this filly for the first time and who knows what magic he might be able to conjure up.