Jack Milner: Eleven runners stood their ground at declaration stage for the R2-million Cape Town Met, presented by World Sports Betting, over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday 29 January.
The only runner to come out of the final field for this Grade 1 race was Fire Alley.
But the size of the field is no indication of the talent that will line up as most of the best in-form horses in the country will be fighting out the finish.
With the sad retirement last week of Rainbow Bridge as the result of an injury, the race has lost the defending champion but the first two past the post in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on 8 January – Jet Dark and Kommetdieding respectively – will being doing battle once again.
That race was over 1600m, and a lot will depend on whether Jet Dark will see out this 2000m. He did win the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville last year so he must come into the picture.
There is no doubt Durban July winner Kommetdieding will enjoy the extra 400m so this is heading for a thrilling duel.
Linebacker disappointed in the Queen’s Plate when finishing out of the first three for the first time. But he is a lot better than that and will also be suited to the extra distance. He is reunited with jockey Grant van Niekerk who has ridden him five times for three wins and two places.
Add to that stalwart Do It Again, top filly Marina, Grade 1 Cape Guineas champion Double Superlative and Premier Trophy winner Hoedspruit and we are in for a great race.
Final Field for the R2-million Cape Town Met, presented by World Sports Betting, (Grade 1)(Open to horses at Weight For Age) over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday 29 January.
1 - 11 DO IT AGAIN (J S Snaith) B Fayd'Herbe 60.0 - 129
2 - 5 CIRILLO (S G Tarry) Craig Zackey 60.0 - 118
3 - 2 ROCKIN' RINGO (P Botha) C Orffer 60.0 - 102
4 - 9 JET DARK (J S Snaith) S Khumalo 59.5 - 130
5 - 1 KOMMETDIEDING (H/M Crawford/Rix) G Lerena 59.5 - 127
6 - 6 LINEBACKER (V H Marshall) G van Niekerk 59.5 - 126
7 - 4 HOEDSPRUIT (J S Snaith) L Mxothwa 59.5 - 116
8 - 10 SECOND BASE (J J van Vuuren) W Kennedy 59.5 - 116
9 - 7 PUERTO MANZANO (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 59.5 - 111
10 - 8 MARINA (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 57.0 - 118
11 - 3 DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE (J S Snaith) A Marcus 54.0 - 113
Same Trainer: (1,4,7,11) (8,9)
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