Racing at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth takes centre stage this weekend with an exciting card headlined by four feature races. The R500,000 Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup promises a thrilling showdown between Guineas prospects and supporting races like the Listed Sophomore Sprint boast quality fields. The weekend action starts with the Glendore Sprint at Fairview this Friday with a Dubai Racing Carnival meeting at Meydan adding loads of interest.
Kelly Mitchley, who saddled three winners and two seconds at last Friday’s meeting, could maintain her momentum in the R175,000 Glendore Sprint over 1100m, in which her improving three-year Anuschka’s World is competitively weighted off a 100 merit rating. He has risen to the occasion in strong handicaps of late, showing improvement with every start, and relishes the Polytrack.
Stakes-placed Three Rocks is a class act and rates a threat. Alan Greeff noted that her last run in sticky going was not her best and back on the Poly, she is a contender for top honours. He said that stablemate Ellorix also enjoys the surface and was one to keep an eye on. Gavin Smith said that last year’s Glendore winner, Slim Jannie, was looking “tremendous” and he has useful stable companions in Paris Lass and Ledell’s Echo.
Champion trainer Bhupat Seemar’s highly-regarded Walk Of Stars makes his seasonal debut in Race 5, the Listed Dubai Creek Mile. He is the highest-ranked horse in the nine-runner field and sets the standard on his return from an eight-month break, but will have a race on his hands. Desert Wisdom, who won a Group 3 at Meydan last season, has already enjoyed two preparation runs this term and merits respect. Race 1 goes off at 15:30.
An excellent card with four minor features and several major-race contenders in the mix. They include top-class Red Palace, who is at the peak of her powers and rates the one to beat in the R180,000 Summer Bowl over 1600m. She defeated Double Grand Slam with almost effortless ease over 1400m recently and if she repeats that performance, she’ll go close to winning again. Princess Izzy is a danger, being 5.5kg better off for a 3.70-length beating by Red Palace in the Listed Stormsvlei Stakes.
Lion Rampart has his rivals held on paper in Race 4, the Listed Sophomore Sprint over 1100m. But here, too, there could be another to consider in Kaiboy, who has improved with gelding and could be destined for the top.
Smart sprinter Meu Capitano was just short of his peak after a rest last time and should be spot on for Race 5, the WSB Bantry Bay Stakes over 1100m. One Stripe is the strong ante-post favourite for the WSB Cape Guineas, and he’ll get a true test of his mettle in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup over 1600m, in which On My Honour and Eight On Eighteen loom dangerously.
SUGGESTED R320 (20%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 13:50):
Leg 1: 3, 6
Leg 2: 2, 3, 6, 8, 12
Leg 3: 4, 6
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6
Leg 5: 1,2, 7, 9, 11
Leg 6: 2, 3, 6, 12
Trainer Sean Tarry has carefully managed the career of talented but problem-plagued Paisley Park, winner of the 2020 Listed Secretariat Stakes, limiting his races to a handful over the past three seasons. The seven-year-old could finally break his win drought, stretching back to December 2022, when he lines up in Race 7 over 1160m, the topliner at the meeting. Notably, Paisley Park’s only previous outing over this course and distance was in October 2020, when he impressively won a Maiden Plate by 2.25 lengths, leaving two future Grade 1-winning sprinters, Battle Force and Bartholdi, trailing in his wake. His recent fourth-place finish in a similar field over 1200m was encouraging and demonstrated that he still has the zest and ability to claim another victory.
Trainer Dan Skelton believes he has Grey Dawning in winning shape for the Grade 1 Betfair Chase over 5200m. The 2024 Grade 1 Novices Chase winner at Cheltenham, Grey Dawning recently had a racecourse gallop and impressed his trainer, who said: “He needs to be ready against more seasoned horses and dare I say it, better horses, first time up. That is why we have put an awful lot of effort into getting him as ready as we can. I fully believe he is as ready as he can be.”
The return of the smart HM Alchahine headlines a seven-race card at Abu Dhabi on Saturday. He emerged as an exciting talent in the Arabian division last season when enjoying a flawless campaign, winning all his four starts at Abu Dhabi. The highlight was a resounding victory in the Abu Dhabi Championship (Listed), over 1600m. Rated 119, HM Alchahine steps up to 2200m in Race 5 here in his first run since March. He must concede weight to his seven rivals, but is expected to start his season on a winning note.
John Size reckons Young Champion is back to his useful self for Race 7, the Chevalier Cup over 1600m. He battled on a soft track and ran well below best in his penultimate outing, but a post-race examination revealed blood in his trachea. He ran on from a deep draw in his most recent race and Size commented: “He seems to have made some progress. The 1600m is within his possibilities, so we’ll try and see how we go.” The meeting starts at 06:45.
Nine-year-old galloper Sayonara has impressed pundits since making his local debut on 13 October and looks on track for his second successive victory in Race 3 at Kuala Lumpur. The Sharee Hamilton-trained gelding delivered a dominant victory in soft going a fortnight ago, winning by eight lengths. The meeting starts at 07:30.
Gavin Lerena has been travelling successfully around the country and heads the national jockeys’ table from Craig Zackey and the injured Muzi Yeni. Lerena has won on five of his last nine rides in KwaZulu-Natal and could continue his excellent run of form with a number of good mounts here. He has a chance of winning on Woza Nawe in Race 3 and has good prospects on Broadway Girl (down in class, distance suited) in Race 5 and Moya Wa Laliga (capable, down to a winning mark) in Race 8.