Mike de Kock’s single runner this weekend is a first-time in Race 1 over 1200m at
Scottsville on Sunday. Named Griffin Park, he’s a colt by Querari out of Pin Turn, by Pivotal – a R525,000 yearling owned by the high-flying HWB Syndicate.
Griffin Park has drawn neatly at Number 2 – an advantage up the straight at Scottsville and likely to prompt a number of bets on him, on sentiment alone. But Mike cautioned that Griffin Park needed more ground. He said: “We’d like to see how he goes first-up, he’ll need further to come into his own. He’s one that should be staying on late, has a Quartet chance.”
A week ahead of Gold Cup Day there is a quality meeting at Kenilworth on Saturday, inclusive of two Grade 3’s and two Listed contests. They make up the four legs of the first Jackpot, which we’ll discuss below with suggested permutations. Cape racing fans have had a tough time of it with a number of rain-affected meetings recently, but this meeting looks likely to go ahead as planned.
The outcome of Race 5, the Listed Olympic Duel Stakes over 1200m, depends on whether Miss Marguerite is still ahead of the handicapper, having been raised four pounds to MR96 for her third successive win last time. It is worth noting that she’s never won off a rating of higher than MR92. She is progressive and may well have made enough recent progress to secure four-in-row, but all her rivals have claims at the weights and on course-and-distance bias, so this is probably a Jackpot leg that has to start with the ‘Field’ marked in.
We’ve touched on the ability of October Morn in this column before and it follows that she’s the one that catches the eye in the Listed Irridescence Stakes over 1500m (Race 6). Candice Bass-Robison’s filly uses herself with purpose, she’s improving with every run and should be well suited to this trip. That she’s drawn widest of all should not pose a problem in a small field. Expect Aldo Domeyer to deliver her down the centre of the track with a flashy finish, and use her as a banker in small permutations.
Justin Snaith will fancy his chances to win the G3 Langerman Stakes over 1500m with up-and-coming Hluhluwe, who defeated Monumental over 1200m last time and meets him on equal terms. The replay of that race shows, however, that Monumental was running strongly at Hhluhwe over the last 150m and making up ground hand over fist. Glen Kotzen’s two-year-old has a decent chance of reversing the form over the extra 300m.
The G3 Final Fling Stakes is a weight-for-age race for fillies and mares over 1950m and, off her MR102 rating, Gold Poker Game would’ve been hard to beat on paper. But she was reported as disliking the soft track condition after her disappointing last run. With the going still on the soft side, the race is wide open and, again, the ‘Field’ becomes a strong consideration.
To have a chance at winning this Jackpot for a small investment, try the permutations below. A ticket guarantees you a chance!
Jackpot 1 (Permutation 1, R72)
First Leg: Field (1-8)
Second Leg: 8
Third Leg: 4
Fourth Leg: (Field (1-9)
Jackpot 1 (Permutation 2, cover, R240)
First Leg: Field (1-8)
Second Leg: 1,8
Third Leg: 3,4,6
Fourth Leg: 3,5,7,8,9
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