JACK MILNER RXP
IT was way back in last year’s Empress Club Stakes that She’s On Fire last ran in a race for fillies and mares. She finished a 1.50-length fourth behind Stratos that day but since then has taken on some of the best equine athletes in the country.
The Ormond Ferraris-trained daughter of Jet Master won the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes and then finished second to Eddington in the Champions Challenge. She went on to contest the Vodacom Durban July, Charity Mile November Handicap, Steinhoff Summer Cup, London News Stakes and Wolf Power Handicap.
The six-year-old mare takes a massive drop in class in the Grade 3 Jacaranda Handicap over 1800m, one of four feature races on Saturday's Turffontein programme. The others are the Bauhinia Handicap, the Ruffian Stakes and the Storm Bird Stakes, all Listed events.
In most of She’s On Fire’s last nine races, the average merit rating of the field was in excess of 100. This time the average is 88. Runners like Geoff Woodruff’s Academy Colours and Sofala, who look the main dangers, have at best run in fields with an average of 81 and 84 respectively.
Such is her superiority it should be no bother at all for jockey Piere Strydom to get her across the line first, despite conceding 8.5kg to both of those runners.
The Bauhinia Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m does not look so cut and dried. A number of runners can stake a claim to first prize but the laurels could go to Woodruff’s Chiquita. She won her first two races with consummate ease over sprint distances but failed in races over further, including the Cape Fillies Guineas. She was reported to be not striding out when unplaced in the Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth but back at Turffontein, the daughter of Western Winter should be more competitive.
Lady Perez has faced some of the best in the country but has indicated in the past that 1000m is on the sharp side. However, she will sport blinkers for the first time and word is that this has made a difference.
Picadilly Miss ran well in the Tommy Hotspur Handicap last time out and should show up well against her own sex. Grant Maroun’s filly is most consistent and looks certain to be in the shake-up.
There is little to choose between Sweet Sanette and Copper Jet but the turnaround at the weights could favour the latter. Paul Matchett’s runner is 2kg better off for a 0.50-length beating and should have the advantage this time.
The form in the Storm Bird Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings is topsy-turvy. These youngsters seem to improve with every outing and it may be worth staying with Deigo, who is unbeaten in two starts. Form indicates he should be held by Match Play on a line through Blue Nile, but that may not mean much. He won well last time out, despite shifting around during the race.
Sports Acclaim was backed to beat him last time out but could only finish third and should improve. Runaway Man has finished second to both Deigo and Sports Acclaim in maiden company but went on to beat Valiant by five lengths in his third visit to the track.
Alec Laird looks to have a top-class filly in Girl Of The Spirit and she should follow up on her facile debut victory to capture the Ruffian Stakes for two-year-old fillies. The daughter of Captain Al showed a remarkable turn of foot when flying home by 5.50 lengths over 1000m on the inside track.
Tree Of Perfection has run against the colts in two of her starts, finishing behind Deigo on both occasions, but beat Chico Bonita in her only start against her own sex and looks the main threat.
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