JACK MILNER - Last year the Grade 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas was easy. It was polled as a straight race between Mother Russia and Sparkling Gem, and that’s the way it turned out with the latter leading all the way. This year it looks a nightmare.
With the scratching of Mike de Kock’s Gluwein the race is wide open and it is made more difficult by the fact that many of the fancied runners are poorly drawn.
One would usually side with a Cape filly to win this R750,000 race but the form has been so erratic this season that it may be better to look elsewhere for the winner. Sidera is unquestionably one of the best three-year-old fillies in the country and that could point to Alec Laird’s Jet Trail as the winner here.
She finished second to Sidera in the Listed Starling Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein last month and was running on from a poor draw. Unfortunately Johnny Geroudis will have the same problem here as she will jump from draw No 16.
He will need loads of luck but the Jet Master filly looks well above average. She clearly needs the extra distance as in her only start over 1600m, she hacked in by 8.50 lengths at Clairwood.
My Kazzie has the good draw and a great jockey in Felix Coetzee, but Mike Azzie’s filly has not raced since finishing second to Laverna in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes. The daughter of Western Winter is top class and she should contest the finish if anywhere near her peak.
Strawberry Ice could be the best of the locals. Dean Kannemeyer is leading in winner after winner currently and this filly could be the real deal. She has yet to race beyond 1400m but Karl Neisius is in the saddle and that’s in her favour, as is her No 4 draw.
Laverna is a Grade 1 winner and at her best, must come into the reckoning. Her recent form has not been encouraging but one is flirting with danger to write off a De Kock runner.
Others to consider include Mike Bass’ Croc Valley, the Basil Marcus-trained Celtic Cross, and Yogas Govender’s Miss Pink.
A highlight of the meeting, which also includes the Grade 2 Tony Taberer Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m, comes in Race 8 where Pocket Power and Big City Life will clash in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m.
They meet at level weights and that perhaps will give the edge to the three-time J&B Met champion, but the pretender to his throne cannot be written off.
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