Green Point Stakes - Kenilworth 24th

Doyen Wrote:

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> @Western Explorer
>
> Nah,no tongue in cheek.
> best wishes to WCRacing .Competition is good.
>
> prior to ChangingOfTheGuards last win,he trainer
> said he will be a serious contender in the
> upcoming feature races.
> King of pain was bruted to be unbeatable that day,
> and although some claim poor riding,CoTG's win was
> full of merit.


Just one fact....it wasnt claimed to be a poor ride...IT WAS A SHOCKER! All bodes for a great race.....

Neon Wrote:

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> Lion in winter is still alive lol

He's chances must be less than luke-warm

bayern Wrote:

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> Neon Wrote:
>

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>

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> > Lion in winter is still alive lol
>
> He's chances must be less than luke-warm


More like Ice cold in this company!

Betting from sportingbet


Jackson
14/5
Variety Club
4/5
Bravura
14/1
Castlethorpe
16/1
Master Plan
20/1
Changingoftheguard
25/1
In A Rush
40/1
Lion In Winter
50/1
Martial Eagle
25/1
Princess Victoria
7/1
The Helsman
150/1
Ice Machine
20/1

The Helsman looks a bit short in the betting actually.... I would back him for a place if he starts tomorrow (tu)

Magi Wrote:

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> The Helsman looks a bit short in the betting
> actually.... I would back him for a place if he
> starts tomorrow (tu)


Be careful Magi........He might sneak a place if Dumpy is calling the race <

Variety Club by Michael Clower

Horse of the Year Variety Club will have a pacemaker when he renews rivalry with fellow Grade 1 winners Jackson, Bravura, Princess Victoria and Master Plan in the Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.


The Helmsman is rated 24 kg inferior to his famous stable companion and Joey Ramsden confirmed at the weekend that Andrew Nienaber’s mount is in the line-up to make the running “although there is lots of pace in the race.” Ramsden added: “Variety Club has done well since his return earlier in the month and hopefully he has improved, Bravura likewise. Both horses are looking exceptionally well.”


In some ways the Grade 2 is a rerun of the November 4 Pinnacle Stakes but it is over an extra 200m which will suit Jackson.


Brett Crawford said: “Jackson has definitely come on since the Pinnacle and the faster they go the better for him.” Ladbrokes Gold Cup winner In Writing runs for the first time since his great triumph when he gives weight all round in the Durbanville Cup on the same card.

Ice Machine by David Thiselton

The Garth Puller-trained Ice Machine arrived in Cape Town two-and-a-half weeks ago and had a gallop at Kenilworth last Saturday ahead of his engagement in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m on Saturday.



Puller said, “He went nicely, but is going to need the run and it’s just going to be a start to the season for him. Due to all of the rain in KZN we had no tracks at Clairwood for about six or seven weeks and he is a bit short of work.”



Ice Machine was beaten by Whiteline Fever, who needed the run, in his last start over 1600m at Clairwood at level weights.



However, that race didn’t pan out too well and he over raced to a certain extent, which blunted his exceptional turn of foot.



His previous outing when cruising to an impressive win over 1600m at Scottsville with 62kg on his back is a better reflection of his ability.



His career record also shows that he appears to run well fresh.



Christopher Puller, Garth’s nephew, will ride Ice Machine from a good draw of five on Saturday.

Snaith comments by David Thiselton...

Justin Snaith’s yard has hit a purple patch as he has sent out nine winners in the last two Kenilworth meetings and he reckoned Changingoftheguard would be “at his best” for the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m on Saturday.



He said, “He is doing really well and this race will show how good he is. You can’t get a stronger 1600m line up than this. There is Jackson and Variety Club and if you think of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate then this is virtually the field. This will be a very good test.”



Changingoftheguard is by Go Deputy, whose progeny have begun shining as four-year-olds, and after originally believing he was a Derby horse, the connections now believe he is a miler.



This season he returned from an eight month rest to finish a slightly unlucky second to Lake Arthur in an Allowance Plate over 1400m at Kenilworth and he then beat one of the best three-year-olds in the country, King Of Pain, to win the Grade 3 Matchem Stakes over 1400m at Durbanville, although it has to be said the latter was unlucky in that race.



Snaith was not too concerned about Changingoftheguard’s fairly wide draw of eight on Saturday, which follows a draw of three in the Matchem Stakes.



“We will give him a chance and the pace will be on, although the short straight is not ideal.”



The favourite Variety Club will have a pacemaker in the race, The Helmsman, who has drawn well in three, so the pace should be decent.



Snaith was expecting a good day through the whole card at Kenilworth on Saturday and reckoned he also had strong chances at Fairview in Port Elizabeth on Friday and Sunday.



“Cigar Boy runs in the Listed Racing Association Stakes on Friday in PE and is doing exceptionally well,” he said. “Jet Explorer, Indian Hawk and Why Worry run in the Algoa Cup on Sunday and all of them are big runners.”



He singled out Jet Explorer as the one he most fancied in the latter race.



“He has everything against him as he has a wide draw, but Piere Strydom is riding and I’m expecting a big run.”



Snaith added that his Merchants winner Cap Alright would now be targeting the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m at Kenilworth in late January.



"It will be a hard race, but he has improved and came out of the Merchants very, very well."

Kotzen bt DT

Glen Kotzen is happy with Princess Victoria ahead of her engagement in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday, although he views the race as a “stepping stone” to the Grade 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over 1800m and would “be delighted” if she ran a place.



Piere Strydom took a bit of flak from the armchair critics after her last run in a strong Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m at Kenilworth, but Kotzen had no complaints about the ride.



“She found herself in front and, being a bit above herself running fresh, travelled too strongly. She would have been okay if she had been out on her own, but another horse joined her at her girth. She still ran a lovely race, finishing just over three lengths back. The main thing is she had a great gallop and, even better, she came out of the race very well.”



Kotzen himself has also taken some flak from the armchair critics for running her against males, but he pointed out that there was little alternative.



“She could have run in an Allowance Plate carrying 63kg, so we didn’t want to go there. Besides this run is a stepping stone for the Paddock Stakes.”



Kotzen said he would monitor Princess Victoria after Saturday’s run before deciding to either give her one more run in a conditions race over 1800m, where she will have to carry 62kg, or go straight into the Maine Chance Paddock Stakes.



Kotzen’s new stable jockey Grant van Niekerk will ride the Champion filly for the first time on Saturday and won’t have an easy task from draw nine in the twelve horse field.

Betting from bettingworld

2 VARIETY CLUB 8/10
1 JACKSON 3/1
12 PRINCESS VICTORIA 7/1
6 CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD 8/1
3 BRAVURA 10/1
4 CASTLETHORPE 16/1
7 ICE MACHINE 20/1
8 IN A RUSH 20/1
10 MARTIAL EAGLE 25/1
5 MASTER PLAN 40/1
9 LION IN WINTER 50/1
11 THE HELSMAN 100/1

MY QUARTET
2 X 1 3 5 6X 1 3 5 6 X 3 5 6 7 9 =R36

Variety Club at 9/10 on hollywood is a gift imo. Should be a banking in all trebles n quads.
Jackson at 7/10 a place looks inviting as well

Castlethorpe to be the main danger