Sorry DWTD! Wrong thread
David Thiselton
The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Capetown Noir, regarded as the best three-year-old in the country, has his KZN pipe-opener at Scottsville on Saturday and the exciting Mike de Kock-trained filly Izora has her first real test at the same meeting.
This traditional Independent On Saturday meeting, featuring the Grade 3 Byerley Turk and the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes, both over 1400m, serves as a reminder that the Champions Season is just around the corner as it always boasts a strong Cape presence.
Cape horses have won three of the last five runnings of the Byerley Turk and have won the Umzimkhulu Stakes twice in that period.
Kannemeyer and Karl Neisius will be attempting to retain the Byerley Turk trophy having won it together last year with Depardieu.
Capetown Noir appears to have chased away the opposition as only six horses line up.
The Western Winter colt is drawn in pole and has to carry the same weight as fellow Capetonian, the Vaughan Marshall-trained Black Toga, who is merit rated nine points lower.
The rest of the field look outclassed, so Capetown Noir should start at restrictive odds.
Kannemeyer said, “He is very, very well. I galloped him on the grass last Sunday at Clairwood over 800m. I backed off him after his Cape Derby victory and gave him his African Horse Sickness (AHS) vaccines. I am starting him off on Saturday. I haven’t got him stripped, but he has the class.”
Kannemeyer implied that he would not be having sleepless nights if the superstar’s condition found him out on Saturday.
His Champions Season string have started their KZN campaign in eyecatching style, despite still building up to their best.
Vaughan Marshall said about Black Toga, “Obviously Capetown Noir is the horse to beat, but Black Toga is doing very, very well.”
The Black Minnaloushe gelding’s last start was in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 22, where he was beaten 4,5 lengths by Capetown Noir into third place.
He has had a grass gallop since arriving at Clairwood and from draw two looks to be the chief threat.
Tony Rivalland said he would only decide on Friday whether Living With Heart, who is having his third start for the yard, would run as the horse was “not 100% right” at present.
Rivalland also reckoned the conditions of the race, which is based on number of wins and does not penalise Grade 1 winners, would need to be addressed as the current ones have chased away trainers scared of getting close to Capetown Noir and being punished by the handicapper.
Garth Puller runs the three-year-old Cataloochee gelding Corredor, who has won two of his last three starts but is only rated 83.
He said, “He is yet to prove how good he is and will acquit himself well.”
Kumaran Naidoo runs the three-year-old Spectrum gelding Pierneef, who won his maiden going away over 1200m last time out, and carries bottom weight here.
He said, “He will be coming down from Johannesburg. He is fit and doing well. We don’t expect to beat Capetown Noir, but he has ability and we’re hoping for a decent run.”
The Corne Spies-trained Oh So Var has been battling at Flamingo Park and on the Vaal sand and can’t be fancied, even if his last turf start back in October last year was a good effort when beaten narrowly by Frontino Gold over 1450m, although he was receiving 7,5kg.
Spies said, “If he runs fifth it’s a stake cheque, so that’s better than standing in his box!”
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