The first four past the post in the Gauteng Guineas could square up yet again at Turffontein on 28 March in the R2 million SA Classic, the second leg of the Triple Crown, over 1800m.
Oracy won the Guineas by a short head from dead heaters Royal Rez and Cerise Cherry with Mount Hood another head away in fourth. Many considered Royal Rez an unlucky loser as jockey S’manga Khumalo dropped the rein 100m from the line.
Both Oracy, who is unbeaten in four starts, and Royal Rez will benefit from the extra 200m of the Classic and it could prove to be an interesting clash. With Oracy having won the first leg of the Triple Crown, trainer Charles Laird will be looking for his New Zealand-bred runner to capture the Classic and the SA Derby to earn the R2 million bonus for winning all three.
Also among the 20 entries are three horses who did not contest the Guineas but could make their presence felt in the Classic. Geoff Woodruff has nominated Disa Leader, Charles Laird has named Space Captain and Alec Laird has entered Iron Wood.
The Grade 1 race is one of six Graded races to be run on the day. The SA Fillies Classic is the other Grade 1 event while the Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m, the Man O’ War Sprint, the Protea Stakes and the Pretty Polly Stakes, all Grade 3 races, are the other four.
The R1 million SA Fillies Classic is the second leg of the Triple Tiara and this could set up a magnificent duel between Ormond Ferraris’s Gypsy’s Warning and Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Zirconeum (pictured, Image: RA).
Gypsy’s Warning skipped the Guineas to take on Dancer’s Daughter in the Empress Club Stakes and while she could only manage third that day, it should be a different story against fillies of her own age.
Zirconuem cruised to victory in the Guineas and there are many who felt Gypsy’s Warning would not have beaten her in any case.
Supplementary entries close at 11:00 on Monday 16 March after which the weights will be published. Declarations must be in by 11:00 on Thursday 19 March.
Nominations for the Graded races to take place at Turffontein on Saturday 28 March.
SA CLASSIC (Grade 1)(For 3 year olds) R2 million 1800m
ALWAYS (C Laird);
BOUQUET-GARNI (M F De Kock);
BROADSWORD (P F Matchett);
CAPTAIN'S TABLE (D Zaki);
CERISE CHERRY (P F Matchett);
DANVIDA (B D Botes);
DISA LEADER (G V Woodruff);
FENERBAHCE (G M Alexander);
FOREST PATH (M F De Kock);
IRON WOOD (A G Laird);
KING'S SHILLING (A D Gordon);
MAGICAL (O A Ferraris);
MOUNT HOOD (P F Matchett);
MPUMELELO (T Zackey);
ORACY (C Laird);
POTCHEFSTROOM (G V Woodruff);
ROYAL REZ (T Zackey);
SEATTLE ICE (G V Woodruff);
SPACE CAPTAIN (C Laird);
SPORTING BOY (A G Laird)
S A FILLIES CLASSIC (Grade 1)(3 year old Fillies) R1 million 1800m
AUTUMN GOLD (S G Tarry)
BEDLOE'S ISLAND (S G Tarry)
BIKINI MISS (C Laird)
CANDY SINGER (M F De Kock)
CAPTAIN'S GAL (S G Tarry)
FAKAZI (P F Matchett)
GOLDEN SCOLD (P F Matchett)
GYPSY'S WARNING (O A Ferraris)
KIRIBATI (S G Tarry)
LOUPE (M F De Kock)
MAJESTIC LEGEND (C Laird)
ON HER TOES (M G Azzie)
SHARP MISTRESS (G V Woodruff)
SUPER RADIANCE (C Laird)
SWEET THERESA (O A Ferraris)
TOO SPECIAL (P F Matchett)
ZIRCONEUM (M F De Kock)
CARADOC GOLD CUP (Grade 3) R200 000 2850m
ALBERT EINSTEIN (M F De Kock); APPLE-A-DAY (S G Tarry); BAYETE (S G Tarry); BURKE'S LUCK (D Zaki); GENEVA (S T Pettigrew); GOLD ON GOLD (O A Ferraris); GREAT NEWS (B D Botes); HOT LAVA (G H Van Zyl); IMPORTANTISIMO (M F De Kock); MEMBRADO (S G Tarry); PACIFIC WARRIOR (M N Houdalakis); SENOR VERSACE (C Laird); SUNNY JIM (G V Woodruff); WESTERN WALK (J Vos); ZELWIN (L J Erasmus);
MAN O' WAR SPRINT (Grade 3) (3-year-olds horses) R200 000 1100m
FOREST PATH (M F De Kock); GANGSTA FURY (B D Botes); MASTER OF ALL (A G Laird); OFFICER CLASS (C Binda); ON POINT (P F Matchett); PRIVATE JET (G V Woodruff); SEALED WITH A KISS (W H Marwing); SOUTH COUNTRY (G M Alexander); SUPERLATIVE (C Laird); SWEETS FROM HEAVEN (L Lotz); THEKKADY (S G Tarry); WARM WHITE NIGHT (C Laird);
PROTEA STAKES (Grade 3) (2-year-olds) R200 000 1100m
BLUE NILE (L J Erasmus); CAFE NOIR (L Lotz); COLOUR SUPPLEMENT (S G Tarry); COOKIE JAR (B D Botes); DEIGO (P F Matchett); EXCLAIM'N'EXCLUDE (C Laird); FUN TO FLY (C Spies); HIDDEN RAVE (G M Alexander); KHETHANI (R R Magner); LOCHLORIEN (M G Azzie); MONARCO (C E Erasmus); RICH STRIKE (M F De Kock); RUNAWAY MAN (P F Matchett); SECOND WORLD (L J Erasmus); SOUTH RANGER (M F De Kock); SPORTS ACCLAIM (D Zaki); VACHERIN (M G Azzie);
PRETTY POLLY STAKES (Grade 3) (2-year-old fillies) R165 000 1100m
AL SPEEDY (L Lotz); CARINA COLEMAN (C Spies); CHICA BONITA (P F Matchett); COCOA ROSE (C Spies); CORPES DA ELITE (S G Tarry); DYNASTY DOLL (P J Dempers); ERIZE (S Moffatt); FUN TO FLY (C Spies); GENEROUS ANNA (C Laird); GIRL OF THE SPIRIT (A G Laird); I'LL BE BACK (M F De Kock); MAGICAL JENNA (S T Pettigrew); MISS CAPPY (A G Laird); MONTURE (C Spies); MY KAZZIE (M G Azzie); PASCHA (S G Tarry); PECAN WHISTLE (R Francis); ROSETTE (C Laird); SPRING CLOVER (J Vos); TAMBOURINE BLUES (C Spies); TREE OF PERFECTION (P F Matchett); VALETA (M G Azzie); VELVET HUE (O A Ferraris);
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