An excellent field of fillies and mares contest the R500,000, Grade 1, WFA Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (1600m) at Kenilworth on Saturday as part of the Cape's top raceday, J & B Met Day.
Photo by Liesl King
South Africa's leading stables have entered eleven runners for the race headed by Gibraltar Blue from Mike de Kock's Durban yard with the Rock Of Gibraltar four-year-old mare trying to regain her Grade 2 Ipi Tombi Challenge form over 1600m from April 2010.
The stable's other runner Welwitschia (GB) does not have the experience of her stablemate, but she has won over 1600m and placed second to Dancewiththedevil in last April's Grade 1 Laurie Jaffee Empress Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein.
The progressive imported Oasis Dream mare then turned the tables on Dancewiththedevil in the Grade 3 Spring Challenge over 1450m in October before a fourth in the Grade 2 Emperors Palace Charity Mile over 1600m at Turffontein on November.
De Kock tuned her up for Saturday with a comfortable 1 1/2L win in a Fillies and Mares Plate over 1450m at Turffontein on January 14th. The track that day was rated as very soft and with Kenilworth's track in impeccable condition and rated as Good, Welwitschia will have conditions to suit. The stable's number one rider Anthony Delpech takes the ride with Anton Marcus riding Gibraltar Blue.
Trinity House is one of two three-year-old fillies in the race along with Super Elegant.
While the latter, trained by Piet Steyan, has won over 1600m on the course back November, it was not against the class of this field. Trinity House has not won over 1600m, however, she has finished second to the brilliant Princess Victoria in the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas over the distance on December 3rd.
Trinity House, a Captain Al filly bred and raced by the race sponsor Klawervlei Stud and trained by Joey Ramsden, has met Princess Victoria twice and each time she has finished second. The form line however is impeccable with Princess Victoria arguably the best three-year-old filly of her generation having stepped up from being champion two-year-old last season.
Photo by Liesl King
Ramsden sent Trinity House out against the older mares to prepare for the Majorica Stakes in the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on Queen's Plate Day, January 2nd. Once again she was second, but this time to Covenant, and again the form is impeccable with Covenant the winner of the Majorca Stakes last year.
Trained by leading Cape trainer Mike Bass, Covenant a Western Winter four-year-old, has twice placed behind outstanding Cape Flying Championship winner Val De Ra when third in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville last May, and third again in the Grade 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m at Kenilworth on December 3rd.
Bass stepped Covenant up to 1200m for the Sceptre Stakes. She has raced over 1600m just the once, when she won last year, and Bass will have her ready for the trip once again.
The Brett Crawford trained Frequent Flyer is stepping up in class in this field, but the Silvano four-year-old won the listed Jamaica Handicap over 1700m on January 14th. Karis Teetan retains the ride and with barrier one he will have every chance to settle through the race for the 500m run to up the main straight to the line.
The Grade 1, WFA Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (1600m) is race six at 3.35pm
The field:
Sc# Horse Mass MR Draw B A T Jockey Trainer1 GIBRALTAR BLUE 60.0 109 (109) 4 A A Marcus Mike de Kock
2 EBONY FLYER 60.0 107 (107) 9 A F Coetzee Justin Snaith3 HAPPY ARCHER 60.0 106 (106) 5 A T W Marwing Sean Tarry
4 COVENANT 60.0 105 (105) 7 A K Neisius Mike Bass5 BARCELONA WINTER 60.0 100 (100) 3 A B Fayd'Herbe Yogas Govender
6 DANCE WITH AL 60.0 99 ( 99) 2 A P Strydom Justin Snaith7 CROC VALLEY 60.0 96 ( 96) 8 A R Fourie Mike Bass
8 FREQUENT FLYER 60.0 94 ( 94) 1 A K Teetan Brett Crawford9 WELWITSCHIA 59.5 105 (104) 6 A A Delpech Mike de Kock
10 SUPER ELEGANT 55.0 104 ( 94) 10 A *G van Niekerk Piet Steyn11 TRINITY HOUSE 55.0 103 ( 93) 11 A G Hatt Joey Ramsden
