Trainer Dennis Drier has already bagged three Grade 1 wins this season and has a good chance of a fourth on Saturday when his SA Fillies Classic winner Bambina Stripes lines up for the Woolavington 2000 at Greyville.
Bambina Stripes started favourite in her last start in the KRA Fillies Guineas at Greyville on May 5 but dislodged jockey Alec Forbes not far into the race after clipping heels.
She suffered no ill effects from the outing and Drier says she has been doing well in her work.
“You can never be overconfident, but she will be right there,” said Drier, who had no concerns about her suitability to the Greyville track.
Bambina Stripes took ages to get going in the SA Classic, despite the long Turffontein straight, but produced a devastating late finish to mow virtually the whole field down and catch Kalami on the line.
However, in her previous start at Greyville the big filly did not require the same amount of time to get going, and produced a tremendous finish over 1400m, just failing to catch another Woolavington contender Felix The Cat, despite needing the run and giving the latter 1kg.
She will relish the 2000m journey and will be ridden by the experienced Kevin Shea, who knows a lot about winning big races at Greyville.
This trainer-jockey combination won a G1 with Potent Power at Scottsville last Saturday and it would be no surprise to see them in the winner's enclosure again.
Mike de Kock admitted he was “a little surprised' that Ilha Bela is pressing Bambina Stripes for favouritism in the Woolavington 2000.
“She was beaten by Bambina Stripes in the SA Fillies Classic at Turffontein and one needs to understand this is prep run for the Durban July,' said De Kock.
“But I do understand their point of view. Ilha Bela is second favourite for the July so one would expect her to win a race of this nature against three-year-old fillies.
“What I'm looking to get out of this race is confidence. I believe she is a huge runner in the July and I'm looking for her to run well at Greyville."
There are some concerns that Ilha Bela will not be suited to Greyville because in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, SA Fillies Classic and the SA Oaks – which Ilha Bela won by seven lengths – she came from a long way off the pace.
“The only reason she did that was because she had wide draws,' explained De Kock. “She has won from start to finish as well. Over 2000m they go a lot slower and she will be in touch with them. I have no fears about the course.'
De Kock also saddles Viva Maria.
“The 2000m may find her out. I'm running her because it is three-year-old race and don't see a fast pace. If she gets a soft lead, she could finish in the money.'
Glen Kotzen will be hoping for a change in fortune in the Woolavington 2000 with Beloved Betty after his feature race prospects around the country last weekend didn't pan out as expected.
Beloved Betty ran a great race in the G2 KRA Fillies Guineas last time over the too sharp Greyville 1600m, finishing fourth behind Amanee. She quickened up very well in that race and probably would have finished second had the race been 100m longer.
This is the trip she is looking for, although her draw of eight won't be the easiest.
Duncan Howells has three runners including Felix The Cat, twice a G1 runner up at Greyville.
He said, “She is well but I do have my doubts that she will see out the trip. If she does stay she will run a very good race.”
His other two runners are the Australian-bred filly Pintari and Misty Morn, who are way out of the weights on official terms being merit rated only 79 and 74.
“Misty Morn is a very good filly who never cracks a good draw and she is badly drawn again," Howells said.
“I was disappointed with Pintari's last start, but she was used up too early.”“We will be going into the race hoping.”
