3YO’S LOOK READY –BUT SNAITH HOLDS TACTICS ACE

As we count the days down to Saturday’s R2 million WSB Gr1 Cape Town Met, the experts appear to be of the consensus that only a handful of the nineteen strong field can be seriously considered winners of the 161st renewal of the Cape flagship.

With a projected R10 million up for grabs in the Pick 6, there are five other tricky legs to negotiate, too!

Defending champion Kommetdieding finished 0,3 lengths behind Jet Dark last time. Last year's winner has had a good preparation heading into this race and he most definitely merits healthy respect.

In what is expected to be his swansong appearance before he departs for the Klawervlei paddocks to take up stallion duties, Kommetdieding will again be ridden by Gavin Lerena and has drawn a very favourable barrier gate 6.

Boasting the distinction of being the first horse since Mike de Kock’s great filly Igugu (2012), and another star in Pocket Power ( 2009), to register the consecutive Durban July – Met double, Kommetdieding comes in fighting fit after placings in the

Gr2 Green Point Stakes and the Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate – both races over his less than optimum trip of a mile.

The son of Elusive Fort meets last year’s second and third-placer Jet Dark (0,75 lengths) and Linebacker (0,95 lengths) again, as well as having to contend with recent L’Ormarins King’s Plate winner Al Muthana, and two really smart 3yo’s in Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas runner-up Cousin Casey, and the dual Gr1 winning 3yo filly Make It Snappy.

Jet Dark ran a good race when third in the Grade 1 L'Ormarins

King's Plate last time. The manner in which he stayed on at the finish was encouraging. He was an impressive winner of the Gr3 Cape Mile at his penultimate effort. The son of Trippi finished second in this race last year and from his good draw of four, he can go one better – and he sure looked in dirty good health at the Snaith beach party last Friday!

We have been going through the records and Oh Susanna set the bar as the only 3yo filly in the race’s long history to come out on top when she won in 2018. Is Make It Snappy up to emulating her?

The daughter of Dynasty could not have been more impressive when winning the Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes last time. She set the pace, found another kick and kept going well to hold all challengers at bay. She does face her toughest test to date, but carries a handy galloping mass of 51,5kgs and she could be hard to peg back.

The decision to run Make It Snappy here as opposed to taking on Captain’s Ransom, whom she beat in the Paddock Stakes last time, in the Gr1 Majorca Stakes, was obviously not taken lightly.

But she will clearly be more comfortable over the 2000m, and Hollywood Syndicate Racing Manager Anthony Delpech will know what it takes for a filly to win this race. Delpech was aboard Imperious Sue in 1998 and 2012 heroine, Igugu.

Interesting the early forecast suggests a strong headwind and that coupled with the tactical mastery of Justin Snaith, who has five runners at his disposal, will mean that Make It Snappy will definitely not have things her own way.

Piere Strydom takes the ride on recent LÓrmarins King’s Plate winner Al Muthana in what will be the veteran champion jockey’s final Met. The Aussie-bred gelding is at his best over the mile, but is in a good space and cannot be ignored.

He does have a wide draw of 12 to contend with, but being a horse who likes to run at them from off the pace, that will not be a concern.

Another drawn on the wide side is Equus Champion 2yo of his generation Cousin Casey, the only other 3yo in the race. The son of Vercingetorix won the Gr2 Cape Racing Punters Cup at his first start this term and then went second to the boomer Charles Dickens in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. The air of confidence around Woodhill Racing Estate is tangible, and this fellow will arrive in the pink of good health on Saturday.

A Met regular, Do It Again ran in his first Met nine months before Make It Snappy first saw the light of day. It is a fact that 8yo’s don’t have a great record in this race, but this relatively low-mileage son of Twice Over can boost his earnings over the R10 million mark with a big effort on Saturday.

Christophe Soumillon partners the newly blinkered Golden Ducat from the pole position draw. With three runs under the belt since a long lay-off, the son of Philanthropist will be at peak fitness and must be a place consideration.

We can make a case for a few more – Universal, Linebacker and even the low-profile Zapatillas if back to his best.

The race is off at 17h10. Don’t miss it!