October Morn is pictured winning the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes under Raymond Danielson (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Candice Bass-Robinson has the two highest rated fillies in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint, the 115-rated October Morn and the 114-rated Winter Cloud.
They have been at Summerveld together with her other runner on the day Symphony In White, who runs in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship.
Candice said, “All three of them are doing well and they are all lively runners. It’s difficult to assess them because it’s a nightmare track, either they’re suited to it or they’re not. But they’re all in good shape.”
In the SA Fillies Sprint the What A Winter filly Winter Cloud jumps from draw 15 under Aldo Domeyer.
Anthony Andrews has won on her in her last two starts and three times overall, but Domeyer is generally the yard’s first call rider and he gets the ride here.
Raymond Danielson won the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes on October Morn, the first time he had ridden her, and he gets the call up here to try and make it two out of two.
Candice said, “I don’t prefer one over the other. There’s not much between them as can be see on their form. It all depends on who gets luck in the running. Winter Cloud has drawn on the outside, which is not ideal, and the other one has never raced at Hollywoodbets Scottsville before. Winter Cloud seemed to be suited to the track last year. She shouldn’t have a problem with the track.”
Symphony In White has won two of three starts.
She is by What A Winter out of Captain Al mare Snowdance, who won the Gr 1 Cape Fillies Guineas and the Gr 1 Majotca Stakes over a mile and she also finished second to crack filly Celtic Sea in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint.
Symphony In White was beaten 7,45 lengths in her only feature race to date, the Gr 3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery over 1200m at Holywoodbets Kenilworth.
However, she had no luck in running that day and was eased after being hampered in the closing stages.
The form of that race is not a fair reflection on her ability and in any case none of the horses who beat her that day are lining up in the Allan Robertson.
The Bass yard have been plundering big races in KZN for decades.
However, this season, with Charles Dickens having been retired to stud and Beach Bomb now in the USA, they are a bit thin for the Champions Season.
In fact October Morn, Winter Cloud and Symphony in White are Candice’s only runners in KZN at present.
She is undecided on whether to send Listed Stormsvlei Stakes winner Red Palace, who was also runner up in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas against the boys, to run in the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes on
Hollywoodbets Durban July day.
