Gimmie’s Countess is one of two chief contenders to win the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas in the opinion of Graeme Hawkins. (Picture: Wayne Marks).
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
The first Grade 1 Classic of the Cape Summer Festival of Racing, the R1,25-million World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas over 1600m, headlines a quality 10-race programme at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. There are no standouts amongst the field of thirteen runners for the 2024 renewal of the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas but perhaps Gimmie’s Countess will rise to the occasion and deliver Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables yet another Classic success.
Always considered to be a filly out of the top drawer by trainer Dean Kannemeyer, Gimmie’s Countess launched her Summer campaign with a fluent victory in the Baker McVeigh Diana Stakes (Gr3) over 1400m at Durbanville in September. The regally bred daughter of Gimmethegreenlight followed up with a fast-finishing fourth in the Western Cape Fillies Championship (Gr2) on the Kenilworth Winter track a month ago when coming from the tail of the field to get within half-a-length of the winner Mon Petit Cherie in a blanket finish.
Gimmie’s Countess is again drawn wide and regular pilot Craig Zackey will most likely adopt similar tactics, but the longer home stretch on the Summer course should afford her every opportunity of running down her rivals. Mon Petit Cherie also came from off the pace when bravely holding out Beware The Bomb in the Western Cape Fillies Championship, but the result might have been different in another stride.
Beware The Bomb is an imposing daughter of the much-missed Lancaster Bomber, sire of last season’s WSB Fillies Guineas winner Beach Bomb. Can a “Bomb” land in successive years for Owner-Breeders Drakenstein Stud? Beware The Bomb, trained by Justin Snaith and the mount of Grant Van Niekerk, is still very much unexposed and on an upward curve. She will relish the extra 200m and could be there to pick up the pieces if Gimmie’s Countess fails to fire.
Mon Petit Cherie cannot be lightly dismissed and will be seeking to give trainer Brett Crawford his fourth winner in the WSB Fillies Guineas, having scored with Bad Girl Runs in 2005, Front and Centre in 2018 and Make It Snappy in 2022. The daughter of Rafeef has hardly put a hoof wrong and, being out of a Galileo mare, should have no problem in seeing out the trip. Champion jockey Richard Fourie rides for his sponsor Ridgemont who race the filly in partnership with Hollywood’s Brand Ambassador, Devin Heffer.
Crawford also sends out the highly talented Fatal Flaw who side-stepped the Betway Fillies Mile (Gr3) at Turffontein over the past weekend to fulfil her Grade 1 engagement here. Fatal Flaw arrived in Cape Town from her Randjesfontein barn on Tuesday and faces an unenviable task from the deepest draw. The daughter of New Predator has shown her best form over 1400m and there is a lingering doubt as to whether she is as effective over a mile. Fatal Flaw generally likes to go forward and from her wide gate Piere Strydom, a master judge of pace, is not likely to change tactics. Despite his hugely impressive CV, Strydom has yet to win the WSB Fillies Guineas and he would love nothing more than to plug that gap.
When one considers that less than two lengths covered the first seven fillies home in the Western Cape Fillies Championship (Gr2), the traditional pathway into the Saturday’s Grade 1 Classic, the picture looks a little murky and there are others who could stake a claim. Symphony In White was third in that race followed closely by Kinda Wonderful (5th), Little Suzie (6th) and Whistle The Tune in seventh. Of these Little Suzie, out of the Met-winning mare Oh Susanna, may have the most scope for improvement but, given the riding arrangements, its reasonable to assume that Beware The Bomb is the Snaith stable elect.
Symphony In White is all class but she is not certain to get home over 1600m. Her dam Snowdance won the 2017 edition of the WSB Fillies Guineas but in my view Symphony In White seems to be more of a sprinter than a miler. Of course, she may prove me horribly wrong on Saturday!
In summary, this year’s WSB Fillies Guineas is wide open and should be a great spectacle. I am in the camp of Gimmie’s Countess and Beware The Bomb but not with a great degree of confidence.
Last season’s Champion Three-Year-Old, Green With Envy, and Hollywoodbets Durban July hero, Oriental Charm, make their seasonal debuts in the R600 000 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes (Gr2) over 1600m and although neither are fully wound up, they warrant utmost respect in a small field of six runners. Royal Aussie has fitness on his side and could prove to be a thorn in their side.
Asiye Phambili looks a standout bet in the R250 000 World Sports Betting Southern Cross Stakes (Gr3) over 1000m. Nordic Quest may give some cheek, but Asiye Phambili is rated to win by a country mile and is impossible to oppose.
Navy Strength bounced back to form last time with a good win over 1800m and he could go back-to-back in the R225 000 WSB Cape Summer Stayers over 2500m. He won this race two years ago and he may just have the edge over Call To Unite and Love Is A Rose in a competitive renewal.
