Happy Verse could be the one to beat in the Langerman. (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Drakenstein Stud just need one more individual stakes winner this season to equal ther record set last season of 21 stakes winners in a season and they should go close to equaling it, or even bettering it, on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
They have a strong hand in the Gr 3 Langerman with Happy Verse and Vapour Trail and have chances with Lowveld Lily and Mrs Claus in the Listed Irridescance Stakes.
In the Langerman over 1500m the Justin Snaith-trained Happy Verse looks to be an exciting prospect. The Vercingetorix colt, bred by Drakenstein and owned by them in partnership with Reon Barnard and Gary Player, won on debut over 1200m and last time off a merit rating of 88 cosily beat a field of older horses in a class 4 event over 1400m. The imposing colt, who is out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, dwarfed most of the older horse with his physical presence and has plenty of scope for further improvement and should also relish the extra 100m.
He will have to fend off his stablemates Roland Garros, Randolph Hearst and Absolutely Yes, all of whom have plenty of ability, and he will have to also beat the talented Vaughan Marshall pair Dreamworld and Vapour Trail.
The Drakentein-bred Vapour Trail is by exciting new season sire Erik The Red and is a half-brother to the top class One Stripe. He is improving and will enjoy the 100m step up in trip from his last race.
In the Irridescence Stakes over 1500m the Snaith-trained Lowveld Lily by Legislate improved second time out and was resolute in the finish over 1200m so should relish this step up in trip. However, she does have the widest draw of all in the seven horse field, although Richard Fourie is up.
Mrs Claus is a first-timer by Futura out of Gr 2 KRA Fillies Guineas winner Santa Clara (Duke Of Marmalade), so she is an interesting first-timer for the Snaith yard.
The one to beat could be the Marshall-trained Vercingetorix filly Ukuduma, who is out of the dual Gr 1-winning Jet Master mare Thunder Dance. She beat Lowveld Lily by 2,30 lengths over 1100m in her only start to date and should love this trip.
Drakenstein will be out to break the SA record for stakes winners in a season for the fourth successive season.
