Golden Palm will be out to land a second career Gr 1 in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and will be out to stamp her superstar status (JC Photos)
Keagan de Melo gets a dream opportunity to put the drought of Hong Kong behind him by landing a Gr 1 victory in his first week back in his homeland.
The Alan Greeff-trained Golden Palm can land her second career Gr 1 in Saturday’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and take another step closer to super stardom. The form of her last race just has to be looked at to prove how good she is. She gave the gelding All Systems Go 1,5kg and a 6,75 length thrashing in the Listed ROA Stakes over 1600m and All Systems Go followed that with a third place finish in one of Johanesburg’s most iconic three-year-old races, the Gr 2 level weights Jackpot City Dingaans over 1600m at Turffontein Standside. Golden Palm does have quite a tricky draw of seven out of 12. However, De Melo has good hands and will likely just relax her wherever she is before mowing them down in the straight, considering she came from last in the ROA Stakes and Richard Fourie said afterwards she had still been green.
Keukenhof is drawn widest of all, but has a fine turn of foot and a powerful finish, so after being dropped out she will be flying home over a trip she should relish.
Princess Of Gaul might be a threat too as she should stay a mile and can steal a march from a handy position from draw three. She is a monster of a filly herself and is progressive, so won’t be easy to catch if she is proven to be comfortable over a mile.
Quickstepgal has a good tun of foot too and should enjoy the trip. She has had bad luck with draws and gets another tough one of nine, but she will be running on.
Call Me Secret is an interesting runner as she flew home to win last time over 1200m and she should relish this step up in trip, so she could be dangerous from draw two.
Educator is a dark horse because she had nowhere to go last time when coming from last against Reet Petite, but she still had a lot in hand when she was eased down to be beaten 5,70 lengths and she looks the part. She was giving 3kg to Reet Petite and would likely have finished on top of her and her Gr 2 Golden Slipper run at Hollywoodbets Greyville can also be ignored as she was completely taken out in the straight.
Lowveld Lily stayed on superbly in the Gr 3 Western Cape Filllies Championship (WFCF) over 1400m last time and gave the impression she would relish the step up to a mile, so she can not be ignored.
My Wish was finishing well for fifth in the WCFC and should relish the step up in trip, but she has drawn wide again.
Golden Palm’s regular rider Richard Fourie had to relinquish the ride because he is retained by Ridgemont, who have the unbeaten Reet Petite in the race. The Rafeef filly is proven over this trip but does have a tricky draw of eight. She was caught one out and one back without cover last time in a Class 4 handicap over 1600m and it did not stop her romping home by 2,25 lengths, although she did only have to carry 55kg there off an 86 merit rating, so this will be tougher.
Tulip Fields won well over 1400m last time and found extra late to fend off the challengers, so she should enjoy the trip and could earn from a good draw.
Stormwatch disappointed last time but before that produced a flying finish in the Gr 3 Diana Stakes over 1400m, beating Keukenhof and a luckless Princess Of Gaul, but losing by a half-a-length to She’s My World, who was comfortably beaten by Princess Of Gaul subsequent to that as was Stormwatch.
Augusta Rosso was beaten 10,50 lengths by Golden Palm last time when receiving 4kg, so has it tough here.
They are selected in the order mentioned.
World Sports Betting
Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas – R1 250 000 | Final Field
Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas – R1 250 000 | Final Field
