Eight On Eighteen Heads Cape Derby Field Of 7

Eight On Eighteen becomes only the fifth three-year-old to win the Met since World War II (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Eight on Eighteen is going to be tough to beat in Saturday’s Gr 1 Splashout Cape Derby over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth as he is 12kg well in with the second highest rated runner.

The WSB Met winner is merit rated 127 and faces only six other entries, but it should be borne in mind that at this stage of the season some three-year-olds are still finding themselves, as Oriental Charm proved when finishing third in this race last year off an 87 merit rating at odds of 100/1 before going on to win the Gr 1 Hollywoobets Durban July.

Nevertheless, it has to be called disappointing that the seven runners are only represented by three yards, with Justin Snaith having a team of five.

The Cape Derby has always been accompanied by a lot of prestige.

However, quite where to put it on the racing calendar has become problematic as there is the WSB Met, the big Sales races and the Gr 1 SA Classic in Johanneburg as alternatives for three-year-olds.

Nevertheless, it is still shaping up to be an interesting race and the Snaith-trained Lancaster Bomber colt Eight On Eighteen won’t have it all his own way, despite his high merit rating, being drawn two and having Richard Fourie aboard.

The Piet Steyn-trained Vercingetorix colt Garrix has always been highly thought of and after avoiding the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas he has shown his ability in two subsequent outings without having much luck.

Last time out in the Gr 3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stake over 1800m he had to loop the field as the pace was too slow and he finished a 2,75 length second to the Andre Nel-trained Zeitz, who had the run of the race but nevertheless won in fluent style.

Garrix is 3,5kg better off with Zeitz in the Cape Derby and there should not be much in it.

Before the Politician Stakes, Garrix was widely draw in 15 out of 16 runners when  beaten 3,80 lengths by Sail The Seas over 1400m. Sail The Seas was giving him 1,5kg too.

Garrix was 1,80 length ahead of Sail The Seas in the Politician Stakes when once again receiving 1,5kg.

So there should not be much between that pair on Saturday either running at level weights, although Sail The Seas fans will say he was too far back in the slow-paced Politician Stakes and was running on well.

Sail The Seas is by Vercingetorix out of a Philanthropist mare who won three times from 1200m to 1400m, so it remains to be seen whether he will enjoy the 2000m trip.

Native Ruler and Dawn Till Dusk were beaten 3.05 and 3,55 lengths respectively by Zeitz in the Politician Stakes at level weights so are up against it in the Derby, while Express Yourself was beaten 6,30 lengths in the Politician at level weights to Zeitz, so has a tough task.

The final field for the Splashout Cape  Derby is shown below.