Gimme A Prince won two Gr 1’s under Keagan de Melo in the 2022/2023 season (Picture: Wayne Marks)
INTERBET PREVIEW OF THE G3 CAPE MILE 2024
Mark van Deventer
If basing a decision purely on the weight scale for the Cape Mile, a G3 at Kenilworth on Saturday, then the high class, Gimme a Prince stands out by a significant margin. An OMR of 130 puts him 10 points clear of next best rivals, Royal Aussie and Rascallion, with Zapatillas and Montien in turn a point or two adrift.
The speed figures tell a similar clear-cut, story. Gimme a Prince sets a towering standard on 118 – right up with the highest ratings achieved in SA in recent years. Seriously smart, 1400/1600m exponent, Royal Aussie’s best number is 113, which he managed in the G1 King’s Plate. Piet Botha’s admirable, Montien gets 111, with Vaughan Marshall trained, Cape Met 2nd place finisher, Rascallion pegged on 110.
They are followed by Zapatillas who recorded a career best of 108 in the Gold Challenge, the same level as Hluhluwe. That ranks a few ticks ahead of 1400m ace, It’srainingwilliam (s/s 106) and ultra consistent, Sugar Mountain (s/s 105.)
Solar Power (s/s 99) and lightly weighted, class-riser, Promettere (s/s 98) make up the ten- runner field and, as the figs indicate, both will have to improve substantially to mix it with more talented rivals. Accordingly, they are given miniscule 3% chances of success and quoted ante-post at 25/1 and 30/1 respectively.
What of the pace? Montien is a confirmed front runner who is mighty tough to get past when in a resolute galloping mood. Zapatillas could enjoy the run of the race as he goes best stalking the pace. Brett Crawford’s entry will get the ideal set up from draw 3 and must be respected having his third start after a rest and gelding.
Rascallion is another that can sustain a strong gallop racing handy and he too is drawn low at 2, but he is at his absolute prime over middle-distances and may be done for finishing speed.
None can finish as rapidly as Gimme a Prince, though. He clocked an eye-popping 21.7 seconds last 400m in his comeback at Durbanville 49 days ago behind Questioning and has compiled an exceptional record over extended sprints using those missile-like, powers of acceleration.
In 2023, Gimme a Prince beat ace speedball, Rio Querari in the G1 Cape Flying Champs over 1000m; just missed after a horrible passage in the 1400m Drill Hall Stakes behind multiple G1 winner, Trip of Fortune; conceded weight and rushed past another G1 victor, Thunderstruck in the Golden Horseshoe over 1200m; and gave the mighty, Charles Dickens a serious scare in the seven-furlong Matchem.
That’s one formidable C.V. But before you decide to bet with both lungs on Gimme a Prince, take heed of a few cautionaries. He is not the soundest character and is, belatedly, having just his second start of the year. He is also unproven over a mile and awkwardly drawn on the outer so there are a few doubts going into the race.
If the 17/10 ante-post favourite overcomes those negatives and blows them away with a withering stretch run on Saturday, just after 15h25, then Dean Kannemeyer’s patrons, Khaya Stables could go into the targeted, LÓrmarins G1 King’s Plate on the 4th January 2025 with confidence.
The enigmatic Hluhluwe has been set the steadier of 62kg’s. It’s hard to envisage him conceding 2kg’s to Gimme a Prince, yet he has excellent back form over the C/D this time last year. Justin Snaith’s 12/1 shot should be considered for the places. He needs to, however, put a dull KZN Winter campaign behind him.
Mark van Deventer’s ‘Grades” for the Cape Mile:
A = 10 B = 6 9 C = 2 3 5
