Skip to main content

Green With Envy winning the Gr 3 Politician Stakes (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)

Green With Envy shapes up as the one to beat in the R1,5-million SplashOut Cape Derby (Gr 1) over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth tomorrow. The son of Gimmethegreenlight, out of a mare by the legendary Galileo (Ire), was an emphatic winner of the Politician Stakes (Gr 3) over 1800m a month ago and the further step up in trip should be right up his alley.

Green With Envy was dropped out to the rear of the field in the Politician Stakes but he quickened up smartly over the final 400m to win going away despite conceding chunks of weight all round. Dean Kannemeyer, who has won the Derby on three previous occasions, has always considered Green With Envy to be a colt with Classic potential and he was far from disgraced over 1600m in both the Cape Punters’ Cup (Gr 2) and the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (Gr 1), running on strongly from well off the pace on each occasion.

Green With Envy appears much better suited to a greater test of stamina and victory in tomorrow’s SplashOut Derby would place him right near the top of potential 2024 Hollywoodbets Durban July winners. Craig Zackey, sporting the colours of Lady Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables, will be in the saddle and he will no doubt give Green With Envy a patient and confident ride as he has done before. Lady Laidlaw last won the Cape Derby in 2013 with Capetown Noir.

On the evidence of their clashes over 1600m in the Cape Punters’ Cup and the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas there is nothing to choose between Green With Envy and Hluhluwe. In fact, on each occasion Hluhluwe finished marginally ahead of Green With Envy and is thus officially rated 0,5kgs superior by the Handicappers. Whether that form will translate literally over the extra 400m of the Derby is anybody’s guess but clearly Hluhluwe must be considered a very serious threat to Green With Envy.

Dual Grade 1 winner and only filly in the race, Beach Bomb, comes here off the back of an indifferent run in the Majorca Stakes (Gr 1) but is the highest rated runner in the 9-horse field. Prior to that the daughter of Lancaster Bomber lowered the colours of Princess Calla in the Paddock Stakes (Gr 1) over 1800m and a repeat of that effort could see her troubling her male rivals. To ignore the powerful team of Drakenstein Stud, Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer may be foolhardy but I suspect Beach Bomb may have to take a back seat behind Green With Envy and Hluhluwe.

Rapidash and Coastal Commander finished one-two in the richly endowed Gold Rush over 1600m on WSB Met Day, but they take a steep rise in class here and tackle the distance for the first time. Harajuku was third in the Politician Stakes behind Green With Envy and is now 3kgs worse off which suggests he should be safely held. Infrared has not enjoyed much luck in recent races but the son of Twice Over should relish the Derby trip and he could take home a minor share of the purse.

Given the small field, the pace (or lack thereof) must be of some concern. Clearly, Green With Envy would appreciate an honest gallop allowing him to settle early and use his devastating turn of foot to best advantage. All things being equal, he gets the vote to score at the expense of Hluhluwe and Beach Bomb with Infrared my choice to round out the Quartet.

R600 000 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes (Gr 2) – 1200m:

Thunderstruck, in the care of Sean Tarry, has enjoyed a wonderful Cape Summer Season and he should register this third win of the campaign. After scoring in the Bantry Bay Stakes and the Winchester Cup, Thunderstruck was narrowly beaten by Dyce in the Cape Flying Championship (Gr 1) but in the absence of his conqueror then, the son of Rafeef should resume winning ways.

Surjay, Bereave, Cosmic Highway and Rio Querari all have competitive chances and will keep Thunderstruck honest, but there is no reason to believe they can lower the colours of Tarry’s runner with Richard Fourie aboard.

R250 000 SplashOut Prix Du Cap (Gr 3) – 1400m:

Rascova returns to her favourite trip of 1400m in this very competitive fillies and mares contest and must rate one of the leading lights. Placed in both the Cape Fillies Guineas (Gr 1) and Majorca Stakes (Gr 1) over 1600m, Rascova, who likes to run freely in front, will certainly appreciate the step back in distance. But this is no easy race to win! More than half the field have strong winning claims and luck in running will play a role.

Mrs Geriatrix has not been at her best in the Cape and faces a wide draw. Happy Chance, on the other hand, jumps from pole position and must rate a big chance if one ignores her most recent effort in the Majorca. October Morn never runs a bad race and should not have a problem with the turn or the extra 200m here, particularly as she is drawn in Gate 2.

Shantastic is not well weighted, but she is in super form and could surprise. Ripple Effect won a Feature last time but has more to do in this division while Double Grand Slam warrants respect after finishing third in the Majorca Stakes a month ago. Golden Hostess is classy and very much course and distance suited. She is over-priced at 14/1 and warrants inclusion in all exotic-bet permutations. Asiye Phambili has the ability to win a race of this nature but jumps from a wide gate.

In a very tough race, I am going to side with Rascova to come home ahead of October Morn and Golden Hostess but I will certainly cast my net a lot wider in Pick 6 and Jackpot perms. The Pick 6 features a carryover of R500 000, and the pool is expected to reach R3-million.

R1 000 000 Cape of Good Hope Nursery (Gr 3) – 1200m:

Roman Agent looks a smart horse in the making and came through well to win the Summer Juvenile Stakes on WSB Met Raceday. He will go close to reeling off a hattrick but has plenty to fear from the Azzie-trained Winds Of Change who was beaten less than half-a-length by Roman Agent a month ago. That was a sparkling debut from Winds of Change, and he could well reverse the order with the benefit of that run under his belt.

Vaughan Marshall saddles recent runaway winner One Stripe and the son of One World warrants utmost respect. Stable companion, Lion Rampart, was above himself in the preliminaries last time and can improve on his fifth placing behind Roman Agent and Winds of Change. The impeccably bred Symphony In White caught the eye when winning first-up while Little Ballerina was full value for her 100/1 victory in a Sales’ Race on Met Day.

I am going to side with the progressive Roman Agent but there is no shortage of potential dangers, most notably Winds Of Change.

The first of ten races, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m, goes off at 12:05 and the Cape Summer Season draws to a close with the annual Khaya Stables Work Riders vs Jockeys Championship Maiden Plate over 1200m at 17:30. Craig Zackey rides Speed Racer for the sponsors and the son of Querari rates one of the better bets on the card.