Greaterix Opts For The Horse Chestnut

The Mike and Matthew de Kock trained Vercingetorix colt Greaterix has been entered in the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut stakes to be run over 1600m at Turffontein Standside on March 1 and he does not appear among the entries in the Gr 1 SA Classic, suggesting the connections have accepted he has stamina limitations.

Greaterix looked all over the winner in the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas last time out after sweeping past Parisian Walkway under the hands with just 200m to go, but he had no answer when Parisian Walkway fought back to win by 0,40 lengths.

Unfortunately Greaterix has drawn wide in ten out of 12 in the Horse Chestnut, so it will be a tough ask for him.

There is only one out of province entry in the Horse Chestnut and that is the progressive Gareth Van Zyl-trained Imelenzeyokududuma, who has been in good form in KZN. However, he did disappoint on Sunday when only managing 5th in the Fever Tree Stakes over 1500m and his merit rating of 114 also makes him 8kg under sufferance with the highest rated entry, the defending champion, Main Defender.

Main Defender has bounced back to his best recently and will take a power of beating from draw six.

In his last start over 1400m he beat Barbaresco by 0.9 lengths at level weights.

Barbaresco is also an entry in the Horse Chestnut and will appreciate the step up in trip and he will be a big threat to Main Defnder from draw two.

An interesting entry is the Sean Terry trained Cosmic Speed, who performed at the highest level as a juvenile over 1200m and 1400m, but he was somewhat disappointing in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600,  albeit from a wide draw. However, in the Gr 3 Betway Got The Green Light Stakes over 1400 meters last time out Cosmic Speed came from last with a very strong finish to be beaten just 3.1 lengths by Greaterix and he was giving the latter 2kg. That run suggested he would enjoy the mile and, furthermore, he has landed a plum draw of three, so is likely to be a big runner.

Tarry in fact has two top runners entered, the other being the crack twice Gr 1 winner over 1200m, Lucky Lad, who proved in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate he is also effective over a mile. He ran on from last that day for a 5.95 length sixth. He will have the long straight of Turffontein to make up ground on this occasion after likely being dropped out from draw eight.

Another interesting entry is Back in Business, who was strongly fancied in the Gr 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity mile before being badly hampered, causing Muzi Yeni to fall off. This will be this classy, but somewhat unlucky five-year-old gelding’s first start since then and hopefully he can bounce back into the top class form he was in at the time.

William Robertson is a fascinating entry and together with Barbaresco and Lucky Lucky Lad is one of the joint second highest rated runners on 125. He has been seen to be capable of devastating finishing runs from sprints up to 1400m, but he has actually finished fourth before in a Gr 3 over 1800 meters and he ran in the Betway Summer Cup once too, so trainer Corne Spies must be more than hopeful he will stay a mile. From draw 12 out of 12 as it stands he’s going to have to be dropped out and use his tremendous turn of foot to run on.

White Pearl is one of Danon Platina’s two stakes winning horses and will attempt to become his first Gr 1 winner. However, she has a tough task being merit rated only 114, although she did prove she enjoys this course and distance recently when winning the Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge and she has drawn pole position. She has 4,50 lengths to find on Main Defender from their last meeting over 1400m and is 3kg worse off.

Fire and Flames is an enigmatic horse capable of top class performances if things go his way, but he looks a bit out of his depth here running off a 101 merit rating.

Texas Red also has a tough task considering he was beaten 1.3 lengths by Main Defender last time over 1400 meters and will now be 6kg worse off.

BusstopinHounslow is a progressive sort owned by Hollywood Racing and this is a massive step up in class for this nice, scopey type. However, he tried this trip for the first tim last time out and won effortlessly by 3,30 lengths, so he could still be anything and being officially 17,5kg under sufferance with Main Defender is probably not a realistic reflection of his chances.

The entries in draw order are shown below: