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The postponed Guineas meeting at Turffontein Standside kicks off at 15h10 this afternoon and inexperience under the lights will hopefully not be a factor considering sunset will be at 18h56, which is about a quarter-of-an-hour after the running of the second of the classics.

However the ground is likely to have cut after plenty of recent rainfall.

The features could be dominated by Mike de Kock, who has the crack filly Desert Miracle in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift  Gauteng Fillies Guineas and he has a strong hand in the Grade 2 WSB Gauteng Guineas with Safe WSB Dingaans first and third Safe Passage and Aragosta and none of these three will have a problem handling soft ground. 

Aragosta will find the trip a bit sharp but this tall son of Rafeef is highly progressive. Safe passage overtook Aragosta in the straight in the Dingaans but the latter had come from a wide draw and had been caught wide on the turn for a while. Aragosta has also had one run since then, coming from a long way back in the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m and displaying a fine turn of foot and plenty of courage.

The resolute galloper Safe Passage, on the other hand, goes into this race fresh. The pair were split by Red Saxon in the Dingaans, which was run in soft ground, and he should run well again from a fair draw of six.

However preference to fill the trifecta position is Supreme Warrior who has impressed in both of his starts and looks to have scope for further improvement, although there is a slight question mark over the trip with him on pedigree as he is by Vercingetorix out of a speedy Captain Al dam.

Another promising up-and-coming sort is Outofthedarkness who was sent for home too early in the Tony Ruffel over 1400m and yet only just failed to hang on. On pedigree, being by Gimmethegreenlight out of the useful Fort Wood miler to middle distance mare Negroamaro, he will relish the step up in trip, although he does have a tough draw.

The long-striding William Robertson won the Tony Ruffel with a late surge and then proved he is effective over a mile by finishing a neck second to Summer Cup runner up Majestic Mozart when receiving just 1kg, so he is also a contender despite a tricky draw. 

Desert Miracle is impossible to oppose in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas. She relaxes well in the running wherever she is even when caught wide as she was in the Golden Slipper over 1400m as a juvenile, so a wide draw should not bother her, and one of her commanding wins this season was in soft ground.

She was green around the left-hand turn at Kenilworth last time in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and was carried out just after she had changed legs and was beginning to accelerate. The narrow winner of that race Chansonette has proved her class in no uncertain terms since.

Last year’s Equus Champion Two-year-old award was questioned as the recipient Rain In Holland didn’t appear to be as good as other contenders like Desert Miracle, but she is a Grade 1 winner, whereas Desert Miracle is not, and she now gets a chance to prove the detractors wrong. She is nuggety and the Standside track suits her style down to the ground as she has a long sustained run in and will still be going when others are gasping for air. However, this trip will be too sharp for her in the long run whereas it is Desert Miracle’s probable optimum. Sprinkles is progressive and drawn in pole so can earn. Follow Me is held in high regard and comes from the yard of an expert big race conditioner so has a shout if able to overcome a tough draw. Eternity Ring and Clafoutis look capable of earning too.

The Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur could be won by the up and coming sprinter Master Archie, who beat the top class Dyce over this trip last season. He has drawn on the right side and the only downside is that his only below par performance was over this course and distance, although that was in his second run of the season. The classy speedster Gallic Princess has also landed a high draw. Sweet Future would have been preferred if she had not drawn low but if finding cover her big stride can carry her close. Anna Capri will be hard to peg back if she gets as good a start as she did last time. Winter Stories has some good form and is drawn on the right side. Singforafa is drawn high and this Grade 1-winning sprinter can bounce back from a high draw. 

The meeting could start with a win for Paul Peter and Warren Kennedy with Power Broker, who impressed when winning on debut and the form has been well franked. 

In the second Caruso is drawn on the right side and if producing her best represents fair value.

In the third over 1160m Eagle River will relish the step back in trip and if producing his best with first-time blinkers on is hard to oppose.   

In the fourth over 1000m Remember When has proven ability and with a lot of pace in the race can mow them down late.

The consistent Admire Me has her third run on the Highveld in the eighth over a suitable 1600m trip and is the one to beat from a good draw.

The exciting up-and-coming Stayer Shangani can make it four wins in succession in the ninth over 2400m.

The last over 1400m could see Vars Vicky surprise considering in April last year he finished just 2,50 lengths behind the top class Seeking The Stars over this trip despite giving him 1.5kg.      

by David Thiselton
Source: https://www.goldcircle.co.za/miracle-to-dominate/