One Stripe in the winner’s encloure with trainer Vaughan Marshall (Picture: Wayne Marks)
In military paralance a “one stripe” is a lance corparal, two stripes worn on the upper sleeve signifies a corporal and three stripes is a sergeant.
One Stripe has already landed two Gr 3s and can make it a third on Saturday in The Langerman over 1500m.
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle) wrote the below preview:
One Stripe, winner of his last three starts down the lane at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, steps up to 1500m in tomorrow’s R500 000 Langerman (Gr 3) and is confidently expected to round off his two year old campaign on a high note. Sired by the outstanding One World, himself a former winner of the Langerman, One Stripe has a big action and he should not be unduly troubled by the softer ground which he is likely to face for the first time in his career. According to trainer Vaughan Marshall preparations have gone according to plan and One Stripe is certainly a worthy odds-on favourite.
The Langerman stacks up as one of the most important juvenile features on the South African programme. Apart from One World, who trained on to win the Cape Town Met (Gr 1) over 2000m, recent winners of this high quality contest include Jet Dark, Act of War and Variety Club, all of which went on to make their mark at the highest level. It would be premature at this early stage to rate One Stripe at that level, but he is a hugely exciting prospect and I would guess that the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas in December is very much on his radar.
Gavin Lerena jets into town to partner One Stripe, just as he did when steering One Stripe to a comfortable victory over stable companion Lion Rampart in the Winter Nursery last month. Lion Rampart is absent from tomorrow’s line-up but Marshall has solid back up in the form of All Out For Six and Talk To The Master. All Out For Six, also by One World, has the experience of racing around the turn, having won his last two starts over 1400m. He is clearly progressive and his chances of upsetting his stable companion should not be underestimated. Talk To The Master was soundly beaten by Lion Rampart in the Somerset Stakes earlier this month and may find his stable mates a little too strong for him here.
Eight On Eighteen, trained by Justin Snaith and ridden by Richard Fourie, won his maiden narrowly at the third time of asking and while there may be untapped potential to follow, it will be a tough task for the Lancaster Bomber colt to lower the colours of One Stripe and All Out For Six.
Marshall also sends out the favourite Sahara Cat in the R250 000 Irridescence Stakes (Listed) over 1500m, which is billed as the second event on the 10-race programme. A small field of only six fillies have stood their ground, three from the Greg Ennion yard and two from Marshall’s stable. Sahara Cat’s three starts to date have yielded back-to-back victories but she has yet to be tested beyond 1000m and, given her terrific speed, it’s anybody’s guess how she will cope with the extra 500m.
There are no such doubts with regards Eric Sands’ runner, Kinda Wonderful, who impressed when just failing to nab All Out For Six over 1400m three weeks ago. The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight was doing her best work at the finish and is marginally preferred to Sahara Cat. Ennion will fancy that his charge, Miss World, is perhaps the one they all have to beat. Runner-up to the smart juveniles Talk To The Master and Lion Rampart over 1200m in her last two starts, Miss World’s pedigree suggests should relish the step up in trip and has to be taken very seriously here.
Ennion also saddles Polynomial who caught everyone napping when winning on debut over 1200m at odds of 75/1. She boasts a classic bloodline and that outstanding performance may yet prove to be no flash in the pan. Corne Orffer has opted to ride Miss World, a clear indication that she is the stable elect, but Polynomial remains very much the mystery package in the race. Dixieland Band and Timeline make up the small field but appear safely held on form.
The Irridescence Stakes looks set to be an intriguing tactical affair and while I am marginally in the camp of Kinda Wonderful, the outcome is no foregone conclusion.
The R200 000 Winter Mile is the third feature on the programme and is a wide-open affair. Zapatillas will have benefitted from his last run, which was his first following a nine-month absence, but the smart son of Master Of My Fate could yet be just one run short of peak fitness. That said, he goes well on soft ground and if reproducing last season’s Gold Challenge effort, when third to Charles Dickens, he will prove tough to beat. His stable companions Port Louis and Future Prince are both very “alive”, particularly the latter with just 52,5kgs to shoulder. Ignore the form line behind runaway winner The Futurist, as that race has to get the vote for being the most strangely run race all Season.
Coastal Commander is in very good form but will find it tough to concede 3kgs to Rapidash, while Sugar Mountain warrants huge respect despite the steadier of 61,5kgs. Gold Poker Game looks well handicapped but she has not been at her best in her last three starts. The change in underfoot conditions could well turn her form around and she could suddenly bounce back.
As the ante-post market suggests, this is no easy race and punters need to go wide. My hesitant top choice is Rapidash, but Future Prince could well be the lurker in the pack.
