Rascova Draws Well In Cape Fillies Guineas

Turf Talk

The Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship (WCFC) winner Rascova has drawn well for the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas in four.

The WCFC runner up Double Grand Slam has drawn in pole.

The Highveld-based champion filly Mrs Geriatrix has drawn wide in 19 out of 21 entries and the exciting Highveld-based filly Champagne Cocktail has drawn 16.

The first battle has been won with Rascova by teaching her to race less aggressively and settle, thanks to the work done on her at home by Chad Little.

This enabled Craig Zackey to take her to the front and dictate, although it was not the pre-race plan to lead.

Kotzen said, “We used to be scared to take her forward because she raced aggressively, so we always jumped and tried to tuck her in. She would then begin overracing and take three furlongs to drop the bit. On Saturday I actually asked Craig to take her forward. I didn’t expect her to lead but when I saw her in front I knew she would drop the bit because that is what she has been doing in her work. So it is a different story now.”

He said about the Guineas trip, “She is a beautiful filly and looks like a classic horse, so she actually wants a mile plus.”

Racova has been priced up by the WSB Fillies Guineas sponsor as the fourth favourite at 15/2.

The favourite is the Justin Snaith-trained Double Grand Slam, who finished strongly from midfield in the WCFC to be the 3,50 lengh runner up, and she has been priced up at 4/1.

Champagne Cocktail is 5/1 and Mrs Geriatrix is 11/2.

Mrs Geriatrix was caught wide throughout in the WCFC so a line can drawn through that run.

Double Grand Slam was closer to the back than the front in the WCFC despite having led in her previous start and jumping from draw two.

Grant van Niekerk said after the race, “They did go slow and she had to do very well to run past a few with that pace we went, so I’m really happy with the run going into the bigger races coming up.”

Rascova’s times for the successive 100m sections were 7,26 seconds; 5,60 seconds; 5,57 secs; 6,10 secs; 6,29 secs; 6,48 secs; 6,50 secs; 6,39 secs; 5,89; 5,54; 5,46; 5,56; 5,77; 5,94;

The sectional times suggest she dictated at a rate that allowed her to quicken and made her difficult to catch, but it also says something about her temperament and her class.

Champagne Cocktail has won her first two starts over 1700m and 1800m respectively by a combined margin of 12,50 lengths. In her first start out of the maidens she only faced four other opponents in a handicap, but she had to race off a 94 merit rating and faced decent sorts. To beat an older handicapper like Say Yes by five lengths second time out was a good effort.

Mike de Kock, who has a fine record in the Cape Fillies Guineas, trains her and has entered four other fillies. They include Silver Sanctuary, who is a full sister to Safe Passage and comes off a good Listed win, and Gimme A Nother, who is by Gimmethegreenlight out of De Kock’s Gr 1 winner Nother Russia. He has also entered the promising pair White Pearl and Platina Princess.

Silver Sanctuary has drawn 10 and Gimme A Nother 14.

The entries are and WSB ante-post betting is shown below:

O Dr	N Dr	Horse	Weight	MR	No.	Trainer		Jockey	Proviso
1	0	Double Grand Slam	60	104	0	Justin Snaith	Still To Be Declared
2	0	Cala Muretta	60	101	0	HWJ Crawford/M Rix	Still To Be Declared
3	3	Luna Halo	60	103	0	Alan Greeff		S’manga Khumalo
4	0	Rascova	60	110	0	Glen Kotzen	Still To Be Declared
5	0	Summer Lily	60	89	0	Justin Snaith	Still To Be Declared
6	0	Royals	60	103	0	Glen Kotzen	Still To Be Declared
7	0	Platina Princess	60	97	0	Mike de Kock	Still To Be Declared
8	0	Red Palace	60	93	0	Candice Bass-Robinson	Still To Be Declared
9	0	Betula	60	100	0	Stuart Pettigrew	Still To Be Declared
10	0	Silver Sanctuary	60	107	0	Mike de Kock	Still To Be Declared
11	0	Secret Identity	60	98	0	HWJ Crawford/M Rix	Still To Be Declared
12	0	Just Be Lekker	60	99	0	Candice Dawson	Still To Be Declared
13	0	Francine	60	98	0	M G Azzie/A A Azzie	Still To Be Declared
14	0	Gimme A Nother	60	92	0	Mike de Kock	Still To Be Declared
15	0	Beach Bomb	60	98	0	Candice Bass-Robinson	Still To Be Declared
16	0	Champagne Cocktail	60	102	0	Mike de Kock	Still To Be Declared
17	0	Trip To Maputo	60	89	0	Candice Bass-Robinson	Still To Be Declared
18	0	White Pearl	60	109	0	Mike de Kock	Still To Be Declared
19	0	Mrs Geriatrix	60	112	0	Sean Tarry	Still To Be Declared
20	0	Gimmethatpearl	60	88	0	Justin Snaith	Still To Be Declared
21	0	Distant Winter	60	108	0	Candice Bass-Robinson	Still To Be Declared