Skip to main content
Picture: Cosmic Highway, second favourite with the sponsor for the Hollywoodbets Matchem Stakes (Wayne Marks).

Cape Racing’s Expert Analysis Of This Important Cape Summer Pointer

 
The Spring season proper gets underway at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday with the Hollywoodbets Matchem and Hollywoodbets Diana Stakes, both Grade 3 events run over 1400m. .
 
Matchem Stakes Analysis 
 
Cosmic Highway (speed score 112) impressed in the Diadem Stakes and is a high-quality sprinter miler. He has not run for 17 weeks and is drawn widest of all at 10, but his class and turn of foot could prove decisive. His Dean Kannemeyer-trained stablemate, Russian Rock (s/s (speed score) 108) is a true pace, 1400m expert with good course form and a more favourable draw of 2 so should also be taken seriously.
 
Candice Bass Robinson has equally strong representation with Trip of Fortune (s/s 112) and Resonate (s/s 108). Trip of Fortune used his powers of acceleration to run down Russian Rock over this course and distance a year ago and was mightily impressive in his recent seasonal debut to stay perfect over 1400m. Resonate is developing into a seriously smart performer and looks teed up to run a big race from pole position.
 
The Vaughan Marshall-trained  2022 IOS Drill Hall Stakes victor, Silver Operator (s/s 109) only succumbed narrowly in the 2021 edition of the Hollywoodbets Matchem Stakes when his stablemate Seeking the Stars proved half a length superior. The latter is another obvious threat given those quality performances over seven furlongs.
 
Of the balance, the Marshall-trained pair Captain of Stealth (s/s 104) and Look for Hounds (s/s 106) and the ultra-game Piet Botha-trained Rockin Ringo (s/s 106) are pace threats that could prove vulnerable late whilst the Justin Snaith-trained Speed Machine is tremendously talented (s/s 108) but reserves his absolute best for when it comes up muddy. That leaves temperamental middle-distance ace, the Snaith-trained Pomp and Power (s/s 109) who will probably find this too sharp but as a proven Grade 1 victor must be closely monitored.