Zeitz won the Gr 3 Politician Stakes in effortless style under Serino Moodley and stable jockey Corne Orffer, who could not make the weight of 55,5kg in the latter race, now returns. (Picture: Wayne Marks)
The Splashout Cape Derby has highlighted the phenomenon of Vercingetorix, as he has four of the seven runners, which should see him increasing his big lead in the national sires championship to a virtually unassailable one.
At the time of writing he is just under R5 million ahead of reigning champion Gimmethegreenlight.
Vercingetorix has aleady had a Cape Derby winner, the Justin Snaith-trained Pomp And Power, and his four runners on Saturday are The Piet Steyn-trained 97 merit rated Garrix, the Snaith-trained 103-rated Sail The Seas, the Andre Nel-trained 97-rated Zeitz and the Snaith-trained 91-rated Native Ruler.
Zeitz could be the one with the most chance of upsetting the odds on favourite Eight On Eighteen, a Snaith-trained Lancaster Bomber colt whose WSB Met win sees him merit rated 24 points higher than any of the other runners.
Zeitz relaxed superbly in a handy position in the Gr 3 City Of Cape Town Politician Stakes over 1800m. He was loping along in a very comfortable space while a lot of the others were still showing signs of inexperience. In the straight he turned it on effortlessly and won easily. He beat Garrix by 2,75 lengths and was receiving 3kg, so there is not much in it. However, he looked to have plenty still in hand when he crossed the line. His dam is by speed influence Redoute’s Choice and only won once and it was over 1600m, but he is so relaxed he should not have a problem seeing out the trip and the tricky draw of six should not be too much of a concern either.
Sail The Seas could be the one with the most improvement to come. He is still noticeably maturing so will be improving all the time. He came from last in the Politician Stakes, which was run at a slow pace, so did well to finish a 4,55 length fifth. That is especially considering he was carrying topweight and giving weight away all around. He gave the winner 4,5kg so should finish alongside him in the Cape Derby on paper. Sail The Seas won’t have to be dropped out from a wide draw as he was in the Politician. He has the middle draw of four, so should have a few options.
Gavin Lerena rides Native Ruler and he has an eyecacthing pedigree as he is out of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner Pine Princess, who has produced two stakes-placed horses to date in Pyromaniac and Passchendaele. Native Ruler would have come on from his Politician Stakes third. He led most the way and stayed on well. He is not dissimilar in conformation to Pomp And Power and looks the sort who at his peak would relish a resolute gallop for 2000m, which Pomp And Power was able to do behind a fast pace when he won the Cape Derby. However, on paper Native Ruler has a tough task as he is 4,5kg worse off with Sail The Seas for a 1,50 length beating and he is drawn seven of seven.
Garrix is highly regarded and looped the field around the turn in the slow run Politician Stakes, going from joint last to third as they entered the straight, before staying on to be beaten only 2,75 lengths. It did not pan out well there and he could prove better than that result suggests on paper. He is strongly built but on pedigree should have no problem with the trip, so it is going to be fascinating to see what tactics are employed from pole position.
Eight On Eighteen has shown himself to have a fine action and a fine turn of foot and he has plenty of scope for improvement. The Lancaster Bomber colt is proven over course and distance and is unlikely to be troubled by any of the opposition.
Dawn To Dusk is by Trippi and stayed on well from a midfield position on the rail in the Politician Stakes to be beaten 3,55 lengths. He is now 3kg worse off with Sail The Seas for a one length beating. His dam won four times from 1160m to 1450m, but she is by Dynasty so he has a chance of seeing it out.
Express Yourself is a big scopey sort by Trippi and he was never well settled in a handy position in the Politician Stakes and duly faded out in the straight. He is capable of better and his only win was over 2000m, so if it pans out well and he gets good cover behind a faster pace he could perform better. However, it is only a seven horse field and he has the same trainer and ownership as Eight On Eighteen, so from draw five he might be used to ensure a good pace.
It is a small field but an intriguing contest and Eight On Eighteen might be given some cheek by Zeitz, Sail The Seas and Garrix, who are tipped to follow him home in that order with Native Ruler, Dawn Till Dusk and Express Yourself coming home in that order behind them.
