Justin Snaith said he would be very happy just to win one Grade 1 this season and his Australian-bred More Than Ready colt Gimmethegreenlight is one of the horses that could do it for this top Cape yard in the R1 million Grade 1 Cape Premier Yearling Sales Cape Guineas at Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday.
The ban on direct exports to Europe due to an outbreak of African Horse Sickness (AHS) in the AHS Controlled Area in February has meant that all of the best three-year-olds are still in the country (as well as most of the older horses) and the Guineas features one of the best line ups in its history.
Snaith said, “My prediction is that Mike de Kock’s horse, Silver Flyer, will either finish first or second, my horse will be in the first three and then Joey Ramsden’s and Dean Kannemeyer’s horses will also be right there.”
Gimmethegreenlight finished a 0,3 length second to the Ramsden-trained Variety Club in the best traditional pointer to the Guineas, the Selangor Cup over 1600m of the old course.
The form of that race looks outstanding as the highly regarded Laincourt Rock was three lengths behind them, dual Grade 3 winner Depardieu was a further three lengths back and then there was another four lengths back to Ramsden’s classic contenders Master Mascus and Silver Haven.
Gimmethegreenlight has a wide draw of ten and Snaith said that this “definitely” had to be a concern, “Run For It was drawn wide in the Calulo Premier Trophy on Saturday and turned for home 16 lengths back. All the top jockeys will be in the race too and they don’t give up their positions easily.”
Gimmethegreenlight has been especially prepared for this race and Snaith said, “He’s well. He’s a very nice horse.”
He said of the Dingaans winner Silver Flyer, “This will be a much better quality field he faces. But you always have to respect a good horse, so let’s see what happens on Saturday.”
Of the crack filly Princess Victoria from the Glen Kotzen yard, he said, “It will be very hard for her as this is such a strong crop of three-year old colts. If she wins she will have to be regarded as one of the best fillies seen for a long time. But this race is everything a Guineas should be. It has the best filly in the country by a mile and the best colts from every province. This is why the Cape Guineas is the best Guineas in the country. It will be a very hard race to win.”
Gimmethegreenlight cantered yesterday (Monday) and will do fast work today (Tuesday).
He galloped on the sand together with the top class four-year-old filly Ebony Flyer on Saturday and Snaith said, “He is the first three-year-old I’ve seen who can go with her.”
Ebony Flyer also runs on Saturday in the Grade 2 weight-for-age Diadem Stakes over 1200m and Snaith emphasised, “It has never been her aim to win the Diadem and this is 100% a prep run for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. I think What A Winter is the best horse in the country over the Kenilworth 1200m without a doubt, so it will be very hard for her. Not many horses could get close to him and it will take a super effort to do it. She is slightly overweight still, but for a 1200m race that is fine. Felix is aboard and has been down this road before. He knows what it takes.”
Snaith also runs Flighty’s Last and Flaming Dame in the Grade 3 Victress Stakes over 1800m, but said, “It will be very hard for them. It’s a very strong race and Beach Beauty and Hollywood Boulevard look very strong at the weights.”
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