Kenilworth Review

Some top class racing at Kenilworth yesterday.
The Greenpoint delivered a blanket finish with the aging but still top class champion miler Legal Eagle getting his head down on the post under a top ride by Anton Marcus. Undercover Agent was by no means disgraced in second and he has youth on his side in future meetings with LE. Do It Again ran a cracker over a trip which is perhaps a bit sharp for him these days, and found a good finishing effort just when the other two looked to have his measure. Rainbow Bridge handled the step up in class and was somewhat unlucky as he was the fastest finisher and in another stride was clear. He was receiving 2 kg from the others here, and must meet them at levels in the Queens Plate. However, he again fought his rider for half the race, and he must learn to settle to achieve his huge full potential. The only concern with this race was the relatively slow time, and I hope that the QP is run at a truer pace. We thought that this race would make it easier to pick the QP winner, but all four of these look capable of winning it if things go their way.
Princess Rebel showed the local girls a clean pair of heels in the Southern Cross. She is a genuine 1000m specialist and this was another triumph for the PE Bremner team after National Park’s super win in Jhb. It will be interesting to see whether she can be as effective over 1200m.
We were thrilled by Freedom Charter’s run as this trip too short and she must have a decent shout in the Sceptre over 1200m. The younger Nous Voila ran a cracker in 2nd and is a top sprinter. Magical Wonderland was very disappointing and is much better than this run.
Snowdance was allowed to bowl along in front in the Pinnacle race and duly won in a canter. Goodtime Gal ran on well for 2nd without ever looking dangerous. The time was very slow for this class of race, and those fillies whose jockeys played a waiting game had no chance of catching the front two. We were very disappointed by Elusive Heart’s run as she showed no sign of her usual kick, and clearly something not quite right with her on the day.
The three bottom weights were all under sufferance, yet they fought out the finish of the Summer Stayers race, and showed the poor quality of our stayers.
Magic Mike put up his hand in the Maiden 1600m as an improving sort to be watched.
Hudoo Magic found it impossible to give 7kg to Potawatomi in the last and the older horses were no match for these two progressive sorts.

Like that Anton Marcus thought that if anything Legal Eagle was getting stronger
Add that to Tarry's ''before we can chase after him'' comment give his backers serious confidence
This horse has 2000m written all over

PeterD
Hudoo Magic found it impossible to give 7kg to Potawatomi in the last and the older horses were no match for these two progressive sorts.
There was only a 2kg difference for a 6 length beating in their last run,same course same distance.
And it was Hudoo's sixth run while Potawatomi was having it's thirteenth run,so I would have thought Hudoo had more improvement.
So in theory Hudoo Magic should have won by at least 4 lengths.
I think Sandile Mbhele was the difference there.

Peter, in your opinion, if you had to give a 100% unbiased opinion, at the same stage of their careers, who would you choose, Last Winter or Rainbow?...

Imo, this would have been the most talked of match up SA racing would of had for a long time.....

LAST WINTERS FINISH AGAINST MILTON STILL GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS
ALTHOUGH BEATEN 0.05 OF A LENGTH...BUT DAMN THAT WAS THE BEST I HAVE SEEN :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Other thinks in Potowatami's favour. 3rd run after gelding and blinker strike. All things considered, the one world run was the pointer, first run after gelding. Second run probably needed, so the room for improvement was there.

durbs wrote: PeterD
Hudoo Magic found it impossible to give 7kg to Potawatomi in the last and the older horses were no match for these two progressive sorts.
There was only a 2kg difference for a 6 length beating in their last run,same course same distance.
And it was Hudoo's sixth run while Potawatomi was having it's thirteenth run,so I would have thought Hudoo had more improvement.
So in theory Hudoo Magic should have won by at least 4 lengths.
I think Sandile Mbhele was the difference there.

Potawatomi ran way below his best last time when never getting into the race from a wide draw. I backed him then on the strength of his very good run the time before when 4th behind One World. Tarentaal rode him both those races, so I don’t think he was the problem- the horse just had an off day. I agree that Mbhele rode a good race yesterday making the most of his pull at the weights,

Karma wrote: Peter, in your opinion, if you had to give a 100% unbiased opinion, at the same stage of their careers, who would you choose, Last Winter or Rainbow?...

Imo, this would have been the most talked of match up SA racing would of had for a long time.....

As the breeder of Last Winter I can’t be unbiased.
Rainbow Bridge was a late starter, but then won the first two legs of the winter series as a 3yo. Last Winter missed his whole 3yo career due to a pedal bone injury, having won his only start as a late two year old. Both became talking horses as unbeaten 4yos going into the Cape season. Last Winter skipped the Queens Plate and was surprisingly beaten by Milton in the Gr2 over 1800m. So as at December, Rainbow Bridge has achieved more, and he would have to be considered better than LW over a mile. Last Winter’s Met run was huge, and that run was better than anything yet shown by RB, including his performance yesterday.
Last Winter had no trouble settling in his races, so has the advantage of temperament, whereas RB still fights for his head in a race, which may be an impediment. LW seems to need time to get into top gear, which cost him the races in his two second places, but both horses have similar amazing finishing speed. We also don’t yet know whether RB will improve over the 2000m, but at this stage of their respective careers I would choose LW over RB at 2000m.

The jock of Rainbow Bridge was half a kg overweight. Why was this not communicated bebore the race?

Thanks for all the inputs and would have to say Rainbow would have to be the Met horse to beat

I think the best jockey in SA won the race in the Green Point stakes.For rainbow bridge to go down a sh the way it was ridden just says how good this horse is.Another 50 it wins going away.The only dangers in the Met are do it again and hawwaam if De Kock decides to run him .With him you could do yr money on cold blood just like the guineas.Would like to see a commitment from de kock for the punters that would like to back hawwaam.

SREDDY wrote: The jock of Rainbow Bridge was half a kg overweight. Why was this not communicated bebore the race?

:ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: so in theory if BFH made the correct weight, Rainhow Bridge would most likely have won.