Clash of the speed merchants

SOUTH AFRICA’s three best sprinters will go head-to-head in the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m at Kenilworth this Saturday.

What A Winter and Val De Ra, who have bumped each other once before, will come up against the internationally accomplished JJ The JJ Plane for the first time, the trio guaranteed to bring racegoers to their feet.

What A Winter put up a gallop on his own at Kenilworth last Wednesday that pleased Mike Bass and the veteran trainer is very happy with the brilliant Western Winter colt, but admits that the Equus Champion Sprinter Val De Ra must be the favourite in the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship this Saturday due to the trip of 1000m.

Bass said, “Val de Ra has huge natural cruising speed. She reminds me of a horse I used to train in the early 1980s, Sweet Chestnut, who also used to regularly beat the colts and won the Cape Flying when it was still called the Jack Stubbs Memorial Trophy.”

What A Winter, well prepared.

However, Bass hasn’t written off What A Winter’s chances.

“In Johannesburg last year (in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m) he didn’t really start that well, he jumped awkwardly, and she got away from him. He had a lot of ground to make up and Turffontein is a very fast track. I think Val De Ra will still have an advantage as 1000m is her optimum, while the other two (What A Winter and J J The Jet Plane) are happier over 1200m. But the Kenilworth 1000m is a bit stiffer than the Turffontein one and another factor will be the wind. I don’t think the draw will play a part. I would have liked to have had another fast horse in front to pace it out with her. She could have it all her own way out in front, which is what worries me. Having a horse like Isidingo in the race would have been nice.”

Bass concluded, “Val De Ra must be the favourite over 1000m, but What A Winter could give her a go and J J is also very classy. A lot will depend on the conditions, but it’s going to be a helluva race.”

What A Winter’s only Grade 1 win to date was in this race last year, but he has bounced back from injury in brilliant style and has looked better than ever in two recent wins at Kenilworth over 1100m and 1200m respectively following a six month layoff.

JJ The Jet Plane, internationally proven.

J J The Jet Plane, who could well be South Africa’s most popular horse in training, was due to arrive in Cape Town this morning (Wednesday) for his engagement in the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship.

The Vaal, where he has been conditioned by trainer Lucky Houdalakis, is not a high risk African Horse Sickness area, so he won’t have to stay at the Kenilworth Quarantine Station and will instead be based at Eric Sands’ yard at the Milnerton training centre.

Houdalakis said, “J J is fine. He works by himself so I can only go on looks and he is looking as good as he can.”

He added that the injury he suffered in Dubai, a core lesion to a lower suspensory ligament, had healed and was not a concern.

He agreed that 1200m is probably his preferable trip and continued, “The 1000m is probably a concern. But it might be in his favour that he hasn’t run for ten months (because he will come into the race fresh).”

J J once returned from an eight month break to win the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville, despite having to carry topweight and fears that he would need the run.
However, Houdalakis reminded, “He was five when he made that comeback and is now seven.”

He said only the race would tell whether he would be able to sit in behind the flying reigning Equus Champion filly, Val De Ra, and added, “There have been no races for him in Jo’burg so we’ve had to go straight into this one, but if we don’t try we will never know.”

The world famous Jet Master gelding has won six Grade 1 races including the international Hong Kong Sprint in December 2010, beating some of the world’s best sprinters despite arriving in Hong Kong less than two weeks before the race after an epic 90 day journey via the Kenilworth Quarantine Station and the UK.

A journey to the Cape should be a doddle in comparism.

His last start was over this same 1000m trip in the Group 2 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night at Meydan in Dubai and he showed the amazing fortitude he has, coupled with his raw ability, for after suffering some interference he looked an unlikely winner 100m from home, but somehow got his head in front to win by a head.

He beat former Grade 1 Mercury Sprint winner War Artist in that race and about 2,75 lengths behind him in fifth place was Prohibit, who went on to win the Group 1 King Stand Stakes over five furlongs (1000m) at Royal Ascot.

Bernard Fayd’herbe, who rode him in his last start, is reunited with a horse he reportedly has an amazing rapport with and in a six horse field they are unlikely to suffer the traffic problems they did last time.

Val De Ra, high cruising speed.

Dennis Drier said that he “couldn’t be happier” with his Equus Champion Sprinter Val Dr Ra and added that he was “looking very forward” to the race on Saturday, the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship over 1000m at Kenilworth.

Val De Ra did a gallop at Kenilworth last week that Drier described as “great”.

“She hasn’t put a foot wrong in her preparation,” he said.

Val De Ra’s optimum trip is 1000m, so she might have an advantage over the other two big guns in the race, What A Winter and J J The Jet Plane.

Drier said, “She’s beaten the colts before (including What A Winter) and we’re hoping she can do it again.”
Drier said that he was not at all concerned about the possibility of a South Easter, which manifests as a headwind at Kenilworth.

The South Easter does come at a slight angle meaning that horses drawn high on the sprint course can sometimes be shielded from the wind by the inside horses, but in this case there are only six horses in the race so the draw should not be a factor.

Val De Ra has won 10 times from just eleven starts and is known for her brilliant cruising speed coupled with an ability to kick again when challenged.

She has won a Grade 1, albeit against fillies, over the tough Scottsville 1200m course, so the stiff Kenilworth 1000m, as opposed to the very fast Turffontein 1000m where she beat the boys in the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint last year, should not pose a problem.

Jockey Alec Forbes confirmed her well-being at the Scottsville meeting yesterday (Tuesday), “She’s very well, I am very happy with her.”

Forbes was asked earlier this month whether he thought she could beat What A Winter and he replied, “Over five furlongs (1000m), yes.”

-David Thiselton, Gold Circle.