The Grade 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m at Greyville on Saturday signals the official start of the Champions Season in KwaZulu-Natal.
This race has not disappointed again, attracting many of the country’s best racehorses, including dual Grade 1 Queen’s Plate winner Jet Dark.
While Jet Dark is the best-weighted runner, he usually needs this comeback race and has drawn widest of all. He is aimed at bigger targets on his schedule and even has an invitation to contest the Breeders Cup in the US.
Linebacker, favourite for the 2021 Durban July and second favourite in this year’s Cape Town Met, has again been installed as favourite for the now Hollywoodbets sponsored Durban July this year. He finished third to Kommetdieding in both races and perhaps it will be his turn this year.
But Kommetdieding doesn’t run in this and more importantly, Linebacker boasts a Guineas and Daily News win at Hollywoodbets Greyville so could finally return to winning ways and as such, rates the selection to win the Drill Hall Stakes.
Under Your Spell is likely to go off a hot favourite for the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guuineas over 1600m.
The Grade 1 winning juvenile caught the eye with a powerful finish first time over 1600m when just ousted by popular favourite Princess Calla in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes. She had Sparkling Water just behind her and the latter was an unlucky second in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge last Saturday and is joint second favourite in the upcoming Durban July.
She doesn’t meet that kind of opposition in the Fillies Guineas and has won at Turffontein’s Inside track so Greyville should pose no problem. Banker in all bets.
The final feature on the day, the Grade 2 WSB Guineas, has been a pointer to the country’s best three-year-olds and to a possible winner of the Durban July.
Justin Snaith sends out to Grade 1 winners. Pomp And Power won the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m with ease and along while Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner Double Superlative represent the yard but both have drawn wide.
The latter had the speed to overcome his wide draw to win Cape Guineas, beating Pomp and Power, but he has drawn widest of the 14 runners and it is a bit of a death trap at Greyville, so Pomp And Power is selected to beat him as he did in the Derby.
Clive Robinson
