Clive Robinson
The red-hot form of Justin Snaith’s yard shows no signs of abating. Having sent out 12 winners across the last three Cape Town meetings, among them a five-timer and the winning seasonal reappearance of Horse Of The Year Captain’s Ransom, followers of the powerful Snaith operation have been smiling all the way to the bank.
With the big Grade 1 races fast approaching and the ‘big guns’ stepping up their preparations, the stable’s purple patch could not have come at a better time as it serves as a timely reminder that it could get even better over the summer.
At Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday 23 November, Snaith’s stranglehold is likely to tighten with four winners on the nine-race midweek card.
Well-bred Green Falcon has improved after he was gelded and the fitting of blinkers and a tongue-tie has eked out progress too. Snaith’s charge should be competitive in Race 1 and must be included in Swinger and Exacta bets, as another forward showing is expected.
The same could be said of Strawberry Light who could make amends in Race 2. She disappointed when returning a beaten odds-on favourite over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville last time out but a return to 1200m and the addition of first-time blinkers could see her reward followers.
Stablemate Thefutureisbright will relish going 2400m in Race 3 and, as such, should bounce back to winning ways. This four-year-old son of Futura has stayed on to finish close-up in consecutive starts over 2000m, most recently in the Algoa Cup, and on the evidence of those displays should recapture the winning thread over the extra 400m.
Thefutureisbright recorded his second career win at his first attempt over 2400m and followed that up with a fast-finishing second in the Pocket Power Stakes (Winter Derby) over the same distance at his next start. He has had three starts over shorter distances since then and a return to his preferred trip should see Snaith’s charge produce the goods under the Richard Fourie drive.
Future Swing, another son of Futura, would go some way to securing his place in the three-year-old features this summer by winning Race 6 over 1600m, having shown improvement in the two starts he has made over a ‘mile.’ He was not winning out of turn when successful at his first go over the trip after three placed efforts and his subsequent post-maiden outing, when a commendable second in a strong 1600m Middle Stakes, was a run full of merit.
He races off the same mark from an ideal No 1 gate and with Fourie back in the irons, so ought to make a bold winning bid.
It doesn’t end there for the in-form trainer-jockey combination and its legion of fans.
Jackson filly Bonika, who joined Snaith’s team after leaving Glen Kotzen, makes her third start for the yard in her peak outing over 1200m come Race 7. She won a 1500m feature as a two-year-old but has proved herself as a more-than-useful speedster. In sprint races from 900m (as a juvenile) to 1250m, Bonika boasts two wins, two seconds as well as three third-place finishes from eight starts in that distance category. And, having finished a creditable close-up fourth in a hot three-year-old race over 1400m last time, reward for her consistency and a return to the winners’ box beckons for this course-and-distance scorer.
