On 28 April, Trip To Maputo won a hard-fought race, the form of that event will be put under the spotlight at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday and all the mathematics add up to making Babelicous a hard horse to beat in race 8 over 1100m.
Babelicious and Trip To Maputo are stable companions. In fact, Candice Bass-Robinson was openly confident about Babelicious in that start but she was outrun over the closing stages by her low-flying neighbour. She also erroneously ran without blinkers, which might have blunted any late effort.
Miss Marguerite, Winter Rainfall, Back At The George and Worldcraft are all from that formline which makes up over half of the field. The nearest was Back At The George who was just over a length behind Babelicious and they meet on identical terms so without luck, there should be no motivation for that form to turn around.
Aldo Domeyer is carded to take the ride for Bass-Robinson in the world-familiar Team Valor silks. Domeyer takes over from his father, Andrew Fortune who rode Babelicious at her last start.
Back At The George is considered as a danger for the reasons given. She is yet to win at this class so she needs to step up but she has always hinted that she is capable of doing so. She has a propensity to give a sub-par effort occasionally but when looking past those runs, she has solid claims.
Worldcraft is the most interesting runner in the race. She returned from a 10-month break for her last run when she was expectedly well beaten by Trip To Maputo, in turn 2,5 lengths behind Babelicious. After blowing off some cobwebs after a long break, she should finish closer. This race might be one run behind the curve. She beat Babelicious nearly a year ago. She is bred for much further but her short-distance form is good enough not to tinker the system yet.
Father-daughter training combination Michelle Rix and Harold Crawford could be set for a good day with two huge winning chances. Both of whom are ridden by Gavin Lerena. Three Tigers looks well-placed to exit the maidens in race 3 over 1000m. His two runs to date have been pleasing yet perhaps frustrating but with this being his third career start, things might swing into his lap now. He was slow away on debut but he made up a ton of ground to finish less than a length behind Gimmeathrill. At his second run, he was run off his feet but made good late gains behind the smart Churchillian. He was 1,5 lengths behind on that occasion. If he finds a prominent spot in running, he should be hard to beat.
Beneath The Clouds was collared late by English Mistress in her last start, when she led for 99.9% of the race. She has gradually built her form over her runs and has become wiser after starting her career with some uncertainty. Her last three starts have seen her hit the boards and go particularly close. She faces a fairly weak maiden field, not to say her last race will filled with any stars, but she should get it right in race 6 over 1800m.
Lerena partners Vapour Trail in race 4 over 1400m and he should be tough to beat. Trained by Vaughan Marshall, the half-brother to One Stripe has form to Malmesbury Missile who is likely to feature in a Grade 1 next weekend. He was one length behind the subsequent Grade 3 placed horse when they met in February. He tried this distance for the first time at his most recent run when he was well beaten by Gold Dust, 4,75 lengths behind. Vapour Trail is worth another chance.
There are so many well-bred two-year-olds in race 1 over 1200m which makes the event exciting because there could be some promising horses lining up. Star Major went off at 100/1 on debut but he ran a sparkling 1,75 lengths behind All The Rage in second. The winner has a ton of promise. Star Major was drawn on the wrong side of the track on that day. The straight has not been as biased since but high number draws up the straight were doomed on 14 April.
All of Ashikule, Kanaal Skater, Bugle Boy and Follow Your Heart have solid form to recommend and they could pay to watch while first-timers Rockanrollin (Wootton Bassett) and Luca Da Wheels (Master Of My Fate out of Grade 1 winning mare, Field Flower) could be interesting in the market.
Precocious looks like the horse to beat in race 2 over 1400m. She was scratched due to an elevated temperature for the meeting held last Tuesday which is a niggling feeling. She finished second on debut behind Amen Corner at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and that run is far better than any other form on offer.
Miss William is surely due to win. She runs in race 5 over 1400m. In three career starts, she has placed on all three occasions. She had an awkward draw of No 11 at her last run when she finished a 0,75-length second behind Hunga Tonga over this course and distance. Hunga Tonga ran a good post-maiden last week which should give enough confidence about Miss William in this shallow race.
On the subject of tricky draws, Strawberry Thief finally has a barrier at the postcode of the racecourse in race 7 over 1800m. She has been drawn No 9/11, 11/11and 11/14 and run with credit including a win at her penultimate start over this course and distance. Richard Fourie is carded to take the ride out of draw No 5.
Races 9 and 10 are tricky with plenty of chances spread across both events. Champagne Mac is a tentative choice in race 9 over 1200m mainly due to the services of Richard Fourie. He rides Champagne Mac best and was last seen finishing second, 1,25 lengths behind Gravity. This is not a strong race.
Race 10 over 1200m is open for other reasons. There are some useful fillies and mares in the field but muddled form all over the place. Pilot Flame should have won her last start but she missed the winner after clearing most of the field. She went down 0,3 lengths to My Only Weakness. Fourie takes the ride which is a positive move. All of Priscilla Maisey, Miraculous, October Fest, Maritzburg Memory and From A Distance are not runners to take lightly.
