South Africa’s Champion Two-Year-Old Male, Jan Van Goyen, makes his Cape Town debut in Saturday’s G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. After an excellent prep run in the G2 Dingaans—where he and the winner pulled five lengths clear—he now looks primed to claim another major title for the De Kock stable. Travel is the only question, but Mike de Kock is a master at getting horses to peak on the big stage. Callan Murray rides.
Randolph Hearst has been luckless this summer but continues to finish strongly and should be a major threat if the pace is on. Happy Verse endured a nightmare run in the Cape Punters Cup and is capable of better, while Gimmie Rules enters with hype and pedigree but must prove he’s Grade 1 material. Good For You, a G1-winning two-year-old, is dangerous if he keeps straight.
The undercard is equally exciting. The G2 Green Point Stakes brings a star-studded field featuring the versatile Gladatorian, improving Sail The Seas, and Johannesburg raider Fire Attack, who returned with a strong run behind top sprinter Buffalo Storm Cody. Add Grade 1 performers Cosmic Speed, Snow Pilot, See It Again, The Real Prince, and Dave The King, and it’s one of the deepest editions in years.
Rainbow Lorikeet aims to defend her title in the G3 Victress Stakes, while the G2 Cape Merchants is wide-open, with Raven Black primed to turn the tables on Mai Sensation. The G3 Peninsula Handicap features emerging talent Landoftherisingsun and the progressive Regulation.
Earlier on the card, Champagne Castle looks set to score in Race 1, Rockanrollin stands out in Race 2, and Race 3 shapes as a fight between Spirit, Churchillian and Nightrain. The long-striding Mente Et Manu has strong claims in Race 9.
