The abandoned Cape Town meeting has transformed Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth fixture into a much stronger card, highlighted by the Winter Mile and Winter Sprint. Several quality horses remained in the Cape instead of heading to Durban, creating an exciting afternoon of racing.
The Winter Mile over 1600m looks a good opportunity for Please Be True, who carries a light 51kg and appears ready to return to winning ways. His two runs since a break have been encouraging. He first caught the eye with a strong finish in a sprint before stepping up to 1400m and finishing second to Chasingtherainbow. With Mickaelle Michel aboard and favourable weight conditions, he looks well placed to go one better.
Trainer Justin Snaith also saddles the promising filly Beware The Bomb, who is expected to improve sharply. She returned from an 11-month layoff in the Listed Champagne Stakes, where she finished behind Café Culture over an unsuitable 1200m trip. The run should have brought her on considerably, and with Andrew Fortune in the saddle, she could make her presence felt.
Chasingtherainbow carries one of the best stories of the season. His recent victory provided newly licensed trainer Rob Barrett with his first winner, making it an emotional success for the stable. Despite facing a tougher task at the weights this time, Richard Fourie remains in the saddle and another strong performance would not surprise.
The Winter Sprint over 1200m could suit The Us Of A, a horse known for his explosive finishing kick. He ran a superb race when second to Café Culture in the Champagne Stakes and looks capable of landing this feature. All The Rage is another key contender. The talented three-year-old has been competing against stronger opposition and returns from a break, so he is likely to improve with the run while still posing a serious threat.
Elsewhere on the card, Heritage Ridge looks overdue for another victory after a string of solid performances, while Blind Date appears to be progressing nicely following his recent win over a mile. Baton Rouge has been consistently knocking on the door and deserves a change of luck, and My Only Weakness has been finishing close to the winners recently and could finally break through.
With competitive feature races and several runners arriving in excellent form, Sunday’s Kenilworth meeting promises an entertaining afternoon and plenty of opportunities for punters.
