Trainer Kelly Mitchley has been in a good vein of form since winning the Grade 2 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville with top filly Marchland.
The star three-year-old will be back on her home track at TAB Fairview on Sunday in the hope of keeping her unbeaten record on track when she lines up in the Listed SA Stakes for three-year-olds over 1600m.
Heading up the card is the Listed Algoa Cup over 2000m, which sees another top Eastern Cape filly, Anotherdanceforme, attempt to extend her unbeaten run at Fairview to 12.
Marchland is unbeaten in four starts, all with Muzi Yeni in the irons. After winning the 1200m East Cape Fillies Nursery, the filly, by SA Triple Crown winner Malmoos, went on to the Lady’s Slipper Stakes over 1400m even more impressively, even though switching to the Polytrack.
From there Marchland was taken to Durban where she gave the best two-year-old fillies in the country the same treatment.
There is no doubt that Marchland’s connection will be aiming their filly at the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth in December, so this race is a warm-up for that event.
However, despite this being her first run since July, Marchland has been a revelation and comes into this race as the best weighted runner by at least 4kg.
Race 7 is the TAB Casino Algoa Cup and Eastern Cape champion trainer Alan Greeff will be looking for another big run from Anotherdanceforme. While she is unbeaten at Fairview, Greeff’s champ does not travel well and has fluffed her lines in two of her three races outside the province.
She has an incredible turn of foot but she will be racing in a handicap and hands weight to all bar last year’s winner, Zatara Magic.
In her favour is that she has been dominant be it on turf or Polytrack against whatever the opposition, including Zatara Magic, and has shown stamina by winning both the East Cape Oaks over the same track and trip, and the 2200m World Sports Betting East Cape Derby which was run on the Polytrack this year.
She could be better than rated and also has master jockey Richard Fourie in the irons. In addition, she is well enough drawn in gate No 5.
The biggest threat is likely to come from Justin Snaith-trained Prairie Dawn. The four-year-old son of The United States finished third in the Pocket Power Stakes last season where he had subsequent Grade 3 Campanajo winner, Magic Verse, just behind and last time out was a game second after a layoff behind impressive Miami Summer.
That form line has also been franked.
Snaith has been shrewdly placing his charge who comes in with just 52kg, which means he will be getting 7.6kg from Anotherdanceforme.
Clive Robinson
