Trust Dawsons’ colt in G2 Gauteng Guineas

JOHANNESBURG – It is that time of the year again when the 3yo’s head to Gauteng in an attempt to insert their names into the annals of South African racing history.

At stake over the next two months is an opportunity to win the SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara and it all kicks off at Turffontein on Feb 7 with the running of the 1 million rand (S$79,000) TAB Gauteng Guineas and the 750,000 rand Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, both Grade 2 races over 1,600m on the Standside track.

Both races have been strongly supported, with 13 colts and geldings declared to contest the Gauteng Guineas while 15 fillies will fight out the Fillies Guineas.

At this stage all of them are Triple Crown and Triple Tiara contenders but after Saturday’s meeting, just one male and one female can claim the respective 2 million rand Triple Crown and the 1 million rand Triple Tiara bonuses for winning all three legs.

The second legs are the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic and Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both over 1,800m at Turffontein on March 7, and finally the Grade 2 TAB SA Derby and Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2,450m on April 4.

The Gauteng Guineas is headed up by Grade 2 Betway Dingaans (1,600m) winner Trust, trained by Candice and Tammy Dawson and ridden by Serino Moodley. He beat Jan Van Goyen by 0.70 lengths in that race, and the runner-up went on to win the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (1,600m) just two weeks later.

With the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Jan Van Goyen giving this race a miss after his Cape campaign, Trust, well drawn in four, is likely to start a warm favourite for the Gauteng Guineas.

While he did not win his comeback start in the Grade 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1,400m at Turffontein on Jan 11, one must remember that he was given a break after the Dingaans and would have been in need of that run. In addition, he had to give weight to many of his rivals, which is not the case in the Guineas.

There are some talented opponents, though, headed up by the two runners that finished first and second respectively in the Got The Greenlight Stakes, Splittheeights and One Eye On Vegas, both from the de Kock yard, which also saddles Yippee Kiyay and I’m A Fireball.

Sean Tarry has some decent runners with Tin Pan Alley, who had excuses when unplaced in the Dingaans but came back well with a victory last time, talented Grand Empire and Shadowfax.

Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) will also be represented in the field as Dean Smith is bringing up All Systems Go who finished third in the Dingaans.

All eyes will be on the Alan Greeff-trained Golden Palm in the Wilgerbosdrift Fillies Guineas. The daughter of Master Of My Fate travelled the country as a 2yo, winning the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery (1,160m) at Turffontein and Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes (1,600m) at Greyville in July.

She did not have the best of luck in the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas (1,600m) on Dec 6, running unplaced (sixth) for the first time, but she will jump from the No. 1 draw at Turffontein and has Craig Zackey in the irons.

Justin Snaith also has a runner in Lowveld Lily, who was beaten just 2.80 lengths in fifth in that same Cape Fillies Guineas before running a decent third in the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes (1,200m) in her last start on Jan 10. Callan Murray will ride her. 4RACING