All eyes will be on two of the Mother City's best fillies Chat Ching and Veronica Mars at Fairview on Friday. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images
Two classy fillies from Cape Town square up to Eastern Cape’s best females in the Lady’s Bracelet on the Fairview turf on Friday.
Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Chat Ching and Justin Snaith’s Veronica Mars have been contesting feature races back home and their strong form there should prove superior in this famous old Listed race over 1600m.
Having said that, PE’s racing folk are always determined to face down the challenge of foreign raiders. Trainer Alan Greeff saddles four useful horses in the Bracelet, with Carioca and Colorado Springs carrying the home side’s main hopes. Sharon Kotzen-trained Encryption is a definite shrewdie for Quartets and Trifectas.
Four-year-old Chat Ching has a merit rating of 107 despite just two wins to her name. That’s because her quality was identified early in her career and she was pitched into major features at Kenilworth and Greyville – in such contests as the Paddock Stakes and the Woolavington, and never finishing far back.
Veronica Mars hasn’t moved in such illustrious circles as yet, but does have the advantage of excellent recent form and a spot of experience on the Fairview turf.
The latter was in a Pinnacle race in October, when she finished third after losing a shoe in running. Last time out, she was closing fast on star filly Marina at Kenilworth.
Red-hot Richard Fourie rides Veronica Mars while Aldo Domeyer joins him on the plane for the booking on Chat Ching.
SELECTIONS
1: 5 Africanroyaljewel, 1 Cashing In, 2 Trumps Express, 3 Tara Iti
2: 5 Senescence, 1 Respectable Miss, 2 Lady Defiance, 6 Scared Ibis
3: 1 Masters Queen, 11 Royal Welcome, 4 Miss Rose, 3 Magic To The Fore
4: 5 Jet Mirage, 7 Forged By Fire, 2 Red Berry, 3 Mesmerizing Moon
5: 6 African Winter, 1 French Joy, 5 Silent Observer, 17 Madame Patrice
6: 9 Call It Fate, 7 Cracklin’ Rose, 2 Mistress Of Means, 6 Paris Opera
7: 4 Veronica Mars, 2 Chat Ching, 1 Carioca, 8 Encryption
8: 2 Diamonds And Toads, 5 Kayc Al, 6 Vizhoe’s Magic, 3 Sweet The Sound
Pick 6: 1,3,4,11 x 1,2,3,4,5,7 x 6 x 2,6,7,8,9,11 x 2,4 x 2,3,5,6,10,11 (R1728)
PA: 1,5 x 1,4,11 x 5,7 x 6 x 9 x 4 x 2,5,6 (R36)