Crawford relies on Captain America for another G1 win

Brett Crawford will at­tempt to make it five Grade 1s for the season on Saturday at Grey­ville when the mel­lowed six-year-old Captain Amer­ica revisits a course, which was thought to not suit him as a head­strong three-year-old colt.

However, he will be facing a top class field in the R1-million Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m.

Captain America’s class was shown early in his career, but a headstrong tendency soon be­came evident. He needs to employ handy to front-running tactics at the highest level because he does not possess an instant turn of foot. Gelding and maturity have seen him able to settle nicely in front and he has developed into a dangerous frontrunner. The big gelding is thus back in KwaZulu- Natal for the first time for three years. Against him is a high draw and he will need to jump better than he did in the recent Drill Hall Stakes.

Marinaresco clearly loves Grey­ville and the key is his exceptional turn of foot. He would prefer fur­ther than 1600m, but proved his effectiveness over shorter when winning the Drill Hall Stakes. He has a plum draw on Saturday.

Trip To Heaven is another horse with an exceptional turn of foot. The Gold Challenge distance stretches him, but he showed in this race last year his class can carry him to the line as he only lost the race in the boardroom.

Versatile Bela-Bela has been unplaced in both her starts against the boys, but those were in the Vodacom Durban July and the Sun Met and it will be inter­esting to see whether the coupling of her speed and class makes her more effective against them.

Brazuca finished a narrow sec­ond to subsequent Cape Guineas winner Noah From Goa in the Dingaans two years ago, so is a candidate here from a good draw.

His stablemate New Preda­tor was fourth in this race last year, two lengths behind French Navy. and the latter beat him by 1.70 lengths in this year’s Grade 1 weight-for-age Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at Turffon­tein. New Predator has been top drawer over 1400m and might now begin to better stay 1600m at a course which suits him, so he can’t be ignored, although a wide draw makes it tough.

French Navy is coming off an identical programme to last year and his performances have been very similar, so he can place again, although his last win was way back in January last year.

Dual Guineas winner Janoobi is the only three-year-old con­testant, but has proven himself a dangerous front-runner. – Gold Circle.

The field for the R1-million Rising Sun Gold Challenge (Grade 1, weight-for-age) over 1600m at Greyville in order of saddlecloth number, draw, horse, trainer, jockey, weight and merit rating:

1 3 Trip To Heaven Sean Tarry …………… 60 120

2 11 Captain America Brett Crawford C Orffer 60 116

3 9 Deo Juvente Geoff Woodruff G Cheyne 60 115

4 2 Marinaresco Candice Bass-Robinson B Fayd’Herbe 60 115

5 10 Sail South Brett Crawford R Fourie 60 114

6 8 French Navy Sean Tarry S Khumalo 60 112

7 1 Master Sabina Justin Snaith G van Niekerk 60 110

8 17 New Predator (AUS) Johan Janse van Vuuren G Lerena 60 110

9 16 Victorious Jay Vaughan Marshall M Byleveld 60 109

10 6 Brazuca (AUS) Johan Janse van Vuuren W Kennedy 60 108

11 12 Bulleting Home Sean Tarry …………… 60 108

12 7 Saratoga Dancer Duncan Howells C Zackey 60 107

13 14 Janoobi Mike de Kock P Strydom 58.5 103

14 5 Bela-Bela Justin Snaith A Delpech 57.5 109

15 4 The Conglomerate (AUS) Joey Ramsden Reserve 1 60 107

16 15 Table Bay (AUS) Joey Ramsden Reserve 2 58.5 106

17 13 No Worries Gareth van Zyl Reserve 3 60 103