The Cape Town Met this Saturday morning is a weight-for age event but despite that, there is no obvious stand-out in this year's Grade 1 race over 1 1/4 miles at Kenilworth Racecourse. The feature South African card begins early Saturday morning (First Post: 5:00am ET / 3:00am PT) ahead of The Pegasus Invitational at Gulfstream Park which means it is a huge day of racing for International horse racing fans. World Pools are also being hosted by Hong Kong Jockey Club and you can live stream the racing action from Kenilworth, South Africa at skyracingworld.com, via the Sky Racing World App or on TVG.
L'Ormarins Queen's Plate winner Jet Dark is the best weighted runner based on merit ratings, but only by 1lb. In fact, there is very little separating the highest rated five runners.
The Justin Snaith trained 3-year-old Double Superlative, who last month won the G1 Cape Guineas, could be substantially better than his current merit rating of 113 and is joint favorite for the race. But while Double Superlative may have won the Guineas, there is a question about the ability of this current crop of 3-year-olds and it could be wise to look elsewhere for the winner.
The horse who ticks almost all of the boxes is Kommetdieding. Trained in Cape Town by the father and daughter team of Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix, this 4-year-old son of Elusive Fort won the country's biggest handicap, the G1 Vodacom Durban July at Greyville last year.
He has had the perfect preparation with two really good build-up races, finishing third in the Cape Mile and then second to Jet Dark in the Queen's Plate. Both those races were over one mile, and he will improve markedly over the additional two furlongs.
He won his first four races and was then targeted at last year's Cape Derby, but an injury forced him out and he was not seen in action until May.
Everything is on track for this colt this time.
“Right now, we could not have asked for a more sound and fitter racehorse, and I'm looking forward to Saturday,” said Rix.
He is owned by charismatic Ashwin Reynolds, and the name, Kommetdieding, is Afrikaans for “bring it on.”
Gavin Lerena picked up his first Durban July winner on this horse and will be hoping Kommetdieding will give him his first triumph in the Met.
Meanwhile, Jet Dark could not have been more impressive in winning the Queen's Plate for the second successive year and trainer Snaith is very confident this son of Trippi will see out the trip.
“I don't see 1 ¼ miles a problem for him,” said Snaith. “For a champion racehorse the distance is elementary, and Jet Dark sets the bar very high in the Met.”
However, Jet Dark is racing against other horses who have no stamina doubts, and it will be interesting to see whether he can produce the same finishing burst over 1 ¼ miles as he does over 1 mile.
S'manga Khumalo is unbeaten in two Grade 1 races on him and he is back aboard on Saturday.
Critics may knock Linebacker's somewhat dull performance in the Queen's Plate when beaten out of the placings three lengths back. His jockey on that occasion, Craig Zackey, explained that Linebacker was off the bit early and out of his comfort zone.
It is conceivable Linebacker, winner of the G1 Cape Derby and G1 Daily News 2000, reverts to his usual high-class form in a race likely to be run to suit, especially with regular rider Grant van Niekerk back in the irons.
The Kenilworth card will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, DRF Bets and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.
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