whipping boy
Just getting an eyeful of Celtic Grove could be worth a run out to Gosforth Park after lunch on Saturday. The smashing Fort Wood gelding succeeds the recently retired Jet Master as the best looker in training. He took my breath the first time I saw him.
Celtic Grove runs in the R1-million Grade One South African Classic over 1 800m. A win will bag him the second leg of the Triple Crown. He won the first leg, the Gauteng Guineas, a little more than three weeks ago, beating the top-class Badger’s Drift by 1,5 lengths. Geoff Woodruff’s expensive colt could again prove the main challenger to Celtic Grove. It’s just a hunch: this is his second race back in Jo’burg from a big-race foray to the Cape and Badger’s Drift might deliver his best run. This will be his third crack at David Ferraris’s imposing bay and he will appreciate the extra furlong. Woodruff has another shot with the only filly in the race. Pacific Blue has been beaten just once in her past seven runs, when second to Little Romeo, which also runs here. Pacific Blue was beaten by 3,5 lengths by Little Romeo, but now receives a 7kg turnaround. Handicapping means Pacific Blue should beat Little Romeo by about 3,5 to four lengths. That calculation is interesting, since Little Romeo was third in the Gauteng Guineas behind Celtic Grove and Badger’s Drift. Little Romeo got to within 3,75 lengths of Celtic Grove. If the form holds, Pacific Blue and Celtic Grove should finish alongside each other. Here are a few things to consider: l Pacific Blue has only won against her own sex. The defeat to Little Romeo happened the only time she faced males. l She is surely among the best fillies in the country, but Pacific Blue was kept out of the South African Fillies Classic a week ago. Do her connections fancy her chances against the boys? l Brett Smith, the Woodruff stable jockey, will ride Badger’s Drift rather than the filly. That is normally a dead giveaway and gives Celtic Grove an outstanding chance. On all evidence he is superior to Badger’s Drift. The second-string rider on Pacific Blue happens to be Jeff Lloyd, a former multiple champion jockey and still one of the best around. Celtic Grove is likely to be a short-priced favourite, so a bet on Lloyd and the filly is tempting. And don’t count out “Badger”. These three should dominate, with Nhlavini, Little Romeo and Classic Lord fighting for the minor money.
But go and take a look at Celtic Grove. Other good bets while you’re at Gosforth Park should include Elegant Elizabeth in the second. She was annoyingly beaten last time but this half-sister to Elegant Al will take some stopping here. Woodruff’s Dance Celebre in the seventh steps down in class and may be too nimble for the field she meets here. There’s racing at Durbanville, too, but nothing stands out. At Clairwood Park in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, Cheerful Chef could help to put bread on the table in the sixth. The Jallad stayer was well supported at his last start but found one too good. London Niece, a R325 000 niece of London News, reverts to 1 200m in the seventh and could score.