Simply Salmon was hailed as a champion in the making when reeling off impressive wins from his first two starts, but a knee injury just before his intended third start put him off the track for eleven months.
Further setbacks have restricted the son of Western Winter to a total of just five runs since his debut in October 2000.
The David Ferraris-trained gelding’s last run, a win in the Tony Ruffel Handicap in his first start over a mile, was full of promise and engenders hope that he is now back to his brilliant best. If he is, he could well have the R300 000 grade 1 Triple Crown for three-year-olds at Turffontein on Saturday at his mercy, despite bumping into the best field he has met to date.
Ferraris sends out four of the nine runners (a paltry turnout for a race of this quality) and the coupling seems to be at least an exotic-bet banker. Dingaans runner-up Set Afire, Queen’s Plate fourth Linley and De Los Rios, who comes off a hat-trick of wins, look a formidable quartet and they could leave just the small change in the prize money for their rivals.
Geoff Woodruff’s Eventuail disappointed as a heavily backed favourite in his last sprint but was fourth in the Cape Guineas at his previous start. He has raced four times only and could have any amount of improvement to come.
Nothing else makes serious appeal.
Ormond Ferraris, father of David, looks set to bag the fillies’ feature, the R250 000 grade 1 Triple Tiara, with Fading Light. The daughter of Bel Byou ran a sparkling race to win the Empress Club Stakes over the course and distance last time, beating both Raining Roses (Woodruff) and True Match (David Ferraris) in the process. Those two seem unlikely to turn the tables and might have to settle for places again.
In the R200 000 grade 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1 400m Glamour Boy (trained by, who else, David Ferraris) should be forgiven his last modest run after a lay-off.
The five-year-old son of Model Man is most consistent and should give Fire Opal and Hinterland (both winners of their last four starts) a galloping lesson if anywhere near his best.
Keep an eye on Ferraris’s other runner, Cartel, who ran a promising race last time.
Turffontein best bets: Laughing Matter (race 3); Johnny Bravo (race 4); Perfect Warrior (race 9) Durbanville best bets: Sting Ray (race 1); Camberwell Beauty (race 6) Scottsville best bets: Amber Sunset (race 5); Full Card (race 6)