Trainer Geoff Woodruff should be forgiven if he breaks into a rendition of Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina come Saturday evening.
The Gauteng-based conditioner has an excellent chance of scoring a Grade 1 double spanning one hour, two cities and two Argentinian-bred horses.
Woodruff’s four-year-old colt Eventuail has by far the more important mission — Africa’s richest race, the R2-million Summer Cup at Turffontein in Johannesburg.
While he has always shown above-average ability, Eventuail has improved almost beyond recognition in his last few starts and has not surprisingly been allocated top weight of 58kg in this handicap. This is between 2,5kg and 7,5kg more than any of his 16 rivals, but he could prove equal to the task.
The son of Candy Stripes ended a four-run winning streak when he failed by a head to catch 100-1 shot Grand Format over a mile at Newmarket five weeks ago. He was conceding the winner a whopping 8kg and would certainly have reversed the result in another stride or two.
More significantly, though, Eventuail had Guineas winner Flight Alert (who, tragically, died last week) a widening half a length behind him, despite giving Mike de Kock’s brilliant gelding 3,5kg.
Eventuail looks well capable of the task set for him at the weights, but there is some merit to the argument that he could be found out by the extra two furlongs that he tries here for the first time. While his breeding is not in question, his connections have always spoken of him as a miler.
That said, it must be remembered that his last good run was in soft going, placing a premium on stamina, and he was certainly finishing stronger than anything else that day.
Eventuail jumps from a nice draw, and leading jockey Piere Strydom should have him perfectly placed to lift the R1,25-million first prize when they get to the business end.
If the doubters are right and Eventuail doesn’t see out the 2 000m, it doesn’t necessarily spell the death of Woodruff’s Argentinian dream as stablemate Fantastic Horse, bred in the same country, looks well capable of picking up the pieces.
The grey son of Equalize shares bottom weight with five others and seems to be peaking at just the right time. He also has a good draw and there are no doubts about his stamina.
Of course, one can never discount reigning champion trainer De Kock. He sends out three runners, including the fancied Wolf Whistle, who has proven stamina, excellent form and an equally good draw.
De Kock is bidding to win this race for the third year running but for my money his main runner will need more than the 4kg he gets from Eventuail.
David Ferraris’s Fiery Fred has the speed to bowl them all out but the Daily News 2000 winner starts his run-up from the widest draw.
The Woodruff pair is selected to lead the way home, with a mad scramble for the lucrative place stakes.
An hour earlier, at 4.15pm, the Cape Times Fillies Guineas will be run over 1 600m at Kenilworth in Cape Town, for a stake of R200 000.
For the first leg of his double chase Woodruff has entrusted his smart filly Paraca to veteran Cape jockey Garth Puller.
This winner of four races from her six starts had a good ”prep” run four weeks ago and should take some beating over this distance. Tara’s Touch and Port Elizabeth raider Blushing Fairy fought out a fillies feature last time and could follow Paraca home.
The R250 000 Grade 2 Dingaans for three-year-olds at Turffontein, with a number of highly promising individuals, doesn’t look quite as easy.
Frescobaldi and Hilti (both from the De Kock yard and both undefeated after three starts) have been passed over by stable jockey Kevin Shea in favour of Danziga.
Charles Laird’s Bianconi already boasts a feature win over the country’s new ”talking horse”, Dynasty, and must have a good chance.
Amid the plethora of possibilities it might be a good idea to stick with the proven class, represented by Ferraris’s Fort Danzig, who has acquitted himself well against the best of his generation.