THE 50 000 crowd expected at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town on January 27 is in for the racing treat of their lives with three outstanding Grade 1 events promising thrilling racing with great finishes.
In addition to the R2-million J&B Met which has brought together the top horses in the country, the R500 000 Investec Cape Derby will pit the best three-year-olds in the land against one another over 2 000m.
In addition, the R400 000 Fancourt Majorca Stakes over 1 600m will see the brilliant three-year-old Australian-bred filly Sun Classique taking on the top older fillies and mares.
The field for the Investec Cape Derby includes Basil Marcus's exciting Camden Park colt Jay Peg, winner of the Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas, the Selangor Cup and the Cape Classic . He will meet Dean Kannemeyer's Wonder Lawn, the most expensive yearling ever sold in South Africa at R3.3-million.
Wonder Lawn ran second to Jay Peg in the Selangor Cup after having to switch for a run in the latter stages.
Also set to renew his battle with Jay Peg is Piet Steyn's Count Dubois colt, State Crown, who was badly hampered in the Selangor Cup by Jay Peg before finishing third. State Crown ran in the Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas and although beaten again by Jay Peg, the extra 400m of this race could make a big difference.
Adding further to the excitement of this race is the inclusion of Charles Laird's Rambo Dancer gelding, Pick Six.
Pick Six won the Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein in sensational fashion, running past 1-4 favourite Biarritz in the finish to win as he liked.
In the Fancourt Majorca Stakes, all eyes will be on Mike Bass's Australian-bred filly Sun Classique. She had won the Cape Fillies Guineas before and was favourite to win the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Paddock Stakes but was beaten home by the six-year-old mare Badger's Gift.
Among her opposition in the Fancourt Majorca Stakes will be Geoff Woodruff's filly Soft Landing and Mike de Kock's filly Bold Ellinore. Basil Marcus will saddle Countess Corlia and will be hoping to capture both supporting features with this filly and his star colt Jay Peg in the Investec Cape Derby.