Jack Milner: Cape Town racing will be having its seasonal “final fling” on Saturday at Kenilworth with the running of two Grade 3 races for fillies and mares.

The first, Race 6, is the Final Fling Stakes over 1800m and is followed by the Champagne Stakes over 1200m. Both races are run on weigh-for-age terms.

The highlight of the meeting is undoubtedly the appearance of Run Fox Run in the Champagne Stakes.

This Australian-bred daughter of Foxwedge is fast turning into South Africa’s Black Caviar. She has raced five times for five wins and each time she looks more and more impressive.

After winning her first four races, Brett Crawford’s charge made her initial appearance in a feature race when contesting the Listed Olympic Duel Stakes over 1200m and she just blew the field away. Leading from the start she just went further away from her opposition, eventually beating Rush Hour Girl by five lengths.

The handicapper was also mighty impressed by that performance and gave her a 6.5kg penalty for the win. Greg Cheyne rode her last time but tomorrow she will reunite with Anton Marcus who rode her to victory on the first three occasions.

She looks a standout bet but for the cynics, if you are looking to beat her or a horse for an Exacta, the runners to look at are Dynamic Diana and Lesedi La Rona. Both, however, were soundly beaten by Run Fox Run in the Olympic Duel Stakes.

On paper Platinum Class looks as a good a bet in the Final Fling Stakes as Run Fox Run appears to be in the Champagne Stakes but there is one concern. This will be the first time she will be racing over 1800m.

However, she is so well handicapped – between 3.5kg and 10.5kg better off with her five rivals based on merit ratings – that the distance should not prove an obstacle. In any case, with only six runner and no obvious pacemaker, the infamous “Cape Crawl” looks likely and that will play into the hands of jockey Richard Fourie who is a master of judging pace.

Credit: Tab Online