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Posted 2021-12-04 16:44:55  
Chansonette shocks 1/3 star Joburg filly

World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas - Stellar performances on a Kenilworth card for connoisseurs

 

Chansonette triumphed in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas (Grade 1) after a stirring tussle with hot pot favourite, Desert Miracle. They drew 2.5 lengths clear of Homely Girl and Mercury Rising who fought out their own personal battle for the placings in the 1600m showdown.

 

The winning filly is by Vercingetorix out of speedy mare, Champery, and is trained by Andre Nel up the West Coast near Cape Town for Plattner Racing. Jockey Grant van Niekerk did the honours, working out a perfect box seat trip from draw 1 just off pacesetters She’s a Rainbow and Kailene, then unleashing his mount up the centre of the track to deny Desert Miracle’s stand side rally.

 

Chansonette has improved at each of her five starts and was producing a career best when it truly counted. Nel reported she was training great in the build up to this prestigious Classic and her recent 600m sprint ups gave the stable confidence that she was physically primed to perfection. She then took advantage of an ideal pace and rail position in the race itself to spring a 16/1 jolt over 1/3 odds on favourite, Desert Miracle.

 

The favourite emerged with credit in the gusty wind, coming from midfield and going down by only a neck. Mike de Kock’s filly had to travel all the way down from Johannesburg and was also attempting a left-handed turn for the first time.

 

Nel also celebrated victory with 14/1 shot, Crome Yellow, a consistent stayer who overcame a serious tendon injury before even winning his Maiden, and he used his trademark resolute stamina to win the Cape Summer Stayers (Grade 3) over 2500m for the second year in succession. This was a ninth career victory from 31 starts for the doughty topweight who burst past Black Knap and Crimson King as they were duelling in the lead.

 

The giant 7-year-old Trippi gelding is difficult to train but the gamble to bring him into the race fresh off the back of a neat gallop paid off handsomely. Winning jockey Grant van Niekerk paid fulsome tribute to trainer Andre Nel for getting Crome Yellow right. “The tendon injury happened so long ago, the horse has forgotten about it, but I haven’t “, joked Nel.

 

In the WSB Green Point Stakes, a Grade 2 over 1600m, Anton Marcus delivered a front- running tactical master class on Seeking the Stars, the lone speed in a short field. He cleverly extended their advantage around the bend at about the 700m marker and kept the chestnut Vercingetorix colt going to ward off multiple Grade 1 winning challengers, Rainbow Bridge and Linebacker.

 

Seeking the Stars is formidable over 1400m but proved again that he can deliver high class performances over an extra furlong. This Green Point Stakes success is his 6th victory from 13 starts and testimony to his guts/courage, the conditioning skills of trainer Vaughan Marshall and Marcus’s superbly judged ride. Marshall is astute at placing horses precisely where they belong, and, interestingly, he intimated afterwards that “Seeking the Stars will be freshened up and have a go at the Diadem Stakes over 1200m next year.”

 

The placed horses got their summer programs going in satisfactory manner. Both Rainbow Bridge and Linebacker are best over middle distances and their supporters have much to look forward to when they strip fitter and compete over their preferred trips.

 

Trainer Brett Crawford savoured a winning exacta in the Grade 2 Southern Cross Stakes when 16/1 lurker, Kitty Cat Chat fended off stable companion Capitana at 4/1, and a late surging Santa Maria. Sweet Future was close fourth in an exciting finish down the Kenilworth 1000m straight course.

 

Kitty Cat Chat is by Aussie sire Press Statement out of the Kiwi mare, What’s New Pussycat and was ridden with gusto by Louis Mxothwa from go-to-whoah. She just held off the challenge of Capitana with a low flying Santa Maria getting underway fractionally too late to make up the deficit.

 

The winning filly had reeled off three wins at intervals to start her career in some style, before a write-off shambles in November. On that occasion, she fell over in the parade ring and everything went wrong in the race.

 

 

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