Supreme Quest up to the task

The Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes to be run over 1600m on Marshalls World Of Sports Gold Cup day is never a straight forward event to analyse as two-year-old fillies improve at different rates and only some of the contestants will have been proven over the 1600m trip.

The Corne Spies-trained Supreme Quest makes appeal from pole position. She relaxed well in the running in the BSA Sales Cup for fillies over 1300m on Vodacom Durban July day and turned it on superbly in the straight and went on to beat the well regarded Big Burn by 3,55 lengths.

The field was well strung out suggesting good form and the time was 0,70 seconds quicker than the time for the BSA Sales Cup for colts and geldings. Supeme Quest is by Querari, who won a Group 1 over 2000m, and her dam Supreme Lecture is a halfsister to the dam of Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes.

Supreme Quest also has a half-brother who won over this 1600m trip. Therefore, she should stay the trip and is the one to beat.

Perfect Witness is an interesting runner as she showed a good turn of foot before staying on resolutely to win over 1200m on debut and that was far too short a trip for her on pedigree being by Flower Alley and a half-sister to the four-time winner from 1200m to 2000m Diamondsandpearls (Jackson). She has a draw of six with Kennedy up and is the dark horse.

Rain in Holland will be out to give Sean Tarry his third Thekwini win.

This Drakenstein Stud-bred filly is by Duke Of Marmalade so will be improving all the time. She has rattled off four wins on the trot, two of them over 1400m and two of them over 1600m.

Last time out she beat the progressive gelding Laird Of Breedon by 1,25 lengths over the Turffontein Standside 1600m in a Juvenile Plate despite jumping from draw seven out of seven and giving the latter 1kg. The third-placed horse was 5,25 lengths further back.

Astrix

There were three other 1600m events on the day and it only a Pinnacle Stakes event won by the useful Astrix which was run in a quicker time. The concern is whether the tight Hollywoodbets Greyville track will suit her as she continuously builds up her resolute finish rather than turning it on in electric fashion. She will also need some luck slotting in from draw seven out of ten.

Bold Act is by Act Of War out of the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes winner Bold Ellinore, so has the perfect pedigree for this race. In her penultimate start she led over 1400m at Turffontein Standside and gave a good kick before staying on well, so this athletic filly must have a shout although it will be difficult to get to the front from draw nine so the connections might have to opt for different tactics.

Eternity Ring

Eternity Ring is well drawn but will need to step up having been beaten by the talented Follow Me by 2,25 lengths over this trip at Turffontein Standside despite having the run of the race.

The slow pace might not have suited her in that race as she is by Ideal World, although her Fort Wood dam Loupe was a Listed winner over 1160m. Nevertheless, she should be staying on at the finish and can't be discounted.

Kailene is by Cape Derby. Daily News 2000 and Champions Cup winner Jackson out of Grade 3winning National Emblem sprinter Fanzene, so is a mixture of stamina and speed which should make her suited to this trip. She had no chance with the winner Desert Miracle in the Grade 2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m but stayed on well for second despite having a lack of room and she was also second in the Listed Devon Air Stakes so she could be involved here.

Her stablemate Just For Laughs is an interesting runner as this Pathfork filly out of a Centenary sprinter was caught wide in the Golden Slipper but stayed on for fourth, beaten about a length by Kailene, and she now has a good draw. If settling well in the running this scopey filly might be a threat.

Terra Time is by Time Thief out of a Jet Master mare who won up to 1800m and she looks the part but has 2,25 lengths to find on Eternity Ring over this trip and is 2kg worse off, although she was green in that race and can improve.

Aisling led in the Golden Slipper but was swamped and finished seventh, beaten 1,70 lengths by Kailene. She is by Visionaire and is a half-sister to classy sorts Bartholdi and Bohica both of whom have performed well over this trip.

Splash Of Green showed a good turn of foot when trying this trip for the third time last time and she duly lost her maiden tag at the fifth time of asking. However, that race was run at a crawl and she has the widest draw of all to overcome.