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Traditionally one of the trickiest legs of the Vodacom Durban July day Pick 6 is the R600,000, Grade 2 Golden Slipper (1400m) for two-year-old fillies and this year is no different.
The Pick 6 has a R10 million guaranteed pool this year, and is expected to reach R11 million plus, and exotic players will no doubt be viewing this race as one of the biggest obstacles to traverse.
Mambo In Seattle filly Desert Rhythm is proven over the trip and the form of her 1450m win has been franked. Her staying on fourth in the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m was a decent effort and Sean Tarry’s most regular jockey, S’Manga Khumalo, is aboard.
Her stablemate London Secret showed good pace before finding extra to win comfortably on debut over 1160m. Takingthepeace then reversed the form over the same trip when receiving 3kg, but the latter would just about be tipped to win this race if taking part as she has a lot of class and scope. London Secret, by Gimmethegreenlight, should enjoy the course and distance and Gavin Lerena is up from a good draw.
The reserve runner Lady In Black impressed in the preliminaries and in the race on debut over 1200m at Scottsville and on pedigree this Dynasty filly will relish this course and distance. She has a fair draw of seven if getting in.
The speedy Sail From Seattle filly Gee Whizz over raced on debut when held up over 1200m. In her second start over 1000m at Scottsville, Richard Fourie allowed her to stride out from the off and she won easing up by three lengths. Fourie might adopt front running tactics again from a good draw, but there is a stamina question mark.
Neptune’s Rain was forced to be more handy than usual in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson, but stayed on well for third. On pedigree the Antonius Pius filly should also enjoy the step up in trip, but she is drawn widest of all.
Bridal Veil is a scopey daughter of Visionaire, who was beaten into fourth by Light On Her Toes when she made her debut over 1200m on the Greyville turf in April. However, she was running on well and the form of that race has proven to be strong. Second time out she comfortably won a Maiden Juvenile Plate on the Greyville poly over 1200m, beating Sequined by 1.75 lengths. The latter franked the form by finishing a close second in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m. Bridal Veil looks likely to enjoy this trip, but has a tricky draw.
Tsessebe has a nice long stride and this daughter of Philanthropist caught the eye when winning easily over 1200m second time out on the Greyville poly. She should relish the step up in trip, but is drawn second from the outside.
Let It Flow by Judpot was unlucky in her first two starts, both over 1200m. In her third start she was up with the pace throughout and responded well to late urgings from Anthony Delpech to find the necessary extra. The connections confirmed after the race she was looking for further. The form of that race has been franked and she has landed a plum draw. Furthermore, Delpech has kept the ride.
Rockin Russian was held up in the Devon Air Stakes from a good draw in order to find the rail and she ran on well for a three length fourth. This Seventh Rock filly is a half-sister to the Gr 3-winning miler Rikitikitana and will have benefitted from her first experience of Greyville. However, she has a tricky draw of ten and Khumalo is now aboard Desert Rhythm. Rockin Russian beat Let It Flow by a length on debut, although the latter was finishing strongly after being baulked for run.
Green Top by Gimmethegreenlight is well related and will relish this step up in trip having been outpaced on debut over 1200m before staying on strongly to win going away. She has a reasonable draw and Muzi Yeni stays aboard.
Mara is a scopey sort who ran on well to win on her KZN debut over 1400m on the poly. This Var filly is well drawn and will improve further coming from the Dean Kannemeyer stable and being a half-sister to the useful Impala Lily, but Delpech appears to have abandoned her.
Light On Her Toes started her career in promising fashion, but appeared to not stay this trip from a wide draw in the Devon Air Stakes. The run did come only two weeks after her fifth in the Allan Robertson, but she is hard to fancy from another wide draw, despite both her father Gimmethegreenlight and mother On Her Toes being Guineas winners.
Star Profile beat Spring Breeze over 1450m by 1.75 lengths and was then only 0.75 lengths behind Desert Rhythm in the SA Fillies Nursery. She is a nice looking type but she has already raced eight times for just win and she takes a while to get going so Greyville might not suit her.
Spring Breeze is well drawn, but will need to improve.
Outlander’s two wins have been over 1000m and she looks held over this trip.
Second reserve Awesomeness ran on strongly to win on debut over 1000m, but was unplaced in the false start marred Strelitzia, beaten 8.75 lengths by Neptune’s Rain.
Third reserve Green Ice could earn based on her fifth in the Devon Air.
Desert Rhythm is selected to beat London Secret with Lady In Black next best ahead of Neptune’s Rain, Gee Whizz and Bridal Veil, but punters might have to go wider than these six in the exotics.
