Winning Form and Hollywoodbets bring you all of the best horse racing tips for this Met Day taking place at Kenilworth Racecourse this Saturday 1 February.
Affectionately known as Africa’s Richest Race Day, the meeting provides punters with massive exotic pools as well as the opportunity to punt on some of the country’s best horses.
Here, we preview each of the 12 races on the card as well as providing profiles for 14 of the Sun Met runners!
Best Bets for the Day
Race 3: PRAY FOR RAIN (4)
Race 4: SARAH (14)
Race 7: RUN FOX RUN (9)
Race 8: QUEEN SUPREME (11)
Race 1 – Maiden Plate (3YO Fillies)
LADY WYLIE stayed on well despite hanging in the closing stages of her last start over this c&d. Her overall form is consistent and she looks to have a bright chance to open the day with her maiden win. WHAT A JEWEL showed big improvement when finishing just behind the former last time out. If she is able to confirm that effort, she could pose a threat to the top selection. She is a speedy sort who may be able to hold off the late challengers. BAD HABIT finished 0.4L in front of the first choice in their penultimate clash over the c&d, but LADY WYLIE lost a length at the start that day and seems to be over that bad habit. DIVA’S EXPRESS attracted betting support last time out when stepping up to six furlongs for her second outing. She would have learnt from the experience and should be involved in the finish here.
Race 2 – Maiden Plate (3YO)
SENOR DON has finished second in his last two outings, the latest of which was over the c&d and he will be hoping to go one better this afternoon. BOLLINGER is a speedy sort who was only caught late in his last start over this c&d. He too has finished second in his last two runs and looks a lively threat to the former. LEAD SINGER is the stable companion of the latter and does have stable jockey Richard Fourie in the irons. He has his second run after a rest, but did finish a length behind the top choice in his comeback outing. As they meet on the same weight terms this afternoon, he may have to settle for the same result. RADIANT LOVE ran on strongly in his last start over the minimum distance and is sure to appreciate the extra ground on offer here as his penultimate effort over this trip will confirm.
Race 3 – Summer Juvenile Stakes (Listed)
PRAY FOR RAIN put 10.25L between himself and the rest of the field when winning second time out over the c&d. He showed plenty of speed that day and put the race to bed some way out. He looks to be the one to side with here. DAD’S CATCH is a filly taking on the boys, but she has won both of her starts, the latest of which was over the c&d. She should give a good account of herself here. ERIK THE RED has shown speed in both of his outings and did draw clear to win his last start by nearly five lengths. Stable jockey Richard Fourie retains the ride. GLOBAL DRUMMER raids from PE. He won by 5.75L over this distance first time out when attracting some betting support and PE visitors have done well in the past when visiting CT on these big days.
Race 4 – The CTS 1200 (Non-Blk) (3YO)
The visiting trainers may be taking the lion’s share of the stake money on offer here back home with them. SARAH is a 3yr old filly taking on males, but she cruised to victory last time out over 1160M in a feature race up at Turffontein. If she has travelled well, she may be too good for the boys. ALRAMZ from the powerful visiting trainer’s Mike de Kock yard is taken to chase the former home. He has his peak run here and gets a set of blinkers fitted for the first time. If these have the desired effect, he should be right up there in the dash down to the line. INVIDIA from the Gauteng based stable of Ashley Fortune has had three runs down in CT where he has not quite captured his Highveld form. He is not without a chance in this line-up. CARTEL CAPTAIN from visiting KZN trainer Dennis Drier’s yard may complete the quartet for the out of town conditioners. He won his second start in CT over five furlongs and has his peak run this afternoon.
Race 5 – The CTS 1600 (Non-Blk) (3YO)
A tricky race as a few of the leading contenders have wide draws to deal with. COUNT JACK is one of those runners, starting from gate 16, but he is unbeaten in two starts over the c&d and will be hoping to complete his hat-trick here this afternoon. WILD COAST has also not fared well with his draw, having to jump from stall 14. He was not far off the winner in the Cape Guineas last time out and he should be doing his best work late. Top heavyweight jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe retains the ride. GOT THE GREENLIGHT raids from Gauteng and is the only runner on the day from the Joe Soma yard. He has his second run after a rest and if he can recapture the form he showed when winning a feature race at Hollywoodbets Greyville over the mile, he would be a big runner here. It is encouraging that Gavin Lerena has kept faith in the ride. SILVER OPERATOR is another with a wide draw, being stuck out at 17. He stumbled when 2.6L behind the second selection last time out and with better luck in running today, he should be right up there in the mix.
Race 6 – Politician Stakes (Gr 3) (3YO)
The Brett Crawford yard looks to have a strong hand in this race and three of his four runners in the contest could fill the top four places. The best of the stable’s runners may be BAG OF TRICKS who will be partnered by Anton Marcus. He has consistent recent form and won his only start over this distance. Despite his wideish draw, he is given the nod here. His stablemate, SUPER SILVANO has the widest draw of them all, but he has run second to another one of the Crawford inmates, Count Jack, who turns out in the previous race. His progress in that event should be checked to see how that form holds up. SILVER HOST will be hoping to spoil the Crawford party. He has his second run after a rest, but he won his only start over the c&d last time out despite being squeezed in the running. He is drawn one gate inside the latter. PARTERRE is the third Crawford runner. He drops down to nine furlongs after winning his last outing over ten furlongs. He looks an able back-up to his stable companions.
Race 7 – Cape Flying Championship
The unbeaten RUN FOX RUN will be looking to notch up her sixth victory here. This is her toughest task to date, but she has brushed aside all of her past rivals with such content that she may well be up to the task at hand. She has her second run after a rest and Anton Marcus will be in the saddle once again. CHIMICHURI RUN is no stranger to this part of the world and won his last start over this c&d since returning from the Highveld. He is yet to finish out of the top three places in four runs over the trip. PACIFIC TRADER is the stablemate of the top choice. He finished 0.75L behind the latter in the race referred to above and as the pair meet on the same weight terms here, there should not be much separating the two when they hit the wire. BOLD RESPECT is also a stable companion of the top choice. He was 1.5L behind in the same race last time out and he also meets his conqueror on the same weights this afternoon. Both of the latter runners are having there second run after a rest. We should be in for a speedy and exciting finish here.
Race 8 – Majorca Stakes (Gr 1) (F&M)
QUEEN SUPREME drew away in some style when winning her last outing over nine furlongs. That was her first run at the venue and she is unbeaten in two attempts over a mile. She does have a wideish draw to negotiate, but she has a long straight to pick off the frontrunners. CELTIC SEA steps up to the mile after winning her last start over six furlongs, but she has a win over the distance to her credit and she could be the biggest threat to the former. FRONT AND CENTRE has her peak run here. She was a tad disappointing in her last outing in a feature race over nine furlongs, but may prefer this distance at this stage of her career. CLOUDS UNFOLD also has her peak run here. She has a wide draw to deal with, but she has recorded a win over this distance and should be doing her best work in the closing stages.
Race 9 – The Sun Met (Gr 1)
HAWWAAM may have suffered the most from the long delay to the start of the Queen’s Plate last time out and is given a chance to redeem himself this afternoon. The temperament issues are well documented, but if not subjected to any “unusual” occurrences this afternoon, he could well bounce back to his best. He is unbeaten in two starts over this distance. He won’t have things his own way though even if everything runs smoothly and the Queen’s Plate winner VARDY is sure to put in another solid performance here. He has his peak run today and tries the ten furlongs for the first time, but he drew off well when winning that last race over a mile and on that run, he should have no issue with seeing out the extra distance. The race does not end there and RAINBOW BRIDGE is expected to keep the top two honest. The connections have engaged top overseas jockey Ryan Moore for today’s race so they must be expecting another big run from the gelding. He too has his peak run this afternoon and jumps from a handy draw. ONE WORLD is never far off the winner and although starting from a wide draw, he can be
Check out the final field betting for the Sun Met here.
View the 2020 Sun Met horse profiles here:
Race 10 – Western Cape Stayers (Gr 2)
DOUBLEMINT has his peak run here. The gelding battled all the way down to the line to win a gutsy race last time out over 2500M. He tries the fourteen furlongs for the first time, but if showing the same battling spirit today, he could be the one that they all have to beat. ATYAAB finished 2.7L behind the former that day, but is 0.5kgs better off at today’s weights. That would not normally be enough for the tables to be turned, but this race is over a greater distance and that fact may not be true here. SNAPSCAN is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she has solid staying form to her name and should give the males a good run for their money, despite starting from a poor draw. She had to be switched in her last outing and should have finished closer as a result. KAMPALA CAMPARI returns from a 12-week break, but his trainer certainly knows how to get them ready to win on their return to racing. He also had to be switched in his last start and was also hanging in the closing stages. He could be involved in the finish here.
Race 11 – Maiden Plate (3YO Fillies)
A tricky Maiden Plate for F&M faces punters here and some caution is advised. The tentative first pick goes to THE VOW from the Justin Snaith yard with stable jockey Richard Fourie doing duty. She was running on well in her last start over a mile and should enjoy going the extra distance today. She has drawn gate four and should give a good account of herself here. ACADEMIC GOLD goes the nine furlongs for the first time and gets a set of blinkers fitted for the first time. These should help her keep her mind on matter and she could trouble the top selection. DOUBLE REWARD is the stable companion of the top choice. She does have a wide draw to overcome, but she will have no problem with the trip and is a solid back-up for the yard. FORGET O’ GIRLS finished half a length behind the first choice in their last clash over a mile and they meet on the same weights this afternoon. There should not be much separating the pair when they reach the winning post.
Race 12 – MR 85 HCP
The Justin Snaith yard sends out five of the eleven runners in the last race on today’s programme. DOUBLE THE FUN is the mount of stable jockey Richard Fourie and the gelding may be the pick. He has the widest draw, but he set the pace in his last start and may use his early gate speed to get across without using up too much energy. He won his penultimate run over ten furlongs, so he should have no stamina doubts. BLACK BELT on the other hand, has a handy draw. He has consistent formlines to his name and can be expected to turn in another solid performance here. SNOWY MOUNTAIN is the stablemate of the top selection and also has a good draw. His current form is solid and he should be right up there in the dash down to the wire. VERATRUM is another Snaith runner who has cracked pole position. He has his second run after a rest, but should enjoy going over the nine furlongs for the first time.
Make sure to head over to Winning Form for daily horse racing tips as well as computerised selections for the Sun Met! Happy punting, everyone!
