Punters look to Desert Miracle to dig them out of a hole

Presenters and officials’ description of Tuesday’s Summer Cup meeting being “a wonderful day” is so wide of the mark, it isn’t even funny. A fair estimate is that by the conclusion of the 10-race programme 95% of punters had empty pockets.

The meeting started with a 33-1 winner and then came the shock of last season’s Triple Crown and Triple Tiara victors running unplaced in the Cup.

So can punters get out of jail by backing the favourite, Desert Miracle, in Saturday’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth? The answer to that question is yes, but at 4-10 it looks more like an investment for the professional backer than a regular punter.

However, a bet that makes a lot of appeal is to couple Desert Miracle — winner of her last four starts — with Candice Bass-Robinson’s filly, Dancetildaylight, in the swinger. Yes, Aldo Domeyer has opted to partner the superbly bred Amanzimtoti (her dam is Beach Beauty), winner of the recent Fillies Championship, but a case can certainly be made for her stable companion.

Despite being drawn 16 out of 16, Dancetildaylight went down by a shorthead to Fifty Fiver in the Ready-To-Run Stakes at the end of October. Keagan De Melo rides the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight for the first time and will have to overcome another wide barrier.

Justin Snaith saddles four runners and has suggested Maria Querol may be the pick of the quartet. He told Turftalk: “A filly like Maria Querol could certainly run a place and could turn it around with Amanzimtoti. We were needing the run last time.”

At a meeting in which many of the big names in racing will be seen in action, Rainbow Bridge contests the 25th race of his career in the grade 2 Green Point Stakes and bids to notch the 12th win of his career. The seven-year-old is opposed by four rivals and each one goes to post with strong claims, notably Jet Dark and Durban July runner-up Linebacker.

Jet Dark gets his sixth different jockey with Gavin Lerena booked for the ride and it could be a good meeting for the visiting highveld jockey. With the Queen’s Plate only a month away, there’s every reason to expect the Champions Cup winner to strip a fit horse.

As we get closer to race time, the prices of Vaughan Marshall’s two runners, Linebacker and Seeking The Stars, need close monitoring as the latter may have the edge in fitness as a result of his recent win in the Matchem Stakes.

Captain Fontane lost his unbeaten tag in the Merchants and the jury is out on whether he is up to defeating his more established rivals, receiving only 2kg.

Another feature race on the card is the grade 3 Cape Summer Stayers and punters will need to include a number of runners in their exotic perms. With just 53kg on his back, another Candice Bass-Robinson inmate, Holy Warrior, receives 6.5kg from Crimson King, who ran a creditable second in the Woolavington Stakes.

Bayberry is another good mount for Lerena and victory for the son of Flower Alley would round off a memorable week for the stallion after the 1-2 by his daughters, Bold Fortune and Perfect Witness, in the Ipi Tombe Stakes.

Only six runners face the starter in the third race, but it is like having four Angelina Jolies in the same movie. The Amy Miller Memorial Stakes has attracted Captain’s Ransom, Princess Calla, She’s A Keeper and Garden Province winner Zarina.

With Desert Miracle expected to put daylight between herself and her opponents in the Guineas, this 1,500m contest could be the highlight of the meeting.

SELECTIONS

WSB CAPE FILLIES GUINEAS

1. (1) Desert Miracle

2.  (8) Dancetildaylight

3.  (2) Amanzimtoti

4.  (6) Maria Querol

GREEN POINT STAKES

1. (2) Jet Dark

2. (4) Seeking The Stars

3. (1) Rainbow Bridge

4. (3) Linebacker

CAPE SUMMER STAYERS

1. (10) Holy Warrior

2. (2) Crimson King

3. (3) Bayberry

4. (6) Black Knap

SOUTHERN CROSS STAKES

1. (1) Vernichey

2. (3) Capitana

3. (5) Keep The Lights On

4. (8) Kitty Cat Chat

AMY MILLER MEMORIAL

1. (1) Captain’s Ransom

2. (4) She’s A Keeper

3. (3) Princess Calla

4. (2) Zarina