Snaith certain Captain’s Ransom will make a winning return at Kenilworth

Horse of the year Captain’s Ransom makes her seasonal bow at Kenilworth on Wednesday and to his credit trainer Justin Snaith has put punters in the picture on the mare’s welfare.

The 12-time winning daughter of Captain Al runs in the third race over 1,400m. Her veteran stablemate, Do It Again, is also in the line-up.

On Captain’s Ransom’s prospects on her return to action, Snaith told Winning Form “she loves this trip and is fit, she will take some beating.”

This statement is sure to see the mare’s opening price of 17-20 snapped up as it is hard to name a rival who may beat her.

Regarding Do It Again, Snaith says the eight-year-old “will be in the money despite being on the short side”. The dual Durban July winner, whose career earnings stand at more than R9.4m, is presumably still enjoying his racing or he would have been retired.

Possibly, he is in the role of headmaster at the Snaith school overseeing the progressive of the stable's up-and-coming young pupils.

Hot jockey Richard Fourie, who had a five-timer last Saturday — retains his partnership with Captain’s Ransom while Do It Again will have Grant van Niekerk in the saddle.

The safest bet may be to couple Captain’s Ransom and Waterberry Lane in swingers — the latter made a pleasing comeback when fifth behind Resonate last month.

Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding had his supporters for the Durban July (backed down to 14-1) but finished 10 lengths behind Sparkling Water and six behind Do It Again. Before that the son of Soft Falling Rain had finished a creditable fourth behind Safe Passage in the Daily News.

Snaith believes another of his female runners, Gimme Dat, will “run a big race” in the second event on the Kenilworth card, but his filly faces two talented rivals in Dancetildaylight and Australian-bred, Whoa Whoa Whoa.

Dancetildaylight represents Candice Bass-Robinson’s stable and is weighted to turn the tables on Whoa Whoa Whoa. Gareth Wright rides the four-year-old for the second time.

Bass-Robinson saddles a well-bred colt in the fourth race in Narina Trogon. The three-year-old — not unduly punished on his latest outing — is by Silvano out of the talented mare, Beach Beauty.

Turftalk reports that Princess Calla has joined Sean Tarry’s yard with the Majorca Stakes as her chief objective. The filly won two grade 2 races under the care of Adam Marcus and the Empress Club Stakes when sent to Ashley Fortune.

Last season’s Equus champion three-year-old filly, Rain In Holland, will be aimed at the grade 1 Paddock Stakes. The four-year-old disappointed on her return at Turffontein last month finishing seven lengths behind Bon Vivant, but she was having her first outing since April.