Kotzen will saddle Gilmore Girl in an open-betting race and on form the filly has a much better chance of winning than her current odds suggest.
She does not often run a bad race and has been knocking at the door since making her debut for the stable in a 2400m race at this venue in May. She ran on in the straight before becoming one-paced at the finish and went down 1.75 lengths to Novelty.
Over that course and distance in her next start, she finished a two-length third to Equiparada and meets her conqueror on 2kg better terms, which on paper should be enough to turn the tables.
In her last run at Scottsville she got too far out of her ground but still ran on well for fourth behind Salamander Sue.
While she flopped badly in her only race beyond 2400m, finishing 13th behind Sangria Girl in the 2800m Reserve Stayers on Met Day, she was cut into and stopped to nothing in the closing stages.
Some experts might attribute that poor effort to a lack of stamina, rather than the distance, but for my money the daughter of Roi Norman deserves another chance.
The betting is a true reflection of the race, though, and cases can be made for nearly every runner in the field.
Equiparada’s stable companion Sweetie Pie, who scored a 28-1 upset in winning the Gold Circle Oaks and will be partnered by talented young Muzi Yeni, will be the pick for most punters, and over this distance both Mike de Kock fillies must come into the picture.
The sixth feature race on an action-packed card is the Schweppes 2200 (Grade 3) over 2200m, the Durban July consolation race, and trainer Neil Bruss’ Zimbabwe star Winter’s Night could show the July selection panel that he warranted inclusion in the big race after being eliminated.
He has been impressive in his last four starts north of the border, including winning the three top races there, the Derby, the Spar Tankard and the OK Grand Challenge. He is well drawn and will have the expert services of Anthony Delpech.