Cape Town — The classy chesnut Marina, the only filly in the 2022 Cape Town Met field, is making her way up the betting boards and is the biggest mover ahead of Saturday's race at Kenilworth.
Her odds have been slashed from an opening 10/1 to 6/1 and can no longer be classed as a rank outsider for the World Sports Betting Met, one of Africa's flagship horse racing events.
Her move into single-figure odds suggests that the Candice Bass Robinson-trained filly will give the four male favourites Jet Dark, Kommetdieding, Double Superlative and Linebacker a run for their money over 2000m. Robinson is happy with Marina’s physical condition going into the biggest test of her career and will fancy the filly's chances of winning.
In Marina's 12 runs at Kenilworth, Marina has rarely been out of the frame with seven wins and three minor places. She has been in excellent form of late and should continue in that vein on Saturday.
One of Marina's biggest fans is horse racing expert and commentator Rouvaun Smit. He says the filly is fine fettle coming into the race and could pose problems for the more fancied runners.
"The horse that could possibly cause the upset in the WSB Cape Town Met on Saturday, is the filly Marina," said Smit, the man with the golden voice.
"Yes, she has it all to do against the boys. She has been a model of consistency and has had the ideal prep going into the race.
"She's a full sister to former Durban July winner Marinaresco and has that same devastating turn of foot.
"Aldo Domeyer (the jockey) knows her well and has ridden her to four wins, a third and a fourth in seven of her 14 career starts.
"The stable has also been in very good form of late and the fairer sex has a good record in this race, which has always been the flagship of Cape Town horse racing.
"If the big boys were to fluff their lines, she could easily be the one to pick up the pieces. You can bet she will be doing her best work late in the run down to the wire at Kenilworth."
IOL Sport