Cape Flora
Cape Flora
22nd-Aug-2025
Old friend Akecheta was tempting here. I am sure that there is a big handicap in Kevin Coleman’s mare off this type of mark in the high 80s or low 90s, but I really do think that she is a better mare on easier ground than she is on fast ground or even good ground. I am happy to let her run today in the hope that we will get her again later in the season when the ground softens a little.
By contrast, Cape Flora goes well on fast ground. The Gosdens' filly kept on well to finish fifth in a handicap at Newmarket at the end of July on fast ground, and she stepped up on that last time at Leicester when she led from early and ultimately ran out a really impressive winner of a 10-furlong handicap, again on fast ground. She broke the track record.
She can be tricky in the preliminaries and at the start, but she has lots of talent, and she seemed to thrive for the forward-going tactics that were employed at Leicester. Hopefully similar tactics will be employed today, because they are tactics that are effective at York, even over middle distances.
She is 11lb higher now than she was then, and she is into a better race now, but she has raced just five times in her life and just three times on turf, and she has the potential to progress again.
Zgharta is a big danger, and I can see Ciara Pearl and Jujubella out-running big odds, but Cape Flora is the bet.
CAPE FLORA WON (ADV 5/1, SP 13/2)
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