Class Act goes to War with Horse of the Year

The Grade 2 Green Point Stakes has traditionally proved a reliable pointer to arguably the country’s premier weight-for-age race, the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate in mid-January and, despite the absence of last year’s winner Legislate, a quality line-up of 10 thoroughbred athletes are set to do battle over 1600m of the Kenilworth winter course, headed by the reigning Horse of the Year, Futura, and last season’s Cape Guineas victor, Act Of War.

The former, who returns from a 16-week absence, was third in this race last year before landing the Queen's Plate and J&B Met double and, while there may be some concerns regarding his fitness, there can be no doubting his class.

The Joey Ramsden-trained Act Of War was a fluent winner in his reappearance in the Grade 3 Kuda Matchem Stakes over 1400m at Durbanville and has the advantage of race fitness on his side. He is unbeaten in four starts over 1600m at Kenilworth, two of them on this Winter Course, and could well land the spoils ahead of his main objective, the 2016 L’Ormarins Queen's Plate.

Captain America opposes the ‘Big Two’ and could find the frame on the sort of form that saw him win the Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes on the Highveld last season.

Ashton Park, runner-up at big odds in this event last year, is one of five hopefuls from the yard of trainer Mike Bass and could find a place at long odds.

The Summer Of Champions stage has been set, now for the cast to deliver… it’s all systems go!

Racing