Deep Field Colt Aimed at South African Classic

Saturday's Gr1 South African Classic will be a sharp rise in class for 3YO colt Al Muthana (Deep Field-El Daana, by Redoute's Choice) with the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum-owned colt having won only once in his five starts to date. Australian-born Al Muthana won on debut as a juvenile over 1160m at Turffontein and showed plenty of promise when fourth in the Gr2 Dingaans Handicap as an early 3YO. Coming off a city class fourth placing last start, the Mike de Kock-trained colt will be stepping up sharply in distance to 1800m. His dam, El Daana (Redoute's Choice), won the Gr2 Edward Manifold Stakes and at stud, she's already left Al Muthana's Group 2-winning half-sister Wawail (Lonhro). De Kock's son Mathew, who trains successfully in partnership with Robbie Griffiths out of Cranbourne, will no doubt stay up to keep an eye on the Group 1 affair.