The promising Alistair Gordon-trained pair of three-year-olds Beat The Retreat and Bunker Bill will have a gallop at Scottsville this morning (Tuesday) ahead of their respective engagements in the Listed R150,000 KZN Guineas Trial on the Greyville turf on November 8 and the Gr 3 R250,000 Graham Back Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein on October 31.

Meanwhile, Paul Lafferty reported that Anthony Delpech had been “very impressed” with the Graham Beck-bound Unbelievable Chad’s gallop at Scottsville on Sunday, in which he was given a lead over 1400m and strode all the way to the line in eyecatching fashion. Lafferty had spoken to Piere Strydom about riding the Toreador colt in the Graham Beck a while ago but has been unable to confirm the engagement as the latter is currently on honeymoon. The pair will be attempting to retain their respective crowns in the race having combined to win it last year with Harry’s Son. Unbelievable Chad, who is part-owned by swimming legend Chad le Clos, has drawn eight out of 30 nominations and Bunker Bill, who is by Dupont and is expected to enjoy the step up in trip, has drawn pole position.

Argonaut colt Beat The Retreat found his last start over 1200m too sharp and will relish the step up to 1600m in the KZN Guineas Trial.

Unbelievable Chad and Bunker Bill will both be using the tried and tested travel routine of leaving Summerveld late on the Friday night and arriving at Turffontein on the morning of the race.

Two of a few other Summerveld horses who will be making the journey to the Johannesburg meeting on October 31 are the Dennis Drier-trained Gr 1 Golden Slipper winner Chestnuts N Pearls and the classy Gavin van Zyl-trained Redcarpet Captain, who will both be running in the R2,015,000 Bloodstock South Africa Ready To Run Cup over 1400m.

Chestnuts N Pearls by Horse Chestnut made her seasonal reappearance in a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m on Sunday and flew late to finish a 1,5 length second to the exciting four-year-old speedster Miss Varlicious, to whom she gave 3kg if apprentice claims are included. The 100 merit-rated filly will palpably prefer the 1400m trip and, having come out of the race very well, will likely be cherry ripe on October 31. A KZN filly she will have to face in the Ready To Run Cup will be the Duncan Howells-trained Lauderdale, whom she beat in the Golden Slipper but lost to in the subsequent Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m.

The Captain Al colt Redcarpet Captain ran on well at Scottsville on Sunday in a MR 90 Handicap over 1200m in which he had to carry 60kg off his merit rating of 101 and finished a 1,15 length fifth to a horse who has developed a winning habit, Talktothestars. In his only start over 1400m Redcarpet Captain was not at all disgraced, finishing 3,8 lengths behind Seventh Plain in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe having had to jump from a very wide draw. He should be ideally suited to the 1400m distance at this stage of his career. He has come out of Sunday’s race well and the yard are hopeful of a big run in the Ready To Run Cup. He is the joint highest merit rated horse in the Cup together with Lauderdale and the Justin Snaith-trained Australian-bred Star Witness colt Lineker.

Van Zyl’s other contender in the big October 31 meeting at Turffontein will be the four-year-old Jet Master gelding M L Jet, who fought back well to win a Graduation Plate over 1600m at Turffontein last week, although he was weighted to win it. He will be running in the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile and, having enjoyed the blinkers off and tongue tie on last time, there will be no changes to his equipment declarations. He has come out of the race well and Van Zyl hoped that the win heralded a return to form for the 101 merit-rated bay.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Beat The Retreat (Nkosi Hlophe)