Bishop’s Bounty is odds-on for the opening maiden juvenile at Kenilworth today and understandably so. Justin Snaith fancied him to make a winning debut in the Listed race on Met day and he almost certainly has much less on his plate here.

He started evens favourite last month and, despite not being able to get a run when he needed it, he was beaten less than a length into third.

“Bishop’s Bounty was a bit green that day but he has done very well since and we think he is a decent horse,” says Chris Snaith. “This is 200m further which will probably suit him.”

World Sports Betting opened him at 9-10 on Monday and he shortened to 4-10 yesterday with the twice-raced In Your Face second favourite at 6-1. “He has come on a bit and, if there is no superstar among the first-timers, I think he will finish on top of them,” says Paul Reeves.

Mike Bass, who has won the last three Cape Town two-year-old races, has no runner but three of the seven newcomers carry the Jooste colours including the Joey Ramden-trained R2 million purchase Attenborough (7-1).  “All three are nice horses and we are hoping for the best but I think Justin’s will be hard to beat,” says Derek Brugman.

Starrett City opened evens favourite for race two and has since hardened to 9-10. Although he was only eighth first time, it was a good maiden and he was only beaten four lengths. He looks the form horse. “He was a little shin-sore after his run but he is fine now and he has come on a bit,” says Neil Bruss. “Looking at the field I think he should go very close.”

Newcomer Hero Quest is second favourite at 33-10 while Mike Robinson’s pair The Best Of Me (4-1) and Zama (backed from 12-1 to 7-1) showed form before disappointing last time. Declarator (4-1) was third to runaway winner Orion Quest but the form of that maiden has a question mark over it.

Andre Nel’s once-raced Liberal Sally is 22-10 joint favourite with Prize Peg for the fillies’ maiden (race three) but Pixelate at 9-2 makes more appeal. Shane Humby’s filly has been off since the end of December but she had Prize Peg half a length behind when second that day.

The handicappers left Cuban Emerald on an unchanged 79 after his close third in the opener on Met day and, while Shadlee Fortune may not be in the same league as S’Manga Khumalo, he is good value for his 2.5kg claim and the top weight looks the one to beat in race four. His opening price of 13-10 was short enough and he has since eased to a more realistic 15-10.

By Michael Clower