Trainer Gareth van Zyl will be holding thumbs for Redcarpet Captain tomorrow night at Greyville where he participates in the Gr 3 Byerley Turk alongside sales race millionaire stablemate Budapest. Both horses are owned by Brian “Buffalo Bill” Burnard.

Redcarpet Captain (Nkosi Hlophe)

Redcarpet Captain ran way below par last time out over 1300m on the Greyville turf and might have gone a bit too fast early. However, the yard believe the problem of haemoconcentration, a blood thickening condition which usually affects entires, could well have been the explanation. However, they will allow the three-year-old colt until the end of the season before considering gelding. Therefore, tomorrow night’s race is all important as this horse has the ability to win South African Champions Season features. He has a wide draw of 14 to overcome and Brandon Lerena remains aboard.

Meanwhile Budapest has been doing very well at Summerveld. He proved the 1400m trip to be ideal when winning the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes at Kenilworth last November. However, the draw of eight makes it tricky for one with a handy racing style up against classy opposition. He is difficult to judge at home, because his two best career runs have followed poor final gallops. However, his facile maiden win over 1200m on the poly did follow a five month layoff so he will likely enjoy running fresh tomorrow night.

In other news of Van Zyl-trained and Burnard-owned horses, the promising three-year-old Celtic Captain, who finished a decent fifth last time out in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas, has been gelded and is being aimed at the Gr 2 Canon Guineas to be run at Greyville on the Friday night of May 6.

The yard’s exciting Australian-bred filly Mygirldownunder, who thrashed a well regarded sort by nearly five lengths on debut over 1000m at Scottsville, is being prepared for the Gr 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m on May 1 at Scottsville. She can’t be raced too often as she gives her all in work.

The ever improving Silvano gelding Night Shadow, who has won four of his last five starts, is being targeted at the Listed Sledgehammer over 1800m at Scottsville on April 24. This race is based on merit rated bands and Night Shadow, having turned the corner in no uncertain terms, looks to have the class to rise above his current 82 merit rating and will be distance suited.

By David Thiselton