Anticipation will reach fever pitch at Turffontein tomorrow when Abashiri lines up for the Gr 1 A Derby in his bid to land the Triple Crown.

There are four Gr 1s in total to look forward to, including the R4 million Premier’s Champion Challenge over 2000m, as well as five Gr 2s, so it is going to be another Champions Day of high drama.

Abashiri looks every inch a champion and should have no problem staying the 2450m trip on both pedigree and running style. A wide draw is a concern but he doesn’t over race and can afford to be dropped out due to his blistering turn of foot. He should pick them off one by one in the straight.

The Mike de Kock-trained Jubilee Line strikes as a Derby type who should be staying on strongly.

Samurai Blade showed his class when staying on for third in the SA Classic and gave the impression he would handle this trip.

Kinaan is a progressive sort who has proved he stays the trip, although he has a lot to do at the weights.

Rocketball has some class but will have to improve on his SA Classic run. He has a chance of staying the trip considering he is from the family of facile Derby winner Irish Flame.

Milla’s World will be improving, being by Ideal World, and will likely relish the trip.

Bankable Teddy impressed last time when romping home in the Listed Derby Trial over 2000m and he could be the dark horse.

The selection is Abashiri to beat Jubilee Line with Samurai Blade, Milla’s World and Bankable Teddy next best.

In the Premier’s Champions Challenge Inara versus Legal Eagle is “a clash of the century” epic and one for the purists to savour. Inara is taking on the boys for the first-time and if the travel and altitude don’t affect her she will be up to it. On a strict form line through Smart Call, Inara has the beating of Legal Eagle. French Navy loves the course and distance and at best his finishing effort will take him close, but his two below par build up runs create a question mark. Captain America has become more settled since gelding and should give another honest account of himself, although he is one who would prefer soft ground. Both Brazuca and Judicial’s sustained finishing runs make them ideally suited to the course and distance. Stonehenge should ensure a good pace, having proved last time riders can’t afford to ignore him out in front.

The WSB Computaform Sprint will be an exciting contest. Carry On Alice can go one better than last year and land her third Gr 1. However Trip Tease will make it tough for her, especially if there is a draw bias like last year in which high numbers were favourable. Barbosa can be relied on to produce a classy performance every time he steps on to the racecourse. Tar Heel is the dark horse as he is packed with speed and hopefully for his connections horses can win from anywhere as he has a low draw. The same applies to recent Scottsville 1000m record breaker Muscatt, whose high cruising speed and ability to find another gear will make him dangerous. Talktothestars can never be underestimated and Moofeed is capable of a strong finishing run so could be a surprise place getter if putting his poor last run behind him.

Sean Tarry probably has a record number of winning two-year-old fillies this season and has a good chance of landing both the Gr 1 SA Nursery and the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery.

Cloth Of Cloud is probably the best of his young fillies and will try and repeat Carry On Alice’s feat of beating the boys in the SA Nursery. She is temperamental, which is the only downside. Janoobi would prefer further in time, but his class could carry him close. Approval Mode had to give 2kg to Janoobi last time and could get closer.

In The Fillies Nursery unbeaten Exquisite Touch won unextended over 1000m last time and looks hard to beat. Fursa is improving and could get closer to Exquisite Touch this time. Myfunnyvalentine won easily on debut despite ducking in the closing stages and has a chance.

The Gr 2 SA Oaks could see a win for Peggy Jay, who has beaten older horses in her last three starts and is proven over the course and distance. There is not much between her and Witchcraft on form and Tarry has always said the latter is his Oaks horse. Zafira should finish on top of Peggy Jay on course and distance form. Persian Rug should relish the course and distance being a giant daughter of Ideal World. Princess Varunya will relish the trip. Juxtapose SA Fillies Classic win from off the pace suggested she would enjoy this trip. Estimation enjoyed a change to hold up tactics last time and is out of a daughter of Sadler’s Wells so should not be underestimated.

The big galloping type Fortune Fella proved himself a decent stayer last time and could beat Cool Chardonnay and Storm Warning in the Gold Bowl.

Pennington Sands is seen at her best in fast ground and is course and distance in the Gerald Rosenberg Stakes over 2000m where she could be a surprise winner ahead of the ideally course and distance suited The Centenary and the classy and consistent Trophy Wife.

The Gr 2 Camellia Stakes could see Lazer Star in the winner’s box again from Kwinta, although the dark horse is Joan Ranger who should enjoy being brought back to a sprint trip again.

By David Thiselton