Sir David Baird recently won the Listed KZN Guineas Trial in effortless fashion and comes into the Guineas very fit and very well. Trainer Mike de Kock told Turf Talk yesterday morning: “Sir David Baird and Like A Panther have been in Cape Town for a few weeks and we’ve had a chance to gallop them at the track. We’re expecting good runs from both.”

Sir David Baird (Candiese Marnewick)

He said about Sir David Baird: “He has something about him, there is something there. He was beaten against expectations over 1400m twice, once by the smart Surcharge, but all he needed was the bend and a mile and he showed what he was capable of.

“Sir David Baird beat a weak field in the Guineas Trial, but he wasn’t near extended so should handle the step up. He’s well drawn and has a good jockey, two factors we don’t have to worry about.”

De Kock added: “If I look at Saturday’s Guineas I see no obvious stars, they haven’t revealed themselves yet. Vaughan Marshall’s Tap O’Noth is probably the best of the opposition, he may come out of it victorious as the champion among them, but it could be us too, it could be Sir David Baird. We’re keen to see how he goes.”

Like A Panther, De Kock opined, will be better over 2000m and further. “He’s a good Derby prospect for us. He will be hard pressed to win a mile at this level. But he’ll be staying on, he has a place chance.”

Ante-post betting for the Gr1 Forus Cape Guineas

9-2 Tap O’ Noth
13-2 White River, Do It Again
7-1 Rocket Countdown
8-1 Undercover Agent, Bold Respect
9-1 Captain And Master
10-1 Sir David Baird
12-1 Like A Panther, Sir Frenchie (Aus)
14-1 Wonderwall
16-1 Pack Leader
20-1 Purple Diamond, Cot Campbell

Ante-post betting for the Gr3 Premier Trophy

2-1 Last Winter
9-2 Nebula
11-2 Deo Juvente
6-1 Back Arthur, Horizon
8-1 Crambambuli
10-1 Milton
14-1 and upwards others.

– Turf Talk