Marion Belle looks good for the Supabets Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow and she should be hard to beat after winning the last two of her three races in impressive style.

The Brett Crawford-trained Australian bred led over half a furlong out when raced over 1 000m four weeks ago and she won comfortably with Greg Cheyne declaring: “It’s onwards and upwards now.”

Brett Crawford (Liesl King)

The handicappers took the win at face value, upping her only three points and not building in anything for what she might have had in hand. Little wonder that World Sports Betting opened her favourite at only 13-10.

Regal Ruby, who made the running last time, was beaten just over a length into third and is a kilo better so, theoretically at any rate, she should go close. She is joint second favourite at 13-2 with Cape Charlotte who has run well at Durbanville on her last two outings.

The market is likely to prove the best guide in the opening Maiden Juvenile as Despasito is the only one to have raced, he has a lot of improvement to find and is a 40-1 shot.

After the way Vaughan Marshall’s two-year-olds ran last Saturday Zinedine opened favourite at 17-10 and was promptly backed. He is a Var colt, was bought by Ken Truter for R700 000 and could be the one unless there is significant money for any of the others tomorrow.

Tarsus (by Var out of a French Listed winner) is the most expensive in the field at R850 000 and is the first horse in Cape Town to carry the colours of Qatar Racing. Qatar are major players in Britain where they are also big in sponsorship and they could be very good for South African racing.

Tarsus opened at 9-2 and Joey Ramsden, whose juveniles are running really well, also introduces Arrivederci (11-2) who is a What A Winter colt out of a full sister to two-year-old champion filly Historic Lady. Robert Khathi’s mount was bought by Mayfair for R550 000 and now carries the colours of Braam van Huyysteen.

But watch out for R500 000 buy Fabian who is also by What A Winter and opened second favourite at 7-2.

Selailai went close at Durbanville on debut on New Year’s Day and opened 22-10 favourite for the Tabonline Maiden. Runner-up Chatuchak’s good subsequent run gives him obvious claims but slight preference is for Richard Fourie’s mount Sea Fury (7-2). Fourie may also win the next on 3-1 chance Ladysmith.

By Michael Clower