After a relatively slow start to his Champions Season campaign, champion trainer elect Justin Snaith has put that hiccup behind him and the stable is back firing on all cylinders.

He has two runners in tomorrow’s Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville and both Kasimir and Sir Frenchie have chances in what is a wide-open handicap over 1200m. Ominously for the opposition, Snaith said his CTS 1200 runner-up Kasimir was “flying” at home.

The progressive three-year-old may just have been in need of his effort in the Byerly Turk and the stable was going through a flat patch. He is back over what looks to be his optimum trip and has a handy galloping weight.

Snaith also saddles Sir Frenchie who was disappointing behind Bold Respect last time out but is 2.5kg better off and can do much better here. Snaith also expects a better performance. “He had no chance” last time out when carrying a big weight but now has a nice galloping weight.

Brett Crawford goes in two-handed with Bold Respect and Sunset Eyes. The latter has good form over course and distance and is 1kg better off with his stable companion on their last meeting. Under normal circumstances, stable jockey Corne Orffer will have had the pick of the rides but he would have been hard-pressed to make 52.5kg so natural light-weight Warren Kennedy has picked up the ride on Sunset Eyes.

Dorrie Sham has made a seamless move from PE to the Vaal and anyone who thought that she would not be competitive after the move were quickly put in their place. Sham saddles Computaform Sprint runner-up Pinnacle Peak who is now 1kg better off with winner Attenborough who he was closing down quickly at the death so should be ideally suited to the Scottsville 1200m.

But Attenborough will not go down without a fight. “He is extremely well, and you have to run horses when they are well,” said Ramsden. “The way he ran on in the Computaform Sprint tells me 1200m will be no problem, and he won a listed race over this trip as a juvenile.”

Ramsden also saddles Computaform third, Speedpoint. “He ran a cracker in the Computaform. He needs cover and didn’t get it that day but still ran a stormer.”

Ramsden blamed an outside draw when Brutal Force was beaten three years back so was understandably cautious about both his horse’s chances. “They could both have the same problem here (no cover) as they are drawn on the extreme outside.”

With Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry in town for the big features one always needs to take note. Trip To Heaven made his usual tardy start in the Computaform so the extra furlong will be in his favour tomorrow while the De Kock-trained Naafer was running at them late in the Computaform and will also prefer this trip.

In all this is a really open handicap sprint but Kasimir at the bottom of the weights makes most appeal.

The three other feature sprints on the afternoon have attracted high class fields and punters who crack the right exotic bet combinations should be in for decent rewards.

The SA Fillies Sprint could fall the way of Neptune’s Rain. Duncan Howells has had this race in mind for many months and has his charge fully primed. “She is working very well. It’s a competitive race but I think she will go close,” said Howells. Neptune’s Rain was closing fast on Sommerlied when the two last met in the Poinsettia Stakes and Dennis Drier’s filly will be a huge threat. Also using that race as a warm-up were The Secret Is Out (third) and Magical Wonderland (sixth) so there is unlikely to be much between them again.

Punters looking for a possible banker could find it in the form of Que The Music in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. Dennis Bosch’s charge has been super impressive in his two outings to date but will need to bring his A-game to the races as he faces some stiff opposition.

The Allan Robertson has produced an upset result on more than one occasion in the past and it could pay to go wide in this leg of the exotics. Making most appeal is the unbeaten Inverroshe. Mark Dixon’s filly has done all of her racing at Scottsville which is a big plus and she is taken to get the better of Canukeepasecret who will be attempting to emulate her two full sisters.

By Andrew Harrison