Punters face a decidedly tricky card at Greyville this evening but as a stock market saying goes, ‘where there is adversity, there is opportunity’. Given the difficulty the rewards for getting it ‘right’ should be greater – that’s the theory anyway – as there don’t appear to be any stand-out runners on the card so it will boil down to doing your homework and a slice of luck.

The best race to go ‘short’ in could come in the opening leg of the Pick 6 where the two Ashburton-trained runners Starlight and Seek Moon Magic could fit the bill.

Starlight has her third run after a break and has been improving all the time. Duncan Howells has booked star apprentice Luke Ferraris, full value for his 1.5kg claim, and the step up in trip should suit.

Louis Goosen has entered Seek Moon Magic for the Gr3 Starling Stakes to be run at Turffontein on November 3 and she will need a bold showing if she is the earn a place in that field, or at least have a chance if she gets a run.

Goosen was bullish of his filly’s chances on debut but she was all at sea from the jump and only got going late. She has a tricky draw to over come here but has obviously shown good work at home.

After a relatively lean spell and a break for AHS vaccinations, Dean Kannemeyer is slowly starting to rev up his runners and Miss Smarty Pants could get the better of stable companion Cape Infanta in the Affirming Life Handicap.

Miss Smarty Pants comes off a short break but also has some decent Cape form to back her claims where she has only once been out of the money in ten outings and has yet to run a bad race.

Cape Infanta may just have needed her last run, her first in blinkers, and has done well on the poly. She has a good draw and a handy weight to add to her attraction. Others to consider are Stelvio, Heart Of A Legend and Barinois.

Net Work Jet looks to be the right one in the Spar KZN Maiden but of some concern is that his last two starts, where he was much improved, were on turf. Prior to that his two outings on the poly were well below current efforts. The balance are well exposed except for the lightly raced Captain Irish who makes his poly debut and steps up in trip. He was not far back last run and meets a weak field so could prove the biggest threat to the selection. There should be very little between fellow strugglers Lucius Fox and Belfry, a neck between them when they last met.

In the Palliative Care Handicap, Chestnuts Charm comes with some useful Cape form to back her claims and could prove better than rated.

Monte Christo does have his problems but appears to have come well for his new stable who have given him three barrier trials in his last four trips to a racecourse, winning his only start for the yard. The handily weighted Archilles took on much stronger last run and was far from disgraced. Prior to that he was decidedly unlucky at his penultimate start, a race he should have won but for traffic, and he can have a change of fortune here. Of the balance, Marshall That, who gets a rating drop and a 2.5kg claimer aboard, is over his best course and distance and is a must inclusion in all exotics.

Johan Janse van Vuuren and Anton Marcus have been a formidable combination in recent weeks and Robberg Express, a well supported winner on debut, can follow up in the Greyville Convention Centre Handicap, as he looks fairly useful.

In opposition, the grey Wendylle, who made all when shedding his maiden under Marcus, has a light weight and has a chance of following up while Cumulus is back from a short break and does look better than his current form shows.

By Andrew Harrison