The scratching of the filly Mighty High (coughing) from the KZN Guineas Trial robbed the race of some of it’s gloss but that will not have bothered Gavin van Zyl as Stream Ahead took full advantage under Craig Zackey.

If the betting tells a story, the grey was not the stable elect, as the recently acquired Affranchi was sent out favourite. But there was a no-show from Affranchi as Stream Ahead took the shortest way home to collar Thanksgiving with White Lightning running a cracker in third.

An outside draw over the Greyville 1600m is tantamount to a death sentence unless one has luck in running but Mark Khan was hung out to dry on Thanksgiving with nothing giving way on his inside.

Stream Ahead (Anneke Akal Kitching)

Khan was eventually forced to go for broke, racing around his field and looking to pinch a winning lead in the straight. But there was no turkey to carve.

Zackey had the run of the race on Stream Ahead who slipped up on the inside rail and ran Thanksgiving down to win by a neck, the balance of the field well beaten.

Monte Christo has always been a classy individual but one plagued with problems. But Peter Muscutt, KZN assistant to Brett Crawford appears to have him sussed. Monte Christo jumps from barrier trial to barrier trial to a race, all to good effect.

He started favourite for the Pinnacle Stakes and Anton Marcus gave him a peach of a ride.

The filly On That Boulevard set quick early fractions but folded like a wet tea towel in the straight as Monte Christo closed in like an attacking shark.

It was only when Twice As Smart loomed up dangerous on his outside that Marcus asked the question and Monte Christo gave him the right answer as Twice As Smart was not able to make up the leeway.

With the Western Cape season starting to boil, Dean Kannemeyer will be focussing on home territory but his KZN operation is also starting to warm up. Banjo On My Knee didn’t give any obvious signs that 2400m would be his ideal trip but Keagan de Melo had no qualms as he sent his mount around the field for home climbing the hill and was never in danger of being caught by the luckless Belfry who had to settle for second once again. There were some quiet tears shed in the winner’s box as Banjo On My Knee was owned by Chris Gerber who died tragically earlier in the week.

Duncan Howells has had a frustrating season so far with a string of second placings but there was some salve to the wound as Buffalo Soldier finally got his act together to run out a fluent winner of the last.

By Andrew Harrison