Oh Susanna earned an exalted place in South African racing history by becoming the first three-year-old filly to win the Met since Chair Lady in 1902 while, not to be outdone, stable companion Snowdance became the first to complete the Cape Fillies Guineas-Klawervlei Majorca double in the same season since Sun Classique 11 years ago.

Little wonder that Justin Snaith, having finally avenged his family’s Met hoodoo, took a hefty swig of Mumm champagne when he stood on the Sun Met podium while Grant van Niekerk was unable to resist spraying it around like Lewis Hamilton.

Oh Susanna (Candiese Marnewick)

Snaith, who won three of Saturday’s four Grade 1s and five of the 13 races, revealed something of the pressure he had been under, saying: “It didn’t help that people were saying Snowdance was a penalty kick while in the Met I thought we were gone when Oh Susanna was having quite a hard time early on.”

The former champion trainer is now on target to relinquish the ‘former’ element of that description and seemingly he relished shaking hands with Usain Bolt – “He is one of my lifetime heroes and I felt I had to win the Met to meet him”- while Durban beckons for his two star fillies although this still has to be confirmed.

Snaith explained: “Nothing has been decided and I need to sit down with everybody and make sure I am on the same page with them all.”

This means Gaynor Rupert and Kevin Sommerville plus Jack Mitchell in the case of Snowdance (a daughter of Captain Al and bred by Vaughan Koster at Cheveley) while Mrs Rupert’s Drakenstein is the official breeder of the Australian-bred Street Cry-sired Oh Susanna.

Van Niekerk, who also won one of the two CTS $500 000 races, earned some R585 000 for his day’s work. That might sound a lot but South African jockey earnings are low compared with many other major countries. Florent Geroux, for example, collected the equivalent of R7.5 million for winning on Gun Runner at Gulfstream in Florida later that same day.

The 26-year-old South African rider, fined R1 500 for celebrating victory while Last Winter was still bearing down on him like nemesis incarnate, reflected on the podium: “I have had ups and downs for the past year or so.” Indeed he has. Heavily criticised for his ride on Marinaresco in last year’s Met, he promptly lost the Bass Racing first jockey job and his subsequent contract with Plattner Racing was not renewed. But he seems to have fitted into the huge Snaith Racing empire like a handmade glove and there his considerable but sometimes unconventional talents appear to be appreciated to the full.

But things so nearly went haywire in the Majorca. Those who backed Snowdance at 1-4 were getting close to a collective heart attack when she appeared to be making hard work of it in the straight but Van Niekerk explained: “At about the 350m mark a bird flew up in front of me and after that Snowdance was looking at everything.“

– Just Sensual, widely considered the main danger to Snowdance, flopped and finished last but one. The veterinary examination ordered by the stipes failed to reveal anything.

By Michael Clower

If you can’t make it to Cape Town, then the best place to catch all the Sun Met racing action tomorrow is at Greyville Racecourse. Gates will open at 10:30 and full totalisator and fixed odds betting will be available right from the start of the Kenilworth Sun Met race meeting, where the first of 13 races is due off at 11:50.

Tellytrack, with full sound through the public address system, will be flighted on the impressive big screen at Greyville, magnifying the racing action from both Kenilworth and Turffontein right from the start of the day’s action at both centres.

Greyville’s first race gets under way at 16:05 and courtesy of Sun Sibaya Casino and Gold Circle, racegoers will be in line to win prizes to the value of R35 000. Apart from the Sun Sibaya-sponsored accommodation, restaurant and theatre prizes, Gold Circle will be giving away tote betting vouchers and much sought after entrance and grandstand seats to the first ODI between South Africa and India, which takes place at Kingsmead on Thursday 1 February.

The ever popular Lightning Shot Bar will open its doors at 11:00 and Hungry’s, the Braaizone and Kidszone will also be in operation through the day/night race meeting at Greyville.

The Durban View Restaurant open its doors at 15:00 and a full dinner buffet will be available – for bookings call Ursula on 031 314 1659.

The R5 000 000 Sun Met jumps at 17:15 and the last race at Greyville goes off at 19:40.

With an avalanche of racing over the weekend, a few early winners can fill the wallet for what will be a lengthy session. Today’s Greyville card is littered with weak maidens and difficult handicaps but Prince Ponti could finally get things right for the soon to retire veteran Charles Laird.

Runner-up in his last three starts, Laird has stepped Prince Ponti up to a mile again and the gelding will never get a better chance of shedding his maiden. He has almost everything in his favour, draw, form and an affinity for the poly track, all except maybe the improving Fire Song.

Charles Laird

Duncan Howells and owner Dave MacLean, fresh from a trifecta last Sunday, has seen Fire Song improving with every race and finished up a beaten favourite behind Hit And Run last time out when making his poly debut.

Sherman Brown takes over from Met-bound Anton Marcus and the lightly raced Fire Song looks the most likely threat to Prince Ponti.

Laird could strike earlier when he sends out Vine Street Star in the second. The daughter of Trippi has not been out since July last year but has some excellent form on the poly. As mentioned before, with Laird handing in his brief next month, he will be aiming to go out with a bang and Vine Street Star is likely to be fully tuned over her preferred course and distance.

Queen Of Alamo has taken to the poly and has been against some useful opposition since arriving in KZN. With claiming apprentice Craig Bantam up, she looks a likely threat along with the consistent Miss Varlicious who appears to have dropped to a more competitive merit rating.

With Kenilworth and the Sun Met meeting running into the twilight, tomorrow’s Greyville meeting has been given further impetus with Sun Sibya coming on board to support their Cape Town sibling and there are a host of lucky draw prizes to be won apart from some smart racing action.

The Sun Met forms part of the Pick 6 and other exotics and all the Met action will be shown on the two big screens at Greyville.

The meeting gets under way five minutes after 4pm and Camphoratus, narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out, could oblige although Rocking Ruby, Stunning Seed and Eternal Words are others to consider.

The regally bred River Of January may well prefer a touch further but given that he returns from a rest the 1200m of the Sibaya iZulu Theatre Maiden could well suit at this time of his career with Bravo Zulu, from the very much in form Louise Goosen stable, a must inclusion in all bets.

Daniel Muscutt, soon headed back to the UK where snow rather than sunshine has been the order of the day, has still to land a winner before he heads back north but Miss Carrera could see him on his way. Brett Crawford’s runner has come good in two starts on the poly and should be right there.

By Andrew Harrison

Marinaresco can join the illustrious group who have won both the Durban July and the Sun Met by taking the great race at Kenilworth tomorrow. Legal Eagle and Oh Susanna look his biggest threats.

But it won’t be easy, not least because he is a difficult ride – he tends to drop himself out and get there too late. However his Queen’s Plate performance was a good one for a horse who needs at least this ten furlongs, his trainer and jockey are in tremendous form and this is his third run after a rest. He is reasonably priced at 9-2.

Marinaresco

Legal Eagle (33-10) seems sure to run every bit as well as he did when second in the two previous years, particularly now that the traditional 2kg Grade I penalty has been scrapped. He has proved that he gets this trip but, unlike over a mile, he has shown himself to be vulnerable at it. The stats are also against him as seven of the last eight Met favourites have been beaten.

Fillies or mares have won three of the last eight and Oh Susanna is a big runner at 5-1. She has been totally overshadowed  by stable companion Snowdance but she gave away almost as much ground  as she was beaten at the start of the Cape Fillies Guineas and she accounted for the older horses in the Paddock Stakes with considerable authority.

Mike de Kock’s shock withdrawal of Cascapedia and Heavenly Blue (both horses “under veterinary treatment”) yesterday morning leaves Anthony Delpech watching on TV and will have caused some head-scratching in the Last Winter camp. But can you really jock off a rider of the calibre of the legendary Piere Strydom?

Probably not unless there was a “if Delpech becomes available” proviso to the booking. The Kannemeyer runner’s appalling draw is now 18 instead of 20 but it still lessens the chance of a 9-1 contender who is untested in Grade 1 company no matter how high class he looks. And the field is still as big as it has ever been in the last 20 years.

Four is the best age group – it has been responsible for seven of the last 12 winners – and Gold Standard (14-1) is the highest-rated of the six representatives of this generation. But Copper Force’s Queen’s Plate run was nearly three lengths better – and he is on 10-1.

Winter Series winner African Night Sky is the shortest priced four-year-old at 7-1, it’s his third run after a rest and Bernard Fayd’Herbe has won more Mets (three) than any other jockey in the field.

De Kock and Brett Crawford with three winners apiece are the most successful Met trainers represented here –indeed Sean Tarry is the only other to have won the race – but it will be a big surprise if a new name is not added to the list.

African Night Sky (Liesl King)

Captain America (13-1) ran a tremendous race in the Queen’s Plate but it is hard to see him stepping up on his two previous thirds over a trip that is not his best.

If you fancy any of the others don’t let anyone put you off. Half of the last eight winners started at 15-1 or more and nobody gave them much of a chance either.

Much the same applies to the Klawervlei Majorca in which favourites have the most appalling record – all except one of the last nine has bitten the dust – and in which Snowdance looks unbeatable. But anyone who takes odds of 1-6 in anything as unpredictable as a horse race needs their head examining and, with six of the others odds-on just for a place, this is a race to watch rather than bet on.

The Investec Cape Derby, though, is a different matter. Tap O’Noth seems to be one of those that just does enough and he may confirm Guineas running with White River although Peninsula Handicap winner Eyes Wide Open also appeals at 33-10.

Magical Wonderland stands out in the CTS 1200 and Cot Campbell may thwart Talk Of The Town’s hat-trick bid in the other $500 000 star prize.

By Michael Clower

Turffontein stages an eleven race card on Sun Met day and the big Cape Town race constitutes the last leg of the Pick 6.

Oh Susanna is tipped to win it as the older horses who have been at the top of the tree for a while might be vulnerable to a classy up-and-coming sort. She is by the phenomenal sire Street Cry and won the Paddock Stakes easily despite over racing early. Justin Snaith has fitted a new bit to prevent a repeat of the over-racing antic. Marinaresco was unlucky in the Queen’s Plate and is in a good space at present. He will relish the step up in trip. Legal Eagle has earned his high merit rating and stays the trip so can go close under the weight for age conditions.

Go Direct

Others to consider are the unexposed Last Winter, who has enjoyed a perfect preparation and will come in fresher than the rest, Sail South, who is capable of a strong finish and has won a Grade 1 over 1800m, Copper Force, who was an unlucky runner up in the Queen’s Plate and milers can win this race, Captain America, who has finished third in the last two renewals, and Gold Standard, last year’s fourth-placed horse who is expected to be back to his best on Saturday.

At Turffontein the highest rated race is a MR 99 Handicap over 1800m and Go Direct could make it two from two over the course and distance. He is drawn in pole and is off the same mark as his last win, which was over this course and distance last April. He showed a fine turn of foot that day and beat Master Switch in the final stride. Amsterdam is in good from and will be dangerous from a handy position and the talented Bankable Teddy is interesting with the blinkers removed off a mark only two points higher than his last win. Master Switch is a bit in and out these days but was fancied for the Summer Cup and can never be ignored. Hidden Agenda over raced last time so is interesting with the blinkers off and running off a competitive merit rating. Top Shot is capable and is distance suited.

The best bet and Pick 6 banker could be Saragon in race 4 over 1160m. She is a typically well built and progressive daughter of Ideal World and was well clear of the rest when chasing home two promising sorts last time.

In the second race Generous Notion caught the eye last time running on after a slow start over 1200m at the Vaal and if breaking on terms could be the one to beat.

In the sixth race over 2400m Odd Rob had nowhere to go last time over this trip when the jockey still looked to have a double handful. He is now dawn in pole and is four points lower in the merit ratings, so should make a bold bid, although he is a bit of a quirky sort who can’t be relied on.

By David Thiselton

The National Horseracing Authority (NHA) confirms its empathy with all those who lost investments due to the Steinhoff-Markus Jooste scenario.

The NHA has met and discussed this matter with representatives of the Public Servants Association (PSA) and other interested parties.

It therefore wishes to inform all interested parties that no horse owned by Markus Jooste will be racing on Sun Met day.

Markus Jooste has sold the horses that he owned, returned his colours and terminated his membership of the NHA.

Furthermore, Markus Jooste resigned as a director of Mayfair Speculators (“Speculators”) on 7 December 2017.

On 15 December 2017 ABSA brought an application for the liquidation of Speculators and obtained a further injunction to interdict Speculators from disposing of its assets, subject to certain conditions.  Commercial arrangements have subsequently been concluded between Speculators and its creditors which includes permitting Speculators to continue its horse racing activities. Any prize monies won will, after payment of the Jockeys, Trainers and Grooms, be used to reduce Speculators’ debt.  Similarly the proceeds of the sale of Speculators’ debt will be used to reduce Speculators’ debt.  It is therefore not in the interests of Jockeys, Trainers, Grooms and creditors to prevent Speculators from competing in races until it has sold all of its horses.

We wish to point out that the NHA has no legal basis within which it could prevent Speculators from competing.

The NHA with the PSA and its allies agreed to stage a Solidarity parade to empathise with all those who lost some or all of their investments in the Steinhoff-Markus Jooste saga. 

The Sun Met will continue undisturbed as normal. 

As agreed between the parties, the horses running under the Mayfair Speculators banner will relinquish their official colours and will be allocated colours by the NHA (called Club Colours).

The NHA is still engaging with COSATU.

Captain America, third in each of the last two Mets at 8-1 and 22-1, is a 16-1 chance this time after that valiant attempt to gallop Legal Eagle into submission in the Queen’s Plate.

“We purposely did what we did to try and make the race very hard for the favourite,” said Brett Carwford. “It didn’t quite work but it nearly did and he can equally as well be ridden given a chance. He came out of the race in good shape and since then we have just kept him ticking over.”

Crawford, bidding for his third Met in four seasons and his fourth in all, also runs 28-1 shot Sail South who ran a cracker in the Queen’s Plate and was actually in front two strides after the post. But this time he has to overcome a 17 draw. “That’s going to make things difficult,” admits his trainer. “But he is a horse who likes to come from off them and we will probably be forced to ride him that way.”

White River, 7-2 for the Investec Cape Derby, has only half a length to find with Tap O’Noth on Guineas form. “He looks a horse who will go a trip and he will definitely be suited by the extra two furlongs.”

Asked if there are any of his other runners in the big races that he particularly likes Crawford picked out Search Party and Bold Respect in the Betting World Cape Flying and Undercover Agent in the CTS 1600.

He added: “I am putting blinkers on Search Party and I think this is going to make a big difference. Undercover Agent has a great draw, I have always said that he is a good horse and, if he brings his Cape Classic form to the race, he has to be a runner.”

By Michael Clower

Magical Wonderland is a possible banker in the CTS 1200. She remains unbeaten in four races over sprints, has a fine turn of foot and has proved in top class company she stays further. Therefore the tough Kenilworth 1200m run into the teeth of what is forecast to be a strong south-easter will be right down her alley.

Dutch Philip was 2kg under sufferance when a strong-finishing second in the Grade 2 WSB Cape Merchants over course and distance, so is worthy of his 109 merit rating   and on paper is on an identical footing with Magical Wonderland. His last start in the Diadem didn’t pan out well, but he was still far from disgraced.

Dutch Philip (Liesl King)

The value in the field could be the outsider Sassy Lady, who will be advantaged by the conditions. Her times have not been great, but she looks the sort who would enjoy a fast pace, as she relaxes well and has a good cruising speed beneath a big stride coupled with a fine turn of foot.

Kasimir, the Snaith stable elect above Sassy Lady, is an improving sort who should be in the mix. There is not much between him and Woljayrine.

Grade 1-winner Sand And Sea looked classy as a two-year-old but now has something to prove having had two below par runs in Cape Town. The Grade 2 winning-fillies Green Plains and Desert Rhythm are also having their third runs in Cape Town and like Sand And Sea have something to prove.

In the CTS 1600 Talk Of The Town had to overcome a wide draw over course and distance last time yet still pulled away from them in the closing stages. Cot Campbell came from second last in the Cape Guineas to finish fourth and is deservedly the highest rated horse. Vacquero is a long-striding progressive sort by Silvano who was doing his best work late when a narrow third in the Dingaans. Ancestry is a long-striding sort who is much better than his recent form suggests and he now gets blinkers on. Flying Free was a touch unlucky in fourth in the Dingaans, where he proved he stays this trip. Captain And Master is a classy sort who has affected his chances on occasion by over-racing. If he settles from a wide draw he has a chance. Big Pleasure is a long-striding sort who didn’t enjoy blinkers last time and from a good draw he could make a bid from the front, although the trip is a touch too sharp.

Rocket Countdown won the Selangor on the tight Kenilworth Old Course, but then had every chance in the Guineas over this course and distance and failed to impress. Undercover Agent has a lovely, long stride but found little extra in both the Selangor and Cape Guineas and was found to have made a breathing noise in the latter. However, he has pole position here and if bouncing back to the form of his second to Tap O’Noth in the Cape Classic over 1400m he has a chance. Too Phat To Fly has shown a hint of class and could earn. Rings And Things has to have a place chance in that case too. Raya Baya will be finishing strongly and Aurelia Cotta has earned her status as the highest rated filly here, so they could also earn cheques.

By David Thiselton

Durban July winner Marinaresco is second favourite for Saturday’s Sun Met as he was 12 months ago when it all went pear-shaped.

“He had a nice position on the fence but Grant said he wasn’t happy there and pulled him off it,” Candice Bass-Robinson recalls. The end result was that his mount got too far back and managed only fifth. Expectations are high after the gelding’s encouraging, and not totally trouble-free, run in the Queen’s Plate.

Marinaresco

His trainer said: “He is doing really well and we are confident of a big run assuming all goes well in the race. He is drawn 13 so he is not going to be up with the pace but in any case he likes to be ridden with a chance.”

Mrs Robinson won last year’s CTS 1200 with Live Life and Magical Wonderland is 14-10 favourite to collect after the way she toyed with the opposition in the Sceptre. “I thought she had a winning chance that day but I was surprised how easily she won – and she has taken the race well.”

Stable companion Dutch Philip has been backed from 6-1 to 9-2 second favourite and seemingly punters would be well advised not to take his Diadem flop at face value.

“I am not 100% sure but I think that the little saddle Aldo was using was uncomfortable for him and was pinching him,” his trainer explains. “Going down to the start he didn’t even want to take hold of the bit. With Grant riding him on Saturday he will have a proper saddle.”

Talk Of The Town is 2-1 favourite for the CTS 1600 but it is surprising to see stable companion Ancestry as big as 16-1. After all he is the one with Grade 1 form.

“They are two totally different horses but everything that could have gone wrong with Ancestry this season has gone wrong,” says Joey Ramsden. “What I can tell you is that I cut him straight after his last run and he has been doing exceptionally well since.”

If it wasn’t for Snowdance Ramsden would have the favourite for the Klawerveli Majorca in Just Sensual despite last season’s Fillies Guineas winner’s below par effort in the Sceptre.

Her trainer takes the blame for that and explains: “I did as bad a job with her for that race as I did a good job when she won the Southern Cross on her return in her previous race. I now think that I might have done too much with her.”

By Michael Clower

An MR 87 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m head the ten race card on the Vaal Inside track today and Movie Show is the one to beat.

The five-year-old Atso mare represents the flying Paul Peter yard and is in a fine vein of form. Last time she finished five lengths behind Alfolk over 1000m, receiving 3kg, and the weight for age Grade 1 Cape Flying Championships on Saturday could prove how good that form is because Alfolk could win it. Movie Show would also prefer this 1200m trip as she ran on strongly in her penultimate start to win a fillies and mares handicap over this distance. She is only two points higher in the merit ratings and goes well for Muzi Yeni. Furthermore, she has draw one which is usually the favourable side on this Inside track.

Paul Peter ( JC Photographics)

The main danger could be the consistent Shivering Sea, who has only been in the first three over this course and distance ten times in 14 attempts. She also has a nice low draw and Strydom is up. Takingthepeace has class but will have to bounce back to her best after a most disappointing run last time. Delpech has brought out the best of her and replaces JP van der Merwe. If she reproduces her best this big, rangy filly will go close. French Legend should beat Shivering Sea on the form of their last meeting when she bounced back to her best over 1160m, but her high draw might be against her. Let It Flow was Grade 2-placed as a two-year-old over 1400m and she returns to the course and distance of her only win, so can also be involved.

The best bet on the card could be Fragrant Miss in the fourth race over 1700m, provided she settles early. Last time over 1600m she was a bit keen early, but was still unlucky not to finish third as she was cramped in the closing stages. She is strengthening and improving and if she relaxes early she should turn it on the closimg stages and emerge winner. The back ups are the consistent Tigerlace and Gottalottaluv, who has been runner up in all three starts from 1400-1800m and Strydom stays aboard.

The value bet of the day is Coriander Queen over 1700m in the fifth and this is based on the hope that she settles better than she did last time. She might not have liked racing under the lights then, but still turned it on in the early stages of the straight in that 2000m contest. She now has a plum draw and on the evidence of that last run will relish the step down to 1700m, so off a merit rating lowered five points should go close. Rose Water is beat her last time by 2,75 lengths and is now 2kg worse off, but she does have another tough draw to overcome. However, she ran on well in that last 2000m race and is also effective over this trip.

In the next race the good-looking Loyal Lieutenant is interesting in his first outing as a gelding and stepped up to 2000m. He looks to be a classy sort in the making and was not disgraced when setting the pace in the Dingaans. However, it is an open race and Alssakhra will go close too. Arlington, American Indian and Forafewdollarsmore also have to be included.

In the next race over 1000m Pillaroftheearth is a well regarded sort who has his third run as a gelding, having not been disgraced against two fair sorts in his last two starts. He can fight it out with Manx Park and Like Astair.

In the eight race Fort Vodka caught the eye in her maiden win over 1200m and the form has been franked so she can go in off just a 72 merit rating, although Ninjara and Nightmare look capable of winning too.

By David Thiselton