Robyn-Jack-Twigg, who ran green when starting second favourite on debut, looks worth another chance in the opening  Itsarush Maiden at Kenilworth today.

The Dennis Drier gelding should know more about it this time and he has a fitness advantage over the form horse Royal Marine who has not raced since running below par in April when he was reported to be making a respiratory noise. “He is as fit as I can get him without stressing him but he is only three-quarters ready,” says Greg Ennion.

Dennis Drier

Royal Marine opened favourite with World Sports Betting on Sunday but has since eased to 28-10 while Robin-Jack-Twigg has also gone out (from 28-10 to 33-10) as the money has come for the Paul Lafferty newcomer Majestic Glory. The booking of Bernard Fayd’Herbe looks significant although it is not easy to win first time on this course

Sir Capers (15-4) has shown promise in some good maidens but it is a bit disturbing to see him dropping back from 1 400m. La Mer (17-2) has place prospects.

Justin Snaith sets a poser in race two by running the two who dominate the market – 13-10 favourite The Boston Rose and 15-10 chance Bid Before Sunset – and he is the first to admit that he doesn’t know the answer!

“Both are ready to win but I didn’t want to run just one of them because I want to win the race,” he explains. “I have no preference – maybe The Boston Rose but just maybe. It will come down to jockeyship.”

Both are dropping back from 1 400m and both were ridden by Fayd’Herbe last time. He partners The Boston Rose but he was not given the choice – Snaith decided who rides which. It looks a toss of the coin job with Fayd’Herbe’s mount coming up heads.

But don’t ignore the five-year-old Duchess Of Prussia (9-1) who showed much improved form over this trip last time. “She ran here six times and none of those who rode her said anything about tying her tongue down,” Mike Stewart relates. “But when I then rode her on the beach I saw that she was swallowing it. I fitted a tongue tie in her last race and that was the reason for the improvement.”

Snaith runs five of the 12 in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden. Riding arrangements, the form book and the betting all point to Miyabi Gold who is favourite at 16-10. But she gets only marginal preference over the Bass-Robinson runner Pearl Jam (18-10).

The Woolavington Handicap is traditionally a 2 400m Listed race here in the spring – it was won by Strathdon this year – but for the second time inside four weeks there is a race of this name run over 1 200m. Johnny Black won the last one and this time Doublemint may just be good enough to account for Para Handy.

Top weight Blow In The Box was returned not striding out when starting favourite last time and he is 13-10 favourite to recoup the losses in the Betting World Handicap. But Spring Gold (18-10) is weighted to confirm the placings.

By Michael Clower

Turffontein has an eight race meeting tomorrow night, which includes the first two Johannesburg 800m races of the season.

Punters could get off to a good start with Roma Aeterna, who runs in the first, a Workrider’s Maiden over 1400m. Last time over 1450m on the Inside track she over-raced when finding herself in front, but settled after a horse had come around her. She then stayed on well and was slightly unlucky in the closing stages as a fading horse shifted left, cramping her for room. She is up against the boys, which is never easy, but it is an uninspiring field and if she settles she should go close. Soldat is having his 20^th start, but is consistent enough to be the main threat. Mike de Kock has a first-timer filly by Marchfield, who could do well as she is a half-sister to a six-timer winner by Dupont.

Corne Spies (Supplied)

The two-year-old races are next. Corné Spies often wins these early season 800m events so is taken to run one-two in the first of them, which is for fillies. He runs two Bold Silvano fillies. Miss Boomerang is out of the speedy six time-winner Fun To Fly and is a half-sister to the four time-winning sprinter Zip Line, so she is taken to beat her stablemate Mazari. The Paul Matchett-trained Brave Mzaya is speedily bred, being by Eightfold Path out of a Windrush mare and she could also make her presence felt.

The first 800m race on the Highveld last year was won by the Barend Botes-trained King Of Kings filly Daring Diva and he sends out her full-brother Royal Delight in the second of the 800m events tomorrow night. The Spies-trained Ashaawes colt Cyber Special will give a lot of cheek as he is a full-brother to Cyber Magic, who finished third in the Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes over 1100m last year in just her second career start before finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m. The Mike Azzie-trained Heavenly Risk should also have a lot of speed being by Var out of Divine Nymph, who finished runner up in the Allan Robertson.

The fourth race over 1400m could go to the De Kock-trained Sweaty Betty, who was run out of it over 1200m last time by a well-bred first-timer Penny Royal, who is a Captain Al half-sister to Princess Victoria. Sweaty Betty has a nice stride and should love the step up in trip.

Down To Zero is the best weighted in the fifth over 1000m and has plenty of speed so can beat the progressive Mujallad, from whom he receives 3kg. Whorly Whorly is a lot better than his last run and beat Mujallad by two lengths at level weights over this trip in April and is now 1kg better off. However, Mujallad has improved past him since then and is by Redoute’s Choice, with whose progeny the De Kock yard have a fine record.

Spring Poetry looks likely to relish the step up in trip to 1800m in the sixth and Shenenigans will relish stepping back to his winning distance of 2000m in the seventh. They are the respective selections.

Emily Jay has always struck as one with a touch of class and she can be followed, having won her seasonal reappearance over the too sharp 1400m and now stepping up to 1600m off a four point higher mark.

in the last race over 1600m Shogun did well to finish fifth over 1400m on Summer Cup day considering he ran wide into the straight. He will relish the step up in trip and has Gavin Lerena up so is the one to beat.

By David Thiselton

Legal Eagle has been installed 3-1 favourite for the Sun Met by World Sports Betting with Edict Of Nantes next on 9-2. But on the evidence of Saturday’s Green Point it’s going to be a battle royal between the two in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate let alone in the Met.

Legal Eagle (Liesl King)

They were divided by only half a length in the Kenilworth Grade 2 with the Mayfair pair challenging either side of the pace-setting Captain America.

Anton Marcus, repeating last year’s win, said: “I was loathe to get into a dogfight with Captain America too soon, especially as Sean had left a bit in the locker. But it’s going to be close again in the Queen’s Plate – one is an improver and the other is holding his form.”

Derek Brugman observed: “Edict Of Nantes has matured and strengthened up. Last season you had to push him over a mile but now you don’t.”

The Mayfair racing manager, quizzed about Legal Eagle’s apparent vulnerability over the Met trip, said: “He may be better over a mile but he gets ten furlongs alright. Don’t forget, he would have won last season’s Met had it been run on this season’s weight-for-age terms.”

Sean Tarry, who missed his wife’s birthday to be at the Green Point, left the course well satisfied with both his stable star’s performance and the way it fitted into his preparation for Cape Town’s big two races.

Edict Of Nantes

“This second race back is always the tricky one,” he explained. “Nobody expects anything in the first one and in the second one you have to leave the horse a little bit underdone. At the same time you can’t let him fluff his lines. After today we know exactly where we are with him and hopefully there is enough left in the tank to find another gear in the Queen’s Plate.”

Glen Puller is debating whether to run Silicone Valley in the January 6 showpiece after the 12-1 chance finished fast under Donovan Dillon to snatch the WSB Cape Merchants. The gelding was only beaten four and a half lengths when fifth in last season’s race.

Runner-up Dutch Philip reverts to a mile in Saturday week’s Cape Guineas before going for the big money in the CTS Sprint while the gallant Tevez (somewhat insultingly priced at 55-1) earned a reprieve by finishing fourth. July hero Marinaresco finished with only three behind him but satisfied his trainer who said: “He can’t be competitive in a sprint but this should have put him where I need him for the Queen’s Plate.”

By Michael Clower

Snowdance will bid to become the first to complete the Fillies Guineas- Klawervlei Majorca double since Sun Classique 11 years ago after the spectacular way the 11-10 favourite demolished the opposition in the World Sports Betting classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Justin Snaith, winning this race for the fifth time and successful in five of the nine races, said: “She definitely won’t run in the Paddock Stakes – we are being careful in the way we pick our races this season – so she probably won’t race again before the Majorca.”

BernardFayd’Herbe

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, winning his second Cape Fillies Guineas, took it up over two furlongs out and the Captain Al filly stretched further and further away. She was five lengths clear at one point but she was eased before the line to win ears pricked by three and a quarter lengths.

Fayd’Herbe said: “At the 500m mark I thought it was a bit early to go but she is such a good horse that I let her take it up and quicken away. The last filly I rode this good was Sun Classique.”

The winner’s 1 min 38.4 time, even though a second slower than the Green Point, was the fastest in the Fillies Guineas in the past 12 years.

The R2 million National Yearling sale purchase is yet another feather in the cap for breeder Vaughan Koster. She carries Jack Mitchell’s colours but is part-owned by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein which underlined its considerable strength in depth by breeding and owning both the second and third.

Runner-up Oh Susanna will run in the Paddock Stakes while a short head behind was 75-1 shot Fresnaye who fully justified Joey Ramsden’s prediction that she could run into a place. Lady In Black (Dennis Drier: “She ran a cracker but she is looking for further”) was just over a length further back fourth with Magical Wonderland reproducing her previous form with the winner in fifth.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “She got shuffled back early on but also I think a mile is a little bit far for her. I will give her a break and then she goes for the $500 00 CTS Sprint on Met day.”

Love Supreme’s saddle slipped and she was found to be lame after finishing with only two behind her while Too Phat To Fly (tenth) lost a hind shoe and was cut into.

By Michael Clower

Brave Mary, facile winner of the Gr1 Alan Robertson Championship was vote Horse of the Year at the annual KZN Breeders Awards that took place on Saturday at Fordoun Hotel and Spa in Nottingham Road.

CHAMPION 2YO FILLY – sponsored by Piemonte Stud: Brave Mary

CHAMPION 2YO COLT – sponsored by THE EQUINE GROUP: Zodiac Jack

CHAMPION 3YO FILLY – sponsored by CHOICE CARRIERS: Anna Pavlova

CHAMPION 3YO COLT – sponsored by Equifeeds: Matador Man 

CHAMPION SPRINTER FEMALE – sponsored by Odds On Colours: Anna Pavlova

CHAMPION SPRINTER MALE – sponsored by Flying The Flag : Talktothestars

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE FEMALE  – sponsored by TRM: Intergalactic 

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE MALE  – sponsored by Crusade: Matador Man

CHAMPION STAYER MALE AND FEMALE – sponsored by Hughcor: The Elmo Effect

CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE – sponsored by Gold Circle: Intergalactic 

CHAMPION OLDER MALE – sponsored by Epol Horse Feeds: Talktothestars

BROODMARE OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Gold Circle: Mary Lou

STALLION PROSPECT OF THE YEAR: Crusade

STALLION OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Thoroughbred Breeders Association: Kahal 

BREEDERS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – sponsored by Summerhill Stud: Bruce Le Roux

LEADING BREEDER OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Almiray Vet Practice: Summerhill Stud

SPECIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – sponsored by Spurwing Horse Feeds: Anton and Judy Procter

ANITA AKAL INDUSTRY AWARD: Greig Muir

HORSE OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Gold Circle: Brave Mary

After a two-month break, Scottsville patrons were greeted by a strip of manicured lawn and competitive fields as trainers lined up for a crack on the almost virgin turf.

It was not all good new for punters as a few long shots made catching the exotics tricky but not so Redcarpet Captain. “He’s a good horse,” said a cuffed Mark Dixon after Brandon Lerena got the gelding home in a tight finish to the Reddy’s Cartage & Tanker Services Pinnacle Plate.

“He’s a lazy horse and thank goodness we had Brandon aboard. He had to get into him a little bit at the end.”

The Christmas Handicap in next on the agenda for Redcarpet Captain with Dixon confident that his charge will get a mile. Seventh Plain was game in defeat and The Poet, returning from a lengthy break, only surrendered late as his condition gave out.

Redcarpet Captain (Candiese Marnewick)

There were no secrets in the first juvenile scurry of the season as the well-backed Vertical Decent landed the odds. The word was out early in the week that Mike Miller’s charge would be hard to beat and so it proved although the colt made Gavin Lerena work for his riding fee.

Vertical Decent was all over the course when under pressure but under Lerena’s skilled hands he landed the odds comfortably ahead of Special Force and Play The Tune, the first runner for freshman sire Noble Tune.

Replacement rider Warren Kennedy had a nightmare ride on Love Theme in the second as he dropped his near side rein when switching his crop. It all became a bit of a tangle before he got straightened out but the bird had flown as Anton Marcus on Prosecco took full advantage of Kennedy’s misfortune.

Buying full siblings to champions does not always guarantee in a repeat but Statute, a full sister to Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate, got her racing career off to a bright start as she spread-eagled her field in the opening leg of the Pick 6.

It was not the strongest of maiden fields but Michael Roberts’s charge sped clear with a furlong to run and the result was never in doubt.

The KZN Summer Challenge Series of races proved as competitive as ever with Wynkelder giving Mandla Ntuli a deserved win for Tony Rivalland, catching favourite Di Mazzio close home.

Saint Marco continued his consistent form when finishing too strongly to deny Viento a hat-trick of victories.

Possible disappointment of the afternoon was a below par showing by Zen Arcade, strongly fancied for the Series mile. He struggled to quicken as Seattle Skyline finished with a wet sail to out-run Admiral’s Guest and game front-runner Baltic Amber.

By Andrew Harrison

Cape Town takes centre-stage tomorrow but the afternoon-evening meeting at Turffontein will enable punters to have extended entertainment and The Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m provides some classy racing for the purists.

One Dimension (Candiese Marnewick)

The Robbie Sage-trained Surcharge is the selection to win The Secretariat. He was forced to drop out from a high draw in the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over this course and distance last time out. He had to come from last and then had traffic problems, so did well to charge home for fifth. This time he has to give the others weight, as it is a handicap, but he has a good draw this time and plenty of class so looks up to it. Dhabyaan is an expensively-purchased Australian-bred by Medaglia D’Oro and he was stretching clear from a handy position on debut over 1200m, so will relish this step up in trip. He is widely drawn but is receiving 7,5kg from Surcharge, so with likely improvement he could be a threat. Prince Of Kahal is a well-regarded sort, who finished a one length third in the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m and his time was about half-a-second better than Surcharge’s time on the same day, which puts him in with a fine chance as he is receiving 1,5kg from the latter.

However, he has a tough draw to overcome. Harlan County is officially 1kg under sufferance but caught the eye in his maiden win over 1600m and looks capable of rising above a 78 merit rating, so he could earn from draw two. Polar Ice ran well last time over 1600m to be just a length behind the well regarded Alshibaa, from whom he was receiving only 2kg and this improving sort could earn. Keanan’s Rock found some betting support in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion in just his second start, so must be well thought of, and he has come down eight points since his handicap debut so could surprise over a likely ideal trip. Full Of Attitude was an easy maiden winner over this trip, but was accorded and 86 merit rating and has a tough draw.

The meeting starts at 15h00 and Silvano filly Tia could get punters off to a good start, as she made a good debut over 1000m and as a full-sister to the Grade 2-winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Tellina, so she will enjoy the slight step up to 1160m.

The best bet comes in race three over 1160m. Lobo’s Legend is a tall athletic sort with plenty of scope and after going close last time to Buffalo Bill Cody he can take care of this field. Fearless Fred is a similar type and made a good comeback over 1000m, where he was a touch unlucky when finishing 4,7 lengths behind the promising Star Of Joburg. He had some fair two-year-old form and could be a threat.

In race seven over 1600m Redberry Wood is by Fort Wood out of a full-sister to dual Guineas winner Solo Traveller and she was finishing strongly on debut over 1400m, so should relish the step up in trip. She is a big horse but looks a relaxed type, so should be capable of performing well from a high draw. Paul Peter’s horses can never be ignored and his front-running sort Angelic has landed a good draw at last and she and Let’s Twist, who had some decent two-year-old form and jumps from pole position in her return from a layoff, look to be the main dangers.

In the last race a horse who caught the eye as a classy sort in the making, Illegal, makes her comeback in a fillies and mares handicap over 1160m and off an 81 merit rating she could pay to follow.

By David Thiselton

Snowdance is well-nigh impossible to oppose in tomorrow’s World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas after the way she demolished half this field in the Western Cape Fillies Championship.

True, she has an extra furlong to travel and Justin Snaith has voiced the possibility of stamina doubts over this distance and the more testing summer course. But she did make all the running last time and apparently she doesn’t have to do it that way. “She will be just as good coming from anywhere,” Bernard Fayd’Herbe said last week.

Lady In Black (Candiese Marnewick)

There were a lot of hard luck stories behind – as Glen Kotzen pointed out in this paper yesterday – and you could certainly see some of those who suffered bad luck or interference finishing closer. But reversing the placings? Almost certainly not.

Recent history also points to Snowdance. Only once in the last seven years has the Western Cape Fillies winner been beaten in the Fillies Guineas. Two didn’t run but the other four all completed the double. In addition tomorrow’s race is a good one for favourites who have won five of the last seven runnings.

The handicappers have the four immediately below her in the racecard rated within two lengths, indicating that the outcome could be a lot closer than impression might suggest. Lady In Black (12-1) is a Grade 1 winner but 4-1 second favourite Magical Wonderland was beaten fair and square and 33-1 shot Rockin Russian has a diabolical draw.

If there is to be a shock Via Seattle at 12-1 just might provide it. Although a Port Elizabeth horse, she went to Johannesburg to stun the locals by winning the Starling Stakes at 66-1. She had Silver Thursday (12-1) a length and three-quarters behind and Mike de Kock thinks so much of that one that he has put her in the Met.

If you think Snowdance is vulnerable and too short at 13-10 but you can’t decide which one of the others to back, the sponsors will give you 6-10 the field. Snaith is evens to train the winner, Candice Bass-Robinson 7-2 with 12-1 and upwards all the others. However, and surprisingly, the winning margin is odds-on to be less than a length

WSB make Legal Eagle 12-10 favourite to become the first dual winner of the WSB Green Point Stakes since Pocket Power. The Sean Tarry star has never been beaten over a mile so it makes sense to stick with him, particularly as he ran so well on his reappearance.

Gold Standard (Liesl King)

It could well be a different story in the Sun Met over a distance at which he is vulnerable, especially given the way Edict Of Nantes won that star-studded 1 400m Pinnacle three weeks ago. Piere Strydom’s mount is 28-10 second favourite but at this stage the advantage surely still lies with the Eagle.

Gold Standard (9-1) will probably need one more run to reach his peak but 2015 winner Captain America should go close at 6-1.

The WSB Cape Merchants has not been won by a three-year-old in the past 16 years but Dutch Philip has been heavily backed and his price has tumbled from 8-1 to 9-2 favourite in the last three days. He seems sure to run well but the history of the race suggests that it is not that simple.

Search Party 12 months ago was the first winning favourite since 2001 and he was only joint favourite. In truth, the Merchants is a desperately difficult race in which to find the winner.

Cuban Emerald is suggested each way at 25-1. He won pulling up on his last start in August and Justin Snaith promptly put him away for this so that the gelding would not risk his handicap mark. It was a bold approach, one reminiscent of the great trainers of a bygone era. If he pulls it off, they will be doffing their hats from their graves.

By Michael Clower

There are likely to be plenty of losing tickets in the Win-if-you-Lose boxes at Greyville tonight where punters face a tricky card. That said, the rewards will be great if you back a winner or find the right combinations in the exotics. Failing that, you get a second chance if your losing ticket wins you one of the R30 000 worth of prizes on offer on Prize Nite.

Turffontein-based Paul Peter is in town for the evening with five runners and given his current form he is unlikely to return home empty handed. However, his five runners all face strong local opposition so it will not just be a case of smash-and-grab.

Arabian Beat

Of all his runners, Arabian Beat looks the most likely to land the spoils especially after the scratching of the crack three-year-old Trojan Harbour (not eating up). Older runners with some mileage on the clock often take to the poly surface and the five-year-old makes his poly debut in the Sachin Bharat Handicap. He also brings some consistent Highveld form into the race and although he steps up in class he has the benefit of a handy weight and a pole position draw.

Keagan de Melo is a regular pilot for Peter and has partnered Arabian Beat in his last two starts on the Highveld. He also rode Trojan Harbour at the colt’s seasonal debut so if you believe in conspiracy theories!

Prince Ponti and Midnight Messenger look the most likely to fight out the Jazmin Hawkesworth Qualified Maiden. Prince Ponti has been disappointing but was not far back when making his seasonal debut racing in pacifiers. Charles Laird’s runner will appreciate the step up in trip and also jumps from an inside gate. The draw could prove to be the Achilles heel for Midnight Messenger who will be dodging cars on Marriot Road but he gets the benefit of Anthony Delpech and with Anton Marcus aboard Prince Ponti we could be in for an intriguing tactical battle.

Winning first up out of the maidens is never easy but recent maiden winners Regent Seven and Slightly Scottish get the opportunity in the Docter Ngoyo Handicap although they will be up against it. Both made steady improvement leading up to their wins but Regent Seven strikes as the more progressive and landed an inspired gamble when shedding his maiden.

But the list of possible winners is a long one with the Peters-trained Seventh Of June in the line-up along with Plymouth Rock, Spanish Captain and Waltzed Home all in with good chances.

It could be Delpech against Marcus again in the Rebecca Saneka Handicap as Gadget Man comes up against Air Chief Marshall. Gadget Man made a cracking local debut when slamming course and distance specialist Fire The Rocket. This was the first run on the poly for Dean Kannemeyer’s charge and bodes well as he steps up to what looks to be a more preferable trip this evening even though he takes a rise in class.

However, Air Chief Marshall has been improving steadily and looks cherry-ripe for this encounter. His last two outings were over course and distance and a drop in class is also in his favour.

Of the balance, Graduate was well supported on debut and won with the minimum of fuss. He could be anything but that form does appear to be a little suspect. Kings Empire, Late Autumn and Scrabble are others that warrant attention.

By Andrew Harrison