In last year’s Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas a relatively unexposed horse, Just Sensual, came from handicap form against older horses and beat the horses who had Graded form against their own age, so Saturday’s race is far more open than the betting suggests.

The favourite Snowdance overcame a wide draw to lead from start to finish in the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship (WCFC) over 1400m. She loped along in front before displaying a fine kick and it was race over. She was allowed an easy lead and Magical Wonderland was stuck in midfield before running on well. The latter will not be caught napping again on Saturday and there is little in it.

Both have good draws but both fillies have stamina concerns on pedigree, although Magical Wonderland’s racing style suggests she will stay the trip.

Lady In Black (Candiese Marnewick)

Mayfair Speculators retained jockey Anton Marcus is not aboard Magical Wonderland, but instead rides stablemate Rings and Things, who is amazingly the biggest outsider in the betting despite running on in eyecatching fashion last time out in a 1400m handicap. She is now having her third run after a layoff from a good draw of eight.

Silver Thursday caught the eye staying on strongly in the Grade 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m last time out at Turffontein. Subsequent form points to the runner up Folk Dance having needed the run. However, Silver Thursday will relish this trip on pedigree. She jumps from last year’s winning draw of 12.

PE raider Via Seattle won the Starling Stakes, but unlike Silver Thursday has a slight stamina doubt on pedigree.

Lady In Black won a Grade 1 over this trip as a two-year-old. The form of that race is muddled, but it should be taken into account that the race did not pan out for her. In the WCFC she was caught hopelessly wide but should come on a lot from the race and now has a good draw of five.

Love Supreme is by Silvano out of dual Grade 1-winning miler Thunder Dance and this big, strong, long-striding sort must have a big shout from draw nine as she was still green when winning comfortably over this trip last time off an 82 merit rating.

Lanark is in a similar mould and won well from the front in a handicap last time.

Midnight Moonlight also won well in a handicap over 1700m coming into this race.

Long-striding Oh Susanna had no luck in the WCFC but stayed on in eyecatching style.

Elusive Heart beat Snowdance two runs ago and if settling better than she did in the WCFC has a shout.

Rose In Bloom stayed on from a handy position in the WTFC but has a tough draw now.

Fresnaye needs further and Princess Peach might not stay. Too Phat Too Fly looks held and Rockin Russian has to reverse form with Lady In Black from the widest draw of all.

Love Supreme and Oh Susanna are hard to separate and are taken for the boxed exacta ahead of Lady In Black, Silver Thursday and Snowdance.

By David Thiselton

Glen Kotzen is expecting a good run from Gold Standard in Saturday’s WSB Green Point even though last year’s Cape Guineas runner-up has only had one run since finishing fourth in the Sun Met.

Kotzen said: “We galloped him at the course last Wednesday, we are really pleased with him and he is ready. I think he will give them all a run for their money.”

Gold Standard (Liesl King)

Interestingly the Woodhill trainer, who won the 2011 Fillies Guineas with Princess Victoria, believes the Snowdance form just might be a little suspect, reasoning: “There were so many hard luck stories that I’m just wondering about it even though Snowdance is obviously a very talented filly.”

He runs 25-1 chance Too Phat To Fly – who was fourth to Snowdance in last month’s Grade 2 test – as well as 40-1 shots Princess Peach and Elusive Heart who is the only horse ever to have beaten Saturday’s favourite.

He said: “Too Phat To Fly worked like a steam train on Tuesday and I’m expecting her to run a super race. We think a lot of Elusive Heart who was caught wide in the Western Cape Fillies. I’m not quite sure whether Princess Peach will get the mile but, if she does, she will be competitive.”

Joey Ramsden, in the winner’s box with Just Sensual 12 months ago, is under no illusions about the chances of a follow-up – “Snowdance looks pretty special and Rose In Bloom (16-1) has a lot do from draw 15. She is certainly Grade 2 material but it’s a tough ask.

“Fresnaye (50-1), though, has a lovely draw and the new course will suit her. She wants a bit further but she could surprise and run into a place.”

Ramsden expects both 10-1 shot Attenborough and Brutal Force (14-1) to run well in the Cape Merchants, saying: “Brutal Force always needs one run and he has had that while Attenborough ran a great race last time. On his day he is the real deal.”

By Michael Clower

It’s rare for Mike de Kock to run horses in Kenilworth maidens and so punters seem sure to seize on Afdeek in the Bradbury Finance Maiden at the Cape Town course tomorrow.

The Australian-bred has twice gone close at the Vaal in races over 1 200m and the booking of Bernard Fayd’Herbe underlines the impression that the maestro means business. The only drawback is the price because World Sports Betting opened the gelding at 11-20 yesterday and the chances of him easing to a more backable even money are just about zero.

Mike De Kock

Second favourite at 22-10 is newcomer Power Of Peace. This Dynasty colt is a well bred sort and Joey Ramsden has shown a few times this year that he is not averse to having a horse ready to collect first time.

The Glen Kotzen-trained The Goon Show is interesting at 7-1 as he was an encouraging third to Red Eight in the middle of the month and looks an obvious danger.  However Milden Spell (10-1) has been off since January.

Another stand-out is Billy Silver in race nine, not least because Anthony Delpech is in town for just this one ride. Sadly Dennis Bosch’s Cape Classic fifth is already odds-on but he should beat 9-2 second favourite Bobby Dazzler who is on a hat-trick.

This is the meeting that France Galop asked to be switched from the previous day and extended to 11 races so that their punters have something to bet on each side of the French meeting. The National Racing Bureau has done well to come up with ten, albeit with gaps of between 30 and 55 minutes between races.

Four of the ten are maidens, a category that has proved difficult for punters at this course in recent weeks, but Flower Of Carmel should start the ball rolling in the opening Samson Foundation Maiden Plate. The Candice Bass-Robinson filly had U For Me three and a half lengths behind when both made their second starts over this trip at the beginning of the month and, although third-placed Vase has since let the form down, there was a valid excuse for that filly’s run.

The Ica Laboratories Maiden half an hour later is more tricky and presents punters with the perennial problem of whether to go for a lightly raced horse that has shown considerable promise or one who has a lot more experience but doesn’t appear to have as much potential. Surprisingly, and frequently costly, it is the latter which often comes out on top at Kenilworth.

That said Hello Summer gets the vote in preference to Love Dove and Bikini Model as the Andre Nel filly was beaten a lot less on debut than the ground she lost at the start. Star Burst, third in a big field last time, can also pose a threat.

By Michael Clower

Alistair Gordon is probably going to give his Investec Dingaans winner Monks Hood a short break before aiming him at the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas on March 3 next year.

Monks Hood became the first KZN-trained horse since the Gavin van Zyl-trained The Apache in 2010 to win the Dingaans. However, The Apache was trained out of a Johannesburg satellite yard and historians would probably have to go back to the David Payne-trained Sealegs in 1987 to find the last horse before Monk’s Hood to successfully raid the Dingaans from KZN.

A study of thoroughbreds racing at altitude has never been done, because South Africa is the only country affected by it.

Alistair Gordon

Trainers rely on anecdotal evidence to form their own theories and once those theories are established they tend to stick to them.

Monks Hood travelled up to Turffontein on Friday night and arrived on Saturday morning. This follows the popular theory, also used in sports like rugby, that it is best to arrive as close to the race as possible when raiding altitude from the coast. However, it should be pointed out Summerveld is already a third of the altitude of Johannesburg, so in theory it should be easier for a Summerveld-trained horse to raid than a Port Elizabeth or Cape Town horse. Highveld raiders can usually get away races over a mile and shorter too.

Gordon was not overly concerned when the meeting was postponed to Sunday for two reasons. Firstly, in his opinion, KZN raiders perform better on the Highveld in wet conditions than they do in hot, dry conditions. Secondly, he recalled a Germiston November Handicap meeting of many years ago, which was postponed for a whole week after the KZN raiders had arrived and the KZN horses had gone on to fill the first five places, thus throwing all of the altitude theories out of the window.

Gordon was unable to go into the Dingaans confident as the recent Selangor Cup had put the result of the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stake, run on Gold Cup day at Greyville, into question. Monk’s Hood had run a fine 0,65 length fourth in the latter race, especially considering he had jumped from the widest draw of all.

The Selangor result had Gordon worried. However, he was given renewed hope after talking to jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe who told him Ancestry, runner up in the Premier’s Champion Stakes, was a much better horse than his five length eighth in the Selangor suggested.

Gordon was not too concerned by Monks Hood’s disappointing third in a 1200m polytrack preparation race two weeks before the Dingaans and pointed out it was the second time he had run below par on the poly. He probably just does not enjoy the surface. Gordon added, “A 1200m poly race at Greyville is a lot different to 1600m on turf at Turffontein.”

Monk’s Hood was taken for a walk from his Turfffontein stable on Saturday and again on Sunday morning.

Gordon was pleased with how the race panned out from the off and was full of praise for the reigning SA Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech.

“From a high draw at Turffontein it is better to give a horse a chance and to sit coming up the hill. Turning for home I could see Anthony still had plenty of horse underneath him. When he let him down he came through well. He had had enough by the line but Turffontein in the soft is one of the toughest miles in South Africa. It was a peach of a ride.”

The impressive part of Monks Hood’s win was that the cover he had coming up the hill disappeared when they passed the false rail and he had only daylight in front of him for the last 700m. With a better draw in the Gauteng Guineas, he could improve on this performance.

Gordon was grateful to owner Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift Stud for giving him an opportunity to train such a good quality thoroughbred.

Gordon has trained a lot of top horses in the past, including the great Scarlet Lady and others like Extra Cover and Brer Rabbit.

Monks Hood (Candiese Marnewick)

Another good horse he trained was ironically called Mauritzfontein, the name of the stud farm founded by Slack’s parents Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer. This horse was raced in the UK by the Oppenheimers and Gordon’s connections bought it from them and imported it to South Africa, where he won five races, including the 1985 Grade 1 Mainstay International over 1800m at Clairwood (today’s Champions Cup).

Gordon first trained horses for the Oppenheimer family after they had a split with Dennis Drier, but Monks Hood is the first black type winner he has had for them.

Expert bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe found Monks Hood and Gordon was then asked for the go ahead.

“He was an outstanding yearling,” he recalled. “He was big and strong, very nice looking, and had a lot of scope and his sire Querari had been doing pretty well. The female line was not the strongest up front and he sold for that price (R375,000) because of what he looked like. The female line looks better now!”

Monks Hood is out of the Camden Park mare Amber Bouqet, who won three races from 1100m to 1400m and finished third in the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes over 1400m at Fairview.

Gordon was pleased for Monks Hood’s Eastern Cape-based breeders Arne and the late Ben Botha, especially as there is a full-brother to Monks Hood on the forthcoming National Yearling Sales in April next year.

Monks Hood has won two races with four places from six starts and stakes of R439 625. He also banked the BSA Added Value Stakes Bonus of R102 500.

The Dingaans has muddied the waters for analysts attempting to assess how good this three-year-old crop is and how good last year’s two-year-old Graded form was.

As Gordon said, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

By David Thiselton

Magical Wonderland has only been beaten once in five starts but, by common consent, the 4-1 second favourite has it all to do in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday – and her trainer is no exception to the general belief.

“Justin Snaith’s filly is going to be hard to beat and we have over four lengths to make up,” acknowledges Candice Bass-Robinson who played a key role in Silver Mountain’s success two years ago. There just might be stamina problems too if the pace is searching.

“I think a mile is her limit,” the Milnerton trainer continues. “But she is very well in herself and she is drawn well so we can hope.”

Stable companion Rings And Things is the 50-1 rank outsider. “She’s a long-shot but she is a hard-knocking sort and her form out of the maidens is pretty consistent. If she runs a place we will be happy.”

Dutch Philip, a star juvenile, has been considered more of a sprinter by his stable and he is 8-1 to prove the point in the WSB Cape Merchants – “He is doing very well, he will enjoy the trip and he must have a shout.”

Seemingly, though, it’s the last chance saloon for Tevez, twice a winner of this race, once second and fifth last year. “He is getting on and he didn’t run so well on his first run back. If he doesn’t shape up I am going to retire him.”

No horse has won this with 62kg in the past 16 years at least but then much the same was said about Marinaresco before the July. “This is a gallop before the Queen’s Plate and it will be a bit sharp for him but he will run well.”

Edict Of Nantes (Liesl King)

You can get 15-1 about Our Mate Art in the WSB Green Point and the four-year-old’s trainer is being realistic – “If he beats two home he will be doing well.”

Brett Crawford, who runs the hat-trick seeking 12-1 chance Love Supreme in the Fillies Guineas, provides strong three- handed opposition to 11-10 favourite Legal Eagle in the WSB Green Point Stakes – most notably with Edict Of Nantes who is 28-10 second favourite.

Will he confirm the recent Pinnacle placings with Captain America (5-1) and Sail South (8-1)? “There is no reason why he can’t – I feel he has come on since that race,” is the in-form trainer’s answer.

And can he beat Legal Eagle? Crawford carefully considers the question before giving his answer: “Legal Eagle is a top horse, he has never been beaten over a mile and he is rated 123 whereas Edict is on 113 so on paper it’s going to be difficult – but they don’t race on paper!”

Search Party won last year’s WSB Cape Merchants with 52kg and now he has 59.5kg yet he is 5-1 second favourite. Can he do it? “He is a big horse, he can carry the weight and I think he is a huge runner.

“Al Mariachi (8-1) is in top form but he is a little bit under sufferance. Coming back to six furlongs is a little bit on the short side for Black Cat Black (15-1) but he comes into it off bottom weight and has a chance of running into the money.”

By Michael Clower

The Vaal stages a low key eight-race meeting tomorrow and Cathedral County could make more progress by beating a good field in the headliner.

The four-year-old Trippi gelding runs in race 6, a MR 85 Handicap over 1000m. Former champion jockey Gavin Lerena has ridden Cathedral County three times for three wins and is back aboard. Last time out after losing a length at the start, he was soon up with the pace and the horse then stretched clear in the closing stages to win by 1,4 lengths without being under any pressure. He has only been given a four point merit rated raise and this well regarded sort should be coming into his own. Vicomte ran on well in his penultimate start over this trip on the Turffontein Inside course to be beaten only 1,25 lengths by the classy Alfolk when receiving only 3kg. This three-year-old Var gelding will appreciate the step down in trip after being well beaten over 1400m in the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Gavin Lerena

He has a long-striding action and should be finishing strongly again off a merit rating of 86 and should go close considering Alfolk is now merit rated 100. Marmook will also be a strong contender and on paper can beat Cathedral County on a strict line through Bono. Cathedral County beat the latter by 1,4 lengths when giving him 4kg and Marmook beat Bono by 4,75 lengths when receiving 1,5kg. Marmook now receives 6kg from Cathedral County and having won that last race comfortably in his first outing as a gelding he can continue to progress. Rebel’s Champ also has his second run after gelding and if recapturing the form which saw him running 1,5 lengths behind So Var at level weights over 1160m, he has a chance off an 85 merit rating, considering So Var is now merit rated 94.

The meetings starts off with an interesting first-timer in the Candice Dawson-trained Silvano colt Shadow Man. This horse was bought for R1,9 million and is a half-brother to dual Grade 1-winner Thunder Dance. He faces an uninspiring maiden field over 1500m and is drawn in pole. Flexible Fugitive looks the horse to beat among those who have raced. He finished just 3,55 length behind the decent sort Ideal Secret over 1400m in June. Last time he was tried over 1800m and didn’t go on with his effort, so is interesting dropped back to this trip with blinkers on.

In the first leg of the PA, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1500m, Silvano is also represented by a well-bred sort. The three-year-old Zargun is a daughter of Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Grade 1 Woolavington 2000-winner Zirconeum, who went on to finish second in the Vodacom Durban July. Zargun made a fair debut over 1400m in June and has not run since. She does not have a lot to beat in her comeback run here. Adrenalina ran an improved race last time when stepped up to this trip and can also be included in the PA, although her wide draw makes it tricky and the better-drawn Our Biscuit thus also warrants consideration.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a maiden over 2000m, Before Noon would likely no longer be a maiden if the race he was entered in last time over further than this had not been cancelled due to lightning. This big son of Await The Dawn ran out of racetrack when chasing the winner over this trip before that. He does not have a lot to beat here and the Sean Tarry yard will hopefully turn the corner from their spell of bad form now that they have the first Grade 1 of the season, the Sansui Summer Cup, under their belt. One Wall Street and Matchmaker don’t look any great shakes but could be the main dangers.

Just Cruised In

The first leg of the Jackpot, a Maiden over 2000m, could be won by Whiteout. She was stepped up to 1700m last time out and was most unlucky. When finally seeing daylight, having been shuffled back and then having to switch, she flew home and just failed. She looks likely to enjoy this trip, despite being by a champion sprinter in What A Winter. The main dangers, Until Dawn and Kings Creek, were in that same race last time and she should confirm the form considering how unlucky she was.

In the next race over 1800m Big Parade, a colt by Dynasty out of the Summer Cup winner Flirtation, can progress further having won his maiden comfortably when stepped up to 2000m. Just Cruised In and Lee’s Pick can be the dangers as they both look well handicapped on their best form.

The seventh race, a Middle Stakes event over 2400m, Just A Jet is the selection, despite not being well weighted on official merit ratings. She has won her last two over this trip easily and could develop into a useful stayer now that the yard appear to have got on top of her behavioural problems at the start. End Game could be the main danger as she has caught the eye before and looks to be crying out for this trip.

In the last race, a MR 71 Handicap over 2400m, Sess showed herself to be an out and out stayer last time over 3000m and is the one to beat despite being given a six point raise. Scotland and Stunner both did well the last time they went over this trip and will be threats.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith believes that Snowdance ranks with his previous Cape Fillies Guineas winners Captain’s Lover, Sparkling Gem, Ebony Flyer and In The Fast Lane and the only chink in the favourite’s armour could be lack of stamina.

He said: “Everything about her has been impressive but some of the family have been quite quick so there is a little worry about the extra 200m on Saturday.”

Justin Snaith

That apart he rates stable companion Oh Susanna the biggest danger even though she is as big as 25-1 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas.

He said: “Just watch the re-run of the Western Cape Fillies Championship and you will see what I mean. She was five wide at the back of the field going into the turn yet she came through to finish fifth. If there is anything that is going to improve a lot it is her and if she had a better draw she would be the one I am most afraid of.”

Snaith has won two of the last seven runnings of the WSB Cape Merchants and this time he runs four headed by Sergeant Hardy who is 9-2 favourite despite his breathing problems.

“I wasn’t even going to nominate him because I thought he would be weighted out of it. I was over the moon when he got only 57kg and off this weight he is going to be competitive, but I don’t like his outside draw which could be a big problem. Also in a race like this you have got to look for a horse that is well-handicapped and he is not the best handicapped of my four.

“Bishop’s Bounty (25-1) was very disappointing in his last race – he ran away with Richard Fourie – and this time we need to tuck him in. But I think he is still one run short.”

Heartland (33-1) could be better over a bit further according to the form book.  “Not at all,” insists his trainer. “I wouldn’t say he found a lot of trouble in his last race but he did come late and off 52.5kg he could be the dark horse of the race.”

Seemingly the one for the punters, though, could be Grant van Niekerk’s mount Cuban Emerald at 25-1. “I kept him away so that he would come into this with a light weight. I didn’t want to run him again because I knew that his rating would go up if I did. He could be the roughie.”

In the third of the Kenilworth big races, the WSB Green Point Stakes, the former champion trainer runs Copper Force, a 14-1 chance and on merit ratings the worst horse in the race. “On handicapping he will run last but I have a feeling that he won’t. He is doing well at home.”

By Michael Clower

The Sansui Summer Cup meeting is hopefully a good memory for those tackling the low key eight race card at the Vaal tomorrow.

Noble Secret (JC Photographics)

The highest rated race is a MR 82 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and just about the whole of the seven horse field will have to be included because a number of them are returning from layoffs. Only To Win almost beat the useful Neptune’s Rain as a youngster when setting the pace over this trip. She looks likely to appreciate the step back to this trip. Movie Show caused a shock two runs ago in a Progress Plate over 1000m when beating the like of Wrecking Ball, despite being way under sufferance. She was plugging on in that run and in her third run after a layoff will be one of the fittest horses, so could possibly see it out.

Frederico’s Dream had fine form over this trip as a two-year-old. This her seasonal reappearance and she could get away with it over a sprint. Top weight Magicality makes her seasonal reappearance and can earn on best form. Fish River has a comfortable win over subsequent Grade 2 1400m winner Desert Rhythm over 1000m to her name so she can make her presence felt if bouncing back from her SA Fillies Nursery run, where she had an unfavourable low draw. This is her first run for 206 days. Star Profile was five lengths ahead of Fish River in the SA Fillies Nursery, albeit from a favourable high draw. She had a busy juvenile campaign and returns from a long layoff.  Melinda’s Garden is a nice looking sort but has made respiratory noises and has poor form since her maiden win.

The best bet of the day comes in the seventh, a MR 79 Handicap over 1600m. Noble Secret has his second run of the season and on pedigree this Dynasty colt, out of an Al Mufti mare whose two wins were over 1450m and 1600m, will very much appreciate the step up to this trip. His maiden win showed him to be possible classic class and he will be out to prove it here. Raydaveric is starting to fulfil his potential since gelding and could be the chief threat. Copper Pot has his third run after gelding over a suitable trip and has shown a fine turn of foot before so can go close off a reduced merit rating.

By David Thiselton

National champion trainer Sean Tarry bounced back to form when it counted as his charge Liege stormed to victory in yesterday’s R2 million Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein under the top class big race rider Raymond Danielson.

In his last start in the Victory Moon Stakes Liege ran below par for a yard who have been going through a flat spell.

Liege

Yesterday, the soft conditions suited the five-year-old Maine Chance Farms-bred Dynasty gelding and that last start proved to just be a flat run. He broke well and after being up with the pace early was able drop into a good position in midfield on the rail behind a pace, expectedly set by Crowd Pleaser, which always enabled him to stride out nicely. Danielson was patient in the straight and he then burst through down the inside at the 400m mark. He never looked like being caught. The Paul Peter-trained filly Fort Ember stayed on bravely from a handy position to be beaten 2,25 lengths. Coral Fever produced his usual strong finish for third. Geoff Woodruff’s hopes of becoming the first trainer in South Africa to win one of the country’s three major races five times in succession were dashed, but his fancied Pagoda stayed on well for fourth. The fillies Girl On The Run and Orchid Island finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Danielson had never ridden Liege in a race before but felt confident on the way down as the horse felt in great shape.

Liege’s talented full-brother Lance is at stud and this win will add to his pedigree page.

Earlier, in the prestigious Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m the Alistair Gordon-trained KZN raider Monk’s Hood just held on to win from a pair of outsiders Seerite and Vacquero. Monk’s Hood had tongues wagging around the country when winning his debut over 1200m by 7,5 lengths. Later, he came from a wide draw to run a fine close up fourth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m. However, the two concerns were the form of the latter race had not worked out well and he also ran a disappointing third in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1200m last time. However, he proved yesterday turf was his preferred surface. He came from the back half of the field and burst through going like a winner. Anthony Delpech said the Querari gelding had had enough in the final stages, but he just managed to hold on by a head.

By David Thiselton

Snowdance has hardened from 14-10 to 12-10 as confidence in the horse grows prior to her first Grade 1 test in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas.

Justin Snaith, bidding for his fifth win in the Kenilworth classic, reported on Saturday that Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount is in good shape, saying: “She is doing very well and her gallop was impressive. We still have a week to go but so far I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)

Magical Wonderland, who has over four lengths to make up on last month’s Western Cape Fillies Championship form, is second favourite at 11-2 and the sponsor’s other prices are 10-1 Rose In Bloom, 12-1 Lady In Black, Love Supreme, 14-1 Via Seattle, Silver Thursday, 16-1 Too Phat To Fly, 25-1 and upwards others.

Snaith also has the favourite in the WSB Cape Merchants with Sergeant Hardy on 9-2 while last year’s winner Search Party is 5-1 to emulate Tevez by winning the ultra-competitive handicap in successive seasons. Tevez, fifth 12 months ago, is a 28-1 chance this time

In the WSB Green Point last year’s winner Legal Eagle (Anton Marcus) heads the market at 13-10 with the main threat expected to come from Piere Strydom’s mount Edict Of Nantes (28-10).

A notable absentee from the Green Point is Last Winter, unbeaten in four starts and at this stage likely to be a leading contender for both the Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

Dean Kannemeyer said: “I wasn’t going to run him against those horses in the Green Point. He is rated 106 and all he has won is three minor races in Durban plus a handicap at Durbanville. Edict Of Nantes was rated only half a kilo higher before that recent progress plate and he won both the Cape Derby and the Daily News!

“But I know I’ve got to put Last Winter to the test one of these days so I will nominate him for the Premier Trophy on 16 December and have a look. He has never been to Kenilworth but I will ask permission to gallop him there on Saturday. He is doing well and I know Anthony Delpech thinks a lot of him.”

Also missing from the Green Point line-up is Horizon, third in the Daily News and beaten little more than half a length when sixth in the July. He will run in the Premier and has the Met as his big objective.

In the meantime last year’s winner Jo’s Bond and the 2016 Cape Fillies Guineas heroine Just Sensual head the 22 nominations for the SW Security Solutions Southern Cross Stakes on Saturday week.

By Michael Clower