Justin Snaith has supplemented Jet Master Stakes winner Fifty Cents, bred by Drakenstein and part-owned by Caroline Rupert, for Saturday week’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

He said yesterday: “There is not going to be a big field and we thought it would be nice for the owners. I know that Caroline would love to have a runner in the family’s race.”

But stable companion Zodiac Ruler looks like missing the Politician Stakes thanks to a combination of top weight and a wide draw – “the weights are against a horse like him,” said the trainer. “I will freshen him up for the Investec Cape Derby (Jan 28).”

Zodiac Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

Henry Tudor, on paper the main danger to probable favourite Captain My Captain in Saturday’s Kenilworth two-year-old race, is also on the absentee list after giving a couple of coughs. Snaith now plans to wait until Met day.

Gold Standard, who beat all except William Longsword in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas, was yesterday reported in “top shape” by Glen Kotzen whose horses continue in the sort of form the Woodhill trainer normally only sees in his dreams – he and Richard Fourie had three more yesterday. “We are keeping an open mind about whether to go for the Derby or the Sun Met.”

Elevated, two places further back in the Guineas, is under consideration for the Derby. “He came out of the Guineas fine and we are doing final checks tomorrow (Thursday) so that we will know by Friday whether we nominate him,” said Riaan van Reenen.

Assuming he runs in the Investec race the gelding will again race on bare feet. “I now run all my horses without shoes,” said the Philippi trainer. “I have found that horses’ feet break up when you are continually putting on and taking off alumites. You can spend six months [in a horse’s career] repairing them and the advantage of alumites is only a metre or two.”

Edict Of Nantes, who came from last turning for home to finish fifth in the Guineas, is in the Politician but is another who seems more likely to wait.

Brett Crawford said: “I still have to discuss it with Derek Brugman so I am not sure yet but I think he will probably wait for the Derby.”

Diana Stakes winner Captain’s Flame was a surprise absentee from the nominations for Saturday week’s Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes. The race had long been on her agenda but Andre Nel said: “She would have run a place in the Jet Master last time but interference killed her chance. I didn’t want to go into the Paddock with a run like that beforehand and I will now freshen her up for the Klawervlei Majorca.”

Mike Stewart has been freshening himself up after several weeks on the sidelines with three slipped discs (wife Ingrid: “He looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame”) and on Tuesday he resumed riding work on the Noordhoek sands. He felt even better after Icon King won race two at Kenilworth yesterday under Aldo Domeyer. He bought the gelding for just R 5 000 and secured nine months’ credit into the bargain.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Inside track has a tricky nine race card tomorrow and by trends low draws are favourable on this track.

Weiho Marwing

The highest rated race on the card is a MR 87 handicap over 2000m and the Weiho Marwing-trained Let It Rain looks the one to beat. He proved last time he is coming into his own as a four-year-old, which is the case with many progeny of his sire Dynasty. On that occasion in a 2000m event he benefitted from hold up tactics, as opposed to his usual handy tactics, and swept through to win by three lengths from the promising Bush Pilot. He is seven points higher in the merit ratings but can build again.

Furthermore, he has a plum draw this time and the form of that last run has worked out well as Revelation, who was a 3,75 length third, has come out and won since over 1800m. Revelation beat Scotland in the latter race and Scotland now takes on Let It Rain. Scotland has come into his own too this season and has been thereabouts in two starts off a one point lower mark than his current merit rating, so should be involved in the finish again. Kingmambo’s Legacy, Trip To Rio and Go Direct can also be dangerous over this suitable trip.

It would be unusual to extract a card best bet out of a low grade fillies and mares handicap, but in race seven, a MR 61 Handicap for females over 2000m, the Gavin van Zyl-trained Mogok filly Costa Da Sol has everything in her favour. She stayed on well over 1600m in her penultimate start and then did well over a probable too far 2400m last time. The 2000m trip should be ideal and she has the bonus of both a plum draw of two as well as Gavin Lerena aboard.

The value bet comes out of race 6, a MR 70 Handicap over 2000m. The four-year-old Lateral colt Rain Shadow proved last time over 1600m, when looking likely to be swamped over 1600m but then fighting back to finish third, she is crying out for this trip and should go close despite a tricky draw.

The question in race 3 over 1600m is whether Rouge Allure will stay the trip as she will be a banker if she does. Om pedigree she should stay the trip comfortably, but she does possess speed, as well as a good turn of foot.

In race 8 over 1200m there will be a lot of interest in the Dynasty filly Always A Lady as she was not disgraced in a level weights Gr 3 for three-year-olds over 1400m last time and runs off a mere 79 merit rating here, while she did show some speed on debut.

In race 9 over 1300m Ebony Knight might also still be ahead of the handicapper, although King And Empire and Racethegreenlight could be go close too.

By David Thiselton

The Gr 3 Christmas Handicap run over 1600m at Greyville on Monday saw the Sean Tarry-trained Rikitikitana proving he preferred the turf, although the runner up Celtic Captain has to be considered a touch unlucky.

Meanwhile, in the UK the Colin Tizzard-trained Thistlecrack proved himself another superstar in a golden era of jumps racing.

Rikitikitana (Nkosi Hlophe)

Rikitikitana, a four-year-old Toreador gelding bred by The Alchemy, ran on strongly from behind down the inside to win the Christmas Handicap by 0,5 lengths from a wide draw under leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson.

The runner up Celtic Captain jumped from a plum draw of two, but was trapped one wide without cover the whole way and was a little strong in the running. With cover he could well have won the race and as he gave the winner 8,5kg this was a fine effort. He looks to be a decent miler and can be followed. Rikitikitana had scraped into the handicap with the minimum weight of 52kg. Celtic Captain’s Gareth van Zyl-trained stablemate Budapest confirmed himself back in form by finishing third.

Tarry and Hewitson had a double at the meeting, as did Alistair Gordon and Anton Marcus. Prolific owner Roy Moodley added another two winners to a fine run he has had in December.

At Kempton Park the novice chaser Thistlecrack, an eight-year-old gelding, destroyed a small but top class field in the prestigious King George VI three miles. Greatness is sometimes described as those who make top opposition look ordinary and last year’s winner Cue Card looked just that.

Cue Card was dropped on the turn like a ball out of a motorcar having ranged up to challenge his powerful stablemate down the back straight. Thistlecrack could afford to measure the last jump and was being eased down at the line to win by a 3,25 length margin which flattered the opposition.

Last season he showed himself to have an incredible engine when annihilating all before him in staying hurdles races. He is now unbeaten in four chases and that engine is in evidence one again as he seems to run strongly throughout but still has a ton in hand at the finish. His jumping had been a concern, but he proved just how bold and clever a leaper he is when on two occasions standing almost outside the wings of an open ditch yet still sailing over easily. He was able to correct himself on those two and other occasions.

Jockey Tom Scudamore summed it up when saying afterwards, “”He’s on his own. Between myself, my father and grandfather we’ve had about 3,000 winners and he’s the best one of the lot.””

Thistlecrack is a legend in the making and although jumps racing does not have a big following in South Africa it should be well worth tuning in whenever he runs.

By David Thiselton

Red Ray will have his first start since his Mercury Sprint win in July in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth on January 14. Joey Ramsden reports that he will then go for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship a fortnight later.

The same two races are planned for both last season’s Cape Flying winner Gulf Storm and fourth-placed Tevez who justified 3-1 favouritism in last Saturday’s Southeaster Sprint.

Candice Bass-Robinson, who was landing her first treble, said: “The problem is that these races all come on top of each other but Tevez will probably run in both those two.”

Red Ray (Liesl King)

Gulf Storm ran far better than Saturday’s eighth place would suggest. He was beaten less than three and a half lengths, despite giving lumps of weight all round and being baulked just inside the final furlong.

Brett Crawford said: “It was only his second run back and it was very hard for him at the weights. It will be much nearer levels in the Diadem and that should make a big difference.”

Suggestions that Sergeant Hardy should also take his chance in the Cape Flying after the way he blitzed the opposition in the Need For Speed Sprint were dismissed by Justin Snaith who made it clear that he has more valuable fish to fry.

The former champion trainer, sending out his 90^th winner of the season, said: “He goes for the CTS $500 000 1 200m race on the same card. He is an unbelievable horse, completely gone in the wind but so tough.”

Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual is the most notable absentee from the 18 entries for the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, particularly as half them are three-year-olds, and Ramsden said: “She will go for either the Klawervlei  Majorca (Jan 28) or one of the two CTS $500 000 races that day.”

Interestingly Ramsden added that Table Bay will step up to 2 000m for his next run, the Investec Cape Derby, after being beaten into third when starting favourite for the Cape Guineas.

Mrs Bass-Robinson will run Nightingale as well as Silver Mountain in the Paddock despiteher doubts about the 1 800m trip for last year’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner – “On pedigree she should get it but her performances are better over shorter. Mind you, I don’t think Inara really stayed the Paddock distance but she got away with it.”

Seemingly the Milnerton trainer was hardly surprised that Marinaresco should be landed with a bad draw (14) in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on Saturday week. “What’s new?” she said. “He and The Conglomerate are always having to start on the back foot.”

The pair were drawn widest of all when first and second in the Durban July, Marinaresco was drawn two off the outside when winning the Champions Cup and The Conglomerate 14 out of 19 when he was second in the Sansui Summer Cup.

Even so, World Sports Betting has installed Marinaresco as favourite at 11-10 and make last season’s winner Legal Eagle next best at 13-10. Other prices are 12-1 Whisky Baron, 14-1 The Conglomerate, 20-1 Captain America, French Navy, It’s My Turn, 25-1 St Tropez, 33-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower

Kapteinspandiseile can play to the right tune for Mike Robinson and Richard Fourie in the 1 400m maiden at Kenilworth today.

Both men are bang in form – the Philippi trainer had a double last Saturday when Fourie notched up a four-timer – and the way the gelding ran over a furlong less here three weeks ago suggests he is the one they all have to beat.

“He doesn’t show us too much at home and so we expected him to finish about four lengths off the winner,” recalls Robinson of last time’s head second in a field of 16. “What got me excited was the turn of foot that he showed. Richard is very confident.”

Richard Fourie (Liesl King)

The three-year-old was a 13-1 chance that day but he opened 18-10 favourite with World Sports Betting on Monday. The dangers, on both form and betting, are Gadget Man and R5 000 bargain basement buy Icon King. Both opened at 7-2.

Secret Idea may get favourite backers off to a good start in the first although there have to be concerns over Greg Cheyne’s mount dropping in trip because he finished well over 1 200m last time in a manner that suggested he should be going over further, not less.

“It was an added-in race and I see those as easy pickings,” Justin Snaith explains. Apparently the National Racing Bureau sometimes finds that an extra race is needed when they finalise the declarations. They then quickly ring round the trainers, some of whom may not be available, and the result is a relatively weak field of after-thoughts.

Secret Idea was 12-10 favourite yesterday with stable companion The Right Road next at 28-10 but Snaith says that this newcomer has not yet been on grass – or at least he hadn’t been by last Saturday. The biggest danger may come from 11-2 chance Trojan Quest,

There is almost nothing to choose between Silver Laurel (5-2), Keep The Faith (22-10) who is taking a significant step up in trip, and Sandy Bay (28-10) in the Racing Association Maiden. The last-named will run out a convincing winner according to the sahorseracing computer.

Joey Ramsden has a big chance of following up with Colorado Rose in the next but fellow 28-10 shot Possibly Me is preferred. Fourie’s mount is going over extra ground and significantly Glen Kotzen says: “It was a little bit short for her last time.”

Lyle Hewitson flies down for six rides for Paul Reeves plus one for Darryl Hodgson. “He hasn’t ridden for me before,” says Reeves. “I was struggling to get jockeys to commit so I thought I would try somebody new.”

He gives several of the six place chances but points out that some are drawn too wide. Maybe Rebel’s Idol in race seven will prove best.

By Michael Clower

Kenilworth Wednesday 28 December Race Previews by Warren Lenferna

Race 1
Preview: SECRET IDEA went very close to winning last time and looks set to get it all right today. SUCCESSION PLAN improved length wise last time and is one that must be watched and included for further improvement. TROJAN QUEST is coming along the right way and is a must for the quartet in a field like this. Keep an eye on the first timer comments and the betting. (Warren Lenferna 1-6-2)

Race 2
Preview: The very well named KAPTEINSPANDISEILE hails from a stable that is in mustard form. He improved out of sight last time and should be very, very hard to beat over the extra. His trainer did say when making a comment for the debut run that he would want ground and that is what he gets today – hard to beat. ICON KING is now becoming very costly to follow from a punting perspective but he keeps running well and earning for his owner and should get it right soon. GADGET MAN is better than his last run. (Warren Lenferna 11-4-6)

Race 3
Preview: SANDY BAY bumps a moderate field and based on her best form should prove a hard horse to beat here. KEEP THE FAITH ran well enough last time to suggest that she should not be a maiden for very much longer. If she were to win today it would be no shock at all. CALL ME DARLING has a strong place chance from the best draw – Richard Fourie gets the ride today. (Warren Lenferna 4-3-2)

Race 4
Preview: POSSIBLY ME ran well last time and today over the extra distance which should suit her down to the ground she should be able to go one better – her draw id good and she gets the services of the same rider that rode her last time. COLORADO ROSE and PUT THE BERRIES have chances as well and must be respected and included but they will have to go some to beat the first choice – Possibly Me. (Warren Lenferna 3-2-1)

Race 5
Preview: KONKOLA has done well since shedding her maiden tag a few runs back and this is a positive sign that she has some ability and should go on to win a few races. Her draw is neat and there are a lot of positives in her favour to suggest she can go very close to winning this afternoon. ALL MINE ran second last time and has to be given a chance here but is set to carry top weight. Hat trick seeking ROCK ON WOOD could well reel off the hat trick – she is racing well and won her last race with ease – respect again. (Warren Lenferna 6-1-2)

Race 6
Preview: MR PISCATO has been running well recently and his last run was particularly good – he is the firm first choice. CHARLIE STRONG can never be ignored – he has the ability to pop up in a race like this – serious respect here. JUDDERING ANGEL is very seldom too far off the action and is a must for the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 3-2-1)

Race 7
Preview: SAILS SET ran behind a good horse last time and brings solid overall form into the race. He does get top weight but could still prove a very hard horse to beat today. INDIGO STORM, REBEL’S IDOL and STATE BALLET look set to fill the minor money positions. (Warren Lenferna 1-5-6)

Race 8
Preview: CORTADA won on debut in the manner of a very good horse. He was then travelled to PE and never shone at all. He is now back on home turf and surely still has tons more to offer. He is the confident first choice in what looks a moderate field. VIKING VOYAGE won well last time and has an undeniable chance of following up. SAINT DONAN has a strong place chance. (Warren Lenferna 2-1-4)

Race 9
Preview: All of FAIRY MAKER, PRIMROSE LANE and TRIP TO INDIA must be included in the short list as the winner should come from one of these three. The race is hard so try and include as many as your budget will allow. (Warren Lenferna 9-2-1)

MJ Byleveld’s job as stable jockey to top Cape trainer Vaughan Marshall has had pressure attached to it which not many in the grandstand would understand, but he proved on Saturday with his cool ride on William Longsword in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas he is now taking it in his stride.

Meanwhile, Derek Brugman, racing manager of Markus Jooste’s Mayfair Speculators ownership operation, said a decision would be made at the end of the Cape Summer Of Champions Season whether to keep William Longsword in training or retire him to stud. The latter option would coincide with the colt’s Champion sire, Captain Al, nearing the end of his stud career.

MJ Byleveld

A number of Marshall’s top horses over the last few years have been owned by Jooste, who retains top jockey Anton Marcus. Therefore, Byleveld, who is at Marshall’s Milnerton yard riding work every morning except for his “off day” on Sunday, has been left in a situation where he has had to try and make the most of the limited Gr 1 opportunities coming his way. The pressure attached to each of these opportunities is thus increased.

“As you get older you learn to take the pressure,” he said before elaborating and saying his philosophy towards a big race these days was to just go out and do his job and treat it as he would any other race.

Referring to Marcus’ retainer with Jooste, he said, “I have learnt to live with it – it is all about teamwork – you have to look at the bigger picture.”

“Bakkies”, as MJ is known to many of his friend’s partly due to his fanatical support of the Blue Bulls rugby team, went in to Saturday’s race confident.

He said, “I had worked a couple of the contenders and was quietly confident.”

He added, “He is a big horse but has such a lovely temperament and a good action and good turn of foot. In work he does what you want him to do, you can put a kid on him.”

Byleveld was modest in his assessment of his ride, especially considering the horse had to jump from stall 13 of 16. He said, “He showed good gatespeed and is a horse I can’t really restrain so I got lucky as there was not a lot of speed and he got across quickly and found himself a nice position.”

In actual fact Byleveld made a decisive, race-winning move before the turn, one which a less experienced jockey might have flinched at. He expertly eased the horse over and slotted him in in front of Elevated. William Longsword was now one off the rail and covered behind Elusive Path, who was lying on the quarters of the surprise pace setter, the favourite Table Bay.

William Longsword, a big, long-striding bay, travelled beautifully from then onward.

Byleveld continued, “Table Bay was in trouble 400m out and my horse quickened very well, I then just hoped nothing would come and catch us.”

Byleveld’s last Gr 1 victory was on the Marshall-trained The Secret Is Out at Scottsville last June. He showed the calmness of the consummate professional on that occasion, easing and switching the horse at a crucial moment, and displayed this asset once again on Saturday.

Vaughan Marshall

He remained patient until the 200m mark at which stage he made a necessary change of whip hand as his horse was shifting inward. He then drove his mount out vigourously to the line, in between cracks of the whip. This was enough to keep Gold Standard at bay by 0,5 lengths.

Byleveld confirmed William Longsword was “most definitely” one of the best he had ever ridden and probably the best.

He felt he would be even better as a four-year-old.

However, it remains to be seen whether he will keep the ride in the US500,000 CTS Mile on J&B Met day.

Derek Brugman, Mayfair Speculator’s racing manager, said the latter race was William Longsword’s probable next target. A decision whether to keep him in training would be made thereafter.

John Koster, part-owner together with Jooste of Klawervlei Stud and a member of its founding family, said the decision to retire William Longsword lay entirely in the hands of Mayfair Speculators. However, he said it would make sense for a son of Captain Al to come in 16 years after the latter had won the same race, the prestigious stallion producing Cape Guineas.

He revealed, “Captain Al is twenty years old now and is becoming increasingly sub-fertile.”

Koster pointed out William Longsword’s dam is a half-sister to Victory Moon, a Gr 1-producing stallion who was a great loss to the breeding industry when passing away at the age of just nine. Furthermore, William Longsword himself is a half-brother to Gr 1-winning sprinter Real Princess (Trippi).

William Longsword was also bred by Klawervlei and his dam Pagan Princess currently has a yearling by Trippi and is in foal again to Captain Al.

By David Thiselton

Royal Life is a talented gelding and although it has sometimes been tough going for him and his connections, he is smart on his day. Alistair Gordon’s runner lines up in the MR 90 Divided Handicap over 1400m at Scottsville this afternoon where he looks to have a strong chance of recording just the third win of his career.

The son of Dynasty can be a difficult ride and often takes a strong hold but Gordon has booked Sean Veale for the ride and Veale can hold an elephant off a peanut if needs be.

Royal Life (Nkosi Hlophe)

Royal Life rounded off last season with a distant second to Sail South in the Thukela Handicap and was then given a four-month break.

He returned to the track in October where he showed good pace under apprentice Eric Ngwane before being out-paced by Buffalo Soldier over a distance well short of his best.

He steps up in trip today over a course where he has record both of his victories. He also gets a tongue-tie on for the first time and if finding his best form he could prove difficult to beat.

Prolific owner Roy Moodley’s horses have hit a rich vein of form and Roy’s Winter Patch looks a possible threat to Royal Life.

The gelding has his first run for Yogas Govender after finishing a close-up third behind Silver Spring in a set weights race for Dennis Drier last time out and is in receipt of 3.5kg from Royal Life. Although he takes on stronger he should be up there when the whips are cracking.

Runners from the Tony Rivalland yard are coming to hand and Spanish Captain was narrowly beaten in a Scottsville sprint after returning from a six-month break. He will much prefer today’s trip and is another to consider.

All things considered punters face another difficult card of maximum fields and moderate horses where form is not always reliable.

One of the better propositions could be Hot Mambo in the opening leg of the Pick 6. A beaten favourite in both recent starts at Greyville, Mark Dixon’s filly is due a change of fortune. She shows good pace but has not been able to finish off her races and her last outing over 1400m may have been just beyond her compass. Dixon has declared blinkers on his charge and if she puts it all in she rates the one to beat.

The dangers could come in the form of Danish Cross and Starwin. The latter has run her two best races on the poly but has not been far back in any of her four starts while the lightly raced Danish Cross comes from an in-form yard and judged on her debut effort behind useful looking stable companion Blaze Of Mystery on debut she is likely to improve lengths.

The fourth has upset written all over it but Veale has made the trip home from Cape Town where he has mostly been aboard the Dennis Drier raiding party. Wild Irish looks to have been set up nicely by Drier’s stable assistant Stuart Ferrie after going down narrowly behind Whatawonderfulworld on the Greyville poly. Today’s trip should be right up her ally.

Veale will have been ‘jocked off’ Great Value in the sixth where Anton Marcus will be aboard for his bosses Mayfair Speculators. It’s an open race but Great Value took on much stronger at his last start. He can be unruly which is a concern as the starters appear to have taken a much harder stance in recent weeks after their  great ‘indaba’ a fortnight back but Great Value appears to have improved his behaviour in pacifiers. If he can build on his last effort he may be the one to beat. Robert Fay’Herbe, in charge of the Candice Bass-Robinson satellite yard at Summerveld, he got his stable humming along and Panga has not been far back at recent outings. This looks to be his optimum trip and he is also down in class.

By Andrew Harrison

Snaith Racing is to make more use of Facebook to keep punters informed about the stable’s runners after posting a full rundown for last Saturday’s Cape Guineas meeting.

Justin Snaith said: “I had 24 runners that day and, when not a single press person rang me for a comment, I felt we should do something ourselves. From now on whenever we feel that we have something to add for the punter we will put our tips and comments on Facebook.”

To be fair, the Sporting Post’s Robyn Louw rang Jonathan Snaith about the Guineas runners. He mentioned the controversy over trainers being asked for comments on first-timers with some refusing to comply.

He said: “There should be a system, as there is in certain other countries, whereby when you declare you pick from some 30 alternative comments and highlight the one that is most applicable. That then appears in the racecard. It doesn’t matter whether the horse proves you right or wrong – you can’t have punters kept in the dark. Without them there would be no racing.”

By Michael Clower

If you took a fancy to the name ‘Roy’ this weekend you would have been in front with the bookmakers as three runners racing in the silks of prolific KZN owner Roy Moodley provided handsome returns for the faithful.

That said, there were a lot of ‘Roy’s’ that did not feature.

Roy Moodley (Nkosi Hlophe)

The names Roy’s Taxi and Roy’s Donkey are not exactly inspiring but as the adage goes, there is never an ugly horse in the winner’s enclosure.

Taxi and Donkey both scored at long odds under apprentice Tristan Godden at Greyville on Friday night and it was the turn of Brandon Lerena and Yogas Govender at a scorching Scottsville yesterday as they opened the card with Roy’s Amazing Ash, although this win was not unexpected if you followed the money.

The five-year-old son of Greys Inn was having his 21^st outing but his were odds trimmed from an opening call of 14-1 to 7-1 at SP to beat home the two fancied runners Glen Coco and Seattle Spell.

Lerena had Roy’s Amazing Ash hard at work at the top of the straight and his mount was game to the challenge as he kept finding to the line to hold off Glen Coco and Seattle Spell, who both at one point looked likely to go on by.

Top weight Muscatt was game in defeat in the itsarush.co.za Handicap with weight rather than the firm going proving his undoing. Getting the measure of pacemaker Arabian National with 100m to travel, he was a spent force as the grey Isca rattled home on his inside to nail him close home. Gavin van Zyl’s runner was slow out but with the blinkers off, Kegan de Melo built him up nicely and he finished with a wet sail.

Ticky Tin is not the largest specimen but gave Godden, who finishes up his apprenticeship in a week’s time, a memorable finale to his time as he shunted the Des Egdes-trained filly home ahead of Quena and Victory Cross in the Rockafella’s Restaurant Maiden.

Baltic Amber has been something of an enigma for the Duncan Howells yard. The gelding has shown that he has what it takes to rise to bigger things given his homework so three wins are below what has been expected.

But given a strong early pace, Anton Marcus was able to keep him in the box seat from a favourable draw and accelerate when it mattered.

Baltic Amber raced in the familiar silks of Geoff Perkins and they were back in the winner’s box two races later as Dressed For Success turned in another smart performance under apprentice Denis Schwarz for Paul Lafferty. Arriving from well off the pace, the daughter of Ashaawes came away to win as she liked and looks more than just useful.

Earlier apprentice Liam Tarentaal gave Aqua Blue a peach of a ride for Therese Mitchley in The White Horse Function Room Handicap after Godden, aboard veteran Royal Zulu Guard, has pinched an early lead but was just not able to hang on.

It was a stable double two races later with Tarentaal teamed up with Whatawondefulworld to a comfortable win from rank outsider Tide Is Turning, the exacta paying in excess of R500.

By Andrew Harrison