Author Archives: Nikita

Joan Ranger (Nkosi Hlophe)

Joan Ranger can defy her merit rating

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Most punters were caught unawares when the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Joan Ranger won the Gr 2 Camellia Stakes over 1160m on Champions Day at Turffontein at odds of 20/1 and she is unlikely to start that long at Saturday’s festival Of Speed despite meeting a much stronger field in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint over 1200m.

Those who had followed her closely would likely have been licking their lips at the price on Champions Day before helping themselves to an each-way opportunity which had slipped through the net.

Joan Ranger (Nkosi Hlophe)

Joan Ranger (Nkosi Hlophe)

Houdalakis summed it up yesterday by saying, “The bend is not for her.”

This is despite her being by Triple Crown hero Horse Chestnut out of Rambo Dancer mare Fashion Edition who won six times from 1300m to 1800m.

Joan Ranger won her maiden over 1400m and had been tried in four Gr 3 races from 1400-1600m. The fact she earned three close up thirds in the latter events proved her class as she had shown a lot of pace in all of them. When dropped in trip to 1200m at Scottsville, she duly romped home. The form of that event now looks good too, as she beat Elusiveenchantment by 2,25 lengths and the latter has won both of her subsequent  course and distance starts.

Joan Ranger was tried over 1400m again subsequent to the Scottsville race in the Gr 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes at Greyville and once again her pace was her undoing. She fought for her head after the jockey had attempted to settle her in second place behind the leader. Yet, she still managed to stay on for a 1,25 length third.

Carry On Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

Carry On Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

She was crying out for another sprint trip and duly, after being able to use her lengthy stride the whole way, admittedly from a favourable high draw, she found a strong finish in the Camellia Stakes and won cosily by 1,25 lengths.

She will arrive at Scottsville on the morning of the race, having travelled from her Vaal home base.

Houdalakis concluded, “The owner is the breeder, so it’s all about black type.”

Carry On Alice looks impossible to oppose in Saturday’s race.

However, Joan Ranger looks to have the class to defy her 102 merit rating and earn a place.

She is officially the second worst handicapped horse in the twelve horse field, but it should be borne in mind that since her debut she has only been given two opportunities to run in sprints and she has won both of them comfortably.

She is drawn eight and will be ridden by Brandon Lerena.

By David Thiselton

Red Chesnut Road (Nkosi Hlophe)

Red Chesnut ruled out

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Racing industry persons of all walks were watching the “public” section of the SA Horse Racing website with keen interest yesterday morning and the most notable scratching from Saturday’s big Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting was the impressive Robbie Hill-trained Red Chesnut Road.

Hill said after withdrawing the unbeaten colt from the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, “He has an abscess on his hoof. There are a lot of disappointed people, but it is what it is, we couldn’t run him.”

Hill has no doubt the blinkered Highlands Farm Stud-bred Pathfork colt will stay up to a mile, so he will still have two more big race opportunities this season, the Gr 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m and the Gr 1 Premiers Champions Stakes over 1600m.

Red Chesnut Road had looked likely to be the meeting banker on Saturday as no other juvenile male had come close to creating the impression he had in his respective 7,75 length and 6,25 length romps in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m and in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m, both at Scottsville, respectively.

Red Chesnut Road (Nkosi Hlophe)

Red Chesnut Road (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, the Gold Medallion has now been thrown wide open.

It would be a brave man to bet against the unbeaten Horse Guards as he represents the Dennis Drier yard, who have won five of the last six renewals of the Gold Medallion.

However, the most interesting entry is the Tiger Ridge colt Oomph, who has won all three of his races in Port Elizabeth with consummate ease, all of them over 1200m and one of them being a Listed event.

He has been bought out of the Alan Greeff yard by SA Triple Crown-winning owners Adriaan and Rika van Vuuren and will be saddled by their trainer Mike Azzie. However, his regular pilot Aldo Domeyer remains aboard.

The Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred by More Than Ready, Act Of Loyalty, is another interesting entry as he beat a moderate field on debut over 1200m at the Vaal a lot more comfortably than the 0,2 length margin suggests and looks to have plenty of scope for improvement.

Corne Spies has shrewdly declared his classy filly Seattle Singer to face the boys in this race instead of pitting her against the like of The Seecret Is Out, who would have had her held, in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship for fillies. To date she has been runner up in three stakes race, including two Gr 3s. As a maiden she had weight allowances in all of them, but when she did get off the mark last time out in a Maiden she did it in impressive style, getting the better of a ding-dong tussle with the Mike de Kock-trained Ektifaa over 1200m at the Vaal with the rest of the field nine lengths back. She will receive a 2,5kg gender allowance on Saturday.

Vaughan Marshall has a good record at the festival Of Speed meeting and has Captain Al colt Always In Charge involved, a facile winner of his maiden at Kenilworth and the form has worked out well.

Sean Tarry has had a magnificent season with his two-year-olds and Red Rock is his representative, although at first sight he will have to improve on his last run when only managing a well beaten fifth in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb.

Azzie also has the promising Var colt Rivarine in the race. He was a 0,9 length runner up to the classy filly Cloth Of Cloud in the Gr 1 SA Nursery with the rest of the field well beaten.

The Kumaran Naidoo-trained Godolphin Barb runner up Over Sure is one of only two KZN-trained horses in the race.

Dean Kannemeyer has entered Paperback Writer, whose form isn’t too inspiring, but this will only be his third start and as a superbly bred horse, by Var out of an Elliodor Gr 1 SA Fillies Guineas runner up, he could still prove himself worthy.

Brett Warren will saddle the classy Rebel King colt Sporting Monarch, who won easily on debut and was then narrowly beaten by the promising British Royale, to whom he was giving 5kg, second time out over 1000m with the rest of the field in a different province.

By David Thiselton

Rabada (Left) It's My Turn (right)-Nkosi Hlophe

Rabada rules, Bela-Bela rocks

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The fireworks expected from a competitive field in Saturday’s R2-million, Grade 1 Daily News 2000 were reduced to a fizzle when the pace was slowed to a crawl and the 16 runners doddled through the first part of the classic event and turned it into a sprint in the home straight.

Rabada (Left) It's My Turn (right)-Nkosi Hlophe

Rabada (left) It’s My Turn (right)-Nkosi Hlophe

It played into the hands of favourite Rabada whose jockey Anton Marcus admitted he had had some doubts about the Brave Tin Soldier colt staying a true-run 2 000m trip. But when settling in behind pacemaker Sylvester The Cat at a moderate gallop those fears were dispelled – only to be replaced at the top of the straight by a different point of concern when he dropped his stick and was forced to urge the beautifully prepared colt along with his hands and heels and the flick of the reins.

And the Mike Azzie-trained colt responded admirably to hold off the challenge from the Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn that was on the verge of giving trainer Justin Snaith and jockey Anthony Delpech a Grade 1 double on the day after their win with Bela-Bela in the R1-million Woolavington 2000 a half an hour earlier. Rabada also scuttled Delpech’s bid for a feature race treble after taking the Grade 2 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup on favourite Balance Sheet for Dean Kannemeyer earlier.

The pace will also have affected the chances of a few other runners that might otherwise have given a better account of themselves but trainer Azzie took the win as a confirmation of his long-held belief that his charge, who recorded his second Grade 1 win having been successful in the Premier’s Champion Stakes last season, would see out the trip.

While there was little to be learned from the state of the three-year-old colts and geldings there was much to be excited about by the Dynasty filly Bela-Bela that put up a scintillating performance in the Woolavington 2000 that finished off the race in a manner that had one feeling she had just jumped into the contest at the top of the straight. Coming from well back behind pacemaker Negroamaro Delpech gave the filly her head and the rocket boosters kicked in to see her fly past everything to win by nearly two lengths.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

However, as eye-catching as the performance was, it has to be seen in the light of the pace of the race which, like the main event that was to follow, was also more than two seconds slower than the class average.

Commenting after the race, Delpech said he had ridden some top fillies in his career and Igugu was the best but, referring to Bela-Bela, “she is the second best.”

Snaith hedged when questioned on the future plans for Bela-Bela as far as the Vodacom Durban July was concerned saying “we will have to make the right decisions. It is up to the owners.”

For Kannemeyer it was another great day at the office as his stable produced yet another feature winner in the season when taking the 2 400m Lonsdale Stirrup Cup with the Silvano gelding Balance Sheet ahead of Heidelberg Blue, No Worries and Crime Victim.

The four-year-old gelding is owned by Marsh Shirtliff and Bryn Ressell who also own Helderberg Blue, that is trained by Mike Bass, in partnership with Ingrid and Markus Jooste making it a one-two for the famous white, blue and pink colours associated with many top horses in the past including the great Pocket Power.

Summerveld (Supplied)

All systems go for Snaith and Bass

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The two chief protagonists in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville this Saturday, the Justin Snaith-trained Bela-Bela and the Mike Bass-trained Nightingale, are doing well ahead of the big race and so are Snaith’s two Gr 1 Daily News 2000 runners, It’s My Turn and Brooklyn Brawler.

Meanwhile, Snaith said the ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite Black Arthur, who is avoiding the Daily News and going straight into the big one, will have a gallop at Greyville before the first race on Saturday pending permission from the course manager.

Snaith said about his three Gr 1 runners for the Daily News meeting, “I couldn’t be happier with them, there have been no hiccups. It is now just down to luck in running.”

Snaith had been confident before Dynasty filly Bela-Bela’s Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas victory three weeks ago, pointing out nothing had gone right for her when soundly beaten by Silver Mountain in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, and she had subsequently proven her class by running third in the “strongest form race of the Cape season”, the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes. She had also been putting in phenomenal work at Summerveld.

Summerveld (Supplied)

Summerveld (Supplied)

Bass assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe said, “Nightingale is fit and well and the jockey is confident.”

Jockey Grant van Niekerk seemed quietly confident, but was fully aware of the toughness of the task.

Nightingale lost a bit of momentum in the straight of the Daisy Fillies Guineas when having to be switched outward off the heels of a slowing horse. Bela-Bela did not have a clear passage herself, but her momentum was unaffected and she passed Nightingale with a wet sail. However, the latter was coming back at her at the line to be beaten only 0,5 lengths.

After the race jockey Anthony Delpech had his doubts about the 2200m July trip for Bela-Bela, but added she would “get away with” 2000m against her own gender in the Woolavington.

Nightingale has already proven her liking for 2000m when finishing strongly to beat older horses in a MR68 handicap for fillies and mares at Kenilworth on L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate day in January. She did not have a perfect preparation into the Daisy Fillies Guineas, due to her intended preparation race on the Greyville turf having to be switched to the polytrack, although she did still win the latter race. She will now be having her third run after a layoff.

Bela-Bela is having her second run after a layoff, but judging by her Daisy Fillies Guineas win that shouldn’t pose a problem and, like Nightingale, she should also be more forward this time.

Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn looked a bit outpaced early in the Canon Guineas and was then kept wide to avoid the kickback, so did quite well to stay on for a 4,65 length tenth.

“He’s not a miler,” confirmed Snaith.

The form of his Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby victory, which is run over the Daily News 2000m distance, is looking strong, considering he had both the July favourite and second favourite, Black Arthur and Marinaresco respectively, comfortably beaten. Delpech will be aboard on Saturday from a tricky draw of eleven and he is the horse to beat.

Brooklyn Brawler won well over 1600m at Greyville recently and has apprentice Lyle Hewitson up. On his damside he is closely related to the like of Capetown Noir, who always had a slight stamina doubt beyond a mile despite winning the Cape Derby. However, his July-winning sire Dynasty gives him hope. Snaith added, “Dynasty at Greyville is the key, just look at the record of both himself and his progeny there.”

The Bass yard also run Helderberg Blue in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m. He will be 1kg worse off with No Worries despite being beaten 1,5 lengths by him last time out over this trip at Scottsville. This will now be his third run after a layoff. He remains a quirky sort whose temperament is his own worst enemy, but as such could not have found himself in a better yard. The outstanding horsemanship of the Bass team have allowed the Jet Master gelding to still be competitive everytime he lines up and he is now down to a competitive merit rating.

By David Thiselton

Rabada (Nkosi Hlophe)

Azzie believes in Rabada

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Triple Crown-winning trainer Mike Azzie believes Rabada is the horse to beat in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville on Saturday.

He said, “All things have been going well, I am very happy with him and have no reason to believe he won’t stay.”

Rabada (Nkosi Hlophe)

Rabada (Nkosi Hlophe)

Jockey Anton Marcus was impressed by the Gr 1-winning Brave Tin Soldier colt’s last run in the Gr 2 Canon Guineas at Greyville, because after being taken to the front from a wide draw in a fast-paced race he was able to stay on and be beaten just a half-a-length, while the two in front of him faded out to the back.

Furthermore, Rabada stayed on well in the Gr 3 Cartier Politician Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth on L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate day to finish a 2,25 length sixth with 62kg on his back. He was conceding 5kg to the winner Black Arthur and 6,5kg to third-placed Marinaresco, who are now respectively the top pair on the Vodacom Durban July betting boards.

Azzie added, “He was given a sympathetic ride in the Politician Stakes too, due to the weight and also his main mission was the Cape Derby.”

Rabada was unable to take his place in the Derby due to injury but proved his well-being when winning his comeback run over 1400m at Turffontein three weeks before his fine Canon Guineas effort. He is the joint 33/10 favourite for Saturday with Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes winner New Predator.

Azzie also runs the Toreador gelding Trading Profit, who is drawn well in three.

He was bought out of the Ormond Ferraris yard after downing the like of Judicial and French Navy when way out at the weights in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1800m at Turffontein in February. However, he has run below par in two outing for his new yard in the SA Classic and Premier’s Champions Challenge respectively, and was headstrong in the latter race.

He is a good looking sort and has talent, but Azzie said, “He took a while to adjust and an improved run can be expected, but Rabada is superior to him.”

By David Thiselton

Heaps Of Fun (JC Photo)

Ignore Tarry at your peril

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National Champion trainer Sean Tarry has three runners in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and two in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 and all of them are capable of upsetting the odds.

Heaps Of Fun (JC Photo)

Heaps Of Fun (JC Photos)

His first choice rider S’Manga Khumalo is aboard SA Classic and SA Derby third-placed Samurai Blade in the Daily News 2000 and Tarry said, “He is doing well and all three runs for us have been good. He took a while to find top gear at Turffontein and if they go a canter-sprint in his first run at Greyville it could catch him out. He has a bad draw (16 out of 16) … It is all very well holding them back for the July, but he could end up being drawn badly there too and things can also go wrong in the July, so, being well now, he must take his chances.”

He said about Prospect Strike, “I think his run in the Canon Guineas was very good considering he worked so much harder than the rest out wide and still finished only 2,4 lengths back. I think he is probably looking for this trip.  A sprint-miler will normally be able to come back from a layoff and win comfortably when so well in at the weights as he was in his two comeback runs (over 1000m and 1200m) and when he was beaten in the first of them and then had to work hard to win the second it was the tell-tale sign that those trips were now way too sharp for him.”

Tarry’s decision to take the Toreador gelding back to Johannesburg after the Canon Guineas had been a “trade off.”

He said, “It means two journeys of eight hours, but he has had some serious issues and I would not want to be chopping and changing tracks with him. Obviously if he is going to run in another race in Durban he won’t travel a third time.”

Tarry confirmed Summerveld assistant Dishone Steyn’s upbeat reports about Dynasty colt Liege and said, “He was in fantastic shape when he went down to Durban and won impressively on the poly. Dishone said he has been ticking over nicely since.”

Liege (Nkosi Hlophe)

Liege (Nkosi Hlophe)

Prospect Strike also has a wide draw of 15, but has in form Grant van Niekerk aboard, while Liege is drawn nine and has SA Triple Crown-winning jockey Karl Zechner up.

Tarry revealed Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun had pulled up with severely strained muscles after her disappointing SA Fillies Classic run.

He said, “Her ordinary run there had nothing to do with being caught wide or the trip being too far. I decided to bring her back from that run with a sprint (Gr 2 Camelia Stakes over 1160m) and she ran on very well for third. She is now in good shape and I think she will stay the trip.”

He continued, “Witchcraft’s SA Oaks run can have a line drawn through it, just nothing went right for her.” She was drawn wide and was then caught wide and the writing was on the wall from a long way out.

Before that she had won well over 2000m at Turffontein and was doing some good late work when running a 3,8 length fifth in the SA Fillies Classic, suggesting she would prefer further.

Khumalo rides Visionaire filly Heaps Of Fun from draw ten and Brandon Lerena is aboard Kahal filly Witchcraft from draw six.

Tarry runs Serissa in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m and said, “He’s a soldier, he didn’t go hard enough in the 1900 last weekend.” He is likely to lead this time and has proven his liking for the trip before.

Liege and Serissa have been prepared at Summerveld and all of the others will be travelling down from Randjesfontein.

By David Thiselton

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mambo moving well

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Dean Kannemeyer is pleased with his Gr 1 Daily News 2000 contender Mambo Mime and believes if he stays the trip he has “as good a chance as any.”

He said, “He has been moving very well and has tightened up nicely. He came from last in the Canon Guineas and had no split so had to go to the outside while the winner Black Arthur went down the centre. He looked dangerous.”

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

He finished a decent 1,5 length third, having jumped from draw six. Stuart Randolph stays aboard, but now has a 13 draw to contend with.

Kannemeyer added, “Whether he stays, only the race will tell.”

His sire Mambo In Seattle was a narrow second in a Gr 1 over 2000m on the dirt and his USA-bred dam won over 1600m, but has produced mainly speedy types.

However, early in his career Mambo Mime pulled the whole way in a juvenile 1600m event at Greyville, yet still won, so as a much more relaxed type these days should just about stay 2000m at the same course.

Kannemeyer has two runners in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m and said, “Balance Sheet was runner up in the Gold Cup and is now fit and ready after two runs and is back to his correct distance. Solar Star over raced last time with blinkers on (but still finished a close second in his first attempt at 2400m) and the blinkers are now off.”

Balance Sheet has Anthony Delpech up and jumps from draw 14 and Solar Star has Randolph up and is drawn eight.

By David Thiselton

Muzi Yeni (Nkosi Hlophe)

Yeni hopeful with Teddy

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In-form jockey Muzi Yeni was left looking for another Gr 1 Daily News 2000 ride when his guv’nor Duncan Howells kept Brandon Lerena aboard the yard’s chief contender, Ten Gun Salute, and he will consequently be riding the biggest outsider, the Brian Wiid-trained Bankable Teddy.

Muzi Yeni (Nkosi Hlophe)

Muzi Yeni (Nkosi Hlophe)

He is also aboard an outsider in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000, the Luis Cunha-trained Ruler Of The Sky.

Yeni said, “I can only hope Bankable Teddy reproduces his Derby Trial run, that was over this trip and maybe he didn’t stay the trip in the SA Derby.”

The Bankable colt thrashed subsequent SA Derby fourth-placed Stebbins by 4,8 lengths in the Derby Trial and will now be 0,5kg better off with the latter, so can’t be written off jumping from a good draw of four.

Yeni continued, “The trainer rates Ruler Of The Sky.”

This rangy Judpot filly is perfectly drawn in two for her front-running style and looks likely to enjoy the trip. However, she couldn’t win a fillies and mares handicap over 1600m off her 76 merit rating last time, so will require dramatic improvement.

Yeni is aboard the Howells-trained Crime Victim in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m and gave him a place chance at best.

“He needs to up his game,” he said. One of the Bezrin gelding’s best career runs was over the course and distance, when a 2,25 length third to Solid Speed in the Highland Night Cup last season and he was only receiving 1,5kg from the winner that day. He scrapes into the handicap on Saturday with the minimum weight and is drawn ten. He looks to have enjoyed a nice preparation and can’t be ignored.

By David Thiselton

Black Arthur (Nkosi Hlophe)

Greyville gallop for Black Arthur

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Punters will be able to see Vodacom Durban July favourite Black Arthur in action at Greyville on Saturday after all.

Black Arthur (Nkosi Hlophe)

Black Arthur (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Canon Guineas winner was not declared for the Daily News but Jonathan Snaith reported yesterday that the colt will be ridden by Anthony Delpech in a spin over 1 800m on the course at 1.15pm. He will work with a companion and the gallop will be shown live on Tellytrack.

Marinaresco has been raised four points (2kg) to 101 for his win in the Winter Classic at Kenilworth last Saturday moving him eight places up the July log bot not enough to be sure of getting a run.

Cape Town-based Ken Nicol, who made the assessment in conjunction with fellow handicappers Roger Smith, Matthew Lips and Lennon Maharaj, said: “Marinaresco actually ran to 99 and we gave him a further two points for ease of victory.”

Last Friday night’s Betting World 1900 winner Solid Speed was put up three points to 106 but the significant one was runner-up St Tropez (14-1 for the July) who ran to 102. However his merit rating stays on 99 as the race conditions stipulated no increase for the placed horses.

By Michael Clower

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Snaith rates Bela-Bela

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Justin Snaith is confident Bela-Bela will stay 2000m and is the runner to beat in Saturday’s R1-million Woolavington 2000 at Greyville.

Bela-Bela won the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas over 1600m at the course and has been priced up at 8-10 by Betting World to win this Grade 1 race over 2000m.

“She’s doing very well at home and I don’t think 2000m will be a problem against her own age group. She ran well enough in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth and finished just three lengths behind Smart Call. I would say 1800m at Kenilworth is equivalent to 2000m at Greyville so the distance is not an issue.”

Bela-Bela was a late scratching from what was due to be her first run in KwaZulu-Natal on 8 April but Snaith feels that has worked in her favour. “She’s a light filly and missing that race was the best thing that could have happened to her. The day after I scratched her I felt quite relieved that it had happened.”

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the Guineas Bela-Bela came from a long way back off a slow pace and then kept going to beat Nightingale by 0.50 lengths. Snaith’s charge actually came from behind Nightingale but the daughter of Silvano, trained by Mike Bass, was running on the better at the end. However, Bela-Bela did have the race wrapped up before she started to ease up.

“People forget how intimidating the finish at Greyville is for horses with all the screens lighting up. She did put her ears back at the finish but it was her first run under lights so I thought she performed well.

“You’ve got to respect Nightingale but I would like to think we will have come on from that run and she has improved. Bela-Bela has got all the right things about her to be a top filly.”

Nightingale is at 22-10 with Negroamaro at 7-1.

Black Arthur has been taken out of the R2-million Daily News 2000 as Snaith is attempting to keep his weight down for the Vodacom Durban July. “After Legislate won both the Guineas and Daily News he came into the July with 57.5kg. It took a lot out of him. You are throwing these three-year-olds in the deep-end running them over 2200m. It’s a hard race for what are young horses.

“You’ve got to choose your races. I discussed it with the owner and said we could win the Daily News and take quite a bit out of him or we give it a miss and know we have a big chance with a good weight in the July.

“I believe Black Arthur has a big future and I would like to think he can go back to Cape Town and contest bigger things. It’s quite ironic. I almost left him in Cape Town for the winter. It was a 50-50 call whether we would bring him or not.”

Snaith still has Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn and improving Brooklyn Brawler in the race. “It’s My Turn got caught a bit wide in the Guineas. It was too short and he needed the run. He’s not a miler and he’s only getting warmed up after 2000m. Whether he is good enough to win we can only hope. I do believe he will be there. Anthony Delpech is confident the horse is well and I’m glad to see he’s smiling.”

Brooklyn Brawler had an impressive win over 1600m last time but there is a concern as to whether he will see out 2000m. “He had very impressive win last time. It was a little bit of a shock because we felt he needed the run. “To win this he will need to run to his absolute best and have everything go in his favour. I am a bit concerned about the distance but although he is not bred to stay he does look like a stayer. He deserves his place in this race.”

Rabada and Drill Hall Stakes winner New Predator are joint favourites at 3-1, with Mambo Mime and Samurai Blade at 8-1. It’s My Turn is at 10-1 with Brooklyn Brawler at 20-1.

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