The Vaal inside track stages an eight race meeting today and it should be noted that by trends the low draws are favoured due to the inside strip of going tending to be superior.

In the first, a workrider’s maiden over 1200m, First Officer is drawn perfectly according to trends and is interesting dropped back to the trip of his excellent debut effort. The form of that race has worked out well and he has subsequently shown pace over 1400m. Criss Cross Man has finished strongly in both of his first two starts and might get into the race earlier now that he is learning what it is all about. He is also drawn on the right side. Mississippi Rising returns from a six month layoff but has shown ability and could earn here for an increasingly prominent yard.

African Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

There are many first-timers in race 2, a 1200m maiden for fillies and mares. Of those to have run Our Miracle ran a cracker on debut over 1000m when backed and should improve but the high draw might make it tough. Bally Swiss was also backed on debut and ran a good second but also has a tough draw, although she did show early pace which could help her overcome it. Modjaji ran her best race over course and distance and the pole position draw might help her cause. Russian Friend could be a contender in her third run after a layoff. Angie The Rebel has caught the eye on sand before and is better than her last run on turf when found to not be striding out. South Atlantic is by Horse Chestnut out of a Listed winning sprinter. Girl On The Run by Silvano is a half-sister to Sabadell and Gavin Lerena is up although she is drawn in the wrong side. Saddler’s Lass is by Fort Wood out of a three-time winner from 1160m to 1800m. Dynamite Lady is by Miesque’s Approval and is a half-sister to the fair sort Napoleon Dynamite. Tip Of The Glacier is by Western Winter and is a half-sister to Mystical Jet who won her first three starts.

In the third over 1700m Road To Indy only just failed over 1600m last time against a fair type and looks the one to be with despite a high draw. Captain Marooned represents a high flying stable and on pedigree should relish this trip after two fair runs in sprints. Champions Cup was too far out of his ground last time out over 1600m and could do better. Revelation flyjumped over 1400m last time and could have done better but is but is not sure to enjoy this step up in trip, although on the other hand he is drawn on the right side with Strydom up. Beaufort Tree will stay the trip easily, in fact it is probably too sharp, and he is drawn on the right side.

The fourth over 1700m looks a good opportunity for Estimation, who will love the trip and faces a weak field. Angel Of Mercy has a chance with Strydom up if bouncing back to her best. Peg O’ My Heart is better than her last start and could earn.

Max The Man (Nkosi Hlophe)

The fifth over 1200m could be won by Buckland who thrashed the promising New Predator in his penultimate start in a maiden and now drops back to that trip. Burg has dropped down to a competitive merit rating and is drawn on the right side over a suitable trip. Forest Fox is frustrating as he has tons of ability but doesn’t always put it in, so he is interesting with the blinkers back on.

In the sixth over 1000m Viking a Hero ran a cracker last time over 1160m and the form has been franked. Captured Wind could drop in behind them from a wide draw and make a bold bid considering he was given only two points for his good last win.  African Ruler will appreciate the step back to this trip. Wisnaam looks promising but hasn’t run since his win on debut in April when making a breathing noise. Cohiba is drawn on the right side and should be charging home late.

In the seventh over 1400m Celtic King has been knocking on the door and is drawn on the right side with Strydom now up. Rough Justice looks likely to enjoy the return to a straight course and is drawn on the right side over a trip he should enjoy. Wottahottie loves the course and distance and Gavin Lerena is up from a fair draw.

In the eighth over 1400m Nkomo has a better draw than last time and should be running on. Eliza Doolittle returns to the course and distance of her facile maiden win and has not only come down to an attractive merit rating but is drawn on the right side. Lemonade River flew up over course and distance last time and could do the same if dropped out from a high draw.

By David Thiselton

Mambo Mime warms up for the Cape Guineas by taking on older horses in the Wynberg Cricket Club Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow and he should win if his trainer’s classic hopes are to be realised.

Dean Kannemeyer, who has a major chance with Power King 30 minutes later, says: “Mambo Mime put up a bloody good run last time. He gave Black Arthur 5kg and was only beaten half a length. He wasn’t fully stripped either because he’d had a setback before that race.”

Grant Behr’s mount missed his previous outing because he was found to be going short on his near hind but his biggest problem this time could be that the handicappers have put him up 2kg for running so well against fellow Guineas hope Black Arthur.

That stable’s Bianzino has also been raised 2kg for running on into second at Durbanville and, as Mike de Kock’s Alghadeer is having his first Cape Town run of the campaign, the biggest danger is probably Big Cat.

Mambo Mime (Nkosi Hlophe)

The ex-Stan Elley gelding was only three lengths behind subsequent Green Point winner Captain America on his Pinnacle reappearance and Dennis Drier says he should have come on from that.

Breathless Bertie, so often living up to his name by running out of steam before the end, has found a new lease of life that enables him to last home and he goes for a hat-trick in the Swartz Family Handicap.

“I got a special hood from Ireland,” explains Mike Stewart.” It has rubber earmuffs built into it and this means he can’t hear the horses behind. He is a much better horse as a result.”

However the handicappers have hit him hard with a 4kg increase and Saint Donan should be able to reverse the form. He is 5.5kg better for being beaten a length (admittedly when Breathless was racing without the magic hood) and has the 4kg benefit of Shadlee Fortune who was on the Stewart horse last time.

Saint Donan probably has most to fear from Ovar who was having his first run since February when fifth last time and is marginally better in. Furthermore the modest Andre Nel (“I’m only winning maidens”) has the Plattner horses on fire.

Nel runs the consistent Arctic Teon in the Iron Lady Maiden but, as he is not expecting any dramatic improvement (“his form is as good as he is”), the vote goes to Shall Be Free who comes out a length and a half best of all on adjusted merit ratings.

“Shall Be Free will relish the step up to 2 000m,” says Mike Robinson who adds that he also likes his other runner – “Rock Country can work with anything at home and I don’t know which I would put my money on.”

Forecast favourite Heart Of Darkness has been hit with a wide draw in the opening Cape Kidney Association Maiden and so Grant van Niekerk’s mount may not cope with Doctorow. This one’s last run would read better had he not lost valuable ground at the start and victory would augur well for Kannemeyer’s later hopes.

By Michael Clower

The Gr 1 SANSUI Summer Cup is one of the country’s big three and will have off course punters glued to their armchairs this weekend.

French Navy carries topweight but is known to become electrified the moment he enters the straight and will likely build on his sixth place in the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Charity Mile, in which he produced  a powerful finish from behind. He is a deserving favourite and jumps from a nice draw of eight.

His Sean Tarry-trained Stablemate Halve The Deficit also caught the eye in the Charity Mile when running on strongly from last and this evergreen seven-year-old Right Approach gelding, who deserves a change of luck, is not only down to an attractive merit rating but also has a fair draw of nine.

St Tropez (Nkosi Hlophe)

Dean Kannemeyer has Power King as well as he had him before his Vodacom Durban July victory. He only received three points for that win and has a shout in an overall weaker race from a plum draw of five.

The Irish import Flying The Flag is one of three runners attempting to give Mike de Kock his tenth Summer Cup, but didn’t inspire much confidence in the Charity Mile when staying on steadily. He should improve on the run and rain might help his cause.

Stablemates Ahlaam and The Centenary are the only two fillies in the race and are both 0,5kg under sufferance. Ahlaam is courageous but will find it tough as a front-runner, while The Centenary will relish the course and distance and her running on style makes her one of the race’s dark horses.

Judicial disappointed in his seasonal reappearance in the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m, but trainer Tyrone Zackey is an expert in peaking his charges and this enigmatic sort showed his class when finishing third in the Summer Cup last year.

Trainer Geoff Woodruff’s expertise in peaking them is illustrated by his yard having the first three past the post two years ago and the first two last year. He doesn’t have as strong a hand this year. Master Sabina, runner up two years ago, will be having his second run after a layoff of a year. Deo Juvente is held in high regard and qualified by winning the Victory Moon in impressive style, but Anton Marcus has chosen to rather waste to make the weight of 53kg for St. Tropez. The Captain’s Tune plugged on from a handy position in the Charity Mile for seventh and is now drawn in pole, but has a slight stamina doubt on pedigree.

The St. John Gray-trained Yer-Maan won Zimbabwe’s biggest race, the Castle Tankard over this trip, and will be hoping for a strong pace, but looks a touch high in the weights.

Mac De Lago is capable of a strong finish and, being conditioned by the astute trainer Weiho Marwing, should be cherry ripe. Weichong Marwing will give him a chance of overcoming his tough draw.

The Stuart Pettigrew-trained Easy Lover was finishing strongly for second in the Victory Moon over 1800m, suggesting he will get this trip, and his style is suited to the Standside course.

MLJet has put his disappointing three-year-old season behind him and finished a fine second in the Charity Mile. His full-brother Augusta National has won over 1800m, so he can’t be discounted from draw two.

Ultimate Dollar, one of two runners for Justin Snaith,  will likely relish the course and distance as he takes a long time to wind up into his sizeable stride and he was another who caught the eye running on strongly in the Charity Mile. If anybody can nullify his 19 draw it is Piere Strydom.

Stablemate Dynamic is the forgotten horse of the race, as he was fancied for the July before failing to make the final field. He produced a strong finish when a close second in the Gr 1 Cape Derby as a three-year-old, so will appreciate the step up to this trip after staying on steadily in the Charity Mile.

Disco Al, one of two runners for Joey Ramsden, is an honest type who is coming off a good preparation over 1800m at Turffontein and on paper he has a fair chance at the weights. He finished last a year ago but has had a better preparation this time.

Stablemate St. Tropez has a big shout despite a wide draw as he looks capable of rising above his current merit rating and will relish the tough course and distance.

The Erico Verdonese Diesel Jet won in facile fashion from the front over 1800m last time out but will unlikely be given an easy lead here and is eight points higher in the merit ratings.

The Gavin van Zyl-trained Platinum Jet is 2,5kg under sufferance, but earned his place with a good third in the Victory Moon. He has only had eight starts for three wins, so is unexposed and could surprise.

St. Tropez is the selection to beat Ultimate Dollar, French Navy, Halve The Deficit, Dynamic and The Centenary.

By David Thiselton

Paul Lafferty makes Toreador colt Unbelievable Chad a “massive” runner in Saturday’s Gr 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m at Turffontein, a race in which the Summerveld yard’s colt Harry’s Son finished second last year.

Swimming legend Chad Le Clos and his ebullient father Bert will be at Turffontein along with the rest of the syndicate of owners to cheer the handsome bay on.

Lafferty said, “Piere Strydom didn’t know the horse before the Graham Beck Stakes and the horse grabbed the bit and took off with him. Striker said afterwards he is still a big baby and has a lot of improving to do and if ridden more patiently he would have done much better. He added that you can’t go up the Turffontein hill like that and still place but this horse did still place (finished a 3,6 length fourth to Muwaary).”

Unbelievable Chad (Nkosi Hlophe)

Andrew Fortune watched the Graham Beck and phoned for the ride in the Dingaans. Lafferty and Fortune have discussed the race and Fortune has passed on the message to the connections that he would be “a jockey strike.”

Lafferty is confident the colt will not repeat his antics and said, “He is not a stupid horse. He had never seen Turffontein and was fresh, so just bolted. He is a very laid back horse and there is no ways he will be boring to the front again.”

Fortune’s fine hands and excellent positioning of a horse will make him a perfectly suitable jockey for the horse too.

Lafferty was not concerned about his wide draw of ten and said, “We will cover him up.”

Unbelievable Chad will travel at midnight on Friday.

Lafferty regards the likely favourite, Lineker, as well as Noah From Goa as the horses to beat, but as always has respect for the whole field.

Ironically, Lafferty was the initial buyer of Star Witness colt Lineker, picking him out at an Australia Sale on behalf of Mcihael Leaf for Aus $50,000.

Leaf then decided to put him on the Bloodstock South Africa Ready To Run Sale, with the idea that it would either qualify him for the expensive Sales race or might fetch a big price.

Bloodstock agent John Freeman approached him at the Sale saying he really liked the colt, so would be attempting to buy him for the Justin Snaith yard, and asked whether he would he be interested in taking a share if they secured him.

The colt went for R1,1 million and ultimately Leaf ended owning the whole horse again.

Lafferty, Leaf and Freeman’s intuition was spot on as Lineker won last month’s R2,015,000 BSA Ready To Run Cup.

Another interesting aspect to Saturday’s Dingaans is that rejuvenated sire Toreador will have no fewer than four runners in the twelve horse field and two of the other three, Bull Valley and Rikitikitana, will have just as much confidence behind them as Unbelievable Chad has.

In further Lafferty yard news, Harry’s Son is doing exceptionally well under the care of assistant trainer Roy Waugh at Epsom in the UK and will be departing for Dubai at the end of the first week of December together with the yard’s other Dubai Carnival campaigner Royal Navy Ship. Followers of Harry’s Son can catch up with his progress on www.laffertyracing.co.za

By David Thiselton

Leading South African jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe is set to have his first ride in Britain at Wolverhampton on Friday when he partners Cold As Ice in the £19,000 32Red Fillies Conditions Stakes.

The seven-furlong (1400m) Tapeta contest is a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 32Red.com All-Weather Fillies’ & Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes over the same distance on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, March 25.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Nkosi Hlophe)

Fayd’Herbe has partnered some of South Africa’s best horses since he started riding in 1996, including three-time champion Pocket Power and J J The Jet Plane, on whom he won the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan, Dubai, in 2011.

He heads to Wolverhampton to ride South African import Cold As Ice, who also makes her UK debut for Newmarket trainer William Haggas.

The four-year-old filly has won five of her seven starts, which have all been at Kenilworth, including a pair of impressive Gr2 victories. She was beaten a short-head on her latest appearance in the Gr1 Majorca Stakes over a mile in January.

Haggas said: “Bernard has a contract with the owners (Kathy Finch and Bridget Kieswetter) in South Africa and they asked if he could come over. He rode Cold As Ice on Tuesday morning and seemed very happy with her.

“I think it is his first ride in the UK and it will be an interesting experience for him. He has ridden all over the world and is a top-class jockey.

“Cold As Ice came to us in July and I didn’t want to spend the winter doing nothing with her, so the owners and I decided to give her a go on the All-Weather and this seemed the obvious route to go.

“She should be fit enough to run a good race. Obviously, it is a Fast-Track Qualifier so we are hoping to get qualification out of the way but she might keep running on the All-Weather. We will see how we go on Friday first and then decide.”

A field of nine for the 32Red Fillies Conditions Stakes also features Lamar, who has already qualified for All-Weather Championships Finals Day following a game victory in the Listed 32Red/ebfstallions.com Fleur de Lys Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield Park on October 29.

Marco Botti has declared Italian Listed winner Kyllachy Queen and Fleur de Lys Fillies’ Stakes sixth Alfajer, while Invoke who was seventh behind Lamar at Lingfield Park, is also set to line up.

The third All-Weather Championships run from Thursday, October 29, 2015 and culminate with All-Weather Championships Finals Day on Good Friday, March 25, 2016, at Lingfield Park. The seven races on All-Weather Championships Finals Day are worth a total of £1.1 million.

– racenews.co.uk

Arabian Beat and Abashiri will be making their seasonal reappearances at the big Turffontein meeting on Saturday.

Their respective trainers had divergent opinions on the chances of the two top class Gr 1 performers.

Arabian Beat, a three-year-olds Black Minnaloushe colt who only just failed from a wide draw in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville in his last start, runs in the Gr 2 AmTote  Merchants over the 1160m, course and distance of his Gr 1 SA Nursery victory. Dominic Zaki said he would be close to his peak and added, “His preparation has gone smoothly and I give him a big chance with that low weight.” He carries only 53kg off his 110 merit rating in the handicap event and regular pilot Craig Zackey is aboard from a nice middle draw of 10.

The long-striding Abashiri, a three-year-olds gelding by Go Deputy, has tremendous scope and should love the 1600m course and distance of the Investec Dingaans. However, Mike Azzie cautioned, “He hasn’t run because there was nothing suitable on the program for him, but has had gallops and we have him as fit as we possibly can. However, there is nothing like one run under the belt, so I’m approaching the race with caution.” Abashiri jumps from a tough draw of 12. On the plus side the ever-professional Anton Marcus is aboard.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Arabian Beat (Nkosi Hlophe)

The pool for Saturday’s Pick 6 for the Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup meeting at Turffontein is expected to reach R5 million after the injection of a R1,5 million carryover. All six legs are Graded Stakes events.

The first leg is the Gr 2 AmTote Merchants over 1160m. Races 1 and 3 on the card are over the same distance and punters should watch for any draw bias.

Copper Parade (JC Photo)

Copper Parade prefers fast ground so rain will affect his chances. The eight-year-old won the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m less than two years ago and in that race got the fast pace  which allowed him to free wheel at his high cruising speed before using his devastating turn of foot. He will certainly get a fast pace in this big field sprint and has dropped to a 101 merit rating from 116, as well as being drawn on what is usually the right side, so if in the mood could go close.

Doing It For Dan was raised four points for his easy last win but trainer Louis Goosen has a knack of extracting continual improvement from his classy sprinters. Trip To Heaven’s last run can be ignored as he was slow away and rushed and he is capable of carrying top weight to victory. Tiger Territory was desperately unlucky last time out when cruising in behind horses with nowhere to go, so is potentially well handicapped. The scopey Arabian Beat won the Gr 1 Nursery and despite a layoff of nearly five months trainer Dominic Zaki reckoned he would be close to his peak and gave him a “big chance with that low weight”. Brutal Force has improved with gelding. Toro Rosso loves to gallop and is dropped back in trip. Al Don Cumarco is an impressive specimen and Gavin Lerena will suit him. Whiteline Fever, Aurum Pot and Amazing Strike are three others that could be considered.

The fifth race is the Gr 3 Joshua Doore/Russells Fillies Mile and the classy and progressive Madame Dubois should love the course and distance and is a potential banker from pole position despite having to give the field 1kg. The improving Joan Ranger could be a threat being 1kg better off with Madame Dubois for a neck beating in the Starling Stakes over 1400m, but there is a reversal in draw fortunes. Sapsan is the only danger to the front two on current form, although the gigantic Persian Rug could do better if the ground is soft and Shaama might bounce back to form having her third run after a rest.

Trip To Heaven (JC Photo)

The sixth is the Gr 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m and the impressive Noah From Goa is a possible banker as he should relish the step up in trip. Unbelievable Chad ran away with the rider last time but is usually a relaxed type and is now familiar with the course. So if able to tuck in from a wide draw his big stride will carry him close. Bull Valley should be cherry-ripe for this his target race. New Predator won his maiden impressively over course and distance and the form has worked out well. Long-striding Abashiri is top class and should be suited to the standside track, but this is his first start of the season, as there was nothing suitable for him, and although the yard have him as fit as possible trainer Mike Azzie added, “There is nothing like one run under the belt, so I’m approaching the race with caution.” Lineker has class and should just about stay the trip. Rikitikitana has caught the eye on occasion.

The seventh is the Sansui Summer Cup and will be reviewed tomorrow.

The eighth is the Gr 2 Bradlows/Morkels Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m. Trophy Wife will have come on from her last start and over her probable favourite course and distance is the third of the possible bankers. Smart Call needed her last start over 1400m and will appreciate the step up in trip but does have to give 2kg to most of the field including Trophy Wife. Bichette beat Smart Call  comfortably in her last start over 1450m and is now 1kg better off, but is not certain to enjoy the step up in trip. Love To Sail might prove to be suited to this trip. Featherfoot should be coming into her own being by Silvano but has a tough task at the weights.

The ninth race is the Gauteng Racing Association Handicap over 3200m. Weiho Marwing has a superb record in staying races at Turffontein and Fulcrum and Cool Chardonnay both look to be out-and-out stayers and should be involved. The classy topweight Storm Warning should finish on top of Fulcrum. J’s Outsider has to be included too, as the winner of the Gold Bowl over course and distance. Wild Ash is a big filly with some class and plenty of stamina. Savage Wind can never be ignored.

By David Thiselton

Trainer Yvette Bremner sends three raiders from Port Elizabeth to Turffontein for the Sansui Summer Cup meeting and all three of them, Copper Parade, Al Don Cumarco and Eros’s Girl, are interesting runners.

The horses leave Fairview today for Johannesburg.

Copper Parade prefers fast ground and will be scratched if there is too much rain, but he should be alright as there is 3mm forecast for tomorrow (Thursday), 10mm for Friday and 10mm for Saturday. The now eight-year-old gelding by Lecture has become a bit cantankerous and Bremner admitted his performance would depend on his mood. However, she added that he had given Anthony Delpech a good feel last time out in an International Jockeys race, a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1000m at Fairview when running on strongly for third, and added Delpech had said he would want to ride him in Johannesburg if not retained for any other ride.

As it happens Delpech will be riding his guv’nor Mikede Kock’s Toro Rosso and instead Karl Zechner is aboard Copper Parade. Bremner also pointed out that Coppeer Parade loves travelling and has always run well away from home. Another plus to his chances is that as a horse with a high cruising speed and an electric turn of foot when at his best, the likely strong pace of the big field Merchants will play into his hands and, furthermore, he has carried 60kg and more in his last 18 runs and now has a featherweight 53kg on his back. The outside part of the straight is often favourable on big Turffonteinrace days so his draw of 18 looks to be another plus. There is no doubting his ability, as he won the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at this course two seasons ago, downing the like of the brilliant Via Africa. Copper Parade is a potential value each/way bet on the day.

Five-year-old Captain Al gelding Al Don Cumarco will also be a runner, although it remains to be seen whether his low draw of five will have any affect will on his chances. Bremner believes national champion jockey Gavin Lerena will be the perfect rider him and said, “He is a big horse and needs to be balanced, so I think Gavin will have him balanced before he flies. His last win was full of merit.” In that last race, the same one Copper Parade ran in, he didn’t break well from a low draw and sat at the back towards the inside and eventually had to be switched towards the outside of horses to find a run. Just as he was going forward he was sandwiched between two horses, affecting his momentum, but then picked himself up again to win going away under S’Manga Khumalo. The big bay ran in the weight for age Gr 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville and interestingly beat Trip To Heaven at level weights as he now receives 3,5kg from him. However, Trip To Heaven, who is defending his crown on Saturday, was coming back from a six month break in The Mercury and has clearly improved since then.

Eros’s Girl, who was rated by former trainer Justin Snaith, is a talented but headstrong sort. The four-year-old Captain Al Filly has only been with Bremner for three weeks and she said she had been “perfectly behaved” so far. However, the yard will still be taking a pony with her up to Johannsburg. Eros’s Girl’s last two wins, both at Fairview, were over 1800m and 2000m respectively. However, she won both of her first two career starts easily over 1200m, at which stage she looked set for big things. Bremner believes she still has the necessary speed to compete in Saturday’s Gr 3 Magnolia Handicap over 1160m. In fact, considering she pulled badly in her last start over 1600m at Kenilworth when finishing 4,55 lengths behind Fear Not in a handicap, the sprint might be what she is looking for. She has also fallen to an attractive merit rating of 87, the first time she has been below 91 in her career. Zechner rides from a draw of 12.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Copper Parade (JC Photos)

Distribution of weight would appear to be the key to Anton Marcus’s extraordinary ability to get horses fast away from the pens – an ability that has puzzled onlookers, profited punters and been the envy of rivals.

The four-time champion does it race after race, seemingly without having to ask his mounts to use up valuable energy, and they are invariably in a handy position within 200m no matter how badly they are drawn.

Close examination reveals that he doesn’t jizz up his mounts either in the pens or before going into them. In fact he sits remarkably still but when the gates open he rises high in the irons, bringing his weight well forward over the horse’s withers.

After no more than a couple of nudges with his hands his horse is running freely and easily – and doing so fast enough for him to be able to position it where he wants.

Most jockeys, finding that their horse is not going fast enough to get a positon, don’t rise at all and instead crouch low in the saddle and start pushing hard. This brings their weight significantly further back than it would be using the Marcus method.

It will be interesting to see if any of them switch to the Marcus way of starting and how successful they are at it.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Anton Marcus

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer has the five-year-old Silvano gelding Power King as well as he had him before his famous victory in the Vodacom Durban July in the build up to Saturday’s Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein.

Power King will travel from Summerveld to Johannesburg on Friday and the one concern could be the altitude adjustment. It is generally agreed that horses raiding the Highveld from the coast will struggle at distances beyond a mile, but what is often ignored is that Summerveld is already a third of the altitude of Johannesburg and this could explain why horses raiding from that particular KZN centre have been successful in middle distance and staying races at Turffontein in the past.

Power King had an excellent seasonal reappearance, when flying up for second in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1200m on the Greyville turf on November 1.

Kannemeyer has not wanted to over exert him in his preparation and his next serious bit of work was last Thursday, when he had a gallop over 1200m on the Summerveld grass. “Boom, he was ready,” said Kannemeyer, who added big race jockey Stuart Randolph had also been pleased with the workout.

Power King has a plum draw of five and was only given a three point raise for his July win. He will still have to shoulder second topweight of 58,5kg off his 109 merit rating in what looks to be an ultra competitive race, so it is not going to be easy, but he is the fancy of a number of pundits and is the second favourite at 6/1 with Betting World.

There is about 23mm of rain forecast this week up to and including Saturday. Kannemeyer pointed out, “Power King won the Winter Guineas in soft going, finished second in the Winter Derby in the mud and won a Scottsville race on firm ground, so he can handle all conditions. He is a genuine horse with a big heart and his preparation has gone like a dream, he’s very well.”

Kannemeyer, whose main base is at Milnerton in Cape Town, has been with Power King at his Summerveld satellite yard this week.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Power King (Nkosi Hlophe)