Brazuca, 4kg clear top-rated of the 44 first nominations for the Magnum Cape Classic, will miss Saturday week’s Kenilworth Grade 3 test because of his 25 draw.

However Johan Janse van Vuuren said yesterday that a tilt at the Grand Parade Cape Guineas on December 19 could still be under consideration.

He said: “That was my plan originally, otherwise I wouldn’t have nominated him for the Cape Classic, but it’s draw dependent and in the Cape Classic he has got a bad draw.”

Janse van Vuuren took the unconventional step of running the Australian-bred in the Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe on July day when he was still a maiden (“because he is good”) and the colt was beaten only a short head by Seventh Plain. He has since won at the Vaal.

Act Of War, who took last year’s Cape Classic en route to victory in the Selangor and Cape Guineas, has taken his reappearance Matchem win exceptionally well.

Joey Ramsden, confirming that the Green Point on November 21 is next on the agenda, said: “Act Of War has come out of the race really well. He is a different horse now and he is like an absolute bull.”

Greg Ennion still has a lot of faith in the former Stan Elley-trained Eighth Wonder despite the gelding’s three-quarter length defeat by Victorious Jay at Durbanville last Saturday.

Ennion said: “All that beat him was last time’s four point merit rating increase and that he needed the run – he was blowing hard afterwards. He is a very well bred horse (his grandam is a half-sister to Horse Chestnut) and he is going to be good.”

By Michael Clower

Picture: Brazuca (Nkosi Hlophe)