Sun Met hero Rainbow Bridge was reported in good shape at Milnerton yesterday but long term plans are fluid.

Eric Sands, having achieved rather more than merely the greatest success of his 36-year training career, said: “He is obviously a little tired and he left a bit of food last night but he took the race very well.

“There was a little bit of puffiness in one joint but nothing more than you would expect after a race, and I am happy with it. I will probably now give him a working holiday (rather than sending him to the farm). He will trot in the mornings and spend the rest of the day in the paddock.”

And his next run?  “The decision on his future is out of my hands but, assuming he is still with me, we will make a decision with the owners.”

The reason for the uncertainty is that the four-year-old has been owned by Chris Gerber’s family following his untimely death from malaria three months ago. The original brief was to keep to the programme and in a poignant moment during Saturday’s post-race interview Sands looked to heaven and said: “We left a gap in the photograph as there was somebody else there with us- and if it hadn’t been for all Chris’s patience the horse might never have got to the Met.”

Sands was referring to Rainbow Bridge’s recurring lameness before he even saw a racecourse. He was sent to a farm for three months and, still lame, he was then sent back to it for a further six.

But Gerber’s tragic death is not the only human interest story behind the 2019 Met. For the trainer it marked the end of a near 14-year struggle to restore his reputation. In April 2005 Sands was on the crest of a wave, a string of Grade 1 winners to his name and three top horses going to Durban – Hundred Acre Wood and Sporting Treble for the July and Charnwood for the KZN Fillies Guineas. They were to be given a pre-travel liquid paraffin laxative to guard against colic but the wrong bottle was taken out of the cupboard and they were treated with disinfectant instead. They suffered so badly that they had to be put down.

According to press reports at the time the “medication” was administered, not by Sands or his staff, but by a vet. However the trainer, in the eyes of the NHA, is responsible for everything to do with his horses – and it was the same with owner perception. All those Group1 triumphs with horses like Flobayou, Perfect Promise, Jungle Warrior and Double D’Or counted for nothing almost overnight.

Climbing back up the ladder was a long, hard struggle that took guts and perseverance on an Everest-conquering scale and Sands, now 62, reflected: “I never doubted I would make it but the problem was that people doubted me.”

Rainbow Bridge, the second Met winner for Smart Call’s sire Ideal World and bred by Jessica Slack in conjunction with her mother Mary, was an unlikely harbinger of salvation – so nervous that he sweated buckets before every race and burned up precious energy by insisting on jig-jogging round the parade ring.

“He is a very bright horse and he immediately knows when they are any changes,” said Sands. ”At home he is a piece of cake – you could put a baby in his box – but when he gets on a float he sweats. On Saturday, though, I was confident. His weight had been a bit low but I’d got it to the right level earlier in the week and, when I went to his box that morning, his manger was empty so I fed him again. He ate that too. I fed him four times in all so I knew he was well.

“When he got to the course we hosed him down and we did it again just before we saddled him. He walked into the parade ring wet and dried as he cantered down.”

Anton Marcus, winning his third Met, takes up the story: “I took him down a bit faster than normal and he just came back to me. I had reservations about the trip going into the race but as soon as I took him down I had no doubt he would stay and in the last 100m I felt it would take something special to beat me.”

The time of 2 min 2.96 sec was good by Met standards but a fraction slower than those clocked by Whisky Baron two years ago, Martial Eagle in 2013 and of River Jetez in 2010.

Milton (last) was returned fatigued and Oh Susanna (seventh) with a mouth injury but the disappointment of the race was Do It Again despite the 15-10 favourite finishing second. He simply couldn’t go the pace early on and he had only one behind him until the straight. “He was a bit flattish and I struggled to get him where I needed him to be,” said Richard Fourie who was summoned by the stipes to explain his riding. His explanation was noted.

THE SUN MET – WHAT OTHER JOCKEYS SAID

Keagan de Melo (Head Honcho, 3^rd): “This was his first time at this level and he ran his heart out.”

Corne Orffer (Undercover Agent, 4^th): “I managed to get him into a nice position and switched off. I was forced to pull out so I might have been a little bit closer otherwise. I thought it was a phenomenal run.”

Lyle Hewitson (Legal Eagle, 5^th): “He raced smoothly and was as gutsy and honest as he can be. No excuses.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Oh Susanna, 7th): “She would have done better if I could have got her to settle a bit earlier. Against the colts it was a bit tough.”

M.J. Byleveld (Tap O’Noth, 10^th): “I got stuck three wide and it all played against me.”

By Michael Clower

The rich vein of form of the Ashburton-based trainer Louis Goosen continued at Greyville yesterday when he landed the Non-Black Type Marula Sprint over 1000m with Di Mazzio ridden by in-form Mark Khan, although the runner up Sniper Shot could be considered unlucky.

The meeting was switched from the rain effected Scottsville on to the all weather Greyville polytrack surface.

Khan had the strapping five-year-old Australian-bred Bernadini gelding out quickly from a plum draw of three and he dictated at a good gallop. Sniper Shot was travelling well a couple of lengths off the pace but was stuck for a few crucial strides in the straight behind Desolate Road, who was battling to quicken. He then had to dive inside for a run and was only a short-head shy at the line. Hard Play also ran on well on the outside and was a further head back in third. The favourite Tribal Fusion was switched to the outside at the top of the straight and stayed on for fourth but was never a threat. The winner’s stablemate Archillies earned some stake money in fifth.

Goosen and Khan clinched a double together in the process as they had won the second race over 1000m with the Main Aim filly Fleek, who had become expensive to follow.

There was a touching moment after the third race when part-owner Marius Mostert donated his share of the stakes money to trainer Gary Rich for all the hard work he had put in to the troublesome three-year-old Clouds Of Witness. The Master Of My Fate gelding had fought courageously under Billy Jacobson to repel the challenge of Jack Of Hearts and win by three-quarters-of-a-length.

The meeting began with a good win over 1000m by the Michael Roberts-trained two-year-old Crusade filly Hey Delilah ridden by Warren Kennedy. She has some substance and might train on.

Ormond Ferraris made a successful raid with Traffic Guard gelding American Indian who drew away easily to win the fourth over 2000m under grandson Luke.

The Andre Nel-trained Gimmethegreenlight mare O’ Keefe ran on well to win the fifth over 1800m under Gareth Wright.

The seventh over 1600m was won cosily by the Toreador gelding Bravo Bravo under Keagan de Melo.

The last over 1600m saw the hard knocking Paul Lafferty-trained Judpot colt Victorious Man finally getting off the mark under Lyle Hewitson and he won’t stop there.

By David Thiselton

The Scottsville meeting on Sunday features the Non-Black Type Marula Sprint over 1200m.

Sniper Shot, who returns from a layoff, was fancied for last year’s Tsogo Sun Sprint, but after being scratched due to a pulled muscle in his back came out three weeks later and won the Post Merchants.

Trainer Paul Lafferty said, “He is very well and working very well. He is an athlete so I don’t think he will need it. He is a serious runner.”

Desolate Road is a promising sort who should be at his peak in his third run after a layoff over an ideal trip.

Di Mazzio has a shout having proved in his penultimate start on the poly he gets this trip. He is still well handicapped on his best form.

Hard To Play has some class and is course and distance suited.

Tribal Fusion is also distance suited and goes for a hattrick.

Cuvura is consistent and carrying just 52,5kg over a suitable trip has a shout.

The first leg of the PA over 1000m should be fought out by Tarocco, who will enjoy the step down in trip, and Dancing Princess, who is a hard knocker who went close the last time she ran this trip. Fleek must also be considered due to the turn around in form of the Louis Goosen yard.

The first leg of the Pick 6 over 1950m could be won by the Duncan Howells-trained Stolen Paradise, who is a half-brother to the Track And Ball Derby winner Cape Speed. He will appreciate the step up in trip. Jack Of Hearts and Roy’s Flash make most appeal of the rest. Clouds Of Witness has a wide draw but is hard to leave out and Auld Reekie also has to be considered. .

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 2400m Ballymaine will relish this course and distance and is well drawn in his third run after a layoff so can be risked as a banker. Beyond him it is wide open,

In the next race over 1750m Bon Bon has always truck as having ability and this Bold Silvano mare now looks to have come into her own. She can overcome a seven point raise after winning full of running over 1600m last time. The Johannesburg raider Pretty Ballerina has to be included despite a wide draw.

The seventh race over 1600m could fall to Bravo Bravo who has not been disgraced behind two fair sorts in his last two starts. Baltic Amber looks to be the danger.

In the last race over 1600m Victorious Man will be hard to beat. Jurist proved he is better than his previous form suggested last time and is the main danger from a good draw over an ideal trip with first-time blinkers on.

By David Thiselton

The Turffontein Inside track stages a ten race meeting tomorrow and the Sun Met will form the last leg of the Pick 6.

Oh Susanna is as well as she was if not better than when wining last year and will prefer racing against males as her own gender do not provide a strong enough pace or opposition for her. She has an ideal draw and the pace should be on with three front runners in Milton, Head Honcho and Kampala Campari in the race. Do It Again has proved his class and is only getting better so is going to be hard to beat but he does have to concede 2,5kg to Oh Susanna, who is built like a colt.

Eyes Wide Open won the Cape Derby over course and distance a year ago, beating Do It Again, and is cherry ripe for the first time since. However, Do It Again was unlucky back then, having had to come from last in a race run at a crawl, and he has improved a lot since. Furthermore, Eyes Wide Open has a tricky draw of nine for one who will need to be handy in order to make the most of his resolute finish. However, he could sneak into the first three at long odds with there being question marks hanging over some of the others’ heads. Legal Eagle will have to put a below par run in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate behind him. However, two of his best career runs, in the SA Derby and the Jubilee Handicap, were when running on from the tail of the field and it looks likely that those tactics are going to be employed.

Head Honcho has a huge stride and has improved dramatically this season so is the dark horse although his wide draw will make it tough, especially as he is a front runner in a field with two other front-runners involved. Rainbow Bridge is full of class and his exceptional turn of foot was not quite there in the Queen’s Plate. He was found to have heat on a joint afterwards which could have been an explanation. If at his soundest this time it could be a different story but against him is his temperament as there is a chance he will boil over due to all the noise and activity around the course. Made To Conquer has class and is interesting with blinkers on. He is the hardest of the others to ignore.

The PA starts with a 1200m Maiden and Sea Air should get punters through from a good draw.

The first leg of the Pick 6 over 1800m is tough despite being an Assessment Plate in which I Like It is well in at the weights on official merit ratings. She can be included but the form of her Grade 3 Fillies Mile second has not stood up and she might be overrated. Fortuna Road is tipped to win as she should stay the trip and is progressing nicely and she can go to the front in a race which lacks pace. Animal Lover can also be included as one who has gone close over 2000m at this course before.

Pilgrim’s Progress is a banker consideration in the fifth over 3000m being drawn in pole with a nice galloping weight.

In the sixth over 1450m the distance specialist Rouge Allure is well drawn, but Strawberry Pavlova and Aurelia Cotta will likely be doing good work late.

In the seventh over 1450m Orapa enjoys this course and distance and has the ability to win from a good draw. However, Captain Tortuga is an up and coming sort who will be a threat from pole position. However, the breathing noises he makes are a concern and punters should consider going wide.

In the last leg of the Jackpot, the Johan Jane van Vuuren pair of Torrey Pines and Shezashiningstar look set to fight it out, although it is another one to possibly go wide in.

By David Thiselton

Do It Again is a confident selection to add the Sun Met to his Durban July and Queen’s Plate triumphs at Kenilworth tomorrow – as well as end the six-year hoodoo on Met favourites. Stable companion Oh Susanna could well prove his biggest danger.

The four-year-old, having won the country’s greatest race over 11 furlongs, was widely expected to find last time’s mile on the short side. Not a bit of it. He produced a turn of foot that even Usain Bolt would have envied to make up six lengths in 300m and win going away. He is trained by a champion and Richard Fourie (“everything has gone right for me”) is riding out of his skin at the moment.

Oh Susanna won this with authority 12 months ago and has done little wrong since. The Horse of the Year’s chances of becoming the fifth female to win this in ten years have been boosted by some spectacular homework and Justin Snaith says: “This is her third run of the campaign and you will see the best of her but there is not much in it between her and Do It Again.” At 15-2 she is a huge price and Bernard Fayd’Herbe, bidding for his fourth win, is a Met master.

If you want double figure odds then Head Honcho at 12-1 is the one for you. He has won six of his last seven and he was tremendously impressive in the Premier when his manner of victory suggested there are even bigger things to come. Andre Nel, understandably keen to follow Yogas Govender and Brett Crawford in winning the Met as Sabine Plattner’s private trainer, says that the horse has improved since his last win.

Rainbow Bridge has been a little weak in the market in recent days, drifting from 7-2 to as much as 5-1, possibly because the focus of the papers and the websites has been more on the other leading contenders. Eric Sands and Anton Marcus are under no illusions about the task the four-year-old is facing – on ratings the second favourite should only finish fifth – but things didn’t go his way in the Queen’s Plate when he started the race, quite literally, on the wrong foot.

His jockey will ensure that he gets away on terms this time and his breeding suggests he just might appreciate the extra distance. There is still a worry about the extent of his pre-race anxiety and the noise of the crowd will make the Queen’s Plate seem like a teddy bears’ picnic. If he can cope with all the razzmatazz his renowned finishing kick just might be enough. Have a good look at him as he leaves the parade ring and, if he appears to be coping, don’t leave him out.

And then there is the old faithful. Legal Eagle lost some of his gloss, as well as his unbeaten mile record, in the Queen’s Plate but Sean Tarry explained in this paper on Wednesday how the horse wasn’t quite right (“anybody is entitled to an off day”) and that he seems to be back on song. It’s hard to believe that he will make it fourth time lucky over a distance almost certainly just beyond his best but, twice second and once fourth, he could well make the frame yet again.

Undercover Agent has a chance of getting there too but doubts about the trip, particularly with the race expected to be run at a proper gallop and may find him out in the final furlong. If everybody is wrong about the pace, though, his trainer would be in with a chance of Met number four. However the bookies assess the likelihood of this happening at around one in twenty.

Martial Eagle started at 80-1 six years ago and four of the last nine winners went off at 15-1 or more. But this time it should be the favourite and another victory for a four-year-old, by far the most successful age group recently with five wins in the last eight runnings.

By Michael Clower

The CTS 1200 and CTS 1600, to be run at the Sun Met meeting on Saturday, are the two richest races in South Africa with stakes of US$500,000 apiece and this year there are stand out competitors in both events.

Cirillo looks to be the meeting banker in the CTS 1200. Van Halen beat him easily in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson over this trip at Scottsville last year but that was only after he had completely taken him out when they went for the same gap. Cirillo has since only run in one sprint, romping home in his maiden over 1160m. However, he showed a lot of pace when winning the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m. Meanwhile, Van Halen has not had a good time of it in Cape Town, although with first time blinkers on last time he did run an improved race in the Needforspeedsprint over 1000m where he had to give weight to the field. If bouncing back to his best he could be the chief danger.

Some regarded CTS 1600 favourite One World’s third place finish in the Cape Guineas, his first defeat in his sixth start, as a below par run. However, the winner Soqrat came out and only just failed in an ultra strong L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. The runner up Twist Of Fate then showed just what a big engine he has when not settling too well but still winning the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m going away despite giving lumps of weight away. His half-a-length beating of One World in the Cape Guineas was likely no fluke and he could repeat the dose.

However, Bernard Fayd’Herbe will not be aboard this time, although he has been replaced by a champion jockey in S’Manga Khumalo. A dark horse in this race is Mr Greenlight, who has a fine turn of foot and is improving rapidly. Silvano’s Pride, who finished runner up in the Cape Fillies Guineas, will ensure a good pace and as an ever improving daughter of Silvano could hold on for a place. Majestic Mozart is an immature sort who is also improving all the time and having not been disgraced in the Cape Guineas, where he was beaten 4,25 lengths into fifth, he could also earn.

By David Thiselton

The female of the species has won four of the last nine runnings of the Sun Met- incredible when you consider how few of them run – and there is a growing feeling behind the brick walls of Snaith Racing that last year’s winner Oh Susanna is in with a real chance of a repeat.

Last Saturday’s blowing-the-house-down gallop might not have moved the bookmakers all that much – Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount has shortened little more than a point to 13-2 and 7-1 – but it has hardened the conviction of her trainer that the Horse of the Year will really put it up to hot favourite and stable companion Do It Again.

“If he wants to win the Met he is going to have to beat Oh Susanna. That’s the way I feel,” says Justin Snaith. “Since her win last year this is the best I have had her. In fact I don’t think I had her as well for last year’s Met as she is now.

“But, that said, it is always hard to beat Do It Again. He has done more than the other horses – he has won the July and the Queen’s Plate – and so you have got to give him the benefit of any doubt about his being the better. Certainly he deserves to be favourite.”

Snaith has booked former champion S’Manga Khumalo for 16-1 shot Made To Conquer, second in both the July and last month’s Premier Trophy. “He would have run in the New Turf Carriers Stayers but for putting up an incredible gallop. We put blinkers on, he was a different horse and it was one of our top three gallops of the season. He will wear them again on Saturday and he always runs consistently well.”

The fourth runner from the all-powerful Philippi yard is Piere Strydom’s mount Doublemint (22-1) who won the Peninsula Handicap on Queen’s Plate day. But the colt’s trainer has mixed feelings about the horse’s presence in the line-up. “He is a lot better than his rating suggests and he has accomplished more too, winning the Winter Derby as well as the Peninsula. I thought he would be my July horse but that may have to go out of the window if he runs a big race on Saturday. Like the other three, he is primed and ready.” Seemingly one of them will be on standby to make it a good gallop if none of the expected front-runners takes it up. “It is going to be a tough race,” acknowledges the champion trainer. “But we also want it to be a strong-run race and I am going to ensure that it is.”

By Michael Clower

Justin Snaith said his huge string for Sun Met day had their races carefully chosen and suitable jockeys had been handpicked.

He has four runners in the Met, Do It Again, Oh Susanna, Made To Conquer and Doublemint and said they were all so well he would have liked the race to have been tomorrow.

In the eyes of many the defending champion Oh Susanna had tended to race a bit strongly in her last three races, including when winning from the front in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes.

However, Snaith disagreed.

He said, “She didn’t over race at all last time, that was the plan. We raced her in ear muffs and that seemed to help. This is the best I have had her for a year.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe will ride her for the first time since her maiden win in April 2017.

Snaith said, “Bernard has a good record on our fillies. He has had Group 1 wins for us on the like of Ebony Flyer, Snowdance and Dancer’s Daughter.” Fayd’Herbe has won the Met three times, twice on Pocket Power and on Futura.

L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Do It Again is a worthy favourite as he is just getting better and better in the same way his sire Twice Over did as a racehorse. He will appreciate this step up in trip and will attempt to give Richard Fourie his first Met win.

Made To Conquer has a tough task at the weights with Do It Again on Vodacom Durban July form and with Head Honcho on Premier Trophy form. However, he is an impressive galloper and in a late declaration the blinkers have been fitted. He is one of the dark horses from draw four with S’manga Khumalo up.

The Peninsula winner Doublemint is also by Twice Over so will be improving, but he has a tough task at the weights.

In the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship Snaith regards Kasimir as one of the yards better runners on the day as he has come on from his last run. This gelding has a big action and prefers 1200m but will enjoy the tough 1000m if they go fast enough and there does look to be a lot of pace in the race.

Defending champion Sergeant Hardy was disappointing last time but will strip much fitter. His high draw is against him due to his habit of jumping to the left. Snaith is going to leave it to the jockey and added, “Mark Khan is the right jockey, he has been lucky for us.”

He was hoping Sir Frenchie could produce his usual strong finish and run into the places.

Snaith said he had defending champion Snowdance as well as she was last year for the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca and believed it would take “a top, top filly to beat her.” He was impressed by Snowdance’s run in the Queen’s Plate under the circumstances in which she had chased a strong pace “flat out” throughout and was still alongside some top class males 200m out. She was only beaten 5,1 lengths and will now have a jockey who knows her well, Richard Fourie, back aboard, albeit from a tough draw. Snaith said he did not want to take anything away from the Cape Fillies Guineas winner Front And Centre, but believed it had not been a strong renewal of that race, whereas Snowdance and Lady In Black were both proven at the highest level.

His other Majorca runner Miyabi Gold will be fitted with a cross noseband to help her breathe.

In The Grade 1 Cape Derby he has three runners. He said Bunker Hunt was a thick-skinned horse who would not be affected by the incident in the Politician Stakes where he dislodged Fourie. This horse has the X-factor and he believed he would be at his best over this trip. Belgarion is still immature but has plenty of scope and is improving all the time, so he believes he will beat those who finished around him in the Politician Stakes, where he ran on well for third. Knights Templar has ability but is still immature and Snaith said he had to learn to race at this level.

He runs Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Silvano’s Pride in the CTS 1600. She is a strong horse to hold, so only knows one way of running, to go flat out. She will be ridden accordingly and Snaith hoped she could hold on for a place. He added she was always improving.

Snaith regarded Cirillo as hard to beat in the CTS 1200 and said it was wide open beyond him. Of his four he said Seven Seas “on prepping form and current form” would be his pick as the other three were all backward types.

Snaith believed he had a particularly strong hand in the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Stayers over 2800m. Strathdon will be a huge runner at the weights and Snaith said he had prepped well so would be hard to beat. However, he reckoned Magnificent Seven would be the horse to beat if he stayed the trip. Elusive Silva had a problem with his feet which had been sorted out and he would definitely enjoy the trip. He said Ovidio would likely need the run.

Snaith concluded by saying all of his other runners on the day would be competitive.

By David Thiselton

The Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m is the first Grade 1 on Saturday’s Sun Met card and looks set to be fought out by Bold Respect and Kasimir.

The draw always plays a part in this race.

The high draws went through a phase of being favourable, but recently the inside draws appears to the most sort after. 

However, in Saturday’s race there is a lot of speed among the high drawn horses which should balance things out.  

Bold Respect will be out to prove a point as many believed he should have been made Equus Champion Sprinter for last season. He could only manage a three length sixth in last year’s race, but he had a crack at the Cape Guineas and then had to come down in trip so did not have an ideal preparation. This time he has had two good runs over 1200m and 1000m and caught the eye last time over this course and distance when staying on strongly without being hard ridden. He showed in his Grade 1 win last season in the Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville over 1200m that he has plenty of early pace. He was handy throughout that day and kicked on. He is reliable and should go close.

Kasimir was second to Pacific Trader over 1000m last time in the same race Bold Respect ran in. He has speed and a lovely big action and was not being at all hard ridden in that race. He will have come on from the run and is a worthy favourite, although Bold respect is in a slightly better position to get a tow from one of the speedsters. 

Pacific Trader has a lot of pace but he was more forward in his preparation when beating Kasimir and Bold respect last time and was also receiving 1,5kg so it would be no surprise to see them reversing form. 

Dutch Phillip was one of the best sprinters around as a three-year-old and has enjoyed a good preparation so will be looking to recapture his best. His ideal trip is 1200m but he is effective over this trip.

Attenborough is a top class sprinter on is day. He won the Computaform Sprint and produced a devastating finish from way off the pace in the Mercury Sprint. He was fifth last year in this race from a high draw in an event where the inside draws came out on top so he has a shout here from a middle draw having enjoyed a good preparation.

Rebel’s Champ is the most improved sprinter in the land and can produce a strong finish over this ideal trip. However, he does prefer a little bit of sting out of the ground. 

Speedpoint finished third in the Computaform Sprint and beat Pacific Trader over 1100m in his penultimate start, but was well beaten by the latter last time out when slowly away. He has enjoyed a good preparation and is good enough to place. 

Trip To Heaven was top class on his day and at his best has a devastating finish. He is getting on a bit but is losing ground at the start again, which strangely seems to be the prompt to running his best races.  

Sir Frenchie will find this too sharp but he is capable of a devastating finish and has a lot of speed around him so it could pan out well.

Pleasedtomeetyou was impressive last time in the Need For Speed Sprint over course and distance. However, he will have to improve some more to win here, although he could hold on for a place.  

Sergeant Hardy has a hard task of defending his crown as he has landed a high draw and famously jumps to his left so looks likely to lose some ground at the start again, unless he takes out the horse inside of him, Princess Rebel. 

Princess Rebel won the Southern Cross Stakes over course and distance easily in December. However, the form of that race has not worked out well here and she is up against it.

Sand And Sea made a good return from a wind operation in November but was then off for a bit as he injured himself in the float on the way home. He should improve on his last run when handy and going out the back door over this course and distance, but his interrupted preparation is against him.

Search Party is a couple of lengths off the best of them but is capable of being up with the pace and kicking on so could earn.  

Quinlan has been racing in PE and will need to raise his game to feature here. 

Rocky Valley finished fifth in the Computaform Sprint over this trip but his form since then suggests he is limited.

Bold Respect is the selection to win from Kasimir, Attenborough, Pacific Trader and Sir Frenchie. 

By David Thiselton

The Glen Kotzen-trained Eyes Wide Open can be considered the most overlooked horse in the Sun Met field as he is “cherry ripe” for the first time since winning last year’s Cape Derby in which he beat ruling Met favourite Do It Again.

Do It Again is admittedly a different horse now and is following in the footsteps of his sire Twice Over, who only came into his own in his four-year-old year.

However, Eyes Wide Open’s price of 33/1 looked too long and he is duly starting to be backed in.

The Dynasty colt was given a break after the Derby and only came back on Vodacom Durban July day, where he raced in the Thukela over 1600m. He needed that run and then ran a good third in the Grade 1 Champions Cup over 1800m behind Captain America and Undercover Agent. The latter only beat him by a short-head but opened at half the odds in the Met.

Eyes Wide Open has had three runs this season and needed the first two and then had no luck at all last time out in the Grade 2 Peninsula over 1800m where he was caught wide throughout.

Kotzen said, “Ït was a disappointing run but Gavin Lerena got off and said it wasn’t his best ride, apologised and then said let’s make amends in the Met. The more I analyse that race the more I think it was not a bad run. He was not only caught wide but he was also giving the winner 6kg. Gavin is a great jockey and I’m not too worried about the wide draw on Saturday as it will allow him to stay out of trouble. We were on the back foot after having to keep him in quarantine for a while on the way back from Durban. He is a burly horse who needs his races to get going and he is now cherry ripe. The only time he bumped the favourite he beat him. He is a big, big runner.”

Eyes Wide Open jumps from draw nine in the 13 horse field.

Kotzen has been preparing three horses for the Grade 1 G-Bets Cape Derby, Herodotus, Seattle Force and his brother Nathan’s charge Perpetual Flame.

In the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m they were beaten 2,70, 8,30 and 8,90 lengths respectively, despite all receiving 5,5kg from the winner Twist Of Fate.

However, Kotzen said, “Twist Of Fate’s jockey eased it up and held up three-quarters of the field and it turned into a sprint for home. Herodotus had to wait and wait and I am excited about him as he stayed on well under the circumstances. Perpetual Flame’s gallop going into that race was top class but he needs a strong gallop and couldn’t turn it on in a race which turned into a sprint. Seattle Force needed that start and has come on a lot. It is competitive. It is wide open and all three of ours have excuses for their last runs.”

Kotzen admitted Herodotus was the stable elect. The grey was doing his best work late in the Politician and Keagan de Melo stays aboard. Perpetual Flame is on the small side but has a big action and Lerena rides from a good draw of seven. Craig Zackey stays aboard Seattle Force from a good draw of five.

Kotzen runs the Grade 3 Debutante winner Temple Grafin in the US$500,000 CTS 1200.

He said, “She is one of the best weighted horses. We tried to go the Guineas route but she drew wide and compounded. She has always had natural speed and put up a phenomenal gallop under Anthony Andrews who said it was a winning gallop. We respect Cirillo but Temple Grafin will be a huge runner.”

Temple Grafin will be ridden by Piere Strydom from draw eight.

Kotzen mentioned his pair Cat Daddy and Saint West as smart sorts who will be in with a good chance in the eleventh race, a Maiden over 1600m.

He said his other runners on the day would be competitive.

By David Thiselton