Anton Marcus moved to the top of the national log with a treble on the Greyville polytrack yesterday. 

He is now on 98 winners, one ahead of Muzi Yeni, and is riding to a phenomenal strikes rate of 31,82%.

Marcus started off with an easy victory in the first race over 1000m on the Paul Lafferty-trained odds-on shot Buckleberry, a hard-knocking three-year-old gelding by Crusade.

In the third he rode a peach of a race on the Dennis Drier-trained three-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding The Master. He had to get him over from a tricky draw of seven but left something in reserve and pulled away just as he looked likely to be swamped in the straight.

Marcus clinched the treble with another fine ride in the last race over 1000m on the Louis Goosen-trained five-year-old Bernadini gelding Di Mazzio, getting him handy from pole position before producing a strong finish.

Reigning national champion jockey Lyle Hewitson scored a double. He made a belated start to the season due to injury but is making up the leeway rapidly and is now in fourth place on the log on 73 winners. 

Hewitson rode the Sean Tarry-trained Speightstown filly Little Bristol to victory over 1200m and later won easily on the Greg and Karen Anthony-trained Mulllins Bay gelding Prince Charming over 1600m. 

However, the ride of the day belonged to Warren Kennedy who steered the Dennis Bosch-trained Born To Perform to his second win from as many starts.  

Kennedy’s fine hands allow him the quirky colt to do what he wants without tearing away. He once again found a handy position with relative ease from another wide draw in the 1600m handicap and then turned it on well in the straight, despite having to be switched inward from the outside rail. He won going away by 2,5 lengths. He ran off a mere 65 merit rating so it is still too early to get overly excited but the big grey is certainly going the right way and his stakes earnings in just two runs are now R115,000, a pleasing return on a R55,000 purchase by Bosch at the BSA Super Sale last year. He is providing owner R Hurchund with a lot of entertainment.

Bosch scored a double when Keagan de Melo easily won the seventh over 1200m on eight-year-old Jet Master gelding Peter Piper. That race also sealed a quick double for De Melo. He had earlier won on Garth Puller’s four-year-old Oratorio filly Tuulikki, who knocked plenty of tickets out of the exotics in the sixth race over 1400m.

By David Thiselton

Three-times SA Champion trainer Sean Tarry has never been one to dwell on defeat or offer excuses but he gave a factual analysis of Legal Eagle’s defeat in Saturday’s Grade 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and confirmed Lyle Hewitson would be riding him in the Sun Met.

Legal Eagle’s regular rider Anton Marcus has been declared to ride the Eric Sands-trained Met second favourite Rainbow Bridge.

Tarry said he normally had difficulty saddling Legal Eagle and the horse usually played up in the parade ring too. However, the seven-year-old gelding had been “quiet” in both instances on Saturday.

He said there had been nothing wrong with the way he strode out going down to the start but noticed he had not taken hold of the bit.

He added Legal Eagle had not travelled well at any stage of the race.

He concluded, “So he was not really himself on the day and then ran a flat race.”

The superstar had been attempting to equal Pocket Power’s record of four successive Queen’s Plates. He had gone into the race undefeated in ten attempts at a mile

Tarry continued, “He was a bit quiet the next day, but we have freshened him up and he is well. So it was just an off day on the wrong day, but that’s life.”

Legal Eagle is considered best at a mile but did win the SA Derby as a three-year-old and won the Grade 1 Champions Challenge over 2000m as a four-year-old. He has twice finished runner up in the Met and fourth once and he finished second once in the Champions Challenge.

Tarry raised an interesting point, “I would like to see an analysis on how he has done over 2000m when coming from off the pace and how he has done when up at the front.”

Tarry thus hinted Legal Eagle would come from off the pace in the Met although he added that was just the way he had been thinking at present and it might all change after the draw ceremony.

Tarry had gone into last year’s Met supremely confident, but unfortunately the race just did not pan out well for Legal Eagle. He was caught wide and Marcus was eventually forced to take him up further forward than had been the plan. He then found no extra in the closing stages and finished a disappointing fourth.    

In other Tarry yard news from Saturday’s Kenilworth meeting Safe Harbour has been retired to stud after sustaining a tendon injury in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes where she finished eighth. The five-year-old Elusive Fort mare failed to attain bold black type in a 27 race career but will nevertheless be valuable as her three career wins included the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes and her five Grade 1-places included runner up finishes in all of the Cape Fillies Guineas, Paddock Stakes and SA Fillies Classic.  

Tarry was delighted by Second Request’s running on fifth in the Paddock Stakes and plans to run this progressive Twice Over filly against the boys in the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m on Met day.

He was also “very happy” with Trip To Heaven’s fifth place finish in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1000m at Kenilworth on 29 December.

“That should put him spot on for the Cape Flying Championships,” he said. Trip To Heaven has finished second in the last two renewals of the Cape Flying.

Tarry would have preferred to have had Chimichuri Run in the US$500,000 CTS 1200 and Cirillo in the US$500,000 CTS 1600 but might have to run them the other way round due to the draws. Chimichuri Run has drawn two in the CTS 1600 and Cirillo has drawn 28.        

Tarry was looking forward to Met day where he reckoned he would have “s small but good team and it should be fun.”

Tarry also had feature runners on Sunday at Turffontein and had a mixed day.

Last year’s Equus Champion Two-year-old Return Flight ran unplaced in the Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1400m but Tarry was not unduly disheartened. He said, “It was disappointing and I can’t pinpoint it but she was carrying a 5kg penalty and, running into a headwind over a distance too short, she led in a race which was run a second faster than the colts’ race. Furthermore, all horses up here missed three or four days work due to the weather and she might have been affected more than others as she is a big filly. She was below her best but she did go down exceptionally well and her coat looks great, so I am still upbeat about her prospects.”

In the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m Tarry was pleased with Vontreo’s running on third and the filly Celtic Sea’s fourth place carrying a 2kg Grade 2 penalty.

He mentioned Vontreo’s plan as being the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Classic.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus, with a 31% strike rate this season, rides in seven of the nine races at Kenilworth on Saturday and five of the seven have opened up favourite with World Sports Betting.

These include the Joey Ramsden newcomer Ibra in the first, five-length debut winner Mushi Sterek in the 1 200m handicap and the Sean Tarry-trained Mythical Bolt in the last.

The booking of the four-time champion for Rainbow Bridge in the Sun Met has seen the Eric Sands star cut from 9-2 to 4-1 with Betting World. Marcus, incidentally, would like to make it clear that the ride was only confirmed on Monday afternoon.

Tarry, clear favourite for the trainers championship until Justin Snaith’s dual Grade 1 payday last Saturday, now shares the market lead with the current champion at 19-20 with WSB.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal eight race meeting looks to be a good one for the exotics with most of the races having one or two stand out horses.

The first leg of the PA is the highest rated race on the card, a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m, and only five horses will go to post. Jet Start is a promising sort who won two starts over this trip last season easily. She needed her last start and is drawn in pole which is always an advantage in a small field. Fort Ember has proven class and the small field will suit her as she lacks early pace and always risks being caught wide.She has a 4kg claimer to help her cause but on the downside she has not had an easy campaign lately, having had a very tough race in the G-Bets Summer Cup and then travelling down to Durban to run a close up third in the

Flamboyant Stakes. Those two should be enough for the PA and Bipot, although Cold Cash is in good form, Guns And Roses is talented and had her third run after a layoff and Insignis is proving competitive off her current mark.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Flapjack has good form over this trip, including a close second to Owlinthetree, who went on to place in a Listed race over this trip on Sunday. Fort Carol is consistent and will give her something to think about over a trip she should enjoy. The Honey Badger was beaten only 1,25 lengths by Flapjack in his penultimate start over 2000m when well drawn and he is now drawn in pole over a step down in trip which he won’t mind. He does tend to get a bit hot, so if able to relax he could spring a surprise and is made the value each/way bet of the day.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1800m Midnight In Paris was stepped up from 1000m to 2000m second time out and ran a fine second. It usually takes a horse a run or two to get used to the turn and the step up in trip so she should come on a lot from that race. However, she does have a tough draw to overcome. Ever Fair ran well over this trip last time from a similarly wide draw. Lyle Hewitson stays aboard which is significant. Magic’s First ran a cracker when setting the pace over 2000m last time and from a good draw here should be in the mix with Strydom aboard.

In the fifth race over 2400m Wonderous Climber is chosen as the best bet on the card despite being 3,5 kg under sufferance with Sunshine Silk.He has improved continuously since being sent over staying trips and can do so again from a good draw. He won last time with a bit in hand and looks to be potentially better than his 75 merit rating. Sunshine Silk is drawn in pole and is suited to this trip, but it is never easy against the boys. Come The Day was entered for the Summer Cup so is well regarded and is a galloping sort who should enjoy this trip, so he also has a chance and can be included in the Pick 6 and Jackpot.

In the next race over 2400m Earth Sky is also a progressive stayer and can make it three wins in his last four starts. However, Highlander is also in fine form and should be running on strongly as usual from his good draw. If Earth Sky has a chance then Tapanzee has to be given a shout on the weight turnaround, especially from pole position as he is a quirky sort who needs things to go his way.

In the seventh race over 1000m Dancing Queen has own her last two starts over this distance with consummate ease and looks to be going places,However, Ilha Da Varlette also impressed last time and will give some cheek despite being 2,5kg under sufferance with the first choice. Casual Wear also has ability and with cheek pieces on could surprise so can be included in the Jackpot and Pick 6.

In the last race over 1000m Elbi has dropped to a competitive mark and is the selection to win over a suitable trip despite having to carry topweight. I Aint Trippin, will also go close here as she is an improving sort. Ilha Da Var is knocking hard and recent maiden winners Queen Rachel and Ocean City both have good pace and run off reasonable merit ratings so must all be included.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus will ride second favourite Rainbow Bridge in the Sun Met at Kenilworth on Saturday fortnight. This follows a conversation between the four-time champion and Eric Sands last month.

Surprisingly in a game where rumours, counter-rumours and gossip spread faster than the Betty’s Bay fire not a word of this conversation leaked out.

Sands and Bernard Fayd’Herbe had an unwritten agreement that Fayd’Herbe would ride Rainbow Bridge in all his races this season, or at least until after the Met. When Fayd’Herbe later informed Sands that he would be going to Dubai, primarily to partner Marinaresco on whom he won the 2017 Vodacom Durban July, the Milnerton trainer was not best pleased.

He felt Fayd’Herbe should be on hand to ride Rainbow Bridge in some of his work in the three weeks between the Queen’s Plate and the Met, and in effect he warned the jockey that he might have to end the agreement.

After the Green Point Sands spoke to Marcus, explained what had happened and offered him the ride. Marcus said he could not jump ship from Legal Eagle while he was still winning. He would come back to him after the Queen’s Plate.

When they spoke again Marcus told Sands that he wanted a commitment all the way through to the Durban July subject to Rainbow Bridge remaining sound and in good health. Sands and the gelding’s owners were happy to give that commitment. Although Sands made no mention of this yesterday, Fayd’Herbe was therefore freed to take the ride on Oh Susanna.

Marcus has won the Met twice – on Empress Club in 1993 and on Hill Fifty Four five years ago. In the last three seasons he has finished second twice and fourth on Legal Eagle. He is riding like a man inspired at the moment and the booking could well see Rainbow Bridge’s price shortening from its present 9-2.

Sands yesterday reported that Rainbow Bridge has taken his Queen’s Plate run well and that early concerns about heat in the horse’s off-fore have proved groundless.

Sands explained: “In the race he went on to his off-fore too soon for my liking and he stayed on it too long before changing to his near-fore. Only when he did that did he start accelerating again and by that stage the race was as good as over.

“Afterwards he had a little bit of heat in his off-fore joint and knee, nothing bad but suggesting he took a little bit of a jar. However by Monday morning it was almost 100% again and I am happy with the horse once more. After all, when you finish with two Group 1 winners in front of you and three more behind you, you know you have a pretty decent horse! “

By Michael Clower

Following a comprehensive discussion between the NHA Handicapping panel consisting of Messrs Lennon Maharaj, Matthew Lips and Vee Moodley, DO IT AGAIN has seen his Merit Rating increased from 120 to 125, in the wake of his victory in an exceptional renewal of the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday.  The 2018 Vodacom Durban July winner showed both his versatility and his class when collaring sole three-year-old SOQRAT in the shadows of the post to land what was widely billed as one of the highest average MR Group 1 and the Handicappers are perfectly satisfied that the four-year-old is worthy of his new status as the highest rated horse in South Africa.

The Handicappers assessed the Queen’s Plate on the basis that LEGAL EAGLE and UNDERCOVER AGENT confirmed exactly their form out of the Green Point Stakes, and that UNDERCOVER AGENT and SNOWDANCE almost exactly replicated their form out of the Rising Sun Gold Challenge which was run at Greyville last June.

There is every reason to believe that DO IT AGAIN could have improved five pounds on what he showed when beaten a short head by LEGAL EAGLE in the four-way photo finish to the Green Point Stakes.  DO IT AGAIN was making his seasonal debut on that occasion, having not raced since winning the Vodacom Durban July, whereas all three of those around him had run (and won) at least once in the current season. There seems no doubt that DO IT AGAIN stepped up on his Green Point Stakes performance to win the Queen’s Plate against arguably the best field of milers assembled for a race in South Africa in many years.

As a result of the Queen’s Plate, SOQRAT’s rating has been increased to 124.  The Cape Guineas winner came into the Queen’s Plate previously unbeaten from two starts over 1600m – both of them at Grade 1 level. The runner-up out of the Cape Guineas, TWIST OF FATE, easily won the Grade 3 BMW Politician Stakes on Queen’s Plate day to also underline the strength of the Guineas form.  SOQRAT is a progressive three-year-old who looks full value for his 124 rating after only losing the Queen’s Plate in the dying strides.

RAINBOW BRIDGE also appears to have stepped up considerably on his Green Point Stakes run and his rating has been increased to 119.  In the Queen’s Plate he met DO IT AGAIN, LEGAL EAGLE and UNDERCOVER AGENT on 2 kgs worse terms than in the Green Point, yet was able to reverse form with two of them easily.  There is every reason to believe that RAINBOW BRIDGE performed better in the Queen’s Plate than in the Green Point, where he ran to 116 despite appearing unsuited to the slow early pace and generally not having a great deal go his way.  A mark of 119 for him looks perfectly reasonable and confirms his place as a progressive and highly capable emerging force on the scene.

Other changes following from the Queen’s Plate are LEGAL EAGLE dropping from 123 to 121, HAT PUNTANO drops from 112 to 109, and INFAMOUS FOX’S rating has been cut from 103 to 101.  These drops are more indicative of the two horses’ deteriorating form in recent starts and are not directly linked to their performances in the Queen’s Plate, where HAT PUNTANO was the subject of a veterinary check after his Jockey reported that he felt something amiss with the Argentine-bred import.

Cartier Paddock Stakes (WFA) (Grade 1) – Race 6

There were fewer significant rating changes following the day’s other Grade 1 race, the Cartier Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares over 1800m.  The Handicappers feel confident that the highly consistent 3rd placed CASCAPEDIA is the correct line horse for the race and accordingly have rated the race to a level of 118.  However, the winner OH SUSANNA’S rating remains unchanged on 121.  Runner-up LADY IN BLACK’S rating has been upped from 108 to 117, while 4th placed FRESNAYE goes up from 104 to 110 and 5th placed SECOND REQUEST has seen her rating raised from 101 to 104.  SECRET REQUEST ran to a rating of 108 and was effectively given a half way increase.The rating of the runners that were reduced were HASHTAGYOLO (from 104 to 101) and ELUSIVE HEART, who drops to 100 from 103. The balance of the field remains unchanged.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe has landed the plum ride on last year’s winner Oh Susanna in the Sun Met on Saturday fortnight.

Fayd’Herbe is bidding for his fourth win in the Kenilworth highlight following success on Pocket Power in 2008 and 2009, and on Futura four years ago. As Jono Snaith pointed out yesterday, Oh Susanna was partnered by Fayd’Herbe when she won her maiden as a two-year-old by five and a half lengths in April 2017. He has not ridden her in public since.

The four-year-old has been left on an unchanged merit rating of 121 for last Saturday’s second Cartier Paddock Stakes win and most major bookmakers now have her third favourite at 7-1 .

Stable companion Do It Again, though, has been raised five points to 125 for his Queen’s Plate victory. He shortened significantly in the market yesterday and Betting World now has him at even money. Justin Snaith has already accepted with 18-1 shot Made To Conquer as well as his big two.

There are 22 left in the R5 million Kenilworth Grade 1, run this year at weight-for-age with no penalties. There were no additions at yesterday’s final supplementary stage but Mike De Kock has scratched Buffalo Bill Cody, Tony Ruffel winner Hawwaam, Paddock Stakes third Cascapedia, Takingthepeace and Like A Panther leaving him with just 40-1 shot Noble Secret.Candice Bass- Robinson has taken out Rocket Countdown and Andre Nel has scratched 200-1 outsider Love To Boogie.

The handicappers were busy yesterday with new NHA boss Vee Moodley also on the panel. They upped Queen’s Plate third Rainbow Bridge(second favourite for the Met at around 4-1) from 110 to 119 and dropped Legal Eagle (fourth) two points to 121. Legal Eagle, twice second in the Met and fourth 12 months ago, is as big as 20-1 this time. Queen’s Plate runner-up Soqrat (not entered for the Met) has been raised six points to 124.

Last Friday’s Cartier Sceptre winner Clouds Unfold is to revert to a mile in the Klawervlei Majorca despite Mrs Bass-Robinson expressing doubts about the distance after Aldo Domeyer’s mount managed only third when starting favourite for the Cape Fillies Guineas.

The Milnerton trainer explained: “I was disappointed with her run in the Fillies Guineas but she was pulling quite hard early on, she never really settled and she didn’t quite finish it off so I would like to try the mile again.”

BMW Politician winner Twist Of Fate has been installed 3-1 favourite for the Cape Derby by World Sports Betting even though he is not going to run. His target is the CTS 1600 which is worth five times as much. One of those who will be promoted up the market is 10-1 shot Bunker Hunt who left Justin Snaith feeling like a James Bond martini – shaken not stirred – in the immediate aftermath of the Politician.

Not content with ejecting Richard Fourie at the start – the horse went down on his knees as he left the pens – he treated his trainer like a battering ram after passing the post riderless.

Snaith reported: “I went to grab him but as I did so I tripped and he galloped straight into me, bowling me over.” Fortunately only his L’Ormarins-blue suit was injured.

By Michael Clower

Hawwaam might have just scraped home in the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday but he showed himself to be a potential champion in the process.

The horses immediately behind the leader slowed it up in the early stages and Gavin Lerena had difficulty relaxing the classy Silvano colt.

He used up valuable fuel in the process and had to draw on some more of the remaining reserves to make up the deficit in the straight. Furthermore, he was carrying a 2kg Grade 2 penalty and was running fresh over a trip too sharp. With all this taken into account, he would have been forgiven for coming out second best when a war of attrition developed up front.

However, instead he found the necessary extra to remain unbeaten.
Runner up Inexhaustible was beaten only 0,3 lengths, but with all due respect is unlikely to share the same patch of finishing-line ground with Hawwaam again.

De Kock had been considering sending Hawwaam straight into the Gauteng Guineas but was ultimately glad he ran him on Sunday as he said “racing experience is what this horse needs.”

Hawwaam’s trip to run in the Cape Guineas was aborted when rumours of an African Horse Sickness outbreak meant there was a threat that he would have to be kept in unsuitable vector protected quarantine conditions. De Kock said at the time, “His value and reputation are too high to have risked such an arduous trip.”

This statement was given more impact by Soqrat’s victory in the Cape Guineas and narrow second in the star-studded L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate as it has to be assumed the latter was not viewed in quite the same light as Hawwaam before travelling down to Cape Town.

De Kock has his best chance of landing the Triple Crown since his legendary Horse Chestnut became the first to achieve the feat 20 years ago. The first leg has two options, the Cape Guineas and the Gauteng Guineas, and the second and third legs are the Grade 1 SA Classic and SA Derby respectively. Soqrat already has the first leg under the belt and Hawwaam will be a short-priced favourite to join him. The pair will then go for the SA Classic together.

Querari colt Inexhaustible has a chance of staying the Guineas distance on pedigree. Third-placed Vontreo, who ran on strongly, is by Mambo In Seattle out of a Captain Al sprinter but gives the impression he will relish the step up to a mile. The disappointment of the race was Reach For The Line, who finished last and is proving a touch unreliable to date.

The Highveld three-year-old fillies do not look to be a vintage bunch and are hard to assess at present. This was underlined in Sunday’s Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1400m. Last year’s Equus Champion two-year-old Return Flight carried the maximum penalty of 5kg and found nothing after leading. The fancied Ronnie’s Candy raced too strongly from a wide draw and also faded. The De Kock-trained Storm Destiny flew up from far back to win, catching Running Brave on the line. This pair had been beaten by both Ronnie’s Candy and Return Flight in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile.

Later, Celtic Sea, who was narrowly behind Storm Destiny in the Fillies Mile, albeit when giving away 3kg, ran a fair 1,4 length fourth behind Hawwaam in the Tony Ruffel.

All in all The form of the Fillies Mile always looked dubious due to the narrow second-placed finish of the exposed 88 merit rated I Like It so it was not altogether surprising that the winner Ghaalla failed to place in the Cape Fillies Guineas. However, she does remain highly regarded by the De Kock yard.
The Johannesburg filly who does strike as being full of class is the SA Fillies Nursery winner, the St. John Gray-trained Ronnie’s Candy, but she needs a good draw as she raced too hard in the Fillies Mile and repeated the antic on Sunday. Before that, in a race which did pan out well for her, she won the Grade 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m easily.

Nevertheless, the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and the other legs of the Triple Tiara are at this stage looking to be wide open.

Earlier in the day in the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1800m the Gary Alexander-trained Chijmes provided a first Graded winner for the deceased Royal Academy sire Ato. The latter’s only Grade 1 win was over six furlongs in Singapore, although there was some stamina in his female line. The big, rangy Chijmes had no problem with the trip. He led and stayed on well under a fine ride by Dennis Schwarz. The next three in the running Atyaab, Owlinthetree and Marchingontogether all stayed on well and could be Derby prospects. The favourite Green Haze faded after being the first to challenge Chijmes and might not have stayed despite being by Gimmethegreenlight out of a Western Winter mare who won over 2000m.

The Grade 3 London News Stakes was won in amazing style by the St. John Gray owned, trained and bred-Dawn Assault. The G-Bets Summer Cup runner up led under Karl Zechner but was overtaken by both Al Danza and Pietro Mascagni. Zechner carried on riding vigorously even when he went a length down and the horse came back to win on the line. Dawn Assault is still an entire and is building up a record which might see him one day joining his father Call To Combat at Gray’s breeding operation at Hadlow Stud in the KZN Midlands.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal stages a ten race meeting tomorrow and there look to be some fair opportunities for punters.

In the first leg of the PA over 1200m Lady Lexington showed good pace on debut over 1160m before being run out of it late. She will have come on from the run and is the one to beat.

Atrevete was not too well away and green on debut before making eyecatching late headway and with a better start and one run under the belt can also be included in the PA as she will appreciate the 200m step up in trip.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 San Fermin was not disgraced against some good sorts last time over 1160m and she was finishing well. She is now the best weighted horse according to official merit ratings in this Assessment Plate over 1200m and this once highly touted filly can claim her third career win. However, Against The Grain is a classy sort who can rise above her current merit so despite officially being 4,5kg under sufferance with San Fermin it would be no surprise to see her winning. Those two should be enough for the Pick 6.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1200m Carbon Atom is a well-bred sort being by Fort Wood out of the classy speedster Welwitschia and he has taken well to blinkers. He just failed over 1200m last time but was finishing strongly and can get it right this time. The form of Palace Chapel’s last win over 1200m has been franked although the horse he beat, Oravar, proved to be better suited to 1000m. He was also reported to have made a breathing noise in that win and has to give Carbon Atom 3kg. There won’t be much in it and this pair should be enough for the exotics.

In the sixth race over 1600m only two horses should suffice again. Both Seville Orange and Pale Lilac have struck as fillies who have a touch of class and both are now starting to fulfill their promise. Seville Orange showed a good turn of foot to win comfortably last time over this trip and she can continue to progress. Pale Lilac ran with first time blinkers on last time over a trip of 1400m which is too sharp and won easily. She had dropped to an attractive merit rating of 70 and the five point rise to 75 should not stop her over a step up in trip she will appreciate.

In the seventh over 1600m Silver Thursday had no luck in her last start over 2000m when caught wide thoughout and her race was run a long way out. Although she has always struck as one who would enjoy middle distances her best ever run was over this trip when a narrow second to Takingthepeace in the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas. Being by Silvano she should be coming into her own and she now gets blinkers on over her best form trip. She is the best weighted horse so should go close if taking to blinkers.

Blossom by Silvano out of the Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top looks to be promising and must also be included despite having a tough task according to official merit ratings. Algebra won her maiden by 11.75 lengths over 1400m but this is much harder task although she can be included alongside Blossom. Flying Fable made a fine comeback from a long layoff and should also be included. Crimson Royale has been highly tried and was unlucky last time with second time blinkers on over 1400m so she can also be put into the Pick 6 and Jackpot.

The last two legs of the Pick 6 are relatively tough being a 1400m fillies and mares handicap and a 1400m handicap respectively. Samarra is tipped to win the eighth. She has dropped to a competitive merit rating and goes well for 2,5kg claimer Dylan Lerena so can go close over her probable ideal trip. Get Your Grove on has two wins and a close second in her last three starts over this trip and although she has been given a four point raise for that last second she is a progressive sort who should be right there. Gold Dawn is coming into her own and as one who runs on well over 1200m she should enjoy this trip. Lady Negra, Bullsade and Jailhouse Jazz should also be included in the Jackpot and Pick 6.

Manitoba is the selection in the ninth. He went close over 1600m last time when just run out of it and will enjoy this trip. Master Boulder has been in a good space lately and after finishing well over a sprint last time will enjoy the step back to the trip of his last win. Blue Diamond Road enjoys this trip and takes a drop in class. Lute Society, Rockstar Child, Swing Vote, Now And Forever, No Man’s Land, Greto and Decision Time can also be included.

By David Thiselton