Alistair Gordon is probably going to give his Investec Dingaans winner Monks Hood a short break before aiming him at the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas on March 3 next year.

Monks Hood became the first KZN-trained horse since the Gavin van Zyl-trained The Apache in 2010 to win the Dingaans. However, The Apache was trained out of a Johannesburg satellite yard and historians would probably have to go back to the David Payne-trained Sealegs in 1987 to find the last horse before Monk’s Hood to successfully raid the Dingaans from KZN.

A study of thoroughbreds racing at altitude has never been done, because South Africa is the only country affected by it.

Alistair Gordon

Trainers rely on anecdotal evidence to form their own theories and once those theories are established they tend to stick to them.

Monks Hood travelled up to Turffontein on Friday night and arrived on Saturday morning. This follows the popular theory, also used in sports like rugby, that it is best to arrive as close to the race as possible when raiding altitude from the coast. However, it should be pointed out Summerveld is already a third of the altitude of Johannesburg, so in theory it should be easier for a Summerveld-trained horse to raid than a Port Elizabeth or Cape Town horse. Highveld raiders can usually get away races over a mile and shorter too.

Gordon was not overly concerned when the meeting was postponed to Sunday for two reasons. Firstly, in his opinion, KZN raiders perform better on the Highveld in wet conditions than they do in hot, dry conditions. Secondly, he recalled a Germiston November Handicap meeting of many years ago, which was postponed for a whole week after the KZN raiders had arrived and the KZN horses had gone on to fill the first five places, thus throwing all of the altitude theories out of the window.

Gordon was unable to go into the Dingaans confident as the recent Selangor Cup had put the result of the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stake, run on Gold Cup day at Greyville, into question. Monk’s Hood had run a fine 0,65 length fourth in the latter race, especially considering he had jumped from the widest draw of all.

The Selangor result had Gordon worried. However, he was given renewed hope after talking to jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe who told him Ancestry, runner up in the Premier’s Champion Stakes, was a much better horse than his five length eighth in the Selangor suggested.

Gordon was not too concerned by Monks Hood’s disappointing third in a 1200m polytrack preparation race two weeks before the Dingaans and pointed out it was the second time he had run below par on the poly. He probably just does not enjoy the surface. Gordon added, “A 1200m poly race at Greyville is a lot different to 1600m on turf at Turffontein.”

Monk’s Hood was taken for a walk from his Turfffontein stable on Saturday and again on Sunday morning.

Gordon was pleased with how the race panned out from the off and was full of praise for the reigning SA Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech.

“From a high draw at Turffontein it is better to give a horse a chance and to sit coming up the hill. Turning for home I could see Anthony still had plenty of horse underneath him. When he let him down he came through well. He had had enough by the line but Turffontein in the soft is one of the toughest miles in South Africa. It was a peach of a ride.”

The impressive part of Monks Hood’s win was that the cover he had coming up the hill disappeared when they passed the false rail and he had only daylight in front of him for the last 700m. With a better draw in the Gauteng Guineas, he could improve on this performance.

Gordon was grateful to owner Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift Stud for giving him an opportunity to train such a good quality thoroughbred.

Gordon has trained a lot of top horses in the past, including the great Scarlet Lady and others like Extra Cover and Brer Rabbit.

Monks Hood (Candiese Marnewick)

Another good horse he trained was ironically called Mauritzfontein, the name of the stud farm founded by Slack’s parents Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer. This horse was raced in the UK by the Oppenheimers and Gordon’s connections bought it from them and imported it to South Africa, where he won five races, including the 1985 Grade 1 Mainstay International over 1800m at Clairwood (today’s Champions Cup).

Gordon first trained horses for the Oppenheimer family after they had a split with Dennis Drier, but Monks Hood is the first black type winner he has had for them.

Expert bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe found Monks Hood and Gordon was then asked for the go ahead.

“He was an outstanding yearling,” he recalled. “He was big and strong, very nice looking, and had a lot of scope and his sire Querari had been doing pretty well. The female line was not the strongest up front and he sold for that price (R375,000) because of what he looked like. The female line looks better now!”

Monks Hood is out of the Camden Park mare Amber Bouqet, who won three races from 1100m to 1400m and finished third in the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes over 1400m at Fairview.

Gordon was pleased for Monks Hood’s Eastern Cape-based breeders Arne and the late Ben Botha, especially as there is a full-brother to Monks Hood on the forthcoming National Yearling Sales in April next year.

Monks Hood has won two races with four places from six starts and stakes of R439 625. He also banked the BSA Added Value Stakes Bonus of R102 500.

The Dingaans has muddied the waters for analysts attempting to assess how good this three-year-old crop is and how good last year’s two-year-old Graded form was.

As Gordon said, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

By David Thiselton

Magical Wonderland has only been beaten once in five starts but, by common consent, the 4-1 second favourite has it all to do in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday – and her trainer is no exception to the general belief.

“Justin Snaith’s filly is going to be hard to beat and we have over four lengths to make up,” acknowledges Candice Bass-Robinson who played a key role in Silver Mountain’s success two years ago. There just might be stamina problems too if the pace is searching.

“I think a mile is her limit,” the Milnerton trainer continues. “But she is very well in herself and she is drawn well so we can hope.”

Stable companion Rings And Things is the 50-1 rank outsider. “She’s a long-shot but she is a hard-knocking sort and her form out of the maidens is pretty consistent. If she runs a place we will be happy.”

Dutch Philip, a star juvenile, has been considered more of a sprinter by his stable and he is 8-1 to prove the point in the WSB Cape Merchants – “He is doing very well, he will enjoy the trip and he must have a shout.”

Seemingly, though, it’s the last chance saloon for Tevez, twice a winner of this race, once second and fifth last year. “He is getting on and he didn’t run so well on his first run back. If he doesn’t shape up I am going to retire him.”

No horse has won this with 62kg in the past 16 years at least but then much the same was said about Marinaresco before the July. “This is a gallop before the Queen’s Plate and it will be a bit sharp for him but he will run well.”

Edict Of Nantes (Liesl King)

You can get 15-1 about Our Mate Art in the WSB Green Point and the four-year-old’s trainer is being realistic – “If he beats two home he will be doing well.”

Brett Crawford, who runs the hat-trick seeking 12-1 chance Love Supreme in the Fillies Guineas, provides strong three- handed opposition to 11-10 favourite Legal Eagle in the WSB Green Point Stakes – most notably with Edict Of Nantes who is 28-10 second favourite.

Will he confirm the recent Pinnacle placings with Captain America (5-1) and Sail South (8-1)? “There is no reason why he can’t – I feel he has come on since that race,” is the in-form trainer’s answer.

And can he beat Legal Eagle? Crawford carefully considers the question before giving his answer: “Legal Eagle is a top horse, he has never been beaten over a mile and he is rated 123 whereas Edict is on 113 so on paper it’s going to be difficult – but they don’t race on paper!”

Search Party won last year’s WSB Cape Merchants with 52kg and now he has 59.5kg yet he is 5-1 second favourite. Can he do it? “He is a big horse, he can carry the weight and I think he is a huge runner.

“Al Mariachi (8-1) is in top form but he is a little bit under sufferance. Coming back to six furlongs is a little bit on the short side for Black Cat Black (15-1) but he comes into it off bottom weight and has a chance of running into the money.”

By Michael Clower

The Vaal stages a low key eight-race meeting tomorrow and Cathedral County could make more progress by beating a good field in the headliner.

The four-year-old Trippi gelding runs in race 6, a MR 85 Handicap over 1000m. Former champion jockey Gavin Lerena has ridden Cathedral County three times for three wins and is back aboard. Last time out after losing a length at the start, he was soon up with the pace and the horse then stretched clear in the closing stages to win by 1,4 lengths without being under any pressure. He has only been given a four point merit rated raise and this well regarded sort should be coming into his own. Vicomte ran on well in his penultimate start over this trip on the Turffontein Inside course to be beaten only 1,25 lengths by the classy Alfolk when receiving only 3kg. This three-year-old Var gelding will appreciate the step down in trip after being well beaten over 1400m in the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Gavin Lerena

He has a long-striding action and should be finishing strongly again off a merit rating of 86 and should go close considering Alfolk is now merit rated 100. Marmook will also be a strong contender and on paper can beat Cathedral County on a strict line through Bono. Cathedral County beat the latter by 1,4 lengths when giving him 4kg and Marmook beat Bono by 4,75 lengths when receiving 1,5kg. Marmook now receives 6kg from Cathedral County and having won that last race comfortably in his first outing as a gelding he can continue to progress. Rebel’s Champ also has his second run after gelding and if recapturing the form which saw him running 1,5 lengths behind So Var at level weights over 1160m, he has a chance off an 85 merit rating, considering So Var is now merit rated 94.

The meetings starts off with an interesting first-timer in the Candice Dawson-trained Silvano colt Shadow Man. This horse was bought for R1,9 million and is a half-brother to dual Grade 1-winner Thunder Dance. He faces an uninspiring maiden field over 1500m and is drawn in pole. Flexible Fugitive looks the horse to beat among those who have raced. He finished just 3,55 length behind the decent sort Ideal Secret over 1400m in June. Last time he was tried over 1800m and didn’t go on with his effort, so is interesting dropped back to this trip with blinkers on.

In the first leg of the PA, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1500m, Silvano is also represented by a well-bred sort. The three-year-old Zargun is a daughter of Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Grade 1 Woolavington 2000-winner Zirconeum, who went on to finish second in the Vodacom Durban July. Zargun made a fair debut over 1400m in June and has not run since. She does not have a lot to beat in her comeback run here. Adrenalina ran an improved race last time when stepped up to this trip and can also be included in the PA, although her wide draw makes it tricky and the better-drawn Our Biscuit thus also warrants consideration.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a maiden over 2000m, Before Noon would likely no longer be a maiden if the race he was entered in last time over further than this had not been cancelled due to lightning. This big son of Await The Dawn ran out of racetrack when chasing the winner over this trip before that. He does not have a lot to beat here and the Sean Tarry yard will hopefully turn the corner from their spell of bad form now that they have the first Grade 1 of the season, the Sansui Summer Cup, under their belt. One Wall Street and Matchmaker don’t look any great shakes but could be the main dangers.

Just Cruised In

The first leg of the Jackpot, a Maiden over 2000m, could be won by Whiteout. She was stepped up to 1700m last time out and was most unlucky. When finally seeing daylight, having been shuffled back and then having to switch, she flew home and just failed. She looks likely to enjoy this trip, despite being by a champion sprinter in What A Winter. The main dangers, Until Dawn and Kings Creek, were in that same race last time and she should confirm the form considering how unlucky she was.

In the next race over 1800m Big Parade, a colt by Dynasty out of the Summer Cup winner Flirtation, can progress further having won his maiden comfortably when stepped up to 2000m. Just Cruised In and Lee’s Pick can be the dangers as they both look well handicapped on their best form.

The seventh race, a Middle Stakes event over 2400m, Just A Jet is the selection, despite not being well weighted on official merit ratings. She has won her last two over this trip easily and could develop into a useful stayer now that the yard appear to have got on top of her behavioural problems at the start. End Game could be the main danger as she has caught the eye before and looks to be crying out for this trip.

In the last race, a MR 71 Handicap over 2400m, Sess showed herself to be an out and out stayer last time over 3000m and is the one to beat despite being given a six point raise. Scotland and Stunner both did well the last time they went over this trip and will be threats.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith believes that Snowdance ranks with his previous Cape Fillies Guineas winners Captain’s Lover, Sparkling Gem, Ebony Flyer and In The Fast Lane and the only chink in the favourite’s armour could be lack of stamina.

He said: “Everything about her has been impressive but some of the family have been quite quick so there is a little worry about the extra 200m on Saturday.”

Justin Snaith

That apart he rates stable companion Oh Susanna the biggest danger even though she is as big as 25-1 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas.

He said: “Just watch the re-run of the Western Cape Fillies Championship and you will see what I mean. She was five wide at the back of the field going into the turn yet she came through to finish fifth. If there is anything that is going to improve a lot it is her and if she had a better draw she would be the one I am most afraid of.”

Snaith has won two of the last seven runnings of the WSB Cape Merchants and this time he runs four headed by Sergeant Hardy who is 9-2 favourite despite his breathing problems.

“I wasn’t even going to nominate him because I thought he would be weighted out of it. I was over the moon when he got only 57kg and off this weight he is going to be competitive, but I don’t like his outside draw which could be a big problem. Also in a race like this you have got to look for a horse that is well-handicapped and he is not the best handicapped of my four.

“Bishop’s Bounty (25-1) was very disappointing in his last race – he ran away with Richard Fourie – and this time we need to tuck him in. But I think he is still one run short.”

Heartland (33-1) could be better over a bit further according to the form book.  “Not at all,” insists his trainer. “I wouldn’t say he found a lot of trouble in his last race but he did come late and off 52.5kg he could be the dark horse of the race.”

Seemingly the one for the punters, though, could be Grant van Niekerk’s mount Cuban Emerald at 25-1. “I kept him away so that he would come into this with a light weight. I didn’t want to run him again because I knew that his rating would go up if I did. He could be the roughie.”

In the third of the Kenilworth big races, the WSB Green Point Stakes, the former champion trainer runs Copper Force, a 14-1 chance and on merit ratings the worst horse in the race. “On handicapping he will run last but I have a feeling that he won’t. He is doing well at home.”

By Michael Clower

The Sansui Summer Cup meeting is hopefully a good memory for those tackling the low key eight race card at the Vaal tomorrow.

Noble Secret (JC Photographics)

The highest rated race is a MR 82 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and just about the whole of the seven horse field will have to be included because a number of them are returning from layoffs. Only To Win almost beat the useful Neptune’s Rain as a youngster when setting the pace over this trip. She looks likely to appreciate the step back to this trip. Movie Show caused a shock two runs ago in a Progress Plate over 1000m when beating the like of Wrecking Ball, despite being way under sufferance. She was plugging on in that run and in her third run after a layoff will be one of the fittest horses, so could possibly see it out.

Frederico’s Dream had fine form over this trip as a two-year-old. This her seasonal reappearance and she could get away with it over a sprint. Top weight Magicality makes her seasonal reappearance and can earn on best form. Fish River has a comfortable win over subsequent Grade 2 1400m winner Desert Rhythm over 1000m to her name so she can make her presence felt if bouncing back from her SA Fillies Nursery run, where she had an unfavourable low draw. This is her first run for 206 days. Star Profile was five lengths ahead of Fish River in the SA Fillies Nursery, albeit from a favourable high draw. She had a busy juvenile campaign and returns from a long layoff.  Melinda’s Garden is a nice looking sort but has made respiratory noises and has poor form since her maiden win.

The best bet of the day comes in the seventh, a MR 79 Handicap over 1600m. Noble Secret has his second run of the season and on pedigree this Dynasty colt, out of an Al Mufti mare whose two wins were over 1450m and 1600m, will very much appreciate the step up to this trip. His maiden win showed him to be possible classic class and he will be out to prove it here. Raydaveric is starting to fulfil his potential since gelding and could be the chief threat. Copper Pot has his third run after gelding over a suitable trip and has shown a fine turn of foot before so can go close off a reduced merit rating.

By David Thiselton

National champion trainer Sean Tarry bounced back to form when it counted as his charge Liege stormed to victory in yesterday’s R2 million Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein under the top class big race rider Raymond Danielson.

In his last start in the Victory Moon Stakes Liege ran below par for a yard who have been going through a flat spell.

Liege

Yesterday, the soft conditions suited the five-year-old Maine Chance Farms-bred Dynasty gelding and that last start proved to just be a flat run. He broke well and after being up with the pace early was able drop into a good position in midfield on the rail behind a pace, expectedly set by Crowd Pleaser, which always enabled him to stride out nicely. Danielson was patient in the straight and he then burst through down the inside at the 400m mark. He never looked like being caught. The Paul Peter-trained filly Fort Ember stayed on bravely from a handy position to be beaten 2,25 lengths. Coral Fever produced his usual strong finish for third. Geoff Woodruff’s hopes of becoming the first trainer in South Africa to win one of the country’s three major races five times in succession were dashed, but his fancied Pagoda stayed on well for fourth. The fillies Girl On The Run and Orchid Island finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Danielson had never ridden Liege in a race before but felt confident on the way down as the horse felt in great shape.

Liege’s talented full-brother Lance is at stud and this win will add to his pedigree page.

Earlier, in the prestigious Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m the Alistair Gordon-trained KZN raider Monk’s Hood just held on to win from a pair of outsiders Seerite and Vacquero. Monk’s Hood had tongues wagging around the country when winning his debut over 1200m by 7,5 lengths. Later, he came from a wide draw to run a fine close up fourth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m. However, the two concerns were the form of the latter race had not worked out well and he also ran a disappointing third in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1200m last time. However, he proved yesterday turf was his preferred surface. He came from the back half of the field and burst through going like a winner. Anthony Delpech said the Querari gelding had had enough in the final stages, but he just managed to hold on by a head.

By David Thiselton

Snowdance has hardened from 14-10 to 12-10 as confidence in the horse grows prior to her first Grade 1 test in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas.

Justin Snaith, bidding for his fifth win in the Kenilworth classic, reported on Saturday that Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount is in good shape, saying: “She is doing very well and her gallop was impressive. We still have a week to go but so far I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)

Magical Wonderland, who has over four lengths to make up on last month’s Western Cape Fillies Championship form, is second favourite at 11-2 and the sponsor’s other prices are 10-1 Rose In Bloom, 12-1 Lady In Black, Love Supreme, 14-1 Via Seattle, Silver Thursday, 16-1 Too Phat To Fly, 25-1 and upwards others.

Snaith also has the favourite in the WSB Cape Merchants with Sergeant Hardy on 9-2 while last year’s winner Search Party is 5-1 to emulate Tevez by winning the ultra-competitive handicap in successive seasons. Tevez, fifth 12 months ago, is a 28-1 chance this time

In the WSB Green Point last year’s winner Legal Eagle (Anton Marcus) heads the market at 13-10 with the main threat expected to come from Piere Strydom’s mount Edict Of Nantes (28-10).

A notable absentee from the Green Point is Last Winter, unbeaten in four starts and at this stage likely to be a leading contender for both the Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

Dean Kannemeyer said: “I wasn’t going to run him against those horses in the Green Point. He is rated 106 and all he has won is three minor races in Durban plus a handicap at Durbanville. Edict Of Nantes was rated only half a kilo higher before that recent progress plate and he won both the Cape Derby and the Daily News!

“But I know I’ve got to put Last Winter to the test one of these days so I will nominate him for the Premier Trophy on 16 December and have a look. He has never been to Kenilworth but I will ask permission to gallop him there on Saturday. He is doing well and I know Anthony Delpech thinks a lot of him.”

Also missing from the Green Point line-up is Horizon, third in the Daily News and beaten little more than half a length when sixth in the July. He will run in the Premier and has the Met as his big objective.

In the meantime last year’s winner Jo’s Bond and the 2016 Cape Fillies Guineas heroine Just Sensual head the 22 nominations for the SW Security Solutions Southern Cross Stakes on Saturday week.

By Michael Clower

There were angry scenes at Kenilworth on Saturday when Tote punters found they could not get paid from race two onwards.

One tackled me saying: “You speak to the Tote people – you might get more sense out of them than I can,” while another had to be restrained from tearing up a winning ticket in a show of public protest.

The problem stemmed from the decision to include the Sansui Summer Cup in the Kenilworth card – not unusual with such big public-interest races – but when Turffontein was postponed for 24 hours the Tote’s main computer blew a fuse and refused to sanction Kenilworth payouts.

Phumelela betting boss Vee Moodley said yesterday: “You can’t hold on to people’s money like that but our IT engineers had to get the software provider to assist and it was not until 7.00pm that things were finalised.”

The situation at Kenilworth would have been much worse but for Tote manager Cheryl Schuler who explained to her irate customers: “I am ringing Phumelela every 15 minutes but they can’t give me a time when we will be able to pay so I am going through the floors explaining the problem to people.”

This was not good enough for one racegoer who demanded: “They should make an announcement to explain all this. Stan Elley should say something over the public address.”

Ms Schuler, surely next in line for Phumelela’s beyond-the-call-of-duty award, promptly went off to organise this but it was commentator Rouvaun Smit, not the Tellytrack presenter, whose voice came over the airwaves ten minutes later to say “The technicians are frantically trying to solve the problem.”

Payouts can now be obtained on presentation of winning tickets at any Tote office, off-course as well as on-course, while Moodley yesterday was full of praise for the uncomplaining (well, mostly) manner in which professionals and public alike put up with the repeated changes to race off-times.

One who definitely wasn’t complaining was Richard Fourie who celebrated his 32^nd birthday by booting home a quick-fire treble on The Sun Also Rises, Franking and The Slade.

– Vase, who flopped when 2-1 second favourite on Wednesday, was found to be lame the following day while 6-10 failure Sand And Sea was diagnosed with a severe upper respiratory infection after running way below form the previous Saturday.

GOLD CIRCLE

“I would rather have had Witchcraft in the race but she didn’t get in,” were some telling words from Champion Trainer Sean Tarry after Liege put one over all of the more fancied runners in yesterday’s Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup, postponed because of rain from Saturday.

“We were disappointed in his Victory Moon run but could find nothing wrong …. so it was possibly just a flat run,” commented Tarry post-race.

Filippo (Candiese Marnewick)

Liege, largely disappointing earlier in his career after promising much and more importantly fluffing his lines in the Victory Moon, put that all behind him yesterday. Raymond Danielson, who has more than once done justice when picking up the Tarry stable crumbs, always had his mount well placed and timed his run to perfection in spite of some doubts. “I thought I had gone a little bit too early but he kept going.”

The win heralded a return to form for Tarry who has been experiencing a rare lean spell of late.

All the big guns failed to fire with the minor placings filled by rank outsiders Fort Ember and Coral Fever with luke-warm favourite Pagoda in fourth, the quartet paying over R247k.

Alistair Gordon, who has trained his far share of champions in his time, has been short of a ‘big horse’ for some years now but Monks Hood broke the drought when putting the Highveld’s best to the sword in the Gr2 Investec Dingaans.

Anthony Delpech gave Monks Hood an impeccable ride, tracking the pace from well back but giving his mount a clear run at the wire. It was close at the end, “he’d had enough,” confirmed Delpech, but it was good enough to hold a hard-charging Seerite.

Monks Hood (Candiese Marnewick)

With the majority of the current racing season still to come it is still early days but Johan Janse van Vuuren’s gelding The Thinker put his name on the board for Equus honours with a smashing victory in the Gr2 World Sports Betting Merchants.

Favourite Naafer always looked to be going well and was the horse to beat approaching the final furlong as the Australian import pulled clear. However, Donovan Mansour produced The Thinker with a smartly timed finish to nail the favourite and win going away.

Run away maiden winner San Fermin and favourite for the Gr3 Fillies Mile was travelling like a winner approaching the final two furlongs but folded like a wet newspaper under pressure as Folk Dance stamped herself as one of the best of her current generation as Gavin Lerena punched her clear to win comfortably from Aurelia Cotta and long-time leader Cashel Palace.

By Andrew Harrison

Geoff Woodruff can make history at Turffontein tomorrow by winning the Sansui Summer Cup for the fifth time in succession.

His six-year-old gelding Master Switch can make it a third successive Summer Cup and a fourth overall for the late great sire Jet Master.

Geoff Woodruff

Master Switch finished third last year from draw 17 under Piere Strydom and this year jumps from draw 16 with Strydom up again. He is off the same merit rating of 101 and carries a nice galloping weight. Master Switch’s Durban form can be ignored as Greyville does not suit him. His penultimate run in Johannesburg was below par and he returned a bit sore. However, he really caught the eye last time out when staying on strongly for third in the Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m.

His stablemate Pagoda is well weighted on his Grade 1 SA Derby runner up form and ran on eye-catchingly well from last in a 1950m event last time out.

Master Switch has good gate speed which will help them overcome his draw. Pagoda needed a good draw and landed a fair one.

Triple Crown hero Abashiri looks to be coming back to his best after a deserved holiday. He is well weighted on his best form and his excellent turn of foot will afford the jockey the option of dropping him out from a wide draw.

Liege looked to have turned the corner when running an eye-catching preparation over 1600m in his second run after gelding. However, he then ran a flat race in the Victory Moon. The champion yard has been a bit flat lately, but if Liege is at his best he will be a big runner. He finished fourth last year and is off a three point lower merit rating and now has a plum draw too.

SA Oaks winner Wind Chill will be improving in the typical fashion of a Silvano filly and she impressed in her preparation event over 2000m. She is drawn in pole.

Champion stayer Hermoso Mundo would prefer further, but this galloping track suits him.

Crowd Pleaser has developed into a fine front runner and can’t be ignored.

Orchid Island stayed on well for fourth in the Victory Moon and this Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic winner represents the flying Mike de Kock yard.

Brazuca and French Navy are both course and distance suited and well weighted on their best form.

Social Order is quite unexposed and should be staying on. He is the dark horse.

Master Sabina goes for his third Summer Cup in a row but has not run since  the Vodacom Durban July.

Master Sabina (JC Photographics)

Big Bear will be a tough nut to crack in the Grade 2 Investec Dingaans. This bull of a horse has a deceptive turn of foot. He will appreciate the step up to 1600m and relaxes well in the running, which will help him overcome a wide draw. Pietro Mascagni impressed on debut when getting up over 1160m and the form has been franked. This classy sort will relish the step up in trip and is well drawn. Alwahsh, unbeaten in two sprints, hasn’t run for 88 days. He won easing up last time and although his sire Sepoy was a sprinter there is stamina in the female line. Alshibaa is unbeaten in two and showed a fine turn of foot over this trip last time. He has plenty of scope. Like A Panther would prefer further, but is classy and will be running on resolutely. The improving Vacquero is the dark horse as he will love this galloping 1600m.

The Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes looks to be at the mercy of Nother Russia at first sight. However, Bella Sonata was unusually headstrong last time and if bouncing back will be a threat. Guns And Roses will love the track and trip and she and the SA Fillies Classic runner up Bi Pot bring the Woodruff factor. Secret Star has a good turn of foot and is interesting stepped up to this trip. Sylvan On Fire is still on the up.

In the Grade 2 Merchants, The Thinker and Rivarine caught the eye last time and are the exacta selection, despite The Thinker officially being under sufferance.

The Grade 3 Fillies MiIe sees the ultra-impressive debut winner San Fermin clashing with the classy Folk Dance. However, Witch Of The West is progressive and could also have a say.

By David Thiselton