The Vaal Inside track stages a low key eight race meeting tomorrow, although there are some good horses appearing and Amsterdam could make the headlines.

Brazuca

This rejuvenated six-year-old galloper by Windrush can score his third win of 2018 over a suitable trip in the MR 104 Handicap over 2000m. His draw of two in the six horse field will suit his handy to front-running style, especially considering the pole position drawn Kitty’s Destiny tends to be dropped out. Furthermore, the field has cut down to just six runners after the scratching of the sold-without-engagement Master Switch and carrying just 52,5kg he can dictate under JP van der Merwe, who rides him for the third time in succession. His resolute finish can then see off the challengers. However, he will not have it easy. Glider Pilot looks to be the main danger. He showed his class by finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 in just his third career start. Interestingly, his second career start was over this course and distance in May last year and he finished a 1,9 length second to Amsterdam at level weights. He was 2,5kg worse off than weight for age with Amsterdam  in that race and is now 4kg worse off than weight for age with him, so on that bit of form Amsterdam should confirm the placings.

However, Glider Pilot is obviously more experience now and it would be no surprise to him winning. The four-year-old A P Arrow gelding is coming off a good second in a Progress Plate. He was well weighted in the latter race, but now has his third run after a layoff. Bankable Teddy will also be a threat. He is distance suited and last time, with the blinkers removed, came from off a slow pace over 1800m to lose by a head to Amesterdam. He is now half-a-kilogram better off and all three of his career wins have been over this 2000m trip. The blinkers remain off and Ryan Munger rides for the third time in succession. Brazuca is the class horse of the race but has to lug 61,5kg and comes off a poor run over 1800m in which he was not striding out. Kitty’s Destiny has always struck a one with ability and this long-striding sort was running on well over 1600m last time. He is 2kg under sufferance , but is drawn in pole and could surprise. Top Shot sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight and with Lyle Hewitson up can’t be ignored over a trip in which he has only once finished outside of the first three.

The next race is a MR 82 Handicap over 2000m and The Rocketman might be attempting to book his place in the classics. Last time over 1600m he took a while to get going but won full of running and this three-year-old Australian-bred gelding by Foxwedge will relish the step up in trip. The concern is a wide draw of seven but in the eight horse field he can make up the ground if dropped out to the back. Shenanigans got going late to win over 1600m last time and should also relish the step up in trip. In fact he won his maiden by 4,5 lengths over this trip and this lightly raced Dynasty gelding looks to be going places. It looks to be a boat race and is full of intrigue as both are likely ahead of the handicapper off 83 and 78 merit ratings respectively. Malinga is in good form and has never been out of the first two in four attempts at the course and distance. He is the most likely to pick up the pieces if the top two fluff their lines.

The best bet could be Sailor Girl who runs in the third race, a Maiden Plate over 1700m for fillies and mares. She was a touch unlucky last time with first-time blinkers on when forced outward just before the serious part of the race started. She was doing her best work late and the winner Gottalotofluv looks a decent sort while the second, Tigerlace, has since come out and won. Furthermore, she now has pole position. She can be bankered in all bets against an uninspiring field.

The meeting begins with an uninspiring maiden over 1000m, but two interesting first-timers appear. The Turf King is a R350,000 purchase by the speed influence Var and is a half-sister to the twice Listed-winning speedster, The Merry Widow, so she should have plenty of pace and is tipped to win with Marco van Rensburg up for Geoff Woodruff. Leprechaun’s Love is only a R75,000 purchase but is by Philanthropist and is a half-brother to the rangy, twice-Listed winner speedster Doing It For Dan and Lyle Hewitson is an eye-catching booking. The experienced horse who is most likely to give cheek is Coastal Torrent as he has bumped decent types in every one of his six career starts and as he has shown pace before he will likely appreciate the step down to this trip.

The Value bet is chosen to be Pilou in the seventh over 1400m as he has always struck as a fair sort and drops to 1400m, having held on from the front last time over 1600m with first-time blinkers on. It is a common mistake to believe a horse who only just holds on in the front over 1600m will win next time out over a shorter trip. Over the shorter trip there will be a step up in overall pace and the horse might not even be fast enough to lead. However, the plum draw of one and the suitability to the blinkers is what swings it in his favour.

By David Thiselton

Last Winter is a surprise nomination for the Jet Master Stakes at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting on Saturday week but Dean Kannemeyer has made it clear that the Met runner-up will not run unless quarantine plans are knocked back.

He said on Saturday: “I am just waiting to hear that we have been given a slot in the quarantine station. I know that there are quite a few horses in there at the moment.”

The Jet Master was switched from its traditional Cape Guineas day slot in a bid to get more runners – there were only seven last season although there were 11 in the previous campaign – but just 12 were entered last Friday. Some trainers have pointed out that many otherwise eligible horses are being rested at the moment.

Milton is top-rated in the likely absence of Last Winter and Billy Prestage is hoping that Gavin Lerena (who bounced back by winning on his first three rides at the Vaal on Saturday) will come down to partner the six-year-old on whom the former champion won the Premier Trophy in December.

Joey Ramsden has won the Vasco Prix Du Cap five times in the past 13 seasons and his pair Just Sensual and Rose In Bloom are the highest-rated of the 14 entries for Saturday week’s 1 400m Grade 3.

Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth is reported 100% following his below-par effort in the Cape Derby – when some of the Vaughan Marshall string were suffering from a possible respiratory virus infection – and goes to Durban.

Marshall said: “You always wonder when you have something like that hanging over you but nothing showed up and we could find no sign of it with him. He is fine now and, while it is early days yet, possible targets are the Daisy Guineas (6 May) and the Rising Sun Gold Challenge (9 June).”

By Michael Clower

One was expected, two was a bonus, as Alistair Gordon left Scottsville a contented trainer yesterday.

Gauteng Guineas candidate Monks Hood did everything expected of him and more as he carved up a strong handicap field and while he may have been ignored in the Dingaan’s market he showed yesterday at the win is unlikely to be a flash-in-the-pan.

Anthony Delpech rode a super confident race on the gelding, coming from the tail of the field to mow down a game Redcarpet Captain, the winning margin belying the ease of victory.

Monks Hood (Candiese Marnewick)

Delpech was matter of fact after the race. “If I couldn’t beat these horses then I shouldn’t be going to Jo’burg to run in the Guineas,” he said. “I know there are one or two hard knockers there but we think a lot of this horse. But he had to win the way he won to have a chance in the Guineas.”

Brandon Lerena rode a super race on Redcarpet Captain, reserving his best for late, but his best was just not good enough as Monks Hood proved his superior.

“We know how to ride him now,” said Delpech. “Don’t ride him forward, ride him cold. He has a good turn of foot.”

Nominations for the Guineas close tomorrow and Gordon was holding out for a “good draw and good ground.”

“I don’t think he was quite suited to the soft going in the Dingaans. I think he will be a much better horse on good ground because it will suit his action.

“He’s always looked like a nice horse, but I think he has matured now, and I think he’s getting better. Today’s he wasn’t 100% and he should come on from this run.”

Not expected was sales-bound River Ayre who put a spanner in the works of many an exotic, paying over R17 for a win on the tote.

River Ayre has not been the easiest of customers at the start. “She got left quite badly at her last start, but the starter did a good job today and had a handler up with her.” Jumping on terms yesterday, she added a few extra rands to her sales price. “She’s up for sale on Tuesday. These things often happen,” concluded Gordon.

Robbie Hill has been through a couple of lean months recently but will have been well satisfied with the showing by his filly Everlasting Love. Switched to the turf after two modest efforts on the poly, she showed her rivals a clean pair of heels without Sean Veale needing to give much encouragement. “I think she’s better on the grass,” said Hill. “Her last two on the poly she didn’t settle and gave the jocks a bit of a torrid time.”

Veale was able to settle her in the box seat for much of the race and she extended smartly in the straight to win comfortably.

A late declaration of blinkers did the trick for Vision Of Trust who finally got off the mark for Paul Gadsby in the card opener. “I thought if blinkers and Anton Marcus can’t win then he will never win a race,” said Gadsby after Marcus had unleashed a winning run to snaffle favourite Great Dictator for owner/breeder and former Gold Circle Chairman Robert Mauvis.

Andrew Harrison

The Alistair Gordon-trained Monk’s Hood put up an excellent preparation for the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas yesterday at Scottsville when winning a MR 96 Handicap over 1400m in effortless style under big race jockey Anthony Delpech.

There were also some good classic preparations put in by Johannesburg horses at the Vaal on Saturday.

Redcarpet Captain

Monk’s Hood showed himself to be a top class horse when winning the Grade 2 Investec Dingaans, despite having no cover for the entire length of the long Turffontein straight. He had a similar lack of luck from a wide draw in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville as a two-year-old, where he stayed on for a close up fourth. The form of the latter race has been franked lately by the winner Eyes Wide Open, who won both the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m and the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby. Yesterday Monk’s Hood swept past the field in the straight and won by 0,75 lengths from the older horse Redcarpet Captain without being put under pressure by Delpech. He ran off a 101 merit rating, but looks capable of rising to a higher mark.

At Turffontein on Saturday the classy Mike de Kock-trained Noble Secret thrashed his stablemate Alshibaa by 2,75 lengths in a MR 88 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1600m. He carried joint top weight of 60kg in only his third career start off a merit rating of 88 and it was his first start around the turn, so this big, rangy horse will make his presence felt in the classics.

In a MR 87 Handicap for three-year-old fillies over 1600m, the Alec Laird-trained Pale Lilac is a rangy sort who did well to hold on from the front, so she might be granted a berth in the Triple Tiara events. Second-placed Dressed To Impress is another to take out of the race as it was only her second career start. She did not know what it was all about and hit a flat spot at a crucial stage in the straight. However, when the penny dropped she produced a strong run, but it was too late.

The Mike Azzie-trained Frederico’s Dream has taken well to blinkers and showed exceptional pace throughout to win a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m. She ran off an 87 merit rating and this three-year-old Gimmethegreenlight filly can continue to progress.

Later, Captain Aldo proved specialists over the in-between trip of 1400m can never be ignored and in a Pinnacle Stakes event he improved his record over this distance to six wins, six seconds and one third in just 15 attempts.

By David Thiselton

Joey Ramsden, at home recuperating from an operation on his shoulder, had just the tonic he needed when Dynasty’s Blossom won in a common canter at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Victory in the Birthday Bonanza Handicap was important because the Dynasty filly carries the famous Magnier dark blue and cost a whopping R4.5 million. True, she only raced off 78 but Robert Khathi led a furlong and a half from home and thereafter his most vigorous efforts were devoted to looking round to see where the hell the opposition had got to.

Joey Ramsden

Assistant Ricardo Sobotker said: “We put blinkers on her two races back because she had been disappointing but she probably doesn’t need them. It was more that she hadn’t strengthened up and it is only in the last couple of months that she has started to do so. Today she showed how good she is and there is a lot more to come.”

Alec Foster, sick for much of the last week, also had a victory tonic when his heavily supported homebred Racine made a winning debut under a confident M.J. Byleveld in the Maiden Juvenile Fillies. “She is a very nice sort who would prefer 1 200m,” commented Vaughan Marshall.

Dean Kannemeyer had his first Cape Town two-year-old winner of the season 35 minutes later when 6-1 newcomer Savea (Grant Behr) got the better of the more experienced Sailor Sam inside the last half furlong.

“I hadn’t tried him here or at Durbanville but he had shown a lot of natural speed at home,” said the trainer.

Richard Fourie (“The racing Gods were in my favour and I am on the right horses which makes a big difference”) stole much of the show with two winners for Glen Kotzen plus a last-gasp success on Commander Bond for Eric Sands who was convinced his rider was coming from too far back!

Golden Wine, the first of the two Kotzen winners, made all the running to earn a reprieve from owner-breeder Peter de Beyer who said: “She was on her final notice. Some horses respond to love but some more to threats and I’d said that if she didn’t win today she was going to PE!”

Seemingly Bwana also needs handling of a special nature – he pretty much expects everybody to doff their caps and call him sir – and both Corner Orffer and Brett Crawford (“he is not an easy horse”) have to treat him with kid gloves. But he has the necessary talent and he made it two out of three in the Riverside Boutique Hotel Handicap.

Some of those who religiously supported Grant van Niekerk in race after race ran out of ammunition before he finally got one on the board on Red Mars in the Snowdance colours in the last. The Met day maestro rode four favourites, two of them odds-on shots, and commented philosophically: “It just shows you have to take the bad days with the good ones and in the end I was just glad to get a winner.”

By Michael Clower

Monks Hood, winner of the Gr2 Dingaans at Turffontein back in November last year, warms up at Scottsville on Sunday when he takes on a competitive field of older runners in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap.

With bigger fish to fry over the next few months, Alistair Gordon’s smart gelding is unlikely to be fully wound up and given the strength of the opposition a strong showing rather than guaranteed victory would be more than satisfying. That said, 1400m at this stage of his preparation is an ideal trip.

Monks Hood (Candiese Marnewick)

Gordon confirmed that Sunday’s race is a warm-up for the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas on March 3 where Monks Hood will return to the scene of his Dingaans victory.

But win lose or draw Monks Hood is unlikely to go for the Gr1 Classic over 1800m but return to KZN for Champions Season and the Gr2 KZN Guineas. “I think the Classic will be too far for him. At this stage I think 1600m is about his chop,” said Gordon.

Come Sunday, Gordon should know exactly where he is with Monks Hood as he faces some hard knockers including Redcarpet Captain from the in-form Mark Dixon yard.

The gelding’s last win was over course and distance when getting the better of Gr1 performer Seventh Plain and that was followed with a creditable third in the Christmas Handicap over the Greyville 1600m where he found Roy Hard Enough and subsequent Michael Roberts Handicap winner Wild Wicket a touch too sharp.

Doing It For Dan and Amazon King are others to note but if Monks Hood is caught short then Redcarpet Captain strikes as the most likely culprit.

Punters face another tricky card, the Gold Circle Podcast Handicap a race in point. Diamante, School Run and Diamond Noir all met last time out with a length separating the trio. The handicappers have tried to even out with winner Diamond Noir picking up a three-pound penalty and School Run one pound extra. The theory is that the three should dead-heat but that is as likely as Donald Trump serving a second term as US president.

Duncan Howells as two smart fillies in Sorceress and Emma’s Oracle and Greg Cheyne makes the trip all the way from Cape Town for one ride to honour his contract with Highlands Farm. It took Emma’s Oracle four runs to get off the mark but when she did it was in facile fashion. Second placed The Matador is still battling in the maidens but Emma’s Oracle still looks smart.

Sorceress came from the clouds when touched off by Miss Milanna at Greyville recently and with the wily Anton Marcus aboard may be the right one in what should be a tight finish.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key nine race meeting tomorrow although there are some good horses turning out before the feature season.

The Jackpot has good quality races in all of its legs.

Kangaroo Jack

In the first leg, a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m, Frederico’s Dream is made the best bet on a tricky card. She showed pace throughout over 1160m last time with first-time blinkers on in the Listed Swallow Strakes. She was out at the weights with some of the best runners in that race but still finished a close second so looks to be potentially well weighted here off a merit rating raised three points to 87. The unlucky horse in the Swallow Stakes was Winter Watch, whose run was blocked at a crucial stage. She has a fine turn of foot and although she has a difficult task with Frederico’s Dream on paper the risk averse should consider her for the exotics, considering this is a fillies and mares handicap. Movie Show has been in fine form and seems to love The Vaal, so can also be included. Ice Art finished like a train in her last two starts after being dropped down in trip to 1000m and must also be considered. Arissa clearly has her problems but ran well after a long layoff on Summer Cup day when finishing second in the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap over 1160m and she has only been raised one point.

The next race is a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m and the one to beat here could be Matador Man. He has a good turn of foot and as one who enjoys the tight Greyville track, the drop in trip might be what he is looking for. New Predator is top class and this is his best trip, so he will go close as the joint best-weighted male horse in the race. Kangaroo Jack is another one with a fine turn of foot. He has high cruising speed and is well drawn, so this should his good draw of three will suit his style ideally as he should be able to sit off the pace and then turn it on. Heaps Of Fun is the best weighted horse in the race, so should be considered being a Graded winning sprint-miler.  Captain Aldo can’t be ignored as one who loves this trip.

The third leg of the Jackpot is a MR 88 Handicap over 1600m for three-year-olds and the selection here is the classy Noble Secret. This son of Dynasty was ultra impressive on debut over 1200m when winning by nearly ten lengths. He disappointed next time out over that same trip, but has since been gelded and is now running over a distance which will suit him much better. He has a fine draw and Randall Simons, who partnered him in both of his first two starts, stays aboard. The interesting runner here is Wonderous Climber as he is also by Dynasty and is a half-brother to the like of Silver Mountain, Cloth Of Cloud and Helderberg Blue.

He has his second run after gelding and if recapturing the form of his maiden win, which was over this trip in the May of his two-year-old year, then he can be involved off a merit rating which has dropped from 85 down to 73. Silver God can also be in the shake up as he won going away last time over 1500m and has only been raised two points.  He was beaten by Alshibaa in the Secretariat Stakes over 1800m, but did beat the latter over this trip in the Dingaans. Alshibaa deserves his merit rating, but there are question marks about whether he is as good as some of the others here and he has to give all of them weight except for Noble Secret. The dark horse is Bright Blessed Day, who won impressively over 1200m last time and should enjoy the step up in trip.

The last leg of the Jackpot is a MR 87 Handicap for three-year-old fillies over 1600m and it should be fought out between Dressed To Impress and Maple Syrup. The former was clearly outpaced over 1160m on debut but still won easing up by 2,3 lengths so will relish the step up in trip and looks classy. Maple Syrup was not hard pressed to win over 1400m last time to remain unbeaten in two and off just a 81 merit rating she can progress further over a step up in trip she will appreciate.

The first leg of the Pick 6 has the value bet of the day running Circle Of Latitude, who should relish the step up in trip to 2000m and is well drawn.

The last leg of the Pick 6 should be fought out by Waity Katie and Our Shining Star. The former has come back to her best since joing David Nieuwenhuizen yard and could follow up on her recent win, while the latter is looks full of promise.

Collegiate and Gertjie should be enough to get punters through the first leg of the PA.

By David Thiselton

His best chance is probably on Frozen Tune in the Cupid’s Arrow Maiden Juvenile. The Candice Bass-Robinson colt is one of only four with the considerable advantage of a previous run and he had Sailor Sam four and a half lengths behind when beating all except the more experienced Lucky Dancer here four weeks ago.

In the opening fillies juvenile maiden Van Niekerk’s mount European Roller heads the market at 33-10 with World Sports Betting but Justin Snaith adopts a cautious approach with his two-year-olds these days and he has yet to win a Cape Town juvenile race this term.

Joey Ramsden, on the other hand, has won three of the nine run so far and at this stage his Var filly Au Revoir, each way at 5-1, makes more appeal. Lucille (7-2) is the only one who has had a run but watch out for anything that is backed.

The Boston Rose is 13-10 favourite to score for Snaith and Van Niekerk in the Horses For Causes Maiden. She has finished second or third in the last four of her five starts and her form reads better than that of 33-10 second favourite Negma whose Durbanville third to Indian Song looked weak at the time and has not been franked.

There is little to choose between Hithimagainchuck, Bwana, Strategic Power and Dayonaut in race four but the first-named is favourite at 28-10, ran well on Met day and drops in class.

Franking (28-10) romped home six lengths clear in her first run out of the maidens and may be able to defy an eight-point increase in the Birthday Bonanza Handicap. Baroness Mary went up seven for her close third in the Listed Jamaica Handicap and is favourite at 2-1 while Dynasty’s Blossom (28-10) went up four for last time’s good run.

Quing on the other hand has come down 15 in just over a year and the 9-2 chance has been nibbled at. However she still hasn’t quite recovered her best form. Blinkers were tried seven months ago without success and are fitted again here.

Adam Marcus has hit form and Gyre (33-10) in race six could be another for Van Niekerk who should also win the last on Red Mars.

There has been little between Star Evolution and Love Of My Life in their last two races and the latter would seem an appropriate choice for the Valentine Victory Maiden. But Star Evolution is rated a kilo superior and has a better draw so Richard Fourie’s mount is preferred.

By Michael Clower

There are varying opinions on the National Horseracing Authorities recent announcement that local merit ratings will be raised by six pounds on March 1. But what ever your opinion, and they are varied, merit ratings do mostly work to punter’s advantage in races such as maiden plates.

The Soccer 6 Maiden at Greyville yesterday was a case in point. None of that field will get their names on jam tins but the two highest rated horses in the race, Mutawaary and Fire Song, hooked up at the two-furlong marker but it was the higher rated Mutawaary, rated seven pounds superior to Fire Song, who drew off to win comfortably with the balance left gasping for air.

Warren Kennedy

Geoff Perkins, “Jeffries Bay” to his friends is nothing if not patient and it paid off with the six-year-old Secret Service finally getting off the mark at his 29^th attempt in the card opener.

“Patience takes on a whole new meaning with this horse but we finally got there. We were very confident. The race was perfectly set up and Warren (Kennedy) delivered.”

In further confirmation that the merit rating system holds some merit, top-rated The Private, in spite of having little obvious form to boast of, ran out and easy winner of the third. Queensbury Rules came in for some inspired market support but failed to deliver a knock-out blow as apprentice Ashton Arries slipped the Michael Roberts-trained The Private up the inside rail and Queensbury Rules arrived too late on the scene to make any difference to the result.

Quakeshake looked to be one of the better best on the card (7-10) and Dean Kannemeyer’s filly duly arrived in the Track & Ball Gaming Qualified Maiden although Sweet Shayna made her work hard in the latter stages.

The call by Mark Dixon to fit blinkers to the filly Parallelogram has paid dividends as she pushed Arries to within two winners of losing his claim. In spite of taking the scenic route in the straight in the Rugby 5 Qualified Maiden, shifting from inside to out, Parallogram was never in danger and won as she liked.

The Greyville poly track can be a tricky surface with horses, who look certain winners with 100m to go, treading water the last bit and being snaffled on the line by something coming from the clouds.

Yaas was a case in point in the Interbet Handicap as she led for every step except at the line as Je Suis Silver arrived with a late flourish. It was a tremendously game effort from the runner-up who had fought off most of the opposition but Anton Marcus is an acknowledged master of the synthetic surface and got Tony Rivalland’s filly up on the line.

By Andrew Harrison

National Trainer’s log leader Justin Snaith is looking forward to a “very exciting” SA Champions Season and will be bringing “the strongest string” he has ever had for the three month feast of top class racing.

Snaith has been granted 30 boxes at Summerveld by Gold Circle and is due to arrive around Easter. Among his travelling string will be his pair of dual Grade 1 winners Oh Susanna and Snowdance. Snaith has won five of the nine Grade 1 races run to date in South Africa this season.

However, he warned ante-post punters that his Sun Met and Cartier Paddock Stakes-winner Oh Susanna would only have a 5% chance of running in the Vodacom Durban July and his WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and Klawervlei Majorca Stakes-winner Snowdance would not even be nominated.

African Night Sky (Liesl King)

He does not believe Snowdance will see out the 2200m trip, while Oh Susanna, already merit rated 115, will be asked to carry too much weight for a three-year-old filly.

Snaith has won the July twice before, including with the British-bred filly Dancer’s Daughter, but she was stoutly bred and as a four-year-old in 2008 carried only 53kg.

He mentioned four horses who would be targeting the July, African Night Sky, Do It Again, Platinum Prince and Strathdon.

He said, “African Night Sky was the unlucky-lucky horse in the Met, unlucky to finish sixth, but lucky because he therefore avoided a merit rated raise. He will come into the July with bottom weight.” Do It Again caught the eye with a flying second in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby and is held in high regard. Snaith said he had laid off Platinum Prince and Strathdon recently with the SA Champions Season in mind.

Platinum Prince won four on the trot from 1600-2000m from May to July last year. In his last run on January 6 he finished third in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap, beaten 2,75 lengths by subsequent Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open. He was only running off a 94 merit rating in the Peninsula. However, he is a four-year-old by Silvano, whose progeny get better with age and whom also have a phenomenal record in the July.

Strathdon is also a four-year-old by Silvano and is a half-brother to Cape Guineas winner Tap O’ Noth. He has won his last four races over distance of 1800-2500m, including the Listed Woolavington Handicap over 2400m and the Grade 3 Mahala TV Cape Summer Stayers Handicap over 2500m.

Snaith said he would race his top horses “sparingly” in KZN and would be choosing their targets very carefully.

Oh Susanna might have only one run, in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

He had not finalised a plan for Snowdance, but mentioned the prestigious weight for age mile, the Rising Sun Gold Challenge, as one of her likely targets. In that case it is hoped Legal Eagle’s new connections will bring him down for this race. Snowdance is the one horse in the country with the potential to dethrone Legal Eagle from his cemented position as best miler in the country.

Bishop’s Bounty (Liesl King)

Snaith’s other Grade 1 winner this season is Sergeant Hardy, who won the Betting World Cape Flying Championship on Met day to remain unbeaten in three starts over the Kenilworth 1000m trip. He is targeting only one race for him, the Grade 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville. He said, “I will have to teach him to run around the turn as he has never cornered well. He will avoid the Tsogo Sun Sprint as he will be weighted out of it.” Sergeant Hardy is merit rated 117.

However, Snaith is earmarking the Tsogo Sun for two horses, Bishop’s Bounty and Kasimir.

Bishop’s Bounty was an impressive two length winner of the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth last time out, despite being considerably under sufferance carrying 59kg off his 101 merit rating. He was duly given the maximum ten point raise to 111.

Kasimir ran a fine half-a-length second to the classy Dutch Phillip in the US$500,000 CTS 1200 on Met day. He is now merit rated 99. Snaith has another trick up his sleeve with this Captain Al colt too and aims to give him a pipe opener in the Grade 3 Byerley Turk over 1400m at Greyville on April 8. ”He is a half-brother to Afrikaburn (a Grade 1-winner over the Greyville 1400m) and I have been waiting quietly for this race for a long time.”

Snaith has not yet finalised his SA Champions Season string and one reason is he is still deciding whether or not to campaign some of his good three-year-olds in the Cape Winter series. A case in point is Cot Campbell, who was third in the Grade 3 Cape Classic and then fourth in both the Cape Guineas and CTS Mile, and he will likely be staying in Cape Town. He said, “We were a bit disappointed in his CTS Mile run, but he is a very nice individual and talented.”

Snaith said he would bring a couple of precocious Captain Al two-year-olds, who are owned by KZN-based clients.

A boon for the yard is that they have been put under no pressure to send horses overseas under the current quarantine requirements. “My owners know how much the arduous journey overseas takes out of a horse and they love racing in South Africa, so I am under no pressure to go that route.” However, if the protocols change, as they have been threatening to do, he said some of his best horses would “definitely” head overseas.

By David Thiselton