Lyle Hewitson is confident he will do the featherweight of 50.5kg on Rockin Russian when the Sean Tarry-trained filly takes on the colts in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

He said yesterday: “I took the ride as I knew I could do it and I have been dieting for the past fortnight. I will sweat off the final kilo on the day of the race.”

Dean Kannemeyer reports that Last Winter came out bouncing after his impressive return at Durbanville last week and the trainer is already talking in terms of the Sun Met.

Lyle Hewitson

He said: “Last Winter came through the race very well. In fact he has never been better and he doesn’t look as if he has even had a race.”

Kannemeyer is still agonising over where to run the horse next but his choices are limited unless he is prepared to stay in handicap company and, after a seven point rise to 106, that does not appeal.

The principal options are a 1400m Pinnacle on November 11, the Green Point over a mile on December 2 and the Premier Trophy over 200m further a fortnight later. The horse would escape a penalty in either of the last two.

Kannemeyer said: “I will enter him for all three and take it from there. I will also nominate him for the Met.”

Breeding suggests he might struggle over the 2 000m Met trip being by Western Winter out of Cape Fillies Guineas winner Field Flower, even if she is by Silvano.

Kannemeyer said: “Anthony Delpech is convinced he will stay ten furlongs because you can switch him off whenever you want to, and his being a completely relaxed horse will help.”

Brett Crawford is discuss future plans for last season’s Met winner Whisky Baron when he meets Wayne Kieswetter tomorrow and these could include Dubai.

Crawford said: “Whisky Baron is progressing well at Newmarket. He is at a rehabilitation place at Longholes with spas and water treatments. He is there for ten days.”

Mike Stewart, who had long predicted that Al Wahed would come into his own in soft ground, secured special veterinary treatment that enabled the six-year-old to return to something like his best on good going last Saturday.

He said: “Al Wahed has a deformed knee and when he was in Durban the vets said he would never race again. I train him only on the softer sand at Noordhoek as a result but just over a fortnight ago I got an Irish vet to work on the knee. He used a pulsating machine and the result was amazing. Normally he is crippled after a race but this time he was much better.”

Stewart was so impressed that he persuaded the vet to use the machine on his sore back. The result was much the same as with the horse and yesterday the trainer had the sort of spring in his step that normally only a winner can produce – and that was before Celtic Charm’s success in the Supabets Handicap.

By Michael Clower

The Mike de Kock-trained Captain Al colt Like A Panther struck a blow for three-year-old form at the Vaal on Tuesday and was one of a number of sophomores who have caught the eye over the last few days.

At Greyville on Sunday another Captain Al colt, Captain And Master, proved his class and the exciting Dynasty filly Hashtagyolo remained unbeaten, while at Durbanville on Saturday Trippi colt White River won a handicap comfortably despite being green, and two fillies, Dynamic Diana and Midnight Moonlight, also defied 80+ merit ratings and wide draws in an open handicap.

Captain And Master

The imposing Like A Panther has a stout female line being out of a Galileo mare who is a half-sister to the Gr.2 Reserve Stayers winner Blake. He has SA Derby winner stamped all over him. On Tuesday he travelled like a winner throughout in a MR 84 handicap over 2000m and beat toughened older handicappers going away by two lengths. This was no mean feat for a horse having his first run out of the maidens off an 89 merit rating. He has been raised to 94 and is just one of many exciting De Kock-trained three-year-old prospects, including two winners he had on Saturday, Alshibaa and Alfolk.

Captain And Master has a huge action and, having fought for his head in his last two starts as a two-year-old, was allowed to use his action from the front on Sunday in a 1400m Progress Plate. He set a blistering gallop and stretched again up the straight to win by a comfortable 1,75 lengths from the talented but problematic older horse Red Chesnut Road. The handicappers have raised Captain And Master three points to 99 and time will tell whether he enjoys a mile.

Hashtagyolo made it two from two when winning the KZN Fillies Guineas Trial from start to finish by 1,75 lengths. She was raised six points to 89 and part-owner Bruce Le Roux hinted she would avoid the Cape season and instead might be campaigned in the classics in Jo’burg next year before running in the SA Champions Season.

Last Saturday at Durbanville the rangy White River cosily beat older horses in a 1400m handicap and has been raised three points to 87. He has plenty of scope and should enjoy a further step up in trip.

Dynasty filly Dynamic Diana enjoyed the step up to 1600m on Saturday and showed a good turn of foot to win by 1,5 lengths. Runner-up Midnight Moonlight, by Jay Peg, gave her 1,5kg and was staying on strongly. Both fillies look promising and can be followed.

The first three-year-old colt of the season to showcase the crop was the Querari colt Wonderwall, who comfortably beat a number of classy older horses in the Gr.2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m, albeit in yielding going. Wonderwall represents the form of last year’s champion two-year-old male Mustaaqeem and also some of last season’s best two-year-old form in Cape Town. He is now merit rated 107 and on pedigree should stay a mile and more.

By David Thiselton

Defending Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Arrogate was cut to 5-2 (from 3) to retain his title at Del Mar on Saturday week after he, and market leader Gun Runner, impressed in their final serious workouts on Monday morning.

Arrogate (Liesl King)

Trained by Bob Baffert, who is seeking a fourth successive win in the $6 million event, Arrogate defeated California Chrome in a pulsating Classic 12 months ago before adding the Pegasus World Cup and Dubai World Cup to his haul, but has failed to win in two starts since Dubai.

However, after Arrogate stylishly breezed past a stablemate in a mile workout at Santa Anita on Monday, Baffert told bloodhorse.com: “We were looking for a stiff work out of him today. He handled it really well. Every work he’s moving forward. He looks great to me.

“Gun Runner – I got to see him work today, and he’s pretty impressive too. This is the toughest Classic I think I’ve seen in years. You cannot make a mistake. You have to be ready. It’s going to be a nail-biter.”

Baffert had not been the only person to have noted the workout from the Steve Asmussen-trained Gun Runner, the 7-4 favourite for the Classic.

He took to the track at Santa Anita around an hour before Arrogate to work with a stablemate over 7f, readily leaving his companion behind.

– bloodhorse.com

Trainer John Gosden has been debating on whether to commit the Royal Lodge Stakes winner to Town Moor or next month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in California, but it appears a trip to Yorkshire has been preferred, with the ground on Tuesday officially described as good to soft, good in places.

David Redvers, racing and breeding advisor to the colt’s owners Qatar Racing, has high hopes that Roaring Lion will prove capable of extending his winning sequence prior to making a further splash in 2018.

Roaring Lion (Alan Crowhurst)

“He’s a horse who seems to have improved throughout the season,” Redvers said. “We have the option of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but Mr Gosden felt very strongly that if the ground at Doncaster was reasonable then he would like to go there.

“He feels that Roaring Lion is a next-year horse and we’re very excited by his prospects. It looks a very competitive race, but we’ll go with high hopes.

“We won the race with Elm Park three years ago and had a great day up there. Roaring Lion is very different to Elm Park, but goes to Doncaster with a stronger chance, if anything. I’m very optimistic about him.”

Roaring Lion took the step up to Group 2 level in his stride when defeating the 5-6 favourite Nelson at Newmarket last month and will do battle again with representatives from Aidan O’Brien, who will attempt to set a new world record for Group 1 victories.

Saxon Warrior, who could be Ballydoyle’s standard bearer at Doncaster, hardened as favourite on Tuesday, with bet365 trimming his odds to 2-1 (from 9-4).

Godolphin, who supplemented Loxley for the final Group 1 of the year on Monday, also have dual scorer Masar entered, but he could be set for the Breeders’ Cup instead.

Charlie Appleby, who trains the pair, said: “Masar has the Breeders’ Cup option. We think he has the right profile for that race.

“He’ll do a bit of work on Wednesday morning and then we’ll make a decision about Doncaster. He won’t run in both.

“Slow ground at Doncaster wouldn’t be ideal for him. Although he has finished third in a Group 1 on soft ground, he is a better horse on a sound surface.”

He added: “We supplemented Loxley at the start of the week, and he is going to be turning up. He is an exciting horse. He learnt plenty from dead-heating at Goodwood on his debut and gained a lot of experience from it.

“He has a bright future − that’s why we’ve supplemented him for the Racing Post Trophy.”

– racingpost.com

The Vaal Outside track stages a nine race meeting tomorrow and there are some interesting runners turning out, especially a few first timers in the earlier races.

The meeting kicks off with a Maiden over 1000m and here the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Eighfold Path Jet Path makes appeal after an eyecacthing debut, in which he was surging late after being cramped for room. This nice type should improve for the run and on strict formlines he has the measure of Captain My Captain on a line through Premier Show. Jet Path beat Premier Show by 4,8 lengths, while Captain My Captain only beat Premier Show by a shorthead over 1200m, although the latter did come on from his debut and preferred the 1200m trip. Captain My Captain has been a touch disappointing in two runs on the Highveld after some useful two-year-old form in Cape Town, but this will be his third run after a layoff and gelding and he should start improving now. Sweet Trial has a lot of pace and as this is his second run of this season he might not fold as tamely as he did last time, especially considering this is probably a weaker field.

Tellina (JC Photographics)

In the second race, a fillies and mares maiden over 1000m, there are two well-bred first-timers facing each other in an otherwise moderate field. Triple It is by the former champion sire Trippi out of the twelve-time winning Kahal mare Mannequin, who won the Listed Banyana Handicap over 1000m on the Vaal sand by 2,25 lengths carrying 58,5kg. She could also perform on turf and finished a 0,5 length second in the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein, despite giving the winner, the gelding Gold Site, 6,5kg. Triple It should be full of speed and this Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Drakenstein homebred has the champion apprentice Lyle Hewitson up. Tia by Silvano is a full-sister to Tellina, who needs little introduction having won the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and being Grade 1 placed on numerous occasions including in South Africa’s three premier races, the Vodacom Durban July, the Sun Met and the Sansui Summer Cup. Tellina finished third on debut over 1200m and that was the only sprint he took part in, so Tia is likely to need further but she should have enough class to run into the places. Ilha Da Var has moderate form to date, but is starting to improve and he looks the biggest threat to the two first-timers.

The third race, also a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m, sees two Australian-bred first-timers clashing with a promising filly who did well on debut. Mike de Kock has been turning out classy three-year-old first-timers in conveyor belt-like fashion this season and has another one here in Jazalaah. She is by the top sire More Than Ready out of the Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Trust Antonia. Among the latter’s foals is a full-brother to Jazalaah who finished third in the Grade 1 Caulfield Guineas. However, the Azzie yard also has a first-timer worth noting in this field in Leopard Creek. He is by Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom out of the former Charles Laird-trained Merlene De Lago. The latter was full of class but was temperamental and had an aversion to the starting stalls. However, she did still manage to win the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery by two lengths from subsequent Allan Robertson dead-heater On Her Toes. These two first-timers will have their work cut out to peg back Western Shamrock, who was backed on debut over 1000m and was running on nicely for third. Ancient Spirit has ability too and moved up well on debut in May over 1000m, but then found little extra. However, she was reported to have made a breathing noise and hasn’t run since. Gavin Lerena is aboard Ancient Spirit, while Donavan Mansour rides the yard’s Australian-bred first-timer Dreamsaremadeof, who is by European champion sprinter Dream Ahead and is a half-sister to the useful Gauteng Fillies Guineas fourth-placed Tamaanee.

Mike De Kock

De  Kock could also win the eighth race over 1400m with Mohallela, who was not disgraced on her handicap debut considering the 1160m was too sharp for her. She will relish the step up in trip and can handle an 85 merit rating, although the distance suited pair Rouge Allure and Costa Da Sol are probably advisable for the PA.

The highest rated race is the sixth, a MR 88 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1400m, and Alec Laird’s Flying Winger could make it a hattrick having finished strongly last time to deny the well regarded Prince Of Kahal. Silver Maple was backed to odds-on on debut and got up so is also a contender and Kurt’s Approval should not be ignored as he caught the eye on debut despite beating a moderate field.

The seventh also has some class in it, being a MR 82 Handicap for three-year-old fillies over 1400m. Laird could make it a quick double as his Fort Wood filly Cashel Palace won by over eight lengths second time out over 1600m. Laird’s horses continue to progress as youngsters, so she could still be ahead of the handicapper off an 82 merit rating. La Bastide is 2kg better off for a 0,9 length beating and might prefer this shorter trip, considering she made a breathing noise. She could be the chief threat. Ninjara looks full of ability, but the concern is she over raced the first time she tried this 1400m trip. If she does settles she will be a big runner.

By David Thiselton

Silver Coin can restore his reputation by bouncing back to form in the Interbet.co.za Handicap at Durbanville today.

True, he has a bad draw to contend with but there are grounds for believing he is thrown in at the weights. The formerly record-priced yearling, good enough to win first time, started hot favourite for the Langerman but finished last.

The official explanation was that he was not striding out behind but Joey Ramsden told this column early last month that there was a lot more to it than that – the colt was a run short and the race came at a time when many of the stable’s horses weren’t running well. But now “he is doing fine.”

Joey Ramsden

Silver Coin has been rated at 83 on his narrow debut win whereas stable companion Speedpoint, third in the Langerman, is on a mark of 96. Give that Silver Coin was a 14-10 chance that day, it is reasonable to suppose that he would have run at least as well as Speedpoint and, taking the assumption a stage further, it means he could have more than 6kg in hand here.

World Sports Betting take a different view as they opened him at 15-2. Course and distance winner Bobby Dazzler is the one that has been backed – from 5-1 to 7-2 – with Big Mistake second favourite at 9-2. Strikeitlikeamatch has been on the drift (from 9-2 to 6-1) but Piet Botha’s mount looks the main threat after leaving a run of 15 defeats behind him to show much improved form and win his last two. “I put blinkers on him and that is the main reason for the improvement,” says Glen Puller.

Ramsden, who has 13 runners, could have a good day and his Talk Of The Town looks the one to beat in the TAB Telebet Maiden. “He is a nice horse and he ran very well the first time,” says his trainer.

The Var colt went into punters’ notebooks after finishing strongly from a bad draw on debut to take third but the snag is that he is very short. He was 7-10 yesterday and seems unlikely to ease much. However he should have come on enough to account for 7-1 shot L’Histoire and Rikers Island who is second favourite at 6-1.

Ramsden’s November Storm has run well on both starts and many will want to look no further in the opener, particularly as he was backed yesterday when he shortened to favouritism at 22-10. But Bernie wears blinkers for the first time and that may be enough to end his frustrating run of seconds. He opened favourite but is now 28-10. Refined Bachelor also has strong claims but his 12 draw is a significant negative and probably accounts for him drifting from 7-2 to 6-1.

By Michael Clower

Silver Coin can restore his reputation by bouncing back to form in the Interbet.co.za Handicap at Durbanville tomorrow.

Joey Ramsden

True, he has a bad draw to contend with but there are grounds for believing he is thrown in at the weights. The formerly record-priced yearling, good enough to win first time, started hot favourite for the Langerman but finished last.

The official explanation was that he was not striding out behind but Joey Ramsden told this column early last month that there was a lot more to it than that – the colt was a run short and the race came at a time when many of the stable’s horses weren’t running well. But now “he is doing fine.”

Silver Coin has been rated at 83 on his narrow debut win whereas stable companion Speedpoint, third in the Langerman, is on a mark of 96. Give that Silver Coin was a 14-10 chance that day, it is reasonable to suppose that he would have run at least as well as Speedpoint and, taking the assumption a stage further, it means he could have more than 6kg in hand here.

World Sports Betting take a different view as they opened him at 15-2 yesterday with Strikeitlikeamatch joint favourite (with Big Mistake) at 9-2. Piet Botha’s mount looks the main threat after leaving a run of 15 defeats behind him to show much improved form and win his last two. “I put blinkers on him and that is the main reason for the improvement,” says Glen Puller.

Silver Coin (Wayne Marks)

Ramsden, who has 13 runners, could have a good day and his Talk Of The Town looks the one to beat in the TAB Telebet Maiden. “He is a nice horse and he ran very well the first time,” says his trainer.

The Var colt went into punters’ notebooks after finishing strongly from a bad draw on debut to take third but the snag is that he is very short. He opened odds-on at 17-20 and seems unlikely to ease all that much. However he should have come on enough to account for 6-1 shot L’Histoire and Rikers Island who is third favourite at 13-2.

Ramsden’s November Storm has run well on both starts and many will want to look no further than the 5-2 chance in the opener but Bernie wears blinkers for the first time and that may be enough to end his frustrating run of seconds. He opened favourite at 22-10. Refined Bachelor (7-2) also has strong claims but his 12 draw is a significant negative.

By Michael Clower

The difficult – some would say nightmare – scenario of Cape Town trainers having no grass gallops worth the name is over.

This week everything reverts to normal with raceday gallops resuming at Kenilworth on Saturday and the weekly club gallops at Durbanville starting again on Thursday for horses based at Philippi and the following Thursday for those stabled at Milnerton.

Trainers wanting to gallop at Kenilworth are limited by a quota system – they can do so each season up to a limit of only 6.5% of the average number of their runners in the previous one or two seasons – but there is no such restriction on gallops at Durbanville.

The latter were suspended for 12 months while the surface was being improved and relaid while for the last month there were also no Kenilworth gallops permitted in order to give the turf its customary spring scarifying treatment.

For the most part trainers have accepted the situation, reasoning it is for the long-term good, but Joey Ramsden has been critical of the no-gallops period, saying: “It has all been hugely disappointing and what they have done at Durbanville is make the course ride even faster than it did before.”

However others have expressed satisfaction at the elimination of the Durbanville ridge-and-furrow surface, which because of the risk of sore shins and leg damage, meant they were unwilling to risk their good horses.

Justin Snaith said: “No-one has run more horses than me at Durbanville since the course was reopened and not one of them has finished lame. Indeed they have all pulled up incredibly well.”

The jockeys, who put their lives as well as their livelihoods at risk on every raceday, have also enthused about the surface.

In other news Vaughan Marshall confirms that there is no appeal against The Secret Is Out’s six-month ban for bursting a blood vessel earlier this month. It seems harsh that the relevant rule does not permit the owners an opportunity to at least submit a case for leniency.

Snaith is to expand his Port Elizabeth operation, saying: “We are only half full with 20 horses and we are going to try and fill it up. We are doing well there after changing our approach. We now send  horses there earlier than we used to, show them the poly and get them more prepared.”

By Michael Clower

Run Rhino Run’s startling display in the sixth race at Greyville on Sunday has had tongues wagging the world over after he opened up a steeple chase margin on the opposition in the 3000m handicap and kept rolling to win by an official 21-length margin.

“Sometimes you get lucky,” said trainer Kom Naidoo. “99 percent of the time by the time a runaway like that hits the straight it’s already dead.”

That doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Formally with Lezeanne Forbes, Run Rhino Run showed talent from the start of his career but was always a difficult customer.

“I got the horse from Lezeanne a couple of weeks ago. He’s always been difficult. He’s got rocks in his head and he’s been tried with pacifiers and all sort of other things to try and get him to settle. But he fights everything that you put on him and the harder you fight the harder he fights.”

“Eventually I thought, ‘you know what, take everything off him and use just a normal ring-bit and let him do what he wants’”.

Well he took apprentice Serino Moodley via the scenic route, heading for the outside fence after taking the first turn and from there on, it was Run Rhino Run in control.

“He’s such a difficult horse,” said Moodley post-race. “I knew he was going to be a difficult ride so I just let him do what he wanted to do.”

At one stage commentator Sheldon Peters called Run Rhino Run 300 m ahead and he still had 200m on his rivals turning for home.

The race was run 9 seconds slower than track record, equivalent to around 40 lengths or more, and with the balance of the field still 21 lengths adrift at the line their pace must be called into question.

Indeed, the stipendiary stewards have opened an inquiry. “We took evidence from all the riders, excepting Serino Moodley … what were their instructions and tactics,” said senior stipe Derek Anderson.

“We still have to sit down and analyse their responses. It’s an enquiry in progress,” he said.

In other news, Dennis Bosch is in Cape Town this week fine-tuning Billy Silver for the CTS Lanzerac Read-To-Run Stakes.

“He’s doing exceptionally well down here in Cape Town. I can’t be happier with him,” said Bosch. “He’s been with Geoff Woodruff and I have been up and down checking on him. I will be down again in the last week of his prep.”

The R2.5 million race over 1400m will be run on Saturday, November 18. “(Anthony) Delpech says 1400m is his game and he can’t speak highly enough of the horse,” concluded Bosch.

Billy Silver, unbeaten in two starts, does not feature in the current log as he does not have an official merit rating after just two starts.

By Andrew Harrison

Dennis Drier returned from Cape Town last season empty handed in feature races, but looks likely to put that disappointment behind him as his string of 23 this season is full of young talent.

Heading the list are his two unbeaten Grade 1 two-year-old winners from last season Sand And Sea and Lady In Black.

Lady In Black (Candiese Marnewick)

Twice Over colt Sand And Sea ran on strongly from off the pace to win the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. The form of that race cannot be faulted to date and this big bay’s target will now be the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 16. His dam by Spectrum, Sea Point, won on debut over 1000m at Kenilworth, but is a half-sister to brilliant Cape Guineas winner Pointing North (Joshua Dancer). Twice Over’s influence will also help Sand And Sea stay, being a five-times middle distance Group 1 winner. Sand And Sea is avoiding Saturday’s Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m in favour of a Progress Plate over 1200m on November 18. The reason is the connections do not want to bring him down to the 1200m before going up in trip again to 1600m.

Lady In Black is entered in the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championships over 1400m on Saturday. This Dynasty filly had no right to win the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes in her third start, having been caught wide the whole way and then taking a big bump at the top of the straight. Unfortunately, she has landed another wide draw for Saturday, 14 out of 16.

Joining Lady In Black as entries in the Western Cape Fillies Championships are Tssessebe and Champenois. Philanthropist filly Tsessebe finished third in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day. Visionaire filly Champenois bumped three good ‘uns in Luna Child, Flichity By Farr and Dinner Date, whom she finished second to, before getting off the mark in a Scottsville 1200m fillies and mares maiden in September, which she won by 3,5 lengths. She is a half-sister to the Grade 1 SA Classic winner Pierre Jourdan, so should enjoy Saturday’s step up in trip. Furthermore, she has drawn pole position. Tsessebe is drawn 16 out of 16.

Dennis Drier

Drier does have two entries in the Cape Classic, Silvano colt Tower Of Wisdom and Philanthropist colt Tom Collins. Tower Of Wisdom was taken handy from a wide draw second time out over 1400m at Scottsville and ran on well to win by 1,25 lengths. The horse who was beaten 2,5 lengths into third, African Pharoah, came out and won on Sunday. Tom Collins took four runs to win his maiden, a 1600m event, and was then beaten 1,3 lengths into fourth in a handicap over 1750m off a merit rating of 82, so has his work cut out on Saturday from the widest draw of 13 acceptors. Tower Of Wisdom, merit rated 83, is drawn seven.

Another three-year-old filly entered for Saturday’s racing is impressive 1200m debut winner, Via Sacra. This Pathfork filly lost two lengths at the start in her only career start, but was soon tracking the leaders and showed a fine turn of foot to win by a head without being hard pressed. She is entered in a MR 68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m on Saturday and will race off a merit rating of 82, which she is surely destined to be better than, but it does mean she has to carry 61,5kg.

A top filly sprinter in the string is the four-year-old by Var, Sommerlied, who has won four out of five and smashed the Scottsville 1000m course record last time out. She has the good fillies feature sprint program to look forward to and will then no doubt attempt to follow in the footsteps of another Drier-trained Var filly, Val De Ra, who won the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships over 1000m.

The four-year-old Count Dubois filly Anime is also good enough to contest the fillies sprint features, while four-year-old Horse Chestnut gelding Horse Guards will likely be aimed at sprint feature handicaps.

Sand And Sea

The yard also have high hopes for the three-year-old daughter of Val De Ra, Miss Frankel, who is by the legendary Frankel. After a disappointing debut she proved she wasn’t just an over-hyped sort by winning a Scottsville 1000m fillies and mares maiden by 4,5 lengths.

A promising three-year-old filly in the string is Salimah by Trippi. She won her 1000m debut by 3,75 lengths. She is a half-sister to UAE 2000 Guineas second-placed Zanzamar, who also finished third in the Dubai Gold Cup, so she will appreciate further and looks to be a Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas hopeful.

Respective three-year-old Western Winter and Oratorio fillies, Dame Commander and Sacred Flame, both won comfortably in their third starts over 1200m at Scottsville.

Another Western Winter filly Forehand ran a good third over 1000m on debut.

Three-year-old Curved Ball gelding Bad Attitude won well second time out over 1200m at Scottsville. He is a half-brother to the out-and-out sprinter Mr Whatever.

Premier Dance might be aimed at feature handicaps.

Heir Line and Colour Your Dreams will likely start off in lesser handicaps.

The High Life loved Cape Town last season, so can bounce back to form.

Four-year-old Nauticus is a hard knocking maiden and Dynasty filly Perfect Air and Trippi gelding Robyn-Jack-Twigg are yet to race.

By David Thiselton