The Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred daughter of Redoute’s Choice will be seeking her third Gr 1 triumph in succession and takes on older males for the first time in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m. Delpech said, “Her form speaks for itself. She is simple to ride, she doesn’t over race and can lead or sit in fifth or sixth.”

The top jockey also confirmed that being a big, robust filly she would not be intimidated by her older male opponents.

This will also be the first time Majmu has raced beyond the mile, but she has always given the impression that she would relish further, as she relaxes so well in the running and couples that with a blistering turn of foot. She has made up plenty of ground before when finding herself out of her ground over shorter.

Delpech urged caution about the other Gr 1 favourite he rides, the Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal, who runs in the SA Derby over 2450m. He replaces Gavin Lerena aboard Ertijaal and said, “I don’t know what went wrong last time (in the SA Classic), Matthew (De Kock) said the ground didn’t suit him. He showed in the Cape Derby that he stays all day, so the trip won’t be a problem.

“But to have him at 12/10 and the rest of the field at 4/1 and upwards is all wrong. If you go back in the form of Deputy Jud, who beat Ertijaal in the SA Classic, you will find that Ertijaal only beat him by 0,5 lengths previously, so Deputy Jud must have as much chance. I just think that people jumped the gun by calling him a superstar after the easy Cape Derby win because the runner up (Act Of War) was subsequently shown to have had something wrong and a couple of horses Act Of War finished together with have proven to not be too good.”

Ertijaal has a daisy cutting action, which would indeed be better suited to the faster ground expected on Saturday.  He did need the run badly when beating Deputy Jud in the aforementioned race on the Inside track over 1800m and was giving the latter 2kg. Furthermore he is a galloping type who will much prefer the Standside track. The reason for his short price might be that De Kock has won this race nine times.

However, even then it would be no surprise to see the majority of pundits tipping the SA Classic winner French Navy, who is an ever-improving sort and has struck on both running style and pedigree as one who will enjoy the Derby trip.

Delpech’s mount Pine Princess could provide the biggest threat to the Triple Tiara-seeking Siren’s Call in the Gr 1 SA Oaks over 2450m and she has duly been priced up second favourite. Delpech said, “This is the first time she will be going over the trip she really wants.” She has drawn wide in barrier eleven, but Siren’s Call is one outside of her.

Delpech rides the second favourite in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint, the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championship winner Alboran Sea. Most racegoers believed that this speedy three-year-old filly had been pipped by Captain Of All in the Cape Flying but the photo finish showed she had got her head down at the right time. Delpech replaces Weichong Marwing and said, “It is her first run back from Cape Town, whereas Captain of All has had a prep so will be fitter, but over five furlongs she could get away with it.” The outside has tended to be favourable in recent big racemeetings down the Turffontein straight, so Alboran Sea looks to have a plum draw of 13, although the going can vary on occasion.

Delpech’s ride in the Gr 1 SA Nursery, Shaama, will try and repeat last year’s feat by Carry On Alice of beating the boys. Delpech said, “She is a lovely filly but will have her work cut out as this is much more competitive than her debut. She has an eachway chance and looking at the field Gavin Van Zyl has two nice colts who both have good chances.” Shaama is a paternal half-sister to Majmu, being by Redoute’s Choice, but Delpech said that the like of Majmu don’t come around too often. Shaama has also landed a possibly favourable high draw.

Delpech rides Entisaar in the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery and said, “She is a nice filly and ran below her best last time. The slow start didn’t affect her, it was probably the soft ground she didn’t enjoy as she didn’t run her race and is definitely better than that. It’s very competitive and the filly who beat her last time (Speedy Suzy) must have a chance.”

In the Gr 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes he is aboard Santa Carolina and said, “She needs to get her form back to have a chance.”

He rides Raees in the Gr 2 Gold Bowl over 3200m and said, “He ran a very good race last time as he was baulked and might otherwise have run second. He stays well and has a good place chance.”

Delpech admitted that he didn’t know much about Drifting Dusk whom he rides in the Gr 2 Camellia Stakes. He said about his mount in the first, Rushmore River, “He is a hard knocker and just ran a flat race last time. He has an eachway chance but I think Shadow Of His Smile will be hard to beat.”