Joey Ramsden has won the Cape Guineas twice in the past seven years and, if there was any betting on the race, Twist Of Fate would now be favourite to give him a third in the Forus-sponsored classic on 15 December.

The R20 000 bargain buy did it the hard way in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday, overcoming the widest draw of all and leading throughout the rest of the journey to score convincingly.

Ramsden, landing his fourth Cape Classic in six seasons, said: “There is plenty more to come – he wasn’t fully wound up – but I was quietly confident provided he got across.”

Surprisingly Ramsden appears to have some slight concerns about the Master Of My Fate colt lasting the extra furlong in the Cape Guineas, saying: “He would win a Graded race over five furlongs. But I will speak with everyone involved. If he didn’t go for the Guineas he would go sprinting. That, said, though, there is only one Cape Guineas.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, whose enterprising tactics had many of the opposition in trouble some way out, has no such doubts – “This is a serious horse. We worked him with Attenborough the other day and we beat him. That was good enough for me and a mile shouldn’t be a problem – his temperament is good.”

But make a note of Cirillo. The favourite was having his first race for three months yet he finished best of all to take second with Lyle Hewitson reporting: “This is a proper horse. He will have no problem with the extra furlong.”

However there will be no Guineas for third-placed Pleasedtomeetyou who weakened into third, confirming Andre Nel’s original suspicions that this could be another sprinting Querari. Rider Greg Cheyne said: “He never hit the line and he had every opportunity of doing so. A smart horse but better in sprints.”

Majestic Mozart came from well back to take an encouraging fourth and demonstrate why Candice Bass-Robinson holds him in such high regard but the Justin Snaith runners finished a disappointing eighth, ninth and tenth. Clouded Hill, the last of them, had a valid excuse because Anton Marcus reported that his saddle slipped almost from the start.

Five of the last eight winners of the Western Cape Fillies Championship have gone on to land the Fillies Guineas and Clouds Unfold looks the one they all have to beat in the WSB version in mid-December after coming from well back to lead over 50m out.

The What A Winter filly was the second successive winner of the Grade 2 for Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein and the second for Aldo Domeyer who won on Silver Mountain and said: “She was impressive. She will really enjoy both the extra furlong and the longer straight in the Guineas.”

Candice Bass-Robinson will also run third-placed Santa Clara in the classic while the Chrigor Stud connections of runner-up Temple Grafin will be there too with Glen Kotzen saying: “A very good filly beat us here but it will be interesting to see how they both stay the mile.”

Canukeepitsecret (tenth) was a disappointment but the in-form Vaughan Marshall (five winners at the last two Cape Town meetings) said: “It wasn’t the trip – that is no problem for her. She ran flat and she was gone a long way from home.”

Brett Crawford, who had three of the first four in the Pinnacle, said that Undercover Agent will go Green Point, Queen’s Plate and possibly Met while Valbonne (third) and fourth-placed Search Party will stay sprinting with the Diadem and the Cape Flying the prime targets for the latter.

Strong-finishing runner-up Dutch Philip has the Merchants, Diadem and Cape Flying as his objectives after Aldo Domeyer reported: “I was very encouraged by that. At one stage he wasn’t going anywhere but then he found another gear.”

Finally 27 October will go down as a never-to-be-forgotten date for Piet Botha as Head Of The Pack (William Bambiso) gave him his first winner as a trainer in the Work Riders’ Maiden.

By Michael Clower