Mike Bass’ Summerveld assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe said it would be the “highlight” of his training career if he could win a race for the “”Old Man” in the eLan Gold Cup meeting on Sunday and he has a number of good chances of doing so.

The meeting will officially be the last of Bass’ glittering career and it would be particularly fitting if the yard could land the race named in the great trainer’s  honour, the Gr 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup, with the crack three-year-old Marinaresco.

Robert said, “Mr. Bass has been very good to me and to my family (Bernard Fayd’Herbe was stable jockey for many seasons).

He revealed the Summerveld grass on the bend had been opened yesterday for his big race charges and said, “The grass was actually fantastic and the horses (Marinaresco, Helderberg Blue and Nightingale) all worked very well.”

Marinaresco is odds-on favourite for the Champions Cup over 1800m, having put up an outstanding performance in the Vodacom Durban

July, in which he came from a mile back to finish a 0,25 length runner up. Fayd’Herbe said, “He came out of the July well, in fact I think he’s actually come on a bit. He’s looking well and his work has been good, he‘s enjoying life. He is also effective over a mile to 1800m and doesn’t take a lot of work.”

Marinaresco has another wide draw to overcome, thirteen this time, and stable jockey Grant van Niekerk remains aboard. Fayd’Herbe said Marinaresco did not have to be dropped out like he was in the July and hoped he would be closer in the running this time.

Fayd’Herbe was also bullish about the chances of Helderberg Blue in the Gr 2 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m.

The five-year-old gelding was a touch unlucky in the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Greyville in his penultimate start when giving Balance Sheet 2,5kg and being beaten only 0,25 lengths. In his next start he did not quicken as well as the others when finishing a 1,85 length fourth in the Gr 3 Delta Air Lines 2200 on July day, so appears to be looking for further. Fayd’Herbe said, “He will stay all day.”

This horse was notoriously difficult in his younger days and invariably boiled over at the racecourse. However, Fayd’Herbe said, “He has quietened down a bit with age and with his pony leading him down is more settled. Grant (Van Niekerk) enjoys riding him now.” Helderberg Blue has a plum draw of four.

The yard also have a reserve runner in Three Balloons. Fayd’Herbe said, “He is a galloper and has been aimed at this race for the whole season. If he gets in he will be a big runner with that weight.”

Fayd’Herbe said Nightingale had been caught too far out of her ground in a slow run race in the Gr 3 Track And Ball Oaks over 2400m at Scottsville, where she started even money favourite. Before that she had put up two excellent efforts to finish a respective second and third to Bela-Bela in the Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 respectively.

She drops back to the 2000m trip on Sunday in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet, a weight for age event in which she is the joint second highest merit rated horse on 102, four points lower than Olma. She has a tough draw of eleven with Van Niekerk up. Fayd’Herbe said, “She is doing well, she hasn’t got the greatest of draws, but hopefully we can slot her in.”

Fayd’Herbe regards Ernie as the yard banker for the day, because in his opinion the others are in tougher races. The three-year-old gelding comes off a one length second in the tabGold Sprint over 1200m on the poly on July day and now jumps from pole position with Van Niekerk up in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the poly.

Fayd’Herbe said, “He’s fit and well and dropping down to 1000m from a good draw we are hoping for a big run.”

The six-year-old gelding Night Trip will bring down the curtain on Bass’s training career when attempting to win the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly for the third year in succession. He is coming off an excellent second in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint and has to carry 62kg from a tough draw of ten with Anton Marcus up.

Fayd’Herbe said, “He surprised us in the Mercury and has come well. He is a big strong fella so can carry the weight and hopefully will pull it off.”

David Thiselton