Durbanville course specialist Fifty Cents and Bernie, first and second in Saturday’s Supabets Pinnacle, will renew rivalry over 150m further in the Matchem on October 7. But Justin Snaith intends strengthening his hand in the Grade 3 test.

He said: “Fifty Cents is now four from four here but I have quite a few for the Matchem including Kasimir who was second in the CTS 1200. It will be very interesting to see which one Richard Fourie chooses.”

The champion trainer is in blistering form, particularly with all those three-year-olds kept waiting in the wings last season, and victories for Green Jacket and Carlas Mambo took his tally to 24 and his strike rate to 18.5%.

He regards these early victories as important for his bid to retain the championship, reasoning: “The Cape season is going to be tough and the competition will be hot. Picking up these races now is going to count.”

Fourie won on all three and his percentage is virtually 32%. It is Muzi Yeni who is leading the national log but 21-winner Fourie, on a week-by-week basis at least, is running not far short of his ambitious 200-winner target.

Candice Bass-Robinson, who won last year’s Matchem with Our Mate Art, was pleased with the performance of all three of her Pinnacle runners, saying: “Horizon (sixth) needed this badly but he will join Bernie in the Matchem and then his programme will be something like Green Point, Queen’s Plate and Met if he stays in one piece.

“We will see how we go with Tevez (who ran on well into fourth). It was his first time at Durbanville and he never likes going round the turn which is why he doesn’t go to Durban. But he is always keen which is why I keep running him.”

Vaughan Marshall, in double form, explained that Rocket Girl didn’t handle the “sloppy” ground when disappointing at Kenilworth last time – it was the day only two races were run. Secretariat’s Girl was retired to stud after winning the Interbet.co.za Handicap and leaves for Klawervlei this morning.

No such rest for West Of Seattle who made all under Donovan Dillon at 22-1 in the first to surprise his trainer almost as much as the punters.

Paul Reeves said: “Gelding him has made a big difference but I thought he would only run a place. They were backing the favourite (third-placed Spring Burst) like there was no tomorrow.”

Ante-post favourite Trippi’s Express was odds-on prior to being scratched on Friday afternoon after showing an abnormal blood count.

Andre Nel was full of praise for Anthony Andrews’ handling of Sister Soozie in the Middle Stakes (“he rode a perfect race”) and the good-value Liam Tarentaal, 20, took his total to 23 when getting up on the line on the Eric Sands-trained 15-1 shot Cyber Law in the Betting World Handicap.

*  Kenilworth Racing’s invitation to The Barn market to set up shop multiplied the normal crowd many times over. “It wasn’t as busy as our Sunday market in Durbanville town but it was worth coming,” said one stall holder while Justin Snaith was one of many suitably impressed, saying: “It’s an easy simple idea and I am happy to see it bringing people racing.”

But there were long queues at the downstairs bar and, if these new casual racegoers are not to be put off, the caterers need to open up more outlets.

By Michael Clower