Wylie Hall, an Australian-bred five-year-old Redoute’s Choice entire, had been diagnosed with a bone spur growing out of the back of a front knee joint after his last run in the Gr 1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup in July last year. It had been causing wear and tear on the tendons, but after the spur had been rounded off, the tendons have recovered.

It showed on Saturday as the former Gr 1 SA Derby winner travelled well throughout under Bernard Fayd’Herbe. Fayd’Herbe had him one wide in midfield of the nine horse field and brought him to the outside in the straight off a wide false rail. The 112 merit-rated horse quickened superbly to catch the leaders and then found another gear when it counted.

The proximity of the Paul Peter-trained 95 merit rated runner up Henry Higgins at level weights to Wylie Hall might take some gloss off the victory. However, Henry Higgins, a popular six-year-old Caesour gelding, continues to amaze as he took 15 races to win his maiden and has since won ten more times and risen from a 68 merit rating. Furthermore, Wylie Hall was eased before the line, so there was plenty left in the tank and he will have come on for this run.

The Sean Tarry-trained Cagiva looked to be a July contender last season before injury put him out for nearly a year. He ran on in encouraging style from the back on Saturday after a slow start. It was only his second run after the long layoff and he was only beaten two lengths by the winner at level weights.

His stablemate The Hangman set the pace and stayed on for a fair 3,5 length fourth considering he gave each of the three in front of him 1kg, but this five-year-old Jallad gelding still has to prove he is as effective over this trip as he is over a mile.

Tiger’s Retreat came from last for fifth and it wasn’t a bad run as his slow start put him at the back instead of the handy position he would prefer. Killua Castle moved up well but faded late in his first outing since the J&B Met. This race should have brought him on and he must not be discounted next time out.

Earl Of Derby was next best and would have preferred more testing going. Eurakilon looked outclassed and last placed Tribal Dance has become a disappointing sort. A lot of these runners will clash again in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge, a race that Marwing said would be Wylie Hall’s chief mission.

Last year Wylie Hall had to run with a 2,5kg Gr 1 penalty, but his SA Derby win was more than 18 months ago, so will not apply this year and he will only carry a 1kg penalty for a Gr 2 win. This will put him right in the picture and he should improve on last year’s 4,75 length fourth to the high class Yorker.

Cagiva looks to be the other horse to take out of Saturday’s race. He should be at his peak for the Champions Challenge and he will not be carrying any penalty there. Killua Castle will not have any penalty either and it would be no surprise to see him repeat his Sansui Summer Cup runner up finish, because his undoing on Saturday only seemed to be a lack of peak fitness and little else.

However, Tiger’s Retreat will have to carry a 1kg penalty in the Champions Challenge as his Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes victory happened less than 18 months ago. He has been a touch disappointing since then, as he was so impressive on that occasion, but if things go his way he can’t be discounted. He looks to be a galloping sort who would like to be handy off a strong pace before staying on resolutely, so his backers will be hoping for a good draw, a good jump and a strong pace.

Earl Of Derby appears to grow an extra leg in soft conditions so his connections will be hoping for rain on April 25 if he is able to get into the Champions Challenge field. However, off his merit rating of just 96 he will have a harder task than he did under the handicap conditions of the Sansui Summer Cup, where he finished fifth, so the connections might look for an easier option.

Henry Higgins’ best chance of feature race glory appeared to be in the staying events before the weekend and they might still be as it should be remembered that a few of his rivals on Saturday needed their outings. However, he has such a big heart that he can never be ignored wherever he runs.

Picture: Wylie Hall winning the Colorado King Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday (JC Photos)