The Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday is the last big pointer to the Sansui Summer Cup, but is never an easy race to assess as some horses use it as a preparation while others need big runs to make it into the Summer Cup field.

Liege should start coming into his own a four-year-old being a son of Dynasty and he looks ideally course and distance suited. He won the Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap in June over the course and distance. He has had two starts this season, winning the last of them over 2000m. He beat Bankable Teddy by 0,75 lengths in that race and now faces him on the same terms. Furthermore, he should be cherry ripe and is drawn in pole position.

St. Tropez enjoys a galloping track like this one and will require a big run to make sure of his place in the Summer Cup field. He is another who could well come into his own this season being a five-year-old by Silvano. He moved up well in the Charity Mile before running out of steam, which suggested he needed the run. The wide draw is a concern but Anton Marcus is up. Marcus must think a little bit of him considering he chose to ride him in the Vodacom Durban July ahead of the ultimate winner The Conglomerate.

Master Switch is yet another horse who will likely reach his peak this season and he proved it with a good win over this trip at the Vaal, beating his stablemate Master Sabina. Geoff Woodruff has an unbelievable recent record in the Summer Cup, so this race will likely bring Master Switch to his peak for that race.

Prince Of Orange is an interesting contender as one who has always been highly tried. He won from a tough draw on Grand Heritage day and should enjoy this step up in trip. He has a plum draw of two. Judicial is a perennial contender for the Summer Cup, in which he has placed in the last two renewals. Last year he won the Victory Moon but carries 6kg more weight this time around. He will still be a factor as his sustained finish suits the Standside track.

Coltrane is a staying type who has proved effective over this trip before. That will particularly be the case on this galloping track. He has a wide draw, but has Piere Strydom up, so is one of the dark horses.

Master ‘N Commander is well weighted and has a fair draw of eight. He comes from the Woodruff yard and will need a big run to get into the Summer Cup field. This is his third run after a layoff and he has proved he stays this trip before. He also showed himself to be in good heart last time when winning over 1450m.

Bankable Teddy can’t be ignored. Bold Rex is a three-year-old on the up who will love the course and distance. However, he is officially 7kg under sufferance with Judicial, so has a tough task. Easy Love caught the eye last time out when unlucky behind Master Switch and could be coming back to his best. Rocketball has a huge stride and will love this course and distance, but he has been a bit disappointing lately. Enaad is another with an outside chance and although he would prefer further he should be cherry ripe and can stay on into the money.

Joan Ranger is a classy sort who has won a feature over 1160m here and also finished a fine third in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint. She runs in the Listed Gardenia Stakes and has landed a high draw, which is sometimes favourable at this track. She is officially well weighted in this race and has her third run after a rest, so is the one to beat and is a potential banker.

The best bet on the card is likely in the last race, a MR 72 Handicap over 1160m. Ebony Knight cruised to a wide margin victory in a maiden last time over 1200m. The handicapping rules state a four-year-old maiden winner in a major centre cannot be merit rated above a 70 nett. This horse’s merit rating of 70 might well be capped, so he likely has a weight advantage.

The value bet is in the fourth race over 1600m in the form of Misty Roller. He caught the eye in  no uncertain terms over 1400m here when running the fastest time from 400m to finish. He can upset the hard knocking Pajama Party, who over raced in his first attempt at the trip and has drawn one outside of Misty Roller.

The Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars appears in a Pinnacle Stakes races over 1000m. He is officially very well weighted but does have a low draw which might make him vulnerable to the speedy Buckland. The latter is out at the weights but has excellent gatespeed and early speed and the best has unlikely been seen of him yet.

By David Thiselton