Royal Life is a talented gelding and although it has sometimes been tough going for him and his connections, he is smart on his day. Alistair Gordon’s runner lines up in the MR 90 Divided Handicap over 1400m at Scottsville this afternoon where he looks to have a strong chance of recording just the third win of his career.

The son of Dynasty can be a difficult ride and often takes a strong hold but Gordon has booked Sean Veale for the ride and Veale can hold an elephant off a peanut if needs be.

Royal Life rounded off last season with a distant second to Sail South in the Thukela Handicap and was then given a four-month break.

He returned to the track in October where he showed good pace under apprentice Eric Ngwane before being out-paced by Buffalo Soldier over a distance well short of his best.

He steps up in trip today over a course where he has record both of his victories. He also gets a tongue-tie on for the first time and if finding his best form he could prove difficult to beat.

Prolific owner Roy Moodley’s horses have hit a rich vein of form and Roy’s Winter Patch looks a possible threat to Royal Life.

The gelding has his first run for Yogas Govender after finishing a close-up third behind Silver Spring in a set weights race for Dennis Drier last time out and is in receipt of 3.5kg from Royal Life. Although he takes on stronger he should be up there when the whips are cracking.

Runners from the Tony Rivalland yard are coming to hand and Spanish Captain was narrowly beaten in a Scottsville sprint after returning from a six-month break. He will much prefer today’s trip and is another to consider.

All things considered punters face another difficult card of maximum fields and moderate horses where form is not always reliable.

One of the better propositions could be Hot Mambo in the opening leg of the Pick 6. A beaten favourite in both recent starts at Greyville, Mark Dixon’s filly is due a change of fortune. She shows good pace but has not been able to finish off her races and her last outing over 1400m may have been just beyond her compass. Dixon has declared blinkers on his charge and if she puts it all in she rates the one to beat.

The dangers could come in the form of Danish Cross and Starwin. The latter has run her two best races on the poly but has not been far back in any of her four starts while the lightly raced Danish Cross comes from an in-form yard and judged on her debut effort behind useful looking stable companion Blaze Of Mystery on debut she is likely to improve lengths.

The fourth has upset written all over it but Veale has made the trip home from Cape Town where he has mostly been aboard the Dennis Drier raiding party. Wild Irish looks to have been set up nicely by Drier’s stable assistant Stuart Ferrie after going down narrowly behind Whatawonderfulworld on the Greyville poly. Today’s trip should be right up her ally.

Veale will have been ‘jocked off’ Great Value in the sixth where Anton Marcus will be aboard for his bosses Mayfair Speculators. It’s an open race but Great Value took on much stronger at his last start. He can be unruly which is a concern as the starters appear to have taken a much harder stance in recent weeks after their  great ‘indaba’ a fortnight back but Great Value appears to have improved his behaviour in pacifiers. If he can build on his last effort he may be the one to beat. Robert Fay’Herbe, in charge of the Candice Bass-Robinson satellite yard at Summerveld, he got his stable humming along and Panga has not been far back at recent outings. This looks to be his optimum trip and he is also down in class.

By Andrew Harrison