Alistair Cohen

Justin Snaith is positively cruising towards another Champion Trainer title but he is certainly not resting on any laurels to take his foot off the gas towards the end of the season. In A Timely Manner hails from his yard and this underachieving son of boom sire, Legislate could be on his way to a breakthrough win. He runs in race 8 over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Tuesday.

He has come up against some good opposition lately and remains consistent. Perhaps a rating relief would have gone a long way, but the handicapper has been impressed enough against good company to leave him rated 92. Digging deep, he is out of a Silvano mare and the great sire only had his progeny hit their straps as older horses. He is riding four-years-old now and that hints that better days lie ahead.

The recent company he has kept includes a trip to Gqeberha where he finished behind the brilliant Anotherdanceforme. There is no disgrace finishing 5,5 lengths behind one of the stars of the Eastern Cape giving her 2kg. He was given a two-month layoff after that run and he found Chasingtherainbow too good over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Again, he fell short by 3,8 lengths which sounds like a good beating but one needs to keep in mind that Chasingtherainbow has won subsequently against far stronger. In A Timely Manner then went very close to beating Blind Date in his most recent appearance in the middle of June. The 0,4-length deficit behind a horse evidently on the up must give him a good leg up against this division.

These are the calmest waters that In A Timely Manner has been in for a while. He gets the services of JP van der Merwe. From a good gate of No 3, plenty is stacked in his favour.

Katsu must be respected with only 50kg to carry. Eduan Muller takes a valuable 4kg off his back. After running to the likes of Tenpenny, La Pulga and Major Master lately, he too plummets in class. Two of those named ran in the Grade 3 Magical Zulu Kingdom Campanajo 2200 last Saturday. Major Master was carded to run in a Listed feature. Katsu does not win too often which is his biggest query. Despite some good numbers and largely consistent runs suggesting he should run another solid race, it is hard to have full faith in him. This is his first run in three months so fitness might not be at his peak. Lucinda Woodruff trains. She is probably the most in-form yard in the country at the moment.

It Is My Time is never far behind In A Timely Manner and he is picked to get into the money. It would be unfair on It Is My Time to tip the latter strongly and ignore the chances of the former. There should be little between them again.

A fun rivalry is starting to form between Objet D’Art and Give It Laldy. Both are improving young horses with good days ahead. Both of them are held in high regard by their connections. They meet in race 6 over 1250m.

The scoreboard shows 1-1 between them. Both of the have been off for nearly three months but both of them should end up running at a fair level during the Cape summer.  Preference is for Objet D’Art using their last meeting as a guide. He is 2kg better off with Give It Laldy when there was 0,3 lengths between them. The counter to that is Give It Laldy is drawn in gate No 1 and he has Gavin Lerena in the irons. Give It Laldy has the Champion Jockey in waiting, Craig Zackey aboard.

Warrior Of Destiny makes appeal in race 1 over 1600m. His main danger looks to be Royal Light and they met last time when Warrior Of Destiny finished two lengths ahead. It is hard to motivate that deficit to be turned around. It is not a strong race by any stretch. Pedigree suggests that this trip should suit ideally too.

Race 2 is the first of two apprentice races. Le Concierge stands out as the horse to beat with Varun Jodhee in the saddle. Every run has been better and his last start was pleasing when beaten less than a length by Another Hero at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth over 1200m. His last run is easily the best run on offer throughout the entire field.

Trainer Adam Marcus has a strong hand in race 3 over 1000m with Ruby Rex and Black Erika. Interesting jockey bookings are at play because Craig Zackey has gone with Ruby Rex who won a weak maiden last time. Zackey rode Black Erika to a narrow win last time. Ruby Rex defeated Miss Smiley by 1,25 lengths. She had the race sealed a long way out but that is not a race to easily hang much faith in. It could be a tip in itself from Zackey so Ruby Rex is given the verdict.

Trip To Camelot is on the up and he finally gets to run over 2000m for the first time. He looks set to complete a hat-trick of wins in race 4 under Zackey. He is a real grinder who looks like he is making hard work of his wins but he is related to SA Derby winners so his running style is no shock. He could develop into a very smart four-year-old now that his wheels are in motion. If he steps into this trip as expected, it could give connections plenty of hope for the future. He will face hard opposition from Chance Encounter, Fort Liam, Phantom Man and Backinthefastlane who all have their capabilities.

It has been many moons since Beer With The Boys last won but his form has turned for the better and he must stand a huge chance in race 5 over 2000m. Jumping from draw No 1, he gets the services of Gavin Lerena. He takes on a field of horses either straight out of the maidens of battling to find direction after a string of wayward efforts. He seems most reliable to at least run into the money and with some luck, win it.

The second apprentice event is race 7 over 1250m where Take It As Red can take advantage of a return to form. She has finished fourth in her last three runs while her rating continues to slowly drop. Eduan Muller is carded to take the ride for Piet and Elbert Steyn. She could not have found a more winnable race.

A very nice race awaits in the last. Race 9 over 1400m has some interesting dynamics attached. Highly rated Miami Summer returned from a six month break last time and he clearly needed the run finishing three lengths behind Clark Griswold in fourth. He is 2kg better off. Clark Griswold is also rated by his yard and his last win was commanding. The addition of recent winners Signor Dante and Gold Dust adds to the intrigue of the race.