Anton Marcus’s famed brilliance at the pens will face one of its biggest tests at Kenilworth tomorrow when the four-time champion has to overcome nightmare draws on fancied horses in all three big races.

He and Joey Ramsden are bidding for their third Lanzerac Green Point in five seasons and the race-fit Act Of War is expected to head the market.  Favourites have won four of the last five runnings and this one should be hard to beat despite his outside draw and some talented opposition.

Futura was only third when he reappeared for Brett Crawford 12 months ago and the Horse of the Year’s present trainer is seemingly not expecting much more. “He is a good horse and he will run well but it is his first run of the season and so he would have to need it,” says Justin Snaith. “In addition the short run-in is not ideal for him.”

Crawford, on the other hand, is more bullish about the Horse Chestnut winner Captain America. “He is close to being 100% ready,” reports the Philippi trainer. “He was pretty well for his first run and I think he has come on since.”

Durban July second Punta Arenas receives 2kg from the big three but, like Futura, he has been off for 16 weeks. “I am expecting a nice run but a mile is a bit sharp for him,” cautions Dennis Drier.

The Conglomerate only receives a kilo from the Grade 1 winners and that is not enough. Ashton Park, 55-1 when second 12 months ago, will again be a big price and he may prove best of the Mike Bass quintet.

But it’s on Seventh Plain, 16 out of 16, in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run that Marcus faces his biggest task. A conventional start would cost him ten lengths, and easing back to drop his mount in would be even more disastrous.

Most punters will elect to put their trust in genius and on the jockey’s past form they should be rewarded because the stable seemingly has no reservations about the horse’s 20-week absence. Dennis Drier, asked how ready his horse would be, replied (with no ifs or buts): “He is ready.”

Ramsden is quite keen on The Stone Thrower but Liege is held by Seventh Plain on a line through Muwaary and Captain Chaos could be the one to take advantage should Marcus prove unable to pull off another miracle.

Forget last time’s Cape Classic disaster. “He lost 12 lengths at the start and it wasn’t the horse’s fault,” says Ronnie Sheehan who has all along insisted that he was aiming to have the colt at his peak for this – “and I think I have.”

Muwaary, fresh from his triumph in the Graham Beck Stakes, looks the one in the Selangor Cup although Eighth Wonder and Hard Day’s Night represent strong Cape form. Marcus’s mount worked well with Act Of War last Saturday and Ramsden has won three of the last four but draw ten out of 12 is hardly a plus.

There is not much between this horse and Eighth Wonder on Cape Classic running but on that occasion it was Eighth Wonder who had to overcome the coffin-box.

“This is a tough race and I’m trying to keep my feet on the ground,” says Greg Ennion who is quietly hoping to celebrate next week’s 67^th birthday in appropriate style. “His work is good and the jock says he has improved – and this time he is not starting from the sticks.”

By Michael Clower