The Brett Crawford-trained four-year-old Australian-bred gelding Whisky Baron has shortened from 17/2 into 4/1 for the Gr 1 Sun Met after his impressive win in Saturday’s Gr 2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap over 1800m at Kenilworth.

He could realistically upset the two above him in the betting, Legal Eagle and Marinaresco, as unlike them he will not have to carry a Gr 1 penalty. Furthermore, he has continually improved since gelding, so is not yet fully exposed.

Meanwhile, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Gr 3 Politician Stakes winner Horizon looks to be a typically progressive son of Dynasty and proved on Saturday he is better than his 91 merit rating suggests. He could be a runner in the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby and so can the Politician Stakes runner up Newlands, who was doing his best work late after battling to find a split off the narrow false rail.

The Glen Kotzen-trained Australian-bred Banner Hill defied a lowly merit rating of 81 in the Gr 3 BMW Chairman’s Cup over 3200m to win going away by 0,4 lengths and he will be a contender in the Gr 2 Western Cape Stayers over 2800m on Sun Met day. He was 4,5kg under sufferance on Saturday, but clearly relished the trip. The Justin Snaith-trained Ovidio ran a fine second lugging 62,5kg and will likely make a bold bid to retain his Western Cape Stayers crown.

Kotzen’s two-year-old winner on Saturday, Var filly Namibia, caught the eye and is another one to follow.

By David Thiselton