However, many punters will be wishing that Strydom was riding rather than watching as they face a very difficult card.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 could prove to be a toss-up between Royalsecuritybaby and Sluice Gate although the betting indicates a wide open race with the former a weak 5-2 favourite. Prolific owner Roy Moodley has been having an extend run of good fortune with winners coming thick and fast. The Moodley-owned Royalsecuritybaby was a winner two runs back from a wide draw over the course and distance and followed up with a fast-finishing second last time out. A repeat showing should at least see her in the money.

Sluice Gate tried to make all the running when fitted with blinkers and now gets the benefit of a 2,5kg claimer in Callan Murray and could keep going this time round.

Roy’s Royalty, another Moodley-owned runner, returns from a break and drops back in trip so may just need it. However, she was in good form before the break.

Paree and Stirling Leaves are vying for favouritism in the fifth with the former at the top of the boards. The Mike de Kock-trained filly made marked improvement on a modest debut when coming from the clouds to shed her maiden and she looks to be on the up.

Weiho Marwing is starting to step out runners after his recent move to Ashburton with Isobar his first winner since his move. Stirling Leaves was touched off in her last Turffontein start and was never far back. These two look set to fight it out.

Frank Robinson has had good success on the poly and he saddles Burmudabreeze in the sixth. The five-year-old has taken a new lease on life since being sent on the synthetic surface and it obviously agrees with his aging legs. His best form is over 1000m but he does have a plum draw.

Doug Campbell is another trainer whose runners have taken to the poly and Harry Peppa has finished in the money in all three starts on the surface. He tried hard behind the well fancied Al Ciberano in an apprentice handicap last run and looks to have a fair chance here.

Recent maiden winner Snowman is a weak 4-1 favourite for the sixth where a host of runners look to have strong winning chances. Snowman looks to be a nice gelding in the making but he does take on some salted opposition. Samhaan, when good is very good, when bad is very bad, so is a runner than cannot be left out with any comfort. Silver Spring is back from a break but is useful while stable companion Buffalo Bill was touched off last time out. One can make a case for almost all 10 runners so not a race to go light in, in the exotics.

Nisa’s Love is another weak favourite in the eighth but she has gone well on the poly and should be right there. Artistically Done is a tough old mare who is another that has taken to the poly and got up late to win her latest. Oi Yoi Yoi can improve on her last effort while recent maiden winner Secret Admirer is not without a chance.

Ahlaam and Tigress Poem look the most likely to fight out the last. Ahlaam improved last run when tried in blinkers while Tigress Poem has failed narrowly at her last two and is due a change of fortune.

Capetown Noir (Liesl King)

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer said that a recurrence of an injury from the 2014 KZN Champions Season had led to a decision by his owners Khaya Stables to immediately retire the valuable horse.

The champion colt was destined for an overseas campaign, but plans were aborted after his injury.

Dean Kannemeyer – disappointed but says he will make a top stallion

“He ran a nice race in the Merchants recently and I had intended to aim him at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate double. But the injury sadly flared up again and after consultation with our Veterinary team and Jehan Malherbe, his owners have decided to do what is best for the horse and retire him. I support the decision fully and he should make for an outstanding stallion. He is a superbly bred good looking horse, a magnificent mover with character and a terrific temperament. He has got to go down as the best miler I have trained. I am looking forward to seeing him go on and make his mark at stud,” he said.

Capetown Noir has everything required to make it to the top in the breeding paddocks.

He was bred by Lammerskraal Stud and is by the ill-fated multiple champion sire Western Winter out of Equus champion broodmare, Akinfeet, a daughter of champion broodmare sire, Fort Wood.

Jehan Malherbe – looking at stud options Capetown Noir was purchased for Khaya Stables by Dean Kannemeyer and Form Bloodstock’s Jehan Malherbe for R1 million on the National Yearling Sale.

He won eight races from 1200m to 2000m and was at his brilliant best at a mile.

Capetown Noir’s victories included the unique Gr1 Cape Guineas and Gr1 Cape Derby double, SA’s premier WFA Mile, the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate as well as the Gr3 Byerley Turk and Gr3 Matchem Stakes.

No decision has yet been made as to where he will stand but he is bound to prove an invaluable addition to the local stallion ranks.

www.dkannemeyerracing.com

Betting World, who clearly consider Mike de Kock’s star well-nigh unbeatable, make the Joey Ramsden-trained Choice Carriers winner Cold As Ice second favourite at 4-1 and Glen Kotzen’s Lanzerac Diana winner next best at 8-1.

These are the only three trading in single figures and the remaining prices are: 14-1 Jet Set Go, 20-1 Ataab (also trained by De Kock), 25-1 Inara, 33-1 Sunset Tripp, 45-1 Grey Light, Cuvee Brut, Jeweller’s Joy.

Missing from the big race line-up is Hot Affair, one of the top two-year-old fillies of last season. She was being targeted at this.

Mike Robinson reported: “Unfortunately she chipped a bone in her off-fore knee. She had surgery on Monday and she will be out for a couple of months.”

Picture: Majmu (JC Photos)

Adam Marcus brings back the classy Priceless Jewel in the Gr 2 Tony Taberer Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m, a race which Bass looks to have a fine chance of winning as he is represented by a strong pair in Fly By Night and Lanner Falcon.

Cuvee Brut is a three-year-old Count Dubois filly, who has only had three starts, all of them over sprints, but she did catch the eye last time out in a MR 68 handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m at Kenilworth when producing a late rattle to win by 0,75 lengths.

On the downside, she was running off only a 75 merit rating and the filly she beat, Ladidah, is a relatively exposed three-year-old who runs off an 81 merit rating but had the advantage of a 4kg claimer aboard. However on the bright side the rest of the field, which included older fillies, were well beaten.

Importantly, Cuvee Brut’s first win over 1000m was at Durbanville, meaning she has experienced a left hand turn. Cuvee Brut is out of a half-sister to the useful Ziplock, who won up to 1600m, but Crawford was not quite sure whether she would see out the 1600m trip. However he said that she had been “doing well.” She jumps from draw five and will be ridden by Corné Orffer.

Candice Robinson, who is Bass’s daughter and assistant trainer, confirmed that the three-year-old Trippi filly Inara would appreciate the extra 200m having stayed on well in the Gr 2 Choice Carrier’s Championship over 1400m last time out for a 4,5 length fourth. In her penultimate start she finished just 0,4 lengths in second to the well regarded Indaba in a Novice Plate over 1600m, with the rest of the field well beaten, and the latter went on to slam them in impressive style in a MR 67 handicap over 1600m at Kenilworth.

However, Robinson said that although Inara had been doing well, the yard would be happy with a place on Saturday in a field of this quality.

All three of the horses who beat her in that race, Cold As Ice, Double Whammy and Jet Set Go, are in Saturday’s race, which is once again a level weights event, and Majmu’s presence will make it even tougher.

However, the pace is likely to be on, which should suit her down to the ground, and she is also well drawn in two, so can’t be ignored in bets like the trifecta and quartet. Grant van Niekerk retains the ride.

Robinson said that the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night, a much improved five-year-old Jet Master mare, was very well and had come on from her victorious seasonal reappearance in a Conditions Plate over 1000m at Kenilworth, so would have a “big shout” over the same course and distance in the Southern Cross Stakes. She was well weighted in that last race, but has earned her merit rating of 106, which is the third highest in the field behind the 108 merit rated Priceless Jewel and the 109 rated Gr 1 winner Alboran Sea. Former stable jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe rode Fly By Night to victory in the Mercury Sprint and is re-united with her at the expense of current stable jockey Van Niekerk, who rides Lanner Falcon. Robinson said that Lanner Falcon, a Trippi filly who was runner up in last year’s Cape Fillies Guineas, was in good shape, but the 1000m might just be a touch too sharp for her. Fly By Night is drawn one and Lanner Falcon eight, so the connections will be watching the two earlier sprints with interest to see which side of the course will be preferred by the jockeys on the day.

Priceless Jewel, a five-year-old Ashaawes mare, had quite a busy campaign last season, which yielded four wins, including a Gr 3 over 1400m and a Listed event over 1200m, and she also finished a fantastic two length third to the great Beach Beauty in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m. She was kept going for the first couple of weeks this season in order to take part in the Gr 3 eDiamond Stakes over 1200m, in which she looked impossible to oppose at the weights, and duly won by 3,5 lengths.

The yard then sent her for a deserved holiday on the farm and have only brought her back slowly.

Basil Marcus said, “This is obviously a prep run for her and is a little bit short, but she is doing well at home. We are going to see how she goes and then decide where we go from there as there are only limited opportunities for her in the Cape summer season.”

Sean Cormack takes the ride from a nice draw of five which in a small field of nine will enable her to switch to whichever side is considered favourable on the day, so she could be a threat sitting off the pace and then running on.

“I hope they show their true worth,” said Drier.

Captain Of All is a very speedy Captain Al colt and led virtually from pillar to post when winning the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville as a two-year-old. In his next start in the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe over1400m at Greyville it was probably only the sticky going that cost him victory as he looked all over the winner until running out of steam and being caught on the line by Forest Indigo and Kochka. He next appeared in November last year in a Graduation Plate over 1200m at Kenilworth and turned it into a procession, winning by 2,5 lengths. However, he has been off for more than a year since then having suffered stifle problems and a “joint hiccup”. However, Drier has taken him to Kenilworth for a gallop and is very happy with his well being and fitness.

He said, “He may need it, but I hope not.”

Stable jockey Sean Cormack will ride Captain Of All, who has to carry topweight of 61kg.

Captain On The Run is also a four-year-old by Captain Al. He disappointed a couple of times as a colt, but appears to have turned the corner since being gelded about a year ago. He had two good wins after gelding and with blinkers on, but after a below par run the blinkers were removed and he then went close next time out over 1200m at Clairwood in a competitive Pinnacle Stakes race. His only run since then has been on the poly and he returns from a 109 day rest. However, he will be carrying only 52,5kg and has in form Corné Orffer up, so should be competitive.

Crescendo beat the useful Flyfirstclass at Clairwood over 1200m the last time he went down the straight. An interesting formline from that race is that he beat Hunting Horn by 2,35 lengths when receiving only 0,5kg, while Captain Of All beat the latter just over a year ago by 2,5 lengths over 1200m when giving him 2,5kg. As Crescendo is receiving 7kg from Captain Of All, that particular formline puts him ahead of the latter. However, on jockey arrangements Crescendo appears to be the yard third string in the race. Crescendo is a resolute galloper and should love the tough Kenilworth straight course. Anthony Andrews is up and this horse should never be underestimated.

Meanwhile, Drier has abandoned the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas plan for his top class Var colt Generalissimo.

“He doesn’t stay,” admitted Drier, reflecting on his Selangor Cup run over 1600m in which he faded out in the straight after being keen early.

He felt he was “too young” to take part in the Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m on January 24, but hadn’t ruled out the possibility completely.

Pictures: Nkosi Hlophe