The race was the first time the Greyville turf had been used this year and the jockeys commented that it had stood up quite well but was about three weeks away from being perfectly ready. Bold Inspiration was caught without cover briefly after the start, but still ran on strongly in the straight before holding off the strong-finishing Zhivago, and he looks likely to relish the galloping Turffontein Standside track.

At Fairview on Friday the classy Glen Kotzen-trained Western Winter gelding Light The Lights was well weighted in the Listed RA Stakes over 1600m and duly won easily under Greg Cheyne.

To cement his chances he has called on the services of crack rider Piere Strydom, 12 short of 5000 career winners, who will partner ante-post favourite Arion. The four-year-old was bottled up over the winter after his fast-finishing third behind stable companion Legislate in the Investec Cape Derby and has been specifically aimed at this race.

In his comeback run after nearly seven months off he was well beaten over 1300m at Durbanville but the race amounted to little more than a blow-out. He has shown good form over ground and with a plum draw, a light weight and a good sprint-up under his girth he could prove difficult to peg back.

Disco Al took advantage of the switch to the poly track to win last year’s race, albeit narrowly, but that has been his last success. However, Ramsden appears to have primed him nicely for another crack and he looks a serious contender.

So too Tribal Dance. The six-year-old has proved to be a length short of really top class but is never far off the best. He too has had a good warm-up and although he gives weight to all but Astro News he also strikes as a very big runner.

The Western Cape is gearing up for their summer season and it all starts in earnest at Kenilworth this afternoon where the Gr3 Cape Classic takes centre stage. The majority of runners will be using this outing as a stepping stone into the CTS Cape Guineas so one doesn’t quite know what to expect but the race has attracted a high class field and just how they all fair will be watched with more than just passing interest.

While the Classic takes centre stage there will be a lot of sentiment attached to the return of Jet Explorer to the racetrack in the HP Security Pinnacle Stakes. His preparation for the J&B Met was punctured by injury sustained in the pre-race gallops and his journey to the Vodacom Durban July was abruptly terminated when he and jockey Richard Fourie took a crashing fall in the Gold Challenge at Clairwood.

Fourie is still suffering the side effects of his injury but Jet Explorer, who shattered his jaw in the fall, is back to full health thanks to the dental skills of vet Ralph Katzwinkel.

However, Jet Explorer is very unlikely to be fully wound up for this race and stable companion Readytogorightnow looks the pick of the Snaith runners.

Vaughan Marshall’s runner Mljet was the ‘talking horse’ during Champions Season in KZN after reeling off two emphatic victories. However, his luck ran out in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes where a killer wide draw over the Greyville ‘mile” claimed another victim. After a sluggish start, MJ Byleveld found himself amongst the back markers turning for home and then ran into traffic.

Mljet makes his seasonal debut off a rating of 108 and if the handicappers have their sums correct then today’s outing should be little more than a formality with Act Of War (95) conceding 4,5kg and facile debut winner Heartland earning a mark of 89.

Picture: The Vaughan Marshall-trained Mljet should take some beating when he warms up for the CTS Cape Guineas in the Gr3 Cape Classic to be run at Kenilworth today. Stable jockey MJ Byleveld has the ride.

Heartland, full brother to Gr1 winning Jackson now retired to the paddocks of Highlands Farm, made light work of the opposition on debut but that form has proved suspect and Justin Snaith’s runner will face a more searching test here.

Snaith believes he has a decent horse on his hands but has expressed reservations about the colt’s fitness after having been given nearly three months off after his maiden win. “We asked to gallop him at Kenilworth and they wouldn’t let us. I’ve got to find a race for him and I’m using this as a gallop rather than going for glory. I want to see him running on at the end and then have him ready for another day.”

Langerman winner Act Of War has to give weight all round and he hasn’t raced for three months. “He is pretty fit although not fully wound up but it’s a very stiff task,” says Joey Ramsden.

Of the balance, Glen Kotzen’s yard has come good in recent weeks and sends out Zingaro who disappointed last time out at Durbanville. However, the country course with its sharp top turn can often catch runners out so it may be better to judge the colt on is facile maiden victory.

On debut he was touched off by Prince Of Eden, also an entry this afternoon, so there should not be very much between them. Kotzen is quietly confident of a decent run so there may not be much between these two.

BEST BETS

Kenilworth Saturday

Race 7: (2) Mljet

Turffontein Saturday

Race 1: (10) Ride Of Honour

Fairview Sunday

Race 5: (5) Oreo Shake

MJ Byleveld’s mount is the only horse in the field to have come anywhere near winning a Grade 1 and adjusted merit ratings indicate that he has nearly seven lengths in hand.

“He is well in but you’ve got to take these ratings with a pinch of salt,” says Vaughan Marshall whose feet are invariably firmly on the ground. “However he has been doing very well and he worked well when I took him to Durbanville for a gallop.”

No, there is no special weight of expectation from Marshall. It’s the lack of it on the part of his rivals that is so telling.

Heartland (9-2) is the one horse in the field who could make the big time – even if the form of his wide-margin debut is hardly worth the paper it’s printed on – and Justin Snaith believes he is the real deal.

“Heartland is a very good horse,” he says but it’s the colt’s fitness that gives the champion trainer serious reservations. “We asked to gallop him at Kenilworth and they wouldn’t let us. I’ve got to find a race for him and I’m using this as a gallop rather than going for glory. I want to see him running on at the end and then have him ready for another day.”

Langerman winner Act Of War is forecast 18-10 second favourite but Anton Marcus’s mount has to give weight all round, including 4.5kg to Mljet, and he hasn’t raced for 15 weeks. “He is pretty fit although not fully wound up but it’s a very stiff task,” says Joey Ramsden who also runs the once-raced maiden winner Prince Of Eden (14-1) – “It was quite strong maiden form and we are giving him a run here to see where we are with him.”

Mike Bass, bidding for his sixth Cape Classic in 13 seasons, relies on 20-1 shot Sheer Trouble whose Durbanville defeat of last Saturday’s easy winner Bruno reads well. But the master has doubts whether the horse’s class is quite up to this. “He has come on a bit but I’m not expecting too much and I’ll be delighted if he runs a place.”

Glen Kotzen, very much on song, is hopeful of a strong performance from 16-1 chance Zingaro who trounced Brutal Force before disappointing at Durbanville where he refused to settle early on. His trainer believes the course didn’t suit him and the handicappers put him in too high. “We are running Zingaro because we want to test him,” Kotzen adds, “and he definitely has a shout.”

Moonlight Runner has some solid form but the forecast 25-1 is a fair assessment of his chance, Al Capitano is a 33-1 shot and the once-raced Saint Donan is the rank outsider at 50-1. Favourites have a good record, winning half of the last 12 runnings and making the frame in the other six.

Zingaro should get an early boost from Brutal Force who is evens favourite to win the opening maiden. But it’s more a question of how far. The colt needs to win by a wide margin to get into next month’s Lanzerac Ready To Run so expect to see Marcus shoot him out of the pens and attempt to stretch away.

Meanwhile, Fairview has it’s always eagerly anticipated Festival Of Racing weekend and there will be some good horses appearing both today and on Sunday.

The Michaelmas looks to be at the mercy of the Charles Laird-trained Bold Inspiration, a progressive sort who is currently an ante-post 16-1 shot for the Gr 1 Sansui Summer Cup. He will need to win this race to book his place in the latter event and will be equally effective whether it is run on the turf or the polytrack. Anton Marcus rides from a fair draw of six.

Akii Bua looks to have been prepared for this race and as he is well regarded he could upset the applecart from pole position draw over an ideal trip.

Zhivago has also run some fine races lately and could earn, whether it be on turf or poly, over a suitable course and distance, although he does have quite a tough draw.

Auction KIng has been in good form and has a fair draw over a suitable trip.

Emperor Niarchos unfortunately has a wide draw as he ran a good preparation recently over 1400m and will relish the step up in trip.

At Fairview today the Glen Kotzen-trained Light The Lights will be tough to beat in the Listed RA Stakes. Arniston will appreciate the return to turf and could give some cheek, while the promising Shinning Day can’t be ignored either, despite carrying more weight than the aforementioned pair.

At Fairview on Sunday the main race is the Gr3 Algoa Cup over 2000m and the horse to beat could be the six-year-old Mitch Wiese-trained Forest Digger. Interestingly Gift Funeka has been given the ride having produced a flying finish from this one over a too sharp 1600m in his penultimate in a Pinnacle Stakes race where he probably ran above his rating. He is drawn well now over a suitable trip and another fast finish can be expected.

The Justin Snaith-trained Arion finished third behind Legislate and Captain America in the Investec Cape Derby back in February and is well regarded. He has only run once since then and hated the firm ground that day, so is likely to run a much better race here. This is his second run after a rest but Snaith wasn’t concened about that and off a merit rating of just 97 he has a chance from a fine draw with Piere Strydom up.

Disco Al has Anton Marcus up and is in fine fettle. He will relish the step back to this trip, having produced a strong finish over 1600m last time out and is well drawn.

The classy Blaze Of Fire had to lead last time when winning a conditions race over 1800m and in this better field might be able to get cover from a nice draw, so he could be a big threat off a merit rating that is effectively eight points lower than he was this time last year.

There is not much between Blaze Of Fire and Political Playboy, although the latter will probably appreciate the extra 200m from their last meeting more than the former will. Political Playboy does have a slightly tougher draw though.

Gone Baby Gone will also enjoy this trip, but is returning from a layoff since July. Astro News is getting on a bit but has run well fresh before.

In the first on Sunday, the Snaith-trained Ovidio was green around the turn on debut but ran on quite well before fading and doesn’t have much to beat.

In the third, Peregrine King has become known for his flying finishes on the poly and he might still be ahead of the handicapper. Marcus rides from a good draw over what should be a suitable trip.

In the fifth, the Snaith-trained Oreo Shake has a touch of class and looks to be off a reasonable merit rating, while he should love the step up to this trip.

Another Snaith-trained runner, Lift Off, should be too strong in the sixth over 1600m.

Path To Travel is talented and has dropped to a low merit rating so could be the one to beat in the eighth.

Picture: Bold Inspiration (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Racing. It’s a Rush International Jockeys Challenge sees a formidable team of international jockeys take on a six-man South African team. Captaining team South Africa this year is S’Manga Khumalo, last season’s Champion Jockey. Known affectionately as “Bling”, Khumalo is the first black jockey to win the Jockey Championship.

Also in this talented local team is Piere Strydom, rated as one of South Africa’s all-time finest jockeys and is expected to ride his 5000^th winner later this year. Strydom describes the annual International Jockeys Challenge as “fantastic” and his favourite local event in which to compete.

Making up the local team are Richard Fourie, Muzi Yeni and Anthony Delpech.

A younger team of riders then in previous years make up the international team and includes James Doyle, the UK jockey who achieved four major wins this past year riding champion racehorse, Kingman. Kingman is likely to be voted “Cartier Horse-of-the-Year” in December, the highest award for horses in European Horse Racing. He also rode a brilliant front-running race on Qipco Champion Stakes winners Noble Ambition at Ascot last Saturday.

The other international team members are Martin Harley (Ireland), Adam Kirby (United Kingdom), Andreis Helfenbein (Germany) and Selim Kaya (Turkey).

“The International Jockeys Challenge is the perfect sponsorship opportunity for Racing. It’s a Rush as it aligns with what our brand is trying to achieve. This is a prestigious event which brings together the thrill of horseracing, great South African and worldwide talent, offering the public a wonderful day at the races,” said Michael Varney of Racing. It’s a Rush.

At both Turffontein and Kenilworth entrance is free and besides the enthralling international racing, there will also be food stalls, entertainment for the kids and much more.

The jockeys will ride in four races at each event. The team that scores the most points wins the Challenge but there are also awards for the top riders in each of the legs and the top rider overall.

In the last six years, South Africa has won four times and the international team twice.

For booking information, please call 011 681 1702 or 021 700 1600.

Picture: Combined teams from the 2012 International Jockeys Challenge (Nkosi Hlophe)