Turffontein Standside hosts three feature races tomorrow which will provide pointers to the forthcoming feature season which begins in real earnest with the Gauteng Guineas meeting on February 8.

The Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m saw Hawwaam remaining unbeaten last year and Mike de Kock has another unbeaten runner taking part here, Alibi Guy. However, preference are for two classy distance suited horses, Ikigai and Got The Greenlight. Ikigai raced twice in November, so will be fit and his form reads well. Last time out this strongly built Vercingetorix colt beat Riverstown by 1,25 lengths over 1450m and the latter followed up by beating older horses in the Grand Heritage over 1475m off a merit rating of 104. Ikigai’s previous race over 1200m looks just as good on paper as he finished just a neck behind the filly True To Life when receiving only 0,5kg and the latter followed up with an impressive win in the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap. Ikigai has a fair draw of four. Got The Greenlight was the Equus Champion two-year-old of last season after winning the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m going away by three lengths. He has an impressive stride and has plenty of scope. On the downside this is his first start of the season and he has to give lumps of weight away, including 7kg to Ikigai. His class could pull him through over a trip which will suit him running fresh, although his draw of six is tricky. Alibi Guy would prefer further but the long straight will suit him and he should be staying on resolutely. Leopold, Westlife and the filly Gaian Glory could fight out the minor money.

In the Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1400m Wisteria Walk has fine form and is ideally course and distance suited. She went close to beating one of the best of the crop, Mill Queen, in the Starling Stakes over this course and distance at level weights in her penultimate start. Last time out she was run out of it when third to two classy older fillies, Ronnie’s Candy and Dancing Queen, in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1600m. She cast a shoe in that race and gave the impression that at this stage the 1400m would suit her better. Gin Fizz is also ideally distance suited and her draw of four is low enough to be an advantage for her front-running style. She is not a straight forward filly but has speed and class and is not going to be easy to catch. Magic School is a long-striding sort who proved her ability when finishing second to the top class gelding Frosted Gold in the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over this course and distance. She has a tricky draw but with a good passage she would not be a surprise winner. Stage Dance is a progressive sort who finished close to the classy Snow Palace last time over 1600m and she could earn. There is not much between her and Victoria Paige on that last run. Spiritofthegroove won the Empress Palace Ready To Run Stakes over course and distance in good style, albeit in soft ground. There was some rain this week, which might aid her cause, and she has a plum draw of three. Mount Laurel won her first three starts and will improve as she matures. She is better than her last run and can’t be discounted back at a distance category she has won over. Shivers has a tough task with topweight and looks held by Wisteria Walk. Marygold finished a fine third in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile, beating Gin Fizz by over six lengths, but she looks likely to prefer further than this. Frosted Steel makes least appeal of the Tarry trio but ran well over this trip last time in a Graduation Plate and she could earn.

The Grade 3 London News Stakes over 1800m has only six runners and Gauteng Summer Cup third-placed Al Mutawakel is the one to beat. He runs on from behind which is not always easy in a small field, especially when a front runner dictates. Chijmes is a front-runner and will have a fine chance if able to dictate. However, the filly Return Flight has also won from the front before so Chijmes is unlikely to be given an easy lead. Jet Start is on the up and is tipped to finish third behind Al Mutawakel and Chijmes. The other two Divine Odyssey and Green Haze would not be surprise winners, so putting the field in the Pick 6 might be the way to go.

By David Thiselton

Image caption: The Mike de Kock-trained GIN FIZZ runs in the Three Troikas Stakes at Turffontein tomorrow.

Cape Guineas winner Kilindini will not race in South Africa again and he will begin his journey to Hong Kong next month. There he will be trained by Tony Millard.

This was confirmed by Brett Crawford yesterday who added that Macthief, beaten three and a half lengths into third, runs in the R5 million CTS 1600 on February 1 when Concorde Cup winner King Of Gems is expected to run in the Politician Stakes en route to the Cape Derby three weeks later.

King Of Gems was slowly away in the Guineas and finished halfway down the field. Crawford is convinced that his running was all wrong: “I think he is far better than that. He had to check off the heels of the horse in front of him before they swung for home and the race was run at a muddling pace.”

WSB Cape Fillies Guineas winner Missisippi Burning will gallop at Kenilworth a week tomorrow and how she goes will be a deciding factor in whether she takes on older horses in the Majorca on Sun Met day.

Adam Marcus said yesterday: “I felt that the Cartier Paddock Stakes was too far too soon and the owners are of the opinion that she should only run in the Majorca if her gallop is really good and everything is in her favour because she has the Durban season in front of her.”

Stable companion Vardy, 6-1 for Saturday week’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and now 11-2 joint second favourite for the Sun Met, has come out of his WSB Green Point win exceptionally well. “He is sound, eating up, looking superb and I am almost of the opinion that he has come on from it,”’ said his trainer who has been giving a lot of thought to the instruction he received from the stipes to ensure that the gelding does not hang in when passing other horses.

“I have spoken to my Dad (Basil) in detail about this and he says that quite often it’s because the horse is looking for company and so wants to run up to other horses.

“In Vardy’s work at home he doesn’t hang and in his gallop with Twist Of Fate before the Green Point he also went dead straight.

“I think he does it in a race because he is immature but we are going to continue to work on it and I think the more he races the more he will grow out of it.”

By Michael Clower

Today’s meeting at the Vaal could see Highveld race fans off to a good start for the New Year.

In the first race over 1000m Due Diligence made a fair debut when plugging on from a handy position for second. She should come on from the run and is the best of those to have raced.

However, she faces a couple of well bred first-timers. Indigo Moon by Indigo Magic is a full-sister to the Listed runner up Prince Of Orange and is a half-sister to twice Grade 3-winner Astro News. She represents the flying Paul Peter/Warren Kennedy combination. Varina should have plenty of precocious speed being by Var out of Hidden Beauty, who won the SA Fillies Nursery and later finished runner up in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes among other successes.

In the second over 1000m Dubawi Princess is a strongly built daughter of Willow Magic and after a slow start was green and tailed off on debut over this course and distance. However, she took off late and was flying at the finish to close the gap to 5,35 lengths. With a better start she will be hard to beat. Tsitsikamma Girl should have precocious speed being by Captain Of All, whose Grade 1 wins included the Gold Medallion, out of a Listed runner up over 1000m by Var. Fire And Ice by Noble Tune is a half-brother to Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Mississippi Burning and he ran on well last time for third so could place again with first time blinkers on, although he does have a low draw which is sometimes unfavourable on this course.

In the third over 1400m Dual At Dawn is a long-striding colt by Pomodoro who stayed on well over this 1400m trip on debut and she is the one to beat. Friends Forever is a big horse with scope for improvement and can reverse form with Crazy Charlie.

In the first leg of the Pick Six Zig Zag has some substance and stayed on over 1200m on debut. She will relish this step up in trip and it’s not a strong field. Curious and Semper Fi look the best of the rest.

In the fifth over 1400m Nebraas is a big, long-striding sort by Vercingetorix and after a powerful finish over 1200m on debut she is going to be hard to beat here over 1400m. Trend Master has been knocking on the door and has faced some useful sorts so is also a must include.

In the next over 1400m Miss Khalifa is tipped without much confidence. Her best form over this trip is relatively good and she has Warren Kennedy up but she does gave the sometimes unfavorable number one draw. Oceania did well over 1160m last time and now runs over a course and distance she has won over. However, it is wide open and Maddox Tune, Peaceontherocks, Serendipity and as many others as possible must be included.

In the seventh over 1000m Lady Of Steel won well on debut and is the one to beat, although Florence, who has improved dramatically since a layoff could well get the hattrick. Anne Boleyn won well second time out and must be included and Tigermil and Malteza warrant consideration.

In the eighth over 1000m Land Of The Brave has proved to be best at 1000m as he has plenty of natural pace and stays on. The filly Seemyvision is in fine form and will be dangerous. Aristachus is open to improvement and with Gavin Lerena up can also be included.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 over 1800m Moroccan Flame is the one to beat on her last good third in a Graduation Plate. The concern is she is still immature and was quite keen early in that 1600m race so will need to settle better over this step up in trip which will suit her on pedigree. Her good draw will help and Gavin Lerena stays aboard. Jive Express went close last time over 2000m off this same mark. Evening Bell will relish the step up in trip but has to overcome a wide draw. Those looking to play it safe can also include all of Jacko Boy, Always Red, Rabia The Rebel, Pretty Ballerina, Sammi Moosa and Destiny’s Game.

By David Thiselton

G G’s Dynasty is something of a Hollywoodbets Scottsville specialist. He arrived in KZN to join Brett Crawford’s Summerveld yard a maiden winner and seemingly having lost his way and his first local start did not give away much of what was to follow. But since then he has never been out of the first two in six starts, four of those wins, and three at Scottsville.

He was sent out a short-priced favourite for The White Horse Function Room Handicap yesterday and never looked like losing. Peter Muscutt, Crawford’s Summerveld assistant, said prerace that his only concern was that GG’s Dynasty was a small horse with a big weight but the gelding made light work of his burden, coming clear over the final 400m to win as he liked leaving Walterthepennyless and Williams Landlocked in a tussle for second with the former prevailing by a short head.

The Michael Roberts-trained filly Be Happy was another comfortable winner as Warren Kennedy punched her out hands-and-heels winning by an ever increasing 2.75 lengths. “I knew she had a big chance,” said Kennedy. “She finished just over two lengths behind Whizz of Odds and she is a smart filly who will probably be going for the features this season.”

Kennedy opened his afternoon’s account with Vernichey for Gareth van Zyl in the Maiden Juvenile Plate. The daughter of Vercingetorix put up a pleasing barrier trial and found mountains of support to start deep in the red. It was money not misplaced as she quickened away from her field to win as she liked. Ziva De Grace, who had the benefit of a race, matched strides in the early part but proved no match for the winner.

Favourite Explosive Beauty is proving to be something of a handful and blew her chances at the start of the third. It is seldom that Anton Marcus gets his mount left in the gate but Paul Lafferty’s filly gave her field start and although making up a lot of ground she could only manage fourth as apprentice Thabiso Gumede took full advantage of his 4kg claim to get the Louis Goosen-trained Uptotrix to reverse the form of their last meeting.

Calvin Habib is becoming a regular visitor to KZN and turned in a polished performance, producing Andre Nel’s runner Room At The Top with a well-timed finish to out-gun recent maiden winner Joseph Jagger and long-time leader and favourite Sea Sponge in the last few jumps.

Suzie Woo has been building for another win and replacement rider Gareth Wright made no mistakes as he kept Shane Humby’s mare fighting to the line; Bint El Malak and favourite Purple Persuasion both given every chance.

By Andrew Harrison

Sachdev at 7-1 could be the answer to a tricky-looking Cape Guineas at Kenilworth tomorrow when the appearance of Sun Met favourite Hawwaam in the Premier Trophy will be a major attraction.

Richard Fourie’s mount might not have the most obvious credentials – he flopped in the Cape Classic and was beaten in the Concorde Cup – but in fact those two performances hold the key to his chance here. His blood was found to be wrong – indicating an infection – after the Classic, so much so in fact that Justin Snaith had to ease off him and he lined up for the Concorde quite some way off peak fitness.

Yet he produced an explosive turn of foot and was only caught in the last stride by King Of Gems and the Concorde (together with its Selangor predecessor) is a good guide to the Guineas. With a better preparation, it’s not hard to see him turning the tables and even winning.

Snaith also has a strong contender in Captain Tatters who ran Silver Operator to a dwindling four-tenths of a length in the Cape Classic and looked the more likely of the pair to benefit from the extra furlong here. Yet he is a 15-2 chance and Silver Operator is 3-1 favourite, and badly drawn to boot.

Part of the reason is the reputation of his rider Anton Marcus and the five-time winning record of trainer Vaughan Marshall, but there is also the remarks they made in the immediate aftermath of the Classic. Marshall pointed out that it was the colt’s first run for seven weeks while Marcus said he should have sent the horse on sooner and that he will be far more effective on the summer course as well as suited to a bit further.

It’s worth noting that seven of the last ten Cape Guineas favourites have been beaten. That said, the race usually goes to one of the fancied runners and only twice in the last 17 years has the winner started at a bigger price than 5-1.

This year looks more open than usual. King Of Gems accelerated every bit as well as Sachdev in the Concorde and, although he started almost completely ignored at 55-1, there was no fluke about his victory. He has already been backed from 16-1 to 11-1.

His trainer Brett Crawford has his horses in top form and stable companion Macthief (13-1) was a close-up third in the Concorde despite clipping heels in the back straight. Interestingly Kilindini is the shortest priced of the stable’s trio at 10-1 despite being beaten at odds-on last time.

Sean Tarry saddles a quarter of the field (and he normally does all the saddling himself) including last Saturday’s big winner Pure State but Eden Roc is the highest rated and at 10-1 the shortest priced. He hasn’t quite hit top form this season but his trainer certainly has.

Merit ratings gained in Durban at two often don’t stand up elsewhere at three but it’s worth noting that African Warrior’s top-rated 115 was earned in the Matchem at Durbanville. Forget last time’s muscle-strained flop. The 13-2 shot is second favourite.

It’s almost impossible to see Hawwaam getting beaten. At least it would be if nobody told you what a terrible record favourites have in the Premier Trophy – all but two of the last 14 got stuffed. If you don’t fancy risking your money at 2-7 Twist Of Fate was only 1.6 lengths behind Hawwaam in the Daily News, he receives a kilo, is racing on home ground and his new trainer is on fire. You can get 13-2.

By Michael Clower