Justin Snaith has had two significant retirees from his stable, Oh Susanna and Snowdance, who will both be standing at Drakenstein Stud, and the rest of his top horses have just come back into light work.

Snowdance will be covered by Drakenstein’s new stallion Lancaster Bomber, who is the only Group 1-winning son of leading international sire War Front to be standing in either South Africa or the UK. A decision on who Oh Susanna will be covered by is yet to be made. 

Among the horses back in light work at the Snaith yard is Equus Horse Of The Year Do It Again.

Next year’s Sun Met is being billed already as the clash of the three titans, Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam, but Snaith said, “There will be more, it is going to be a very competitive season and there are a lot of good horses around.”

One of the challenges he is facing is how to place General Franco, who was lumbered with a 103 merit rating after his debut win.

Snaith felt his career was set back six months by this rating and felt the handicappers should have allowed him one more run, where they could have seen something more, “before penalising him so drastically.”

He said the plate races usually did not stand up due to lack of entries and putting him as a young three-year-old into a handicap with such a merit rating might discourage him.

His plan was therefore to nurse him at home and build him into what the handicappers believed him to be.

He said the same had happened to Oh Susanna and the handicappers had been proven right but added if they were not proven right in this case he would be dealing with a three-time winner at most due to the mark he was being asked to start off with.

Snaith said General Franco had returned a bit shin sore after his second start but it was not enough to explain his poor last place finish.

He said jockey Greg Cheyne had reported him to be the “first horse gone” in that race.

Snaith was nonetheless looking forward to another good season and said he would have one of his strongest recent strings. He added he had particularly exciting two-year-olds.

He said his first call rider Richard Fourie would be one of his biggest assets considering the current jockey situation in South Africa where a few big names are on the sidelines while others have left for Hong Kong.

By David Thiselton

One World, winner of more than R3.3 million and beaten only twice in nine starts, may bid to resume his winning ways in the Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on October 5.

Vaughan Marshall said: “I haven’t worked out a programme for One World yet but he could possibly start in the Matchem.”

The four-year-old won a progress plate on the day of the Matchem last year and his other victories included the Langeman, Concorde Cup, CTS 1600 and the Winter Guineas. His only two defeats came in the Cape Guineas (third) when things did not go according to the trainer’s plan and in the Winter Classic in which he finished second to Vardy. Marshall last won the Matchem with Tales Of Bravery in 2010.

Stable companion Captain Of Stealth, who raised hopes for big race glory when romping home by wide margins in his first two starts, is to have his injury rescanned at the end of October but at this stage there is no suggestion that the original prognosis of being out for ten months is likely to be changed. He did the damage by rapping himself below the joint and just above the coronet.

By Michael Clower

The Hollywoodbets Greyville poly has an eight race meeting on Sunday and punters could have a better time of it than they did on Wednesday.

In the first leg of the PA over 2000m the three-year-old Greys Inn gelding Uncle Frank is 2,5kg under sufferance but his maiden win over 1600m has worked out well as the 1,75 length runner up has won his next two starts. He also looks likely to enjoy this trip as quite a big immature sort who ran on well in that last start. However, he can’t be bankered with that hard task facing him. The back up is Samsonite, who won the last time he tried this course and distance and is now well drawn off an effective five point higher mark.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Indigo Tractor and Velvet Season are both hard knocking course and distance suited four-year-olds and must both be included. The former is given the vote as he has a better draw. Myrrh is a frustrating sort to follow as he has ability but does not really put it in. However, he has a plum draw and will relish the step back up in trip, so is an outsider to consider. 

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 2000m Highveld raider Gottalottaluv has always had plenty of talent and has a fine record over this trip with one win and four seconds in seven starts. If Luke Ferraris can find a good position for her from a tricky draw of six she should be right there, although this is the Var mare’s first run on the poly. Irish Wonder Girl is a four-year-old filly on the up and being by Irish Flame she loves this sort of trip. She has a plum draw of four and is going for a hattrick, so will be a big threat.

In the fifth over 1200m Johnny Black had some useful Cape Town form and after two runs in KZN should be cherry ripe. He stayed on over the tough Scottsville 1000m on his first KZN start so should enjoy this step up in trip. He has a plum draw of five and is effectively two points lower in the merit ratings so looks the one to beat. Bestday Of Mylife has been running over further in the strong centre of Cape Town, where merit ratings often become suppressed due to the high class of horse. From pole position he will be an interesting runner and must be included. Missibaba has two wins and three places in seven starts over this course and distance and has been competitive off this sort of mark before, so she could be a threat, although it is never easy against the boys.

In the sixth over 1200m Cherry Road starts off handicapping off a reasonable mark having showed natural pace on debut over 1000m and finding extra. She looks likely to relish the step up in trip, but does have a tough draw of ten. La Valette also has a tricky draw of eight but has the form to go close. Keep It Real ran an improved race last time under the improving 4kg claimer Jabu Jacobs and from a plum draw of four she could be in the shake up.

In the seventh over 1400m Mastagambit comes off a flying win over course and distance and has a fine chance of following up. Triple Fate Line is fulfilling the early promise he showed and this trip should be ideal so from draw two he can overcome the effective two point raise he was given for his 1600m win last time and be right there. Zanzibarian runs fresh over a trip sharper than ideal but has some class and will be staying on so must be included.      

In the last race over 1400m Cavalieri went close on debut over 1400 on the turf. He was green and should improve, Jalapeno has a wide draw but has shown enough to be able to earn. Red Hot Night is a hard knocking distance suited four-year-old with a plum draw so he has to be included too.

The meeting starts with an uninspiring 1000m maiden for fillies and mares where the right one looks to be Dune Dance, who improved with blinkers on over this trip last time and was a touch unlucky as she was bumped early. 

By David Thiselton

The Turffontein Standside course stages a typically competitive new season nine-race meeting tomorrow although there are some opportunities for punters.

In the seventh race, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2400m, Snorting Bull is 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted Pilgrim’s Progress, but he looks to have promise as a stayer. He is a big horse with a good turn of foot and he showed last time he can stay on resolutely too, so he should relish the galloping course and distance. The Marchfield filly Factor Fifty is 1,5kg under sufferance with Pilgrim’s Progress but beat Snorting Bull by 1,75 lengths in her penultimate start. The latter likely needed it then and is also 3,5kg better off so should reverse the form, but Factor Fifty does strike as one who has promise as a stayer and she should now be coming into her own. Dromedaris is the best weighted male in the race according to official merit ratings and has been in fair form. None of the first three selected have good draws so others will have to be considered for the exotics.

In the fifth race My Dream Chaser looks to have promise and should be coming into her own. She was beaten 1,75 lengths by Saints Alive over course and distance in April but now has a plum draw and is 1,5kg better off in the weights so has a chance of reversing form, although she is returning from a 112 day absence. Her stablemate Abelie strikes as a progressive sort and should make a bold bid with Muzi Yeni up. She comes off a win over this trip on the Greyville poly under Yeni. Jamra is capable of a resolute finish from a handy or front-running position. Her best career run was over this course and distance and it was from a similarly wide draw to the one she has here.    

In the second race over 1000m Royal Cavalier is held in good regard so it has been surprising he has not really come to the party when having easier tasks in handicaps. However, he has now dropped to a lowly mark and is drawn favourably high so could get it right. Mount Keith has the standside draw and was not disgraced last time in a Pinnacle event over course and distance behind the useful Prince Of Kahal. Lithuanian’s Dream has to be considered too as he showed what he was capable of in his penultimate start when blitzing the field.

In the sixth race Big Myth is an effective front-runner and with bottom weight. In a small field she should be able to dictate. On the downside she would prefer a touch further but she should make a bold bid. The Sash won her only start over this course and distance but has to bounce back from two below par runs over 1400m and 1450m respectively. Wordyness disappointed as the even money favourite last time over 1800m but might enjoy this trip as she did over race in her penultimate start over 2000m. None of the first three choices are well drawn, so it is a tricky race.

In the third race over 1160m Intothemystic showed plenty of zip on debut and was squeezed out in the latter stages so would have got closer. He should be improving being by Duke Of Marmalade and should go close. The first-timers who makes most appeal are Marshall, a Vercingetorix colt out of an unplaced Not For Sale mare who has produced a twice winner by Vercingetorix’s father Silvano, and Captain Hindsight, a Captain Of All gelding out of Listed-winning sprinter Uber Rock, who has produced a Listed-winning speedster and a Listed-placed sprinter.   

The meeting starts with a tricky Workrider’s Maiden over 1000m and there is little between Flower Of Scotland, Bridesmaid Blues and Set And Match. However, the Roy Magner yard have been in good form so Flower Of Scotland is given the vote.     By David Thiselton

Adam Marcus can put punters in profit at Kenilworth tomorrow by landing a double with Missisippi Burning and Hello Winter Hello.

Missisippi Burning beat everything except all-the-way scorer Calypso Beat ,despite being drawn wide, in a 14-runner maiden three weeks ago and should have few problems confirming the placings with This Ones For Tony who lost ground at the start and was over six lengths back. Greg Cheyne, who rode the winner that day and is in brilliant form, takes over on the selection.

The Marcus runner is favourite for the Bellryck Financial Group Maiden at around 14-10 but money has come for the superbly bred Justin Snaith newcomer Sovereign Secret. This Dynasty filly is the second foal of All Is Secret, winner of the Allan Robertson, Thekwini and Mercury Sprint and was bought for R1 million at last year’s CTS Cape Premier. Despite the stamina influence of her sire, Richard Fourie’ mount should have speed to burn.

However, as has been mentioned in this column before, it can pay to bet against Snaith first timers because he always puts the horse’s long term future first. That said, it is significant that Richard Fourie rides her rather than stable companion Queen of Quiet who, although last in the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery, has a big chance on the form of her neck debut second.

Hello Winter Hello is 2-1 favourite for the Carnarvon Lodge Maiden and that looks a reasonable price. M.J. Byleveld’s mount was a promising fourth to the well-regarded Sailing Ship on debut last month and is bound to have come on from that.

Watch Me Now, 7-2 second favourite here, was second in a work riders’ race that day but that was a much weaker race and she looks unlikely to beat the Marcus runner.

Evening Song (9-2) has losses to recover after finishing with only two behind her  when hot favourite here last time; the veterinary examination ordered by the stipes showed up nothing and here she is drawn widest of all and on what has proved to be the slower ground since the rains came.

Possibility (15-2) could be just that. She showed promise in a winners’ race on debut and started slowly. Callan Murray’s mount Mountain Ridge has been nibbled at – the Glen Kotzen newcomer is by Querari out of a Fort Wood mare.

Only One Like You, fourth in a fairly modest-looking maiden on debut, may be better than the bare form would suggest as he lost a front shoe during the race. He is taken to beat Lead Singer and Path Of Choice in the Goindustry Dovebid Maiden. Murray’s mount Doppio Oro has place prospects. 

By Michael Clower