Candice Bass-Robinson will have urgent discussions with Gaynor Rupert and Kevin Sommerville this morning to decide on the Met day target for Fillies Guineas fifth Santa Clara who had no problem in landing the odds in the Tab Telebet Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The Milnerton trainer said: “We have three options – the Bidvest Majorca, the CTS 1600 and the Cape Derby. I am leaning towards the Derby. I think she will get the trip and the race doesn’t look that strong – either that or the sales race but that is very strong and she is drawn badly.”

Today is also important in Brett Crawford’s quest for the answers to what went wrong with Mushi Sterek in the Interbet.co.za Handicap. The 9-10 shot started going backwards after only 300m and she finished some 60m last. “She went exactly a furlong and then she wouldn’t raise a gallop,” said a mystified Anton Marcus.

The veterinary examination requested by the stipes found nothing but senior stipe Ernie Rodrigues said: “It was too bad a run for something not to be wrong and we have asked the trainer to report back.”

Brett Crawford, more concerned than anybody, went straight to the racecourse stables after the race. When he eventually re-emerged, seemingly completely baffled, he said: “There has to be a reason. You can’t win a race by five lengths and then run like that. I will get her scoped and also get my vet to check her out.”

Could it be something in the filly’s mental make-up? After all, she is known to be far from easy. “I don’t think so,” said the trainer. “She is very forward and all the time we are trying to slow her down.”

Another possibility is her tender mouth. When she won so impressively first time out Marcus said that he had never before ridden a horse with such a sensitive mouth. For most of that race he sat motionless with his hands on her withers and the lightest possible hold on the reins.

On Saturday she was tossing her head about as she went down to the start with a companion. Maybe, despite her rider’s best efforts, she had felt pain in her mouth on debut and she was remembering it.

The winner, almost unnoticed in all the fuss over the favourite, was the Keagan de Melo-ridden Evelina who has won three of her last four for Andre Nel. It wasn’t all puzzlement for Crawford either as he went home with a treble.

Joey Ramsden saddled two for the opening two-year-old race and won with the 13-1 outsider of the pair, the Donovan Dillon-ridden Double Alliance. Stable companion Ibra (third) was found to be making an abnormal respiratory noise. There must be a bug going round because no less than six other runners during the day were found to be suffering from the same complaint.

Piet Steyn’s problem was a wonky knee. He had it replaced last Wednesday and so missed seeing Brave Tiger justifying favouritism in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden. Satchmo Mathen, who owns the appropriately named Amazing Satchmo in partnership with Glen Kotzen, had an even more-needed tonic when Liam Tarentaal brought the colt home in front in the mile maiden. Mathen is recovering from a triple bypass operation.

Justin Snaith elected to spend the afternoon with his Met day armada and so father Chris deputised, successfully saddling Stan Becker’s Hurricane Silva for the 1 400m maiden. Snaith snr recalled winning two Mercury Sprints and the 1992 Gilbeys at Scottsville with Signor Amigo for Becker.

Greg Cheyne, successful on Brave Tiger and St Vladimir, has less pleasant memories of the star sprinter – “He went through the rails with me at Clairwood when I was an apprentice and broke my back!”

By Michael Clower

Nobody will be studying the sahorseracing website in the run-up to today’s 11.00am Sun Met declaration deadline more closely than Billy Prestage as he debates whether to run last season’s Premier Trophy winner Milton.

He said: “I am not stupid enough to think he can win (Milton is a 100-1 shot) but I want to see what my chances are of finishing in the first ten, and of getting my money back before I put mine down. I reckon there will be about 15 runners but I would like to see a few more come out.”

It costs a VAT-inclusive R46 000 to declare with stakes being paid up to tenth place – R50 000 for those finishing sixth to tenth.

Prestage adds that it is 43 years since he last had a runner in the great race. “I owned Foreign Agent. Syd Laird trained him when he was third to Sledgehammer in 1975 and my father Robert was the trainer the following year when he was fourth to Gatecrasher.”

No current trainer has won the Met more times than Brett Crawford, the first of whose three wins came with Angus 16 years ago, and he reports Undercover Agent in great shape.

He said: “Undercover Agent came out of his Queen’s Plate run well but the trip is a question mark.”

No such doubts about Eyes Wide Open who beat Do It Again when winning last year’s Cape Derby and Glen Kotzen points out that the four-year-old is much better than his disappointing Peninsula Handicap sixth would suggest, even allowing for top weight. The horse was promptly marked out to 33-1.

The Woodhill trainer said: “Gavin Lerena was caught three wide – the local jocks wouldn’t let him in – and then he got bumped and was knocked out to five wide. Gavin apologised for the ride when he got off but promptly added that he would like to ride the horse in the Met.”

By Michael Clower

Five-times SA champion jockey Mark Khan was in devastating form on the Greyville poly yesterday and brought home four winners on the trot early in the eight race meeting.

Khan’s first winner was aboard the Duncan Howells-trained Mr Greenlight, who was officially 6kg under sufferance with the filly Twice As Smart according to official merit ratings in the Graduation Plate event over 1600m. However, he has not yet had the chance to prove himself like the latter has and showed yesterday he will be a force to be reckoned with when he is given those opportunities.

Khan had him handy on the flank of the leader and in the straight he simply drew away as he pleased to obliterate them by 2,8 lengths. He started at odds of 11/2 but won like an odds on shot and won’t be let loose by the bookmakers again. Howells will send him down for the US$500,000 CTS 1600, presuming this impressive win will see the final field selection panelists giving him the nod.

Khan rode an enterprising race from the front in the next race over 1600m on the Lezanne Forbes-trained Ato filly Easy Ginger to win by 4,10 lengths.  The favourite Roy’s Novice proved in need of the run as the Wright yard had stated beforehand.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Khan did exceptionally well to win comfortably on the Forbes-trained Special Force as this Crusade gelding was barged off course in the early stages.

Khan made it a four in the next over 1200m on the enigmatic Kumaran Naidoo-trained Roy’s Magic as this Foxwedge Australian-bred gelding needs things to go his way before producing his good turn of foot and Khan ensured he was covered up and relaxed throughout.

The meeting began with an easy win for Marzipan Path in his first run for the Nathan Kotzen yard. Anton Marcus converted 11/10 odds which proved generous as this Eightfold Path filly has plenty of substance and won by 2,7 lengths without being hard pressed.

The sixth race over 1200m looked the most open on the card and the Sean Tarry-trained Seventh Rock filly In Full Bloom held on from a handy position under Luke Ferraris to convert 9/1 odds.

In the seventh the in form Andre Nel and Gareth Wright combination had another winner when the Black Minnaloushe gelding Dance Off came from off the pace to catch the favourite High Green close to home.

In the last race over 1900m the favourite Moschino went out like a light when asked for extra in the straight but luckily for Pick 6 punters the market rival Paybackthemoney, a long-striding Marchfield gelding, swooped to win comfortably under Donavan Dillon to give Nathan Kotzen a double.  

By David Thiselton

The exotics will be the way to approach Sunday’s Greyville meeting as there are five plate races on the card, although there are three tricky handicaps in the middle legs of the Pick 6.

The highest rated race is the fifth, a MR 78 Handicap over 1200m. The selection to win is the promising Solid Gold, who has a fair draw of six in the ten horse field, and is distance suited. He finished within a length of the 97 merit rated Desolate Road over this trip on the turf last time at level weights in a Graduation Plate, which gives him a fine chance on paper in this handicap event. However, if the second horse is taken into account he merely ran to his 77 rating, which puts a different light on the performance. This will also be his second run after a layoff. Beyond him it is a nightmare and he will either have to be bankered or the entire field will have to be included.

In the first leg of the PA, a Graduation Plate over 1600m, the promising Mr Greenlight is chosen as the best bet on the card, although he will be better suited to further in time. He looks to be above average and has an exceptional turn of foot.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1600m Roy’s Novice has fine form over this trip and has a good draw of two. Easy Ginger was cramped when being stepped up to this trip last time and with better luck in running has a shout and should be included.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1200m Lucara has been knocking hard and has a 4kg claimer aboard. His draw of two will suit his handy style. Solsbury Hill has run well against two fair sorts and will be a big runner too with Anton Marcus up. Special Force has a form chance too but does have a wide draw to overcome.

In the sixth race over 1200m Snow Path is an interesting raider from the Highveld. She sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight of 52 and has a 4kg claimer up too. Her form on the Highveld is not bad in the context of this race and the only concern is her wide draw. Sarabi ran on strongly over 1000m last time and only just failed so should do well here. Innocently Naughty was making late headway over 1000m and will appreciate the step up in trip. Flamenco Dancer can be included from a good draw off an attractive merit rating. Everlasting Love and Carfree should also be put into the Pick 6.

In the seventh over 1900m High Green is a banker consideration with a 4kg claimer up over a step up in trip he will relish. The form of his last two runs looks strong and he has the perfect draw of five for this track.

In the last race over 1900m Moschino has Marcus up having come from last with the great rider aboard over 1800m last time and run out of race track. He would have learnt from that outing so will go close, although Paybackthemoney made a fair debut when green and should also be included.

By David Thiselton

The Turffontein Standside nine race meeting tomorrow features the Listed Swallow Stakes over 1160m and the Mike de Kock yard might notch up another feature win. 

Their Australian-bred Bernadini filly Firdoas has a lot of natural speed as she proved when winning a juvenile plate over this course and distance by 6,60 lengths last May. In her last two starts over 1400m she hasn’t seemed to get home and it is not surprising to see her down in trip. The Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Mighty High has to give at least 5kg to the rest of the field but is up to it. Last time over this trip she was unable to catch them on fast ground which blunted her fine turn of foot. The rains have come recently and this should see her strong finish being more effective.

Cordillera showed her class in the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m and although appearing to be the Tarry yard second string the race could be run to suit her as she should be able to sit behind the speedy All At Once who is drawn one outside of her. She can then use her fine turn foot to good effect in the closing stages. Her stablemate Three Stars ran a cracker last time against the useful older sprinter Winter Watch and she has Hewitson aboard. All At Once is the best weighted horse according to official merit ratings but will have a tougher task staying in front this time in likely slower ground than she had last time. Blonde Vision has pace and is another one in with a shout. Mazari would prefer further but has class and should be staying on.

The best bet of the day comes in race two over 1160m. Tintagel had some good form up to 1250m in Cape Town and made a fine Highveld debut over this course and distance a month ago, she has a standside draw which is usually favourable and will take some beating.

The first leg of the PA over 1600m should see the hard knocking Pomodoro filly Gold Lightning winning over a step up in trip she should manage. Noble Princess has ability but has been disappointing. However, she should be able to place in this field and can be included in the PA,

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Tamarina is improving and has a plum draw over a step up in trip she should relish. High Seas Beauty stormed home last time over 1400m and should also now see out this trip. Desert Rhythm is drawn in pole and should make her presence felt as she was not striding out last time so is better than that and has done well over this course and distance twice.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Approach Control looks a promising sort and has the pole position draw over a suitable 1600m trip. SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour is effective over this trip and is the best in at the weights so can do well under Dennis Schwarz, who would have learnt something from riding him last time. Zilzaal won well last time and should be staying on again.

In the sixth race D’Arrivee is a progressive sort with a touch of class and is the one to beat. He does have a tricky draw but will enjoy the long straight and is a banker consideration. Kings Archer is drawn well and will appreciate the step down to his optimum trip. Dhabyaan has proved himself suited to this course and distance in his last two starts and has a fair draw with a nice galloping weight.

In the eight race over 1000m Wrecking Ball could provide the value bet of the day. She has a lot of natural speed but tended to not get home when being close to the pace and her recent hold up tactics have been seeing her run in strongly. She is drawn one outside of the speedy kissable so will have someone to follow until late in the race.

In the last race Princess Lomita made a fine debut and with expected improvement should despatch this field, although she does have a tricky draw and Over The Limit can also be included as one who will appreciate the step up in trip. 

By David Thiselton