The silly punting season is upon us and those of us who have understanding partners and a few days leave will probably be ensconced in front of their television sets flipping channels between horseracing and football until after the New Year

So, break out your favourite tipple and snacks, have smart phone at hand and enjoy the ride.

It starts at Fairview today leading into Greyville tonight where Brett Crawford could possibly supply an exotic bet banker for the evening in Siberian Husky.

The gelding makes his local debut and also steps out on the poly track for the first time but he has some excellent Cape form and with only 53.5kg to shoulder he could prove too good for The Sultans Bazaar and recent poly track debutante Saltoro Ridge who have to give away loads of weight.

In the opening leg of the PA, Rocking Ruby comes from the in-form stable of Wendy Whitehead and has the best of the draw. She was also close-up in a useful field last start but will need to be at her best to get the better of Heart Of A Legend who was not far back to stronger last time out and the drop in trip should suit. Also in the mix is Runaway Girl who was right up behind Rocking Ruby when last they met. She started at long odds that day but a repeat will see her close.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 is a wide open affair. Our Moon Shadow hardly ever runs a bad race and goes well over course and distance and it may be worth banking on his consistency. Captain Von Trapp is holding form well enough and did not get a penalty for his close-up second in a Chapter Challenge race so can go one better here. Wayward returns from a lay-off but trialled well and the blinkers are back on but he may just need it.

The fourth is another tricky affair but Fair Antonia has been close-up at her last two and that form has worked out reasonably well. She rates a strong chance. Dunzie is limited but has been ultra consistent and the drop in trip could see her home this time around.

Doug Campbell’s stable has turned the corner nicely and Master Gorge can do it for them in the sixth. After a promising trial and racing green on debut, he showed up well behind Carlburg in his most recent showing. That form has held up so he can do even better over this longer trip. Northeaster and Galway should be competitive over this trip while Al Jackman is an imposing gelding. He is taking time to come to hand but showed some improvement last run and is one to watch.

In the seventh, Josephine Baker has improved in blinkers and made a smart handicap debut. She is relatively lightly raced and could only now be finding her best. Her biggest danger could be Crystal Ball who is way better than her last effort.

Finally, Playlist has a big weight but goes well on the poly and was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out by the recently improved Expresso Martini. Little Audrey finally got it right over course and distance last time out and that form has been franked while Maneater and Red Herring are others to warrant serious consideration in an open handicap.

By Andrew Harrison

The Turffontein Standside meeting sees the first two-year-old races of the season, both over 800m, and the Tobie Spies yard have a fine record in these events.

They cannot be as confident as they were with Van Halen last year when he turned his 800m debut into a procession but they said of their charges, “You never know with babies, they can do funny things and can be green, but in the first race Axios is a very nice sort. We would expect him to be in the money at least. His stable companion Baby Lets Mambo is not too bad either and we hope to find the quartet with both of them. In the second race Me Time’s dam is a half-sister to Van Halen. She is precocious and we are confident she will run well and should be in the money. But we will be happy for her to be in the money and then build on that.”

Muzi Yeni rides both Axios and Me Time and they are both tipped to win.

The Spies yard also run Van Halen down in Cape Town in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas. They are still at a loss to explain his poor run in the Cape Merchants last time as he has eaten up everything since then. He has been working well and on his homework they believe he will see out the trip.

In the third race at Turffontein Greener Pastures can be made a PA banker from pole position having stayed on for second over this trip last time. However as far as winning the race is concerned Over The Limit will be a big danger. The latter comes out slightly better on some formlines and although returning from an 82 day layoff she is by Twice Over whose progeny improve with age so she might well have benefitted from the break. She also has a good draw and Nooresh Juglall rides for the flying Tarry yard.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Potjie ran a fair third behind the exciting prospect Mythical Bolt last time out. He was beaten 4,4 lengths and there was a yawning gap back to the rest so it could be fair form. Naizak will appreciate the step down in trip and is a danger along with Tequila Man who finished strongly last time with first time blinkers. Tintagel brings some fair Cape Town form and he could be suited to the fast Turffontein straight track considering he showed good pace to lead and only faded late over the tough Kenilworth 1200m three runs ago. Knight Owl could improve from his debut.

In the fifth race over 1160m Mighty High has the class to remain unbeaten despite carrying a big weight. Ouro and Dagmar are tipped to be the dangers. San Fermin is the best weighted on official merit ratings but has continued to disappoint. I Like It finished a short-head second in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile but this will llikely be too sharp.

In the next race over 1160m Colombina is not reliable but has ability and could upset. Announcing Rain has dropped to a competitive merit rating. Frankly has some class but the low draw might be a disadvantage. Going wide is the suggestion for the Pick 6.

In the seventh Rebel’s Champ has matured into a top class sprinter and should go close. Kissable is the joint best weighted and her early pace always makes her dangerous. Clever Guy has run two big races in succession and will be a threat too.

The 8^th over 1000m is competitive and although Shifting Shadows is the tip to win after running well in two features and now back in a handicap Three Stars, River Rafting, Vivir, Winter Watch and Made In Hollywood also need to be included.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 Scoop is on the up and can claim a hattrick. Ilha Da Varlette should also be included after two fine runs and she is actually officially better weighted than Scoop. Heavenly Risk is the best weighted horse and beat Scoop by 2,25 lengths last March but he has not raced since April.

By David Thiselton

One World can keep his unbeaten record in the Cape Guineas at Kenilworth tomorrow when his proven fighting qualities should enable him to again account for Chimichuri Run as well as Soqrat and Cirillo in the smallest Guineas field for 15 years.

The odds-on favourite is trained by Guineas master Vaughan Marshall bidding for win number six and partnered by a big race supremo riding like a man inspired. “We are up against one of the best front-running riders in the country and from the front he very rarely gets it wrong,” is how Joey Ramsden puts it. “He is one of those jockeys that sees you damned if you take him on and damned if you don’t.”

Chimichuri Run (best-priced 5-1) looks the most obvious danger after going under by only half a length in the Concorde Cup when S’Manga Khumalo felt his mount reached the limits of his stamina. He will delay his challenge much later tomorrow and it’s worth remembering that the Sean Tarry runner appeared to be going the better when he began to close last time.

Stable companion Cirillo (15-2) won the CTS Ready To Run the hard way and with considerable authority. Lyle Hewitson takes over from Marcus and is still widely underestimated. Hardly a day goes by when the champion does not serve up a reminder of just why he was the first apprentice to win the title since Michael Roberts.

Soqrat (4-1) is the only Grade 1 winner in the field and has long been held in high regard by Mike de Kock who is bidding for his fifth Cape Guineas. He should get into the shake-up but he doesn’t make the same appeal as the favourite.

Two of the last five Cape Classic winners have gone on to land the Guineas and Twist Of Fate is a big price at 14-1 to make it three but this race has a proven capacity for producing shocks. Seven of the last ten favourites have bitten the dust and in the last five seasons the winner has twice started at more than 20-1.

If there is to be an upset this time then you might want to consider Majestic Mozart. Long held in high regard by his trainer, Aldo Domeyer’s mount has been backed from 25-1 to 12-1 in the last five days and significantly he will race with a tongue tie for the first time.

Perhaps the bet of the day will prove to be the 11-2 offered by the sponsors against Marcus winning the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas as well as the Cape Guineas because Front And Centre has looked something special from the start. True, she has never taken on anything resembling this calibre of field but the 2-1 favourite possesses the acceleration of a top class horse.

Furthermore the stats are very much in her favour. Favourites have won four of the last five runnings and since Field Flower sprang a 50-1 shock nine years ago no winner has started at a bigger price than 11-2.

Just about the only pointer against her is that she is not the winner of the Odessa/Choice Carriers/WC Fillies Championship. The winner of that race has gone on to land the Fillies Guineas five times in the last eight years and there is no denying the claims of this season’s winner scorer Clouds Unfold (3-1) who beat Temple Grafin (15-2) with some authority.

Ghaalla (7-1) came into her own when upped to a mile last time. She could make the frame but the local trainers will be surprised and disappointed if she proves good enough to beat all theirs. Justin Snaith has the best record with five winners in the past 11 seasons and Silvano’s Pride (backed from 14-1 to 9-1 this week) is on a hat-trick. She needs to improve again to make the frame.

Brave Move looks the part in the WSB Victress Stakes and maybe last year’s Guineas hero Tap O’Noth can win the WSB Premier Trophy.

By Michael Clower

Anton Marcus has a chance of achieving a Grade 1 double this weekend as he rides the favourite in both the WSB Fillies Guineas and the Cape Guineas, which for the first time in history are being run on the same day, but he could be denied by the Mike de Kock-trained Soqrat or the outsider Majestic Mozart.

Vaughan Marshall is going for his third successive Cape Guineas and it is believed he will become the first trainer in history to achieve this feat. He has a fine chance of doing it with the unbeaten One World, who like 2016 winner William Longsword and 2017 winner Tap O’Noth is by Captain Al, who was the third of Marshall’s five Cape Guineas winners to date. 

One World will be hard to beat under Marcus. He is a relaxed, long-striding sort who is able to dictate and then show a kick and he can find extra when challenged too. 

He beat Chimichuri Run by only half-a-length in the Concorde Cup over 1400m last time, which was run on the Kenilworth Old Course, but gave the impression he had a bit in hand. As a galloping type, he should prefer the New course on Saturday.

Chimichuri Run was running all the way to the line in the Concorde Cup so will give One Man something to think about again. 

The progressive Cirillo is another danger, especially as he is drawn two. He proved last time in the Ready To Run over 1400m he can do it from the front and has champion jockey Lyle Hewitson up. In his only previous attempt at 1600m he was beaten four lengths by Soqrat in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes, but he was caught wide throughout that day and also hit the front too early. 

With two front-runners involved the race could play into the hands of Soqrat, who will attempt to give Mike de Kock a fifth Cape Guineas win. He has won his only start over this trip, doing it comfortably in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes last season, and packs a powerful finishing run. Furthermore, he has a plum draw of four.

Twist Of Fate beat Cirillo over 1400m in his penultimate start and then had to be switched outward in the Concorde before running on strongly. He is a scopey sort and Joey Ramsden is sure to have him in tip top condition but he does have a tricky draw.

The strapping Majestc Mozart who was charging home in the Ready To Run after being dropped out from a wide draw. This Dynasty colt will relish the step up in trip and is drawn in pole.

Van Halen is full of class but has to put a poor last outing behind him.

Sacred Arrow and Crown Guardian look held.

Soqrat is tipped to beat Majestic Mozart with One World, Twist Of Fate and Cirillo next best.  

The WSB Fillies Guineas is not a strong renewal and the Brett Crawford-trained Dynasty filly Front And Centre can remain unbeaten as she has won all three of her races effortlessly. Clouds Unfold drew away nicely to win the Western Cape Fillies Championship (WCFC) over 1400m and should relish this trip. She also has a plum draw of three so will be a big danger. Temple Grafin is held by Clouds Unfold, losing to her by 2,25 in the WCFC and now drawn very wide. Ghaalla won the Grade 3 Fillies Mile but the form looks suspect with 88 merit rated I Like It a narrow second and Ronnie’s Candy managing a close third despite pulling ad racing wide.

Silvano’s Pride has a lot of substance and will be improving all the while being by Silvano so is a threat despite a wide draw as she looks to be a relaxed type. Golden Chance has class and is unexposed as she steps up from 1200m so is a dark horse. PE raider Just Chaos won the RA Stakes well last time, but is up against it here. Second Request was running on well in the Ready To Run and could earn. The selection is Front And Centre to beat Clouds Unfold with Silvano’s Pride, Temple Grafin and Golden Chance next best.

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford is aiming to bridge a 13-year gap with Front And Centre in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas. Anton Marcus’s mount hasn’t yet developed the aura of Bad Girl Runs – she went on to win the Paddock Stakes – but the Kieswetter filly has won all three starts with a devastating turn of foot and is the favourite. 

It hasn’t all been plain sailing because she was forced to miss the main trial, the Western Cape Fillies Championship, with muscle enzyme problems but her trainer is convinced that she has put those firmly behind her and that she is back on song.

“She has been 100% since her win on November 21 and she worked well last week,” says Crawford. “All is in order and I am very happy with her.”

Front And Centre is 2-1 favourite with the sponsors despite having raced at a lower level than the likes of Clouds Unfold (3-1) and 7-1 shots Temple Grafin and Ghaalla. But Crawford doesn’t see this as a problem,saying: “She has always shown us that she has something special and everybody that has been on her has said that she has given them a good feel. Furthermore she has gone about her business in an ultra-professional manner.”

So the jump in class shouldn’t be a problem? “I don’t know that it is a jump. She is rated 101 and there are only three rated higher. She is a massive runner.”

Clouds Unfold created a big impression when coming from someway back to win the WC Fillies Championship with authority. The decision to run Saturday’s race a fortnight later than usual means that there is a seven-week gap between the trial and the race – too long in the eyes of some trainers who have felt it necessary to get another run into their charges.

Not so Candice Bass-Robinson with the second favourite. “I galloped her on the course last week and I believe that put her pretty much spot on. She will be fine over the extra furlong – she switches off easily in a race and she is out of a Montjeu mare.”

This will be her second run back and Candice, like many punters, is a firm believer that it is the third run that usually sees a horse at its peak. But she has got round this by staging her own race in private.  “They cancelled the one she was due to run in so I put six of mine up against each other at Durbanville. As a result this will effectively be her third run back.”

She also runs 16-1 shot Santa Clara who was third in the WC Fillies and second in a subsequent progress plate. “She is tough and game, and she always runs well. I don’t know that she can beat Clouds Unfold but she could finish in the money if things go right.”

Temple Grafin (7-1) has a length and a quarter to find with Clouds Unfold on WC Fillies form and events have shown that it was no disgrace to be beaten by Nous Voila in a subsequent sprint. “We are very chuffed with her and she is bred for this mile,” says Glen Kotzen, successful with Princess Victoria seven years ago. “She has pulled a bad draw so it is going to be tough but the longer straight gives her a chance. It’s her third run after a break and it’s what we have been aiming at.

“Coral Bay (25-1) is also drawn badly at nine. I was disappointed with her last time but we have been waiting for the longer run-in and hopefully we will see her doing her best work because she is a talented filly.”

In the Cape Guineas Joey Ramsden is bidding for his third win in eight years and all-the-way Cape Classic winner Twist Of Fate is as big as 13-1 largely because he was beaten over two lengths into third in the Concorde Cup. “He didn’t have a great trach wash the week before but the low draw made me run. Maybe it shouldn’t,” reflects his trainer.

“I am hoping the longer straight will suit him. There looks to be a lot of speed in the race with three or four strong pace horses whereas usually there are none. I don’t know whether or not that will help and with his wide draw it’s going to depend on how he gets in. I used to think that he was better switched off and coming with a late rattle but he is not.”

By Michael Clower