Matador Man, 12-10 to win tomorrow, has a smart record over the Greyville 1600m and can add to his resume when he runs in the Rotary Club of Durban Clairwood Park Pinnacles Stakes.

With a wealth of talent in his stable, Sean Tarry has had to box clever with Matador Man, ever game but not quite out of the top drawer. But he does seem to be a length or two better over the Greyville mile, most recently seeing off a competitive field in a Pinnacles Stakes over course and distance.

Even more recently he finished just over two lengths behind Charity Mile winner Coral Fever, coming from way back in the field. He has a plum draw and with Anton Marcus back in the irons he must rate the one to beat.

Matador Man (Candiese Marnewick)

There were a few skeptics about when Mark Dixon stretched his top sprinter London Call to a ‘mile’ in the KZN Breeders but he made all the running only to be nailed on the line by Romany Prince.

There are still a few doubters about and he was easy to back at 11-2 yesterday. He has since had two further outings over sprints in which he has shown his well being and if allowed to get away, Matador Man will have a hard task chasing him down.

Of the balance, Kazaar (4-1) and Red Chesnut Road (9-2), rate obvious dangers while Dark Moon Rising makes his seasonal debut after his sixth place in the eLan Gold Cup. He will need to race fresh to make an impression here.

Marcus has a strong book of rides and should at least head home with a double. The first should come in the card opener where he partners Lady Wisteria for Brett Crawford. The lightly raced Irish bred mare made a smart local debut when caught late and with only three runs under her girth in what looks to be a fairly modest field she should take some beating. She was 11-20 yesterday with 6-1 bar.

If Lady Wisteria does not oblige it should be cash back in the seventh where stable companion Cruz Giovanni looks good value at 11-10 in the ante-post market. A cracking second to the highly rated Sigismund with some other fancied runners behind him, Cruz Giovanni looks the part here.

Mark Khan has teamed up with Duncan Howells and owner Dave MacLean and that combination can come to the fore in the second. Coldhardcash found good market support on debut but you back first timers at your peril. Coldhardcash was all over the course when finishing fourth to Misys J but with that experience under his girth and an extra furlong to travel he looks the horse to beat.

However, he is relatively easy to back at 3-1 with favourite for the race, Frozen Tune, another Marcus mount, at 22-10.

Another Marcus possible is Amore Ardiente (7-2) for Belinda Impey in the Natal Stainless Steel Handicap. Never far back, Impey believes the gelding is over his best distance and with a pole position draw and Marcus up she is at least confident of a big showing. “He has come really well after his last race,” she said yesterday. “I just hope Anton can tuck him in and not go off to the front. He likes to come from off them.”

With Reactive and Savuti both possible pace-setters Impey should get her wish.

By Andrew Harrison

The Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m and the Grade 3 Fillies Mile will both be run on the Turffontein Standside track tomorrow and earlier there will be seven races on the Inside track.

The Yvette Bremner-trained National Park slammed Chimichuri Run in the Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m and his participation in the Dingaans will depend on a sale to Hong Kong which might go through today (Friday). He is full of class and might have even more to come. A wide draw and a step up in trip should not bother him as he has the perfect racing temperament and is the sort who relishes the long Turffontein straight. Hawwaam is by Silvano and is a half-brother to the exciting Rainbow Bridge, so he should improve on his fine winning debut. He showed a good turn of foot in that race so can afford to be dropped out from a wide draw.

Hawwaam (JC Photographics)

Reach For The Line is a tall and long-striding son of Potala Palace and was only overtaken late by Hawwaam on debut over 1400m in a hands-and-heels event. He is highly regarded and should be right there. The best outsider is Thanksgiving as he is an impressive specimen by Dynasty and ran a fine race last time in the KZN Guineas trial over this trip at Greyville considering he was rushed around the field midway through the race yet still managed to stay on for a narrow second. Perfect Peter is a full-brother to Along Came Polly who won the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes over this course and distance for this same trainer Gavin Van Zyl. He has a wide draw but Van Zyl 2010 Dingaan’s winner

The Apache jumped from the widest draw of all. Samurai Warrior is a typically progressive son of Ideal World and after bolting up with first-time blinkers last time he could be a surprise package, although he does have a very wide draw.  Gift For The Gap is a rangy gelding by Master Of My Fate and has scope for plenty of improvement, although he also has a wide draw. Bien Venue was unlucky last time and o previous evidence should stay this trip.

The Fillies Mile can be won by Ronnie’s Candy, whose easy win in the Starling Stakes over 1400m last time proved that her win in the SA Fillies Nursery was no fluke. She has stayed on well in both of her last two starts over 1400m and this classy filly by King Of Kings should also relish the step up in trip on pedigree. The Sean Tarry yard have said Return Flight is fit and well and she will enjoy the Turffontein mile more than the Greyville one where she won the Grade 1 Thekwini comfortably. She runs on resolutely and has a fine draw so should go close under champion jockey Lyle Hewitson.

Storm Destiny won a good race last time over this trip and looks to be going places, but she does have a tough draw. Railtrip is having his third run after a layoff and showed her class in the Thekwini where she finished a 1,75 length second. She should also enjoy the Standside mile as she ran on well in the Thekwini and was also running on well last time in the Ready To Run Cup over 1400m. She was beaten 2,5 lengths in the latter race by Vi Va Pi Pa but it was her second run after a layoff and the latter had a good draw that day. Nevertheless Vi Va Pi Pa is improving and can earn. Ghaalla finished 2,6 lengths behind Ronnie’s Candy in the Starling when receiving 2kg, so has a tough task but she should enjoy the course and distance.

Running Brave is well regarded and comes off two fine runs over 1450m and 1400m but she still has to prove she stays this trip. Celtic Sea has class but might be better suited to 1400m and comes off a disappointing comeback run in the Starling. The dark horse is the unexposed Afrostar who impressed in her last start at Greyville over 1400m. Isle De France is well bred and will relish the step up in trip from the Starling Stakes. Her famous grandmother Ilha Da Vitoria was at her best as a mare and she might follow suit. Virginia is another of the dark horses as she is an impressive specimen and is highly regarded. I Like It won well in her last start but looks held and so does Sand Princess.

By David Thiselton

One World can advance his Cape Guineas claims still further by extending his unbeaten run to five in the Concorde Cup at Kenilworth tomorrow.

“He has done very well,” reports Vaughan Marshall of the colt’s well-being since his battling Durbanville win seven weeks ago and the Milnerton trainer confirms that he will appreciate the extra furlong. Indeed Anton Marcus’s mount stands out and only the betting statistics are against him. Six of the last ten favourites (the race was previously run as the Selangor) have been beaten and the two most recent winners started at 28-1 and 36-1.

One World was 8-10 with Betting World yesterday and he seems sure to be still odds-on at the off. He could have most to fear from 5-1 shot Twist Of Fate, and not just because Joey Ramsden has won four of the last seven runnings. Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount led from the start when running out an emphatic winner of the Cape Classic and, while his trainer has expressed reservations about the extra furlong, his charge ran as if he will get it.

Twist Of Fate (Liesl King)

Second favourite Chimichuru Run (4-1) has two wide margin Group wins to his credit but he was beaten nearly six lengths when second in a 1 400m Turffontein feature three weeks ago. Course and distance winner Herodotus (8-1) is the only other in single figures.

The CTS Ready To Run Stakes is worth nearly twice as much as the rest of the card put together and the unique starting ability of Cirillo’s pilot can enable the Sean Tarry-trained 4-1 favourite to overcome his coffin-box outside draw.

This colt beat all except Twist Of Fate in the Cape Classic and the way he ran on at the end, with Lyle Hewitson declaring “This is a proper horse,” is still fresh in the memory.

Justin Snaith, successful with Miss Katalin 12 months ago, runs three including 5-1 second favourite Captainofthesea and says: “This horse is coming right at the right time and he has upset potential – there is something about him, and also the way he won last time.”

The 19-runnner Cape Merchants sees the race’s biggest field this century and, if the statistics run to form, you can almost forget the favourite as no outright market leader has won this since Eli’s Game in 2001.

Dutch Philip, second 12 months ago, has the doubtful privilege of heading the market and, while he looks too short for such a competitive race at 15-4, there is no other logical reason to exclude him. “He should be fit enough and he will run well. It’s just that he is giving away a lot of weight,” says Candice Bass-Robinson.

The vote goes to 20-1 shot Valbonne as Greg Cheyne’s mount is significantly better in with many of those he met in a Pinnacle four weeks ago despite being a kilo and a half under sufferance, and four-year-olds have the best recent record.

He is one of three for Brett Crawford who says: “Bold Respect (6-1) will probably need the run. Search Party (12-1) has come on from that pinnacle and is a massive runner but obviously at the weights you have to respect Valbonne.”

By Michael Clower

Justin Snaith is expecting a good day at Kenilworth on Saturday and was particularly confident about the chances of the Grade 2 Cape Merchants second favourite Kasimir.

Made To Conquer (Candiese Marnewick)

He said, “The yard has turned for the better and all the horses are doing well so I am expecting a good weekend. Kasimir is flying at home and is going to take a lot of beating. The danger will be Sir Frenchie. Bishop’s Bounty has a small chance too as he has a weight turnaround with a lot of the horses from his last run. Sergeant Hardy is very well at home and has come back to his Cape Town form but he has only had one gallop and if he runs a half decent race we will be happy. We have to be realistic, there are a lot of better weighted horses than him and this will be a preparation race for the weight for age events.”

Snaith runs two promising sorts in the Grade 2 Concorde Cup over 1600m and said, “Crown Towers was not right for his last start. This is a big test for him and Trip To The Sky to see whether they are up to the Cape Guineas or not.”

He felt his three runners in the CTS Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m “had a lot to do” especially from their respective draws, although he said Captainofthesea was well and gave him an “each-way chance.”

He has many runners on the day and made special mention of Made To Conquer. He said, “I had been preparing him for the Summer Cup but decided not to go in the end, so he is quite fit and I expect a good run.” The Vodacom Durban July runner up runs in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 2000m.

By David Thiselton

Front And Centre leapt back into the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas picture with another bordering-on-brilliant performance in the Betting World Handicap at Kenilworth yesterday,

True, two of her rivals –Lanark and Fours A Crowd – made things easier for the 6-10 favourite by treating the start as a dress rehearsal for a funeral procession but she won so easily that they were hardly likely to have threatened her anyway.

Brett Crawford (Nkosi Hlophe)

Anton Marcus was content to settle the hotpot as Louis Burke and Kamaishi built up a lead that stretched to six lengths at one stage (Marcus: “I just ignored the leader – but I would have been happy to lead myself as I ride according to the pace”) but the Dynasty filly was always travelling like a winner and, after twice looking left in the final furlong for what proved to be non-existent dangers, Marcus dropped his hands and then looked twice more as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.

His mount coasted home three and a half lengths clear of Strawberry Fire with the others strung out with the washing. “She is actually learning and with every run she is racing better,” said her impressed pilot. “At Durbanville last time she put it together late but she was still a bit erratic on the turn.”

Marcus added, in a comment that said as much about his extraordinary ability to judge pace as it did about his mount’s ability: “She has a turn of foot and she can go close to running 23 (seconds) in the last quarter.”

He also said, and with the Fillies Guineas just round the corner this was even more significant, “I think she will be a lot better over a mile and on more of a galloping course.”

Brett Crawford seemed as delighted as the Kieswetters, saying: “We had a setback with her before the Western Cape Fillies Championship and had to scratch. We found that she had elevated muscle enzymes and we treated these with anti-inflammatories and diet. It is easy never easy to get them back but thank goodness she responded to everything. She is a really good filly, she has done everything asked of her and I was very impressed. This was a nice lead up to the Fillies Guineas so now onward and upward.”

Sand And Sea, so impressive on his return in a 1 200m progress plate at Kenilworth last Saturday but scratched from this Saturday’s Cape Merchants on Tuesday morning, was injured trying to hammer hell out of the float taking him back to his stables on Saturday evening.

Dennis Drier said yesterday: “He had to have ten stitches on his hock but maybe he wasn’t meant to run in the Merchants. It would have been tempting had he been OK but there are other races for him.”

One of the most important of these is the Cape Flying Championship on Met day. The four-year-old will be a major force to reckon with in that Grade 1, particularly as his trainer pointed out: “He is a different horse as a gelding.”

Andre Nel reported yesterday that Pleasedtomeetyou, who dropped out so tamely when starting favourite for that progress plate, was found not be suffering from the cough that has affected a number of his stable companions. “I think he is just over-rated at this stage,” said the trainer.

By Michael Clower