The Highveld season may be in full swing but the big race days are interspersed with some ordinary fare that does not make things easy for punters. Tomorrow’s Turffontein card is littered with pitfalls but many will look to Green Top to see them through the fifth, an assessment plate where she is rated lengths superior to the opposition.

Storm Destiny (JC Photographics)

Alec Laird’s filly took on the cream of the Highveld fillies last term and although never making it to the winner’s enclosure in the features that she contested, she was never far back either, running Takingthepeace to a short head in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic.

She appeared to have had enough after a hard season when down the field in the SA Oaks and Laird put her away for a well-earned five-month break.

She made her seasonal debut in an assessment plate where she was running on nicely behind last season’s Garden Province winner Redberry Lane. She should come on from that effort and given her rating will be a popular banker.

The balance of the card is tricky.

Apprentice Luke Ferraris has been given a flying start to his career from training legend and grandfather Ormond and it has not been only a case of nepotism. Young Ferraris is driven to up his game and Ferraris senior does not entertain slackers, be they blood relations or not.

The family pair team up with Vivir in the opening leg of the Pick 6. The filly was reported not to have been striding out after her last effort in an assessment plate to the run is best ignored. Prior to that she showed promise, beating the useful Railtrip on debut and last time over tomorrow’s course and distance finishing two lengths off Desert Rhythm. She has a feather-weight to shoulder here and should at least be competitive.

Low-rated staying races are often difficult to predict by Weiho Marwing is a master at these marathon events and Desert Sunset ticks many of the boxes. He looked to have run out of real estate when just failing to catch Brand New Cadillac at his last two and the extra furlong should be too his liking. However, the shorter Turffontein inside straight could find him out so Mighty High and Kamakura may be worth including in Pick 6’s as insurance.

The last three races on the card are all tricky affairs. There were excuses for Kurt’s Approval last run after hitting his mouth in the gate. He has come good in blinkers and although drawn badly he must have a chance in a difficult race. Psychic has been taking on slightly stronger at recent outings and looks a threat.

Varimax nearly made all over course and distance last start. With a better draw and a stronger rider aboard, he could prove the pick ahead of O Lucky Man and Cumberland.

Perfect Tigress can round off proceedings. In spite of only being a narrow winner last run she take a drop in class although also a corresponding rise in weight.

By Andrew Harrison

All eyes will be on Rainbow Bridge at Kenilworth on Sunday when the exciting four-year-old bids to make it five in a row in the Cape Mile in what could well prove to be emotional circumstances.

This gelding could turn out to be the best horse the late Chris Gerber ever had and the noted owner-breeder’s tragic death from malaria adds a sad poignancy to the occasion.

The betting – he had shortened still further to 9-20 with World Sports Betting yesterday morning – suggests Rainbow Bridge is a good thing despite merit ratings indicating the complete opposite. No less than six of the ten up against Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount should beat him according to the handicappers’ assessments.

Rainbow Bridge (Liesl King)

But his preparation has gone smoothly in marked contrast to that of the Matchem whose build-up turned into a trainer’s nightmare. “I had gallops planned and then there were all those cancellations,” Eric Sands recalls. “We ended up with a month when we couldn’t gallop at all. I had to force him on the sand tracks at home – and he went into the race with only half a gallop, and needing another.”

Yet the gelding was able to produce a truly devastating final burst, the like of which is not seen that often on a racecourse.

“Afterwards he was off for a week with a snotty nose,” relates his trainer. “However he has done very well since and, while I don’t want him at his peak yet, he has come on.”

Asked about what he sees as the dangers, Sands singles out not a horse but “traffic.”

Adjusted merit ratings put the Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open (8-1) and 9-1 shot Fifty Cents on top, six points clear of the favourite. But the former has been off for three and a half months and Craig Zackey’s mount was beaten over two lengths in the Matchem and is half a kilo worse.

So is 15-1 chance Copper Force who has three and a half lengths to find on that last run. Horizon (25-1) was beaten seven lengths (admittedly he was slowly away) and needs further. A New Dawn (33-1) has been off since May but watch out for Silver Maple. This ex-Mayfair horse came to Justin Snaith from Geoff Woodruff and has won three out of four. The 9-1 chance gets in with a feather weight and could prove the biggest threat.

That leaves only the four that the handicappers say should not beat the favourite. Rocket Countdown, The Slade and Platinum Prince are all having their first race of the season while Man About Town is the 50-1 outsider of the party.

In the Laisserfaire 5-2 favourite Magical Wonderland has been off since May and has been given a steeplechasing burden. Forget about the race’s grand-sounding name and its Listed status – this is a glorified handicap – and better value can be found further down the field. The Boston Rose may be 1.5kg under sufferance but she keeps winning. She has proved profitable for this column and she can do it again although it is hard to believe that the present 45-1 will still be available on Sunday.

Ryan Munger is riding out of his skin and he may take the Woolavington on Settlers runner-up Ballad Of The Sea. Stable companion Ollivander looks the main danger.

By Michael Clower

I once read somewhere that your first winner as a racehorse owner is up there with war and sex. I don’t think either was on the mind of Lady Colleen Glaeser as she dropped the lead rope like a hot potato after Amor Ardiente entered the winner’s circle at Scottsville – not necessary out of excitement. “I’m terrified of horses!”

Belinda Impey’s 25-1 shot was met by a few mutterings from punters as the son of Antonious Pius out-pointed favourite Drauglin in his maiden triumph but it was a win full of merit. Visiting rider Gunter Wrogemann was also impressed. “He’ll easily get eight to 10 furlongs,” he surmised.

Amor Ardiente (Candiese Marnewick)

Amor Ardiente has since won again and a third is on the cards when he starts in the sixth at Greyville this evening. This is a Graduation Handicap and he gives weight all around but he was touched off a hair‘s breadth over the Greyville mile last time out as Sherman Brown takes over from Sean Veale who has ‘relocated’ to Cape Town for the season to ride for his boss Dennis Drier.

The Cape summer season is still in its infancy but Dean Kannemeyer will have his eyes on some of the lucrative pickings on offer in his home town. However, his KZN-based string is starting to fire after a hiatus of a couple of months for compulsory AHS vaccinations. He saddles Stealth Admiral and Rumbleinthejungle in the opening leg of the Pick 6, both in with chances, but both may have to take a back seat. Gareth van Zyl has been a model student and learnt well from his father Gavin. Zigi Zagi Zugu was probably named after a night on the town but could have the measure of the Kannemeyer pair after two forward showings.

Kannemeyer has Miss Smarty Pants lined up in the fourth. She had excellent Cape Town form before arriving in KZN, the thinking probably that she would be out of her depth during the Cape summer but competitive in KZN.

Mention second box to Duncan Howells and you will get short thrift – he’s not a red-head for nothing! Little Audrey has been responsible for three of his 26 second placings this term but will be in short order for the Gold Circle Podcast Maiden where she has amble back-up in stable companion Holy Flame should she be found wanting once again.

Argenteus is a weak 3-1 favourite for the seventh, a tricky handicap over a mile, but Andre Nel’s mare is in mustard form and been close-up at her last two. Her last two wins were on the poly so she should have a bright chance again.

Dunzie has been another Howells headache, runner-up in her last three but in good form since being raced in blinkers. Craig Zackey went down narrowly over course and distance at their penultimate start and a repeat could see her home in another difficult handicap where a number of runners are in with winning chances.

By Andrew Harrison

The Tobie Spies-trained Grade 1-winning sprinter Van Halen is in Cape Town together with the speedy filly Miss Khalifa and an unraced maiden.

Van Halen’s first target is the Cape Merchants and his main aim is the US$500,000 CTS 1200. Considering the way he settled in his last race the yard are considering the Cape Guineas for him and if he does go for that race and runs well the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate might also be an option.

Miss Khalifa also qualifies for the CTS 1200 and will be coming out the week after the Merchants in a sprint handicap. She will be kept to sprints having not appeared to stay the 1400m in the Golden Slipper on Vodacom Durban July day. She then ran a fair fifth in the Debutante on Gold Cup day.

The trio are being trained out of Milnerton at present and the yard are very happy with their well being.

They hope to expand the string to ten by the end of November and have ambitions to open a satellite yard in Cape Town.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Van Halen (Candiese Marnewick)

The unbeaten Rainbow Bridge is as short as 5-10 for the Cape Mile at Kenilworth on Sunday. “He is entitled to be that price,” said Eric Sands yesterday, reporting that Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount is in good order.

Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open, having his first race for over three months, is second favourite at 8-1 with World Sports Betting which goes 9-1 the Justin Snaith pair Fifty Cents and Silver Maple (cut from 12-1), 12-1 Rocket Countdown, 16-1 Copper Force, 20-1 and upwards others.

In the Laisserfaire Stakes Magical Wonderland has hardened from 3-1 to 28-10 with Too Phat To Fly next on 6-1, Casual Diamond and Elusive Heart on 15-2 with 9-1 about Call To Account and Freedom Charter.

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: Rainbow Bridge (Liesl King)