Crown Towers, who left punters stunned and painfully poorer when beaten at 1-3 five weeks ago, has the chance to redeem his reputation in the Bradbury Finance Handicap at Kenilworth today.

This is the horse who Paul Lafferty said “Could be the Guineas favourite” so impressive was he when winning on debut, yet he proved unable to win a six-runner Durbanville handicap. Justin Snaith was as shocked as the horse’s backers that day but he put the defeat down to the colt being caught flat-footed in a tail wind.

Richard Fourie’s mount seems sure to maintain his record of starting favourite each time he has raced – World Sports Betting opened him at 15-10 -but Snaith has reservations and explains: “He is doing very well and I am expecting a big run but he is going to have to be as good as we think he is if he is to win this.

“He was raised three points for finishing second and he has to give 4kg and 3.5kg to the other three-year-old maiden winners (Herodotus and Capoeira). Also I have been quiet with many of my horses as I have had a lot of two-year-olds coming in.”

What Snaith means is that two-year-olds are rather like small children going to school. They pick up every bug that is going and these infections can spread to the other horses. Three-year-olds are particularly at risk whereas four and five-year-olds have had more time to develop immunity.

Herodotus and Capoeira are joint second favourites at 4-1 with Aldo Domeyer’s mount What A Joker on 9-2. However what is suggested is an each way bet on Brandenburg. He was available at 25-1 yesterday and anything like those odds could prove better value each way than taking a skimpy price about the favourite. True, the four-year-old took ten races to win his maiden but he made all the running over this trip last time and both Paddy Kruyer and Morne Winnaar are in great form.

Silvano’s Pride in the Astra Maiden is another Snaith three-year-old with losses to recover. She started favourite at Durbanville on the same day as Crown Towers but she ran on too late. It looked as if Fourie had given her too much to do – how could you write such sacrilege, he will say! – but the stipes report’ reveals that his path was blocked for several strides at a crucial stage approaching the furlong marker. She is 2-1 favourite here and is preferred to both the badly drawn Star Fighter and Vomandla.

In the last there is precious little to choose between the main Snaith hope Minona and Cantata. The latter was caught on the line ten days ago and is marginally preferred.

In the Samson Foundation Maiden (race two) 18-10 favourite Almost Captured may have come on enough to account for 28-10 shot Au Revoir who returned from a lengthy absence to run well at Durbanville on Matchem day.

By Michael Clower

The Grade 2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile to be run this Saturday on Turffontein Standside has gained a reputation for upsets and in the last six renewals only one winner has started in single figure odds.

The reason for this is likely due to the race being used by a few as a stepping stone into the Summer Cup and this year there looks to be a couple of value runners who could upset the applecart again.

The favourite is Noble Secret and according to trends he does not make appeal at around 33/10 as he looks to have the Summer Cup as his chief target. However, this classy sort will surely go close carrying just 55kg from a plum draw as he will be coming into his own and does not face a vintage field.

The next in the betting is Matador Man whose optimum trip is a mile so he ticks one important box as this is his likely chief mission. His Turffontein Standside record is dismal without a single place in seven starts. However, he has been prepared where he is happiest this year, in KZN, and comes off a superb win at Greyville. He is drawn in pole and will likely sit off the pace and with a nice galloping weight of 56kg it’s just a question again of whether he can reproduce his Greyville form.

The third favourite is Coral Fever. Last year he ran well in the Victory Moon Stakes in his second run of the season and this will be his second run of the season here so he could surprise. He was staying on very well in the Spring Challenge over 1450m and much prefers the Standside track with its long straight so this much improved horse can’t be written off despite having to carry 61kg from draw 14 as he has class and is ultra consistent.

The fourth favourite at 7/1 is the winner of two years ago New Predator, who was a close fourth last year. He has been off form but has consequently come down the merit ratings and carries 3kg less than he did two years ago. However, he has quite a tough draw of eleven and might not be quite the same horse he once was.

The fifth favourite is last year’s winner Hat Puntano, who carries the same weight as last year and is drawn one wider in eight if the reserves come out. He did not enjoy the best preparation last year either, but his reappearance this season after a nine month break in the Spring Challenge was too lacklustre for him to be fancied here.

Champagne Haze is next in the betting. He won over 1600m early in his career but since then it has become apparent he is better up to 1400m.

Tilbury Fort at odds of 16/1 is an interesting contender as he responded to gelding last season by reeling off two good wins in succession over this course and distance, so goes well fresh and this is his first outing of the season. However, he does have a tricky draw of nine and the handicapper might have caught up with him.

Captain Aldo is a specialist 1400m horse so is hard to fancy here.

Full Mast had to overcome quite a wide draw in the Spring Challenge to go handy, but his stride was shortening late and he now has an even wider draw over 1600m.

Doosra looked promising early in his career but became disappointing, although blinkers have livened him up and he is in good form. However, it is questionable whether he is good enough to win this race.

Romany Prince showed his class when winning the KZN Breeders Million Mile carrying 60kg and he needed his last run. He is a miler and has landed what by trends is just about a perfect draw of six, so he should be in the shake up carrying 55,5kg.

Social Order finished second last year carrying 52kg and now carries 55kg and is drawn ten as opposed to two. He is suited to the Standside track and ran a good recent preparation race, but the Summer Cup is likely his aim as this is just his second run of the season.

Bulleting Home has a plum draw and is one to consider as he has never quite fulfilled his potential and a mile is his best trip. However, his lacklustre last run over 1400m, his third run after a year long layoff, was a touch off putting.

Unagi comes off a good preparation but has a tough draw and appears better on the Inside track.

Infamous Fox is an improved sort who reeled off four on the trot last season and he needed his last outing when a touch strong in the running before moving up well and fading. Unfortunately he has a tough draw to overcome.

Arctica is the joint biggest outsider but represents fair value as he had no luck in running last time out and now has a good draw and carries just 53kg with in form Ryan Munger up.

The three top horses in the betting should be in the mix, and the value contenders look to be Arctica and Romany Prince. Infamous Fox would have been included if it were not for his tough draw.

By David Thiselton

Oh Susanna may begin her campaign in a mares and fillies Pinnacle at Kenilworth on 15 November after comfortably coming out on top in a 1 400m gallop at the Cape Town course on Saturday morning.

The Sun Met winner was ridden by Richard Fourie in the work-out and went with 20-1 Summer Cup hope Made To Conquer (Athandiwe Mgudlwa) and Elusive Silva (Robert Khathi).

Justin Snaith said: “It was a good first gallop of the season for all three of them. I want to get a couple of races into Oh Susanna as she hasn’t had much racing this year and Natal didn’t suit her. She didn’t like the fast tracks at Summerveld and it was very crowded there. She didn’t enjoy that either.

“I will see how she comes out of this gallop but I will nominate her for the Pinnacle and I might well have a dip at that.”

The mile race could be a hot affair as the unbeaten Hashtagyolo is on course for it and Brave Move may also be in the line-up.

Front And Centre, ante-post favourite for last Saturday’s big fillies race until being scratched with an abnormal blood count early the previous morning, will run in an MR 88 handicap on 21 November.

Brett Crawford said: “The blood count was abnormal enough to cause concern and one thing I have learnt is that if you go into a Group race not 100% you will always come off second best. There is time to get another race into Front And Centre before the Fillies Guineas (15 December) and in the MR 88 handicap she will receive her full wfa allowance.”

By Michael Clower

Joey Ramsden has won the Cape Guineas twice in the past seven years and, if there was any betting on the race, Twist Of Fate would now be favourite to give him a third in the Forus-sponsored classic on 15 December.

The R20 000 bargain buy did it the hard way in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday, overcoming the widest draw of all and leading throughout the rest of the journey to score convincingly.

Ramsden, landing his fourth Cape Classic in six seasons, said: “There is plenty more to come – he wasn’t fully wound up – but I was quietly confident provided he got across.”

Surprisingly Ramsden appears to have some slight concerns about the Master Of My Fate colt lasting the extra furlong in the Cape Guineas, saying: “He would win a Graded race over five furlongs. But I will speak with everyone involved. If he didn’t go for the Guineas he would go sprinting. That, said, though, there is only one Cape Guineas.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, whose enterprising tactics had many of the opposition in trouble some way out, has no such doubts – “This is a serious horse. We worked him with Attenborough the other day and we beat him. That was good enough for me and a mile shouldn’t be a problem – his temperament is good.”

But make a note of Cirillo. The favourite was having his first race for three months yet he finished best of all to take second with Lyle Hewitson reporting: “This is a proper horse. He will have no problem with the extra furlong.”

However there will be no Guineas for third-placed Pleasedtomeetyou who weakened into third, confirming Andre Nel’s original suspicions that this could be another sprinting Querari. Rider Greg Cheyne said: “He never hit the line and he had every opportunity of doing so. A smart horse but better in sprints.”

Majestic Mozart came from well back to take an encouraging fourth and demonstrate why Candice Bass-Robinson holds him in such high regard but the Justin Snaith runners finished a disappointing eighth, ninth and tenth. Clouded Hill, the last of them, had a valid excuse because Anton Marcus reported that his saddle slipped almost from the start.

Five of the last eight winners of the Western Cape Fillies Championship have gone on to land the Fillies Guineas and Clouds Unfold looks the one they all have to beat in the WSB version in mid-December after coming from well back to lead over 50m out.

The What A Winter filly was the second successive winner of the Grade 2 for Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein and the second for Aldo Domeyer who won on Silver Mountain and said: “She was impressive. She will really enjoy both the extra furlong and the longer straight in the Guineas.”

Candice Bass-Robinson will also run third-placed Santa Clara in the classic while the Chrigor Stud connections of runner-up Temple Grafin will be there too with Glen Kotzen saying: “A very good filly beat us here but it will be interesting to see how they both stay the mile.”

Canukeepitsecret (tenth) was a disappointment but the in-form Vaughan Marshall (five winners at the last two Cape Town meetings) said: “It wasn’t the trip – that is no problem for her. She ran flat and she was gone a long way from home.”

Brett Crawford, who had three of the first four in the Pinnacle, said that Undercover Agent will go Green Point, Queen’s Plate and possibly Met while Valbonne (third) and fourth-placed Search Party will stay sprinting with the Diadem and the Cape Flying the prime targets for the latter.

Strong-finishing runner-up Dutch Philip has the Merchants, Diadem and Cape Flying as his objectives after Aldo Domeyer reported: “I was very encouraged by that. At one stage he wasn’t going anywhere but then he found another gear.”

Finally 27 October will go down as a never-to-be-forgotten date for Piet Botha as Head Of The Pack (William Bambiso) gave him his first winner as a trainer in the Work Riders’ Maiden.

By Michael Clower

It will be a long time if ever that apprentice Jabu Jacobs forgets his first winner. He had been close on a number of occasions, none closer than on Winter’s Coming when touched off by stable companion Q The Music last month.

That had been mostly a straightforward race, the winner just that fraction better. Many would have dumped the youngster but Byron Forster, KZN assistant to Andre Nel, kept faith with young Jacobs, although mid-way through the race he may have been having second thoughts.

Yesterday at Greyville it was a completely different scenario. Trailing the field by a couple of lengths for much of the race, most observers will have written Winter’s Coming off to concentrate on what was unfolding at the head of affairs.

Yuzae Ramzan, also hunting his first winner, had The Poet wide for much of the exchanges but struck for home in what looked to be a winning move.

Jacobs at this stage was in all sorts of trouble with a full tank of petrol and seemingly nowhere to go.

First he tried outside, that gap closed, then he tried the middle and that door was shut in his face, in desperation, he pull off the heels of the traffic, switched inside and headed for the line.

It was heart-stopping stuff but Winter’s Coming got out of the pocket in the nick of time and won going away. The Poet was game in second and Ramzan will have to wait another day for his first.

In stark contrast was the end-to-end victory by Storm Ruler, apprentice Jason Gates making all on Alyson Wright’s five-year-old.

The talented Gates has had many run-ins with authority and at one stage was banned by the stipendiary stewards from races around the turn as he was seemingly impervious to instruction, riding with gay abandon with no thought to life or limb, his or that of his opponents.

The penny appears to have dropped. He is no slouch in the saddle and if he can keep it all together he has a future as he appears to be natural light-weight.

At Fairview, Justin Snaith’s decision to let Magnificent Seven take his chances in the G-Bets Algoa Cup (Listed) in spite of the fact that any outside travellers to Port Elizabeth will have to serve quarantine before returning home after an out-break of African Horse Sickness in the area.

It was a calculated gamble but it paid off handsomely although it was a close-run thing. Richard Fourie produced Magnificent Seven with a perfectly time run but with local Wild Briar and Teaque Gould stuck to him like glue. The two fought head-and-head over the final 100m with the favourite prevailing narrowly.

By Andrew Harrison