Punters got off to a favourable start at Greyville yesterday with the Louis Goosen-trained Little Winter ridden to victory by Eric Ngwane. The daughter of What a Winter travelled wide coming into the straight but managed a convincing victory, finishing strongly into the closing stages. Fancied runners continue to roll in with Anton Marcus winning on the 1-4 shot Coyote Girl in the second.

It wasn’t long until the bomb dropped in race three with Chere’s Joy winning at odds of 75-1 which was a knockout blow for favourite backers in the opening leg on the Pick 6. The PA also begun to grow nicely with Adorned by Beauty and Starlight filling in the minor placings and both fancied runners Champagne Gold and Roy’s Novice finishing further down field.

Little Winter (Anneke Akal Kitching)

The day continued to get tougher with Epic Sword claiming the fourth race at a price of 25-1 under a strong driving ride from Stuart Randolf. The gaps failed to open for the unlucky Queen’s Plain who only managed second and could be one to watch on her next outing.

The combination of Anton Marcus and Johan Janse van Vuuren’s rich vein of form continued in the fifth where punters were finally given a lifeline with Ancient Spirit which taken to the extreme outside running rail to win going away. Bon Bon can be considered a touch unlucky as the gap closed abruptly at a crucial stage and he flew up to finish third which was an eye-catching run.

Boeing City from the Garth Puller yard met a much stronger field this time round but did everything that was expected of her winning going away in the FM 84 Handicap over the sprint trip of 1000m for apprentice Serino Moodley who has partnered her in all three of her victories. The daughter of Sail From Seattle looks to be improving with every start and could be one to watch. The second placed Essenceoflife only got going when the race was over as it looked like Kanye Sakayi had his reins tangled up coming into the straight followed by Dame Commander who finished third.

As the saying goes, the smaller the field the the upset, as Rich Harvest romped home for trainer Greg and Karen Anthony in the seventh. In what looked bigger to be an armchair ride for Muzi Yeni Rich Harvest scored by four lengths and returned a healthy R14.70 on the tote.

It’s was a tough day for punters overall as there were only 1.73 Pick 6 tickets going into the last and 1.24 on Brandon Lerena’s mount Carefree who duly obliged. The Dennis Bosch trained daughter of Marchfield had an easy lead and gave a good kick into the straight to pull away from her rivals. The Pick 6 paid a massive 1.18 million.

By Devonne Govender

Tap O’Noth has statistics as well as the form book on his side in the World Sports Betting Matchem Stakes at Durbanville tomorrow. Four-year-olds have won five of the last six runnings and the favourite has been successful in three of the last five.

Anton Marcus’s mount, who has drifted from 8-10 to a more realistic 12-10 with the sponsors, has not won a race since his Cape Guineas triumph last December but he made the frame in all three Durban starts and, while Vaughan Marshall says that this 1 400m is really too short, he has taken the precaution of fitting blinkers – not so much to sharpen the horse up but “because he tends to lose interest early on.” The main negative is that he has to give weight all round.

Tap O’ Noth (Liesl King)

The only other four-year-olds in the field are the 22-1 outsider Bernie and the unbeaten second favourite Rainbow Bridge who has not raced for over four months but has already been supported from 4-1 to 3-1. “I haven’t got him at his peak and he is not drawn well,” says Eric Sands who, even so, would not be all that surprised to see the gelding extend his unbeaten record.

If the stats end up proving irrelevant tomorrow the horse most likely to be the cause is 11-2 chance Fifty Cents who has a kilo to spare over the favourite on adjusted merit ratings. He is so effective here that he has won on all his four previous visits. Very much against the six-year-old is his 11 draw but Justin Snaith will not insist that Richard Fourie ‘gives him a chance’ – tactics which might work but which equally could prove fatal if Anton Marcus’s mount keeps up the gallop.

“I will leave all that to Richard,” says the champion trainer. “The horse is very well and he is a big runner but the draw is a problem and we will have our work cut out.”

Of the others Premier Trophy winner Milton has a better chance than his 25-1 price would suggest although Billy Prestage believes the trip is on the short side. Our Mate Art (10-1) won last year but it is hard to see him following up. Copper Force (14-1) has, theoretically anyway, as big a chance on ratings as the favourite but the latter should win.

Marcus’s mount Goodtime Gal is 3-1 favourite to become the first dual winner of the WSB Diana Stakes since Forest Ivory 17 years ago and Mike Robinson reports her on song – “I took her to Durbanville for a gallop last Thursday. She is fit and very well.”

Love To Boogie (11-2) is best on adjusted ratings. Lesedi La Rona (13-2) is the only unbeaten horse in the field and the only three-year-old. Candice Bass-Robinson is using this as a stepping stone to the Western Cape Fillies Championship.

But the vote goes to Angel’s Trumpet who might have little chance on ratings but she won hands and heels easing up over this course and distance last time and she really appeals despite being cut to 7-2.

By Michael Clower

Soqrat had tongues wagging after he concluded his two-year-old career on a high, winning the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes at Greyville, putting a high-class field to bed in impressive fashion.

Mike de Kock’s colt makes his seasonal debut in the Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein tomorrow and faces the acid test against some smart older opposition. Just how he fares should give some indication of his chances in this season’s classics.

The Spring Challenge is the traditional opener for the Highveld summer season and trainers have stepped out a few of their big guns in both the Spring Challenge and the fillies and mares equivalent.

Soqrat suffered his only defeat last season when touched off by stable companion and Dubai-bound Barahin in the Golden Horseshoe, the latter winning under an inspired ride by Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Soqrat (JC Photographics)

A well beaten second in the Premiers was another stable companion, Alyaasaat, who made a winning debut this season beating Iditarod Trail comfortably. He is in receipt of 2kg from Soqrat but given current form he still looks held.

Of the older runners, Africa Rising and New Predator look the pick but could be hard-pressed to beat their younger rivals who ooze class.

The best weighted runner is the multiple Argentinian-bred Gr1 winner Hat Puntano. He arrived in this country with a big reputation but has not made much of an impression since his arrival barring a smart effort second time out when beating Social Order.

Mike Azzie ascribed that win to a change of bit but Hat Puntano subsequently disappointed in two further outings, the last in the L’Oramarins Queens Plate behind Legal Eagle.

That was back in January. He is obviously talented and if Azzie has him in the right space tomorrow he is upset material.

Joey Ramsden has successfully raided the Highveld on numerous occasions and got his latest foray off to a winning start with Rose In Bloom. She was most impressive when getting the better of Rings And Things over tomorrow’s course and distance and with some smart Western Cape form to back her credentials she can take toll on some useful opposition, many of whom are returning from a break, including Gr1 SA Fillies Classic winner Takingthepeace.

Mike de Kock’s filly has not been out since the SA Oaks back in May, a race that may have proven to be beyond her compass. Prior to that she had won the first two legs of the Triple Tiara. She is definitely a class act and tomorrow’s trip should not be beyond her racing fresh. However, she does take time to build up a head of steam and the inside track could see Rose In Bloom home before she gets into full stride.

By Andrew Harrison

With Anthony Delpech side-lined, possibly permanently after his tragic and debilitating fall last season, and a dearth of opposition in the ranks, Anton Marcus has had free rein picking the plums in KZN.

Delpech kept the rivalry honest, but as a one-man business Marcus has no peers among our jockey ranks. A rider of undoubted talent and an astute student of form, no agents for him, and as any trainer will attest, if Marcus calls for a ride you know you may have done something right.

Marcus has booked himself a top book of rides on the Greyville poly this evening. Some may end up false favourites but he has a number of strong mounts for local trainers and visiting trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren has also tapped into his talent and the pair can make hay to night.

River Ayre (Candiese Marnewick)

The combination should get off to a winning start with El Sereno in the first although the gelding is deep in the red and probably not a betting proposition unless you are in to buying money. El Sereno has made steady improvement since making his debut back in May and came from way back to run second last time out. He looks cherry-ripe for this contest where Gordonstoun is the most likely threat. Duncan Howells was of the opinion that his charge was one-paced over the shorter sprint last time out and he can prove better over the extra furlong.

Marcus teams up with the Van Vuuren runner Torrey Pines in the fourth. The lightly raced filly is rated lengths superior to any of the opposition according to the merit ratings and should win as far as you can hit a golf ball.

Van Vuuren and Marcus could well be on track for a winning treble with Mademoiselle in the sixth. She finished a close-up second to River Ayre last time out and who has subsequently franked that form with another victory and is one of the fancied runners in the tenth at Turffontein tomorrow.

Mademoiselle takes to the poly for the first time and although she faces a mixed bag, 11-10 in the ante-post market looks a fair reflection of her chances.

Marcus looks to have picked another plum in the form of Antony Hotspur in the second. Alistair Gordon’s gelding has come back well after fracturing a bone his hock first time out. Recently rested, he was beaten two short-heads in his come-back run and with Marcus and a good draw in his favour he looks the right one in what is a competitive handicap field.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 is a tough race. Blinkers are not always a magic trick but they worked for Nathan Kotzen’s runner Virtuous who made major improvement last time out. That form has held up although the race is still wide open. The Grey Crusader has threatened for some time and the booking of Marcus has him favourite in the ante-post betting but the race goes a lot deeper than that. Captain Snell shows some promise and is a must include in all bets.

By Andrew Harrison

Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth, who will wear blinkers for the first time, has been installed 8-10 favourite with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday. Favourites have won three of the last five runnings.

Rainbow Bridge is second favourite at 4-1 to remain unbeaten while Fifty Cents is next and as big as 8-1 even though Richard Fourie’s mount has won on all his four previous visits to the course. Last year’s winner Our Mate Art is a 10-1 chance as he was 12 months ago.

Tap O’Noth (Liesl King)

Goodtime Gal, like Tap O’Noth to be ridden by Anton Marcus, is 3-1 favourite to repeat last year’s success in the WSB Diana Stakes with Freedom Charter, Angel’s Trumpet and the three-year-old Lesedi La Rona all sharing second favouritism on 9-2. Langerman winner One World, yet another big Marcus ride, is 5-10 for the First Deposit Match Progress Place.

Met winner Whisky Baron, fresh from that stunning second in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood, now travels to France for the Qatar Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Saturday. William Haggas has still to finalise riding arrangements for the Group 2 test.

Charles, a R6 million record-equaller when bought as a yearling for Sue Magnier and Markus Jooste, still races In Mrs Magnier’s dark blue but the Mayfair Speculators’ share has been taken over by Diane Nagle, Linda Shanahan, Dina Sherrell and B.L. Rae.

The colt managed only a well-beaten fourth behind runaway winner Hemmingway in the Settlers Trophy Handicap at Durbanville yesterday but Brett Crawford still had a good day with three winners including a future star in Front And Centre who started 15-10 favourite for the 1 400m fillies handicap and made up six lengths inside a furlong to win pulling up.

Anton Marcus said: “I am pretty excited about her. She is just so professional – she put herself into position.”

Crawford is now considering the Western Cape Fillies Championship at Kenilworth on the 28^th saying, with masterly understatement, “She is a very smart filly.”

The winner is owned by the Kieswetter brothers and the Ridgemont Highlands Stud of their father Wayne who piloted himself to the course in his own helicopter and who was also on the mark with stable companion Heaven’s Embrace in the 1 400m fillies maiden. The 4-1 newcomer showed an impressive turn of foot under Marcus.

Crawford said: “I expected her to run very well but not to win – she is still very immature and has a lot to learn. I will give her another run and then make a decision about plans 15-10“

By Michael Clower