Captain America, third in each of the last two Mets at 8-1 and 22-1, is a 16-1 chance this time after that valiant attempt to gallop Legal Eagle into submission in the Queen’s Plate.

“We purposely did what we did to try and make the race very hard for the favourite,” said Brett Carwford. “It didn’t quite work but it nearly did and he can equally as well be ridden given a chance. He came out of the race in good shape and since then we have just kept him ticking over.”

Crawford, bidding for his third Met in four seasons and his fourth in all, also runs 28-1 shot Sail South who ran a cracker in the Queen’s Plate and was actually in front two strides after the post. But this time he has to overcome a 17 draw. “That’s going to make things difficult,” admits his trainer. “But he is a horse who likes to come from off them and we will probably be forced to ride him that way.”

White River, 7-2 for the Investec Cape Derby, has only half a length to find with Tap O’Noth on Guineas form. “He looks a horse who will go a trip and he will definitely be suited by the extra two furlongs.”

Asked if there are any of his other runners in the big races that he particularly likes Crawford picked out Search Party and Bold Respect in the Betting World Cape Flying and Undercover Agent in the CTS 1600.

He added: “I am putting blinkers on Search Party and I think this is going to make a big difference. Undercover Agent has a great draw, I have always said that he is a good horse and, if he brings his Cape Classic form to the race, he has to be a runner.”

By Michael Clower

Magical Wonderland is a possible banker in the CTS 1200. She remains unbeaten in four races over sprints, has a fine turn of foot and has proved in top class company she stays further. Therefore the tough Kenilworth 1200m run into the teeth of what is forecast to be a strong south-easter will be right down her alley.

Dutch Philip was 2kg under sufferance when a strong-finishing second in the Grade 2 WSB Cape Merchants over course and distance, so is worthy of his 109 merit rating   and on paper is on an identical footing with Magical Wonderland. His last start in the Diadem didn’t pan out well, but he was still far from disgraced.

Dutch Philip (Liesl King)

The value in the field could be the outsider Sassy Lady, who will be advantaged by the conditions. Her times have not been great, but she looks the sort who would enjoy a fast pace, as she relaxes well and has a good cruising speed beneath a big stride coupled with a fine turn of foot.

Kasimir, the Snaith stable elect above Sassy Lady, is an improving sort who should be in the mix. There is not much between him and Woljayrine.

Grade 1-winner Sand And Sea looked classy as a two-year-old but now has something to prove having had two below par runs in Cape Town. The Grade 2 winning-fillies Green Plains and Desert Rhythm are also having their third runs in Cape Town and like Sand And Sea have something to prove.

In the CTS 1600 Talk Of The Town had to overcome a wide draw over course and distance last time yet still pulled away from them in the closing stages. Cot Campbell came from second last in the Cape Guineas to finish fourth and is deservedly the highest rated horse. Vacquero is a long-striding progressive sort by Silvano who was doing his best work late when a narrow third in the Dingaans. Ancestry is a long-striding sort who is much better than his recent form suggests and he now gets blinkers on. Flying Free was a touch unlucky in fourth in the Dingaans, where he proved he stays this trip. Captain And Master is a classy sort who has affected his chances on occasion by over-racing. If he settles from a wide draw he has a chance. Big Pleasure is a long-striding sort who didn’t enjoy blinkers last time and from a good draw he could make a bid from the front, although the trip is a touch too sharp.

Rocket Countdown won the Selangor on the tight Kenilworth Old Course, but then had every chance in the Guineas over this course and distance and failed to impress. Undercover Agent has a lovely, long stride but found little extra in both the Selangor and Cape Guineas and was found to have made a breathing noise in the latter. However, he has pole position here and if bouncing back to the form of his second to Tap O’Noth in the Cape Classic over 1400m he has a chance. Too Phat To Fly has shown a hint of class and could earn. Rings And Things has to have a place chance in that case too. Raya Baya will be finishing strongly and Aurelia Cotta has earned her status as the highest rated filly here, so they could also earn cheques.

By David Thiselton

Durban July winner Marinaresco is second favourite for Saturday’s Sun Met as he was 12 months ago when it all went pear-shaped.

“He had a nice position on the fence but Grant said he wasn’t happy there and pulled him off it,” Candice Bass-Robinson recalls. The end result was that his mount got too far back and managed only fifth. Expectations are high after the gelding’s encouraging, and not totally trouble-free, run in the Queen’s Plate.

Marinaresco

His trainer said: “He is doing really well and we are confident of a big run assuming all goes well in the race. He is drawn 13 so he is not going to be up with the pace but in any case he likes to be ridden with a chance.”

Mrs Robinson won last year’s CTS 1200 with Live Life and Magical Wonderland is 14-10 favourite to collect after the way she toyed with the opposition in the Sceptre. “I thought she had a winning chance that day but I was surprised how easily she won – and she has taken the race well.”

Stable companion Dutch Philip has been backed from 6-1 to 9-2 second favourite and seemingly punters would be well advised not to take his Diadem flop at face value.

“I am not 100% sure but I think that the little saddle Aldo was using was uncomfortable for him and was pinching him,” his trainer explains. “Going down to the start he didn’t even want to take hold of the bit. With Grant riding him on Saturday he will have a proper saddle.”

Talk Of The Town is 2-1 favourite for the CTS 1600 but it is surprising to see stable companion Ancestry as big as 16-1. After all he is the one with Grade 1 form.

“They are two totally different horses but everything that could have gone wrong with Ancestry this season has gone wrong,” says Joey Ramsden. “What I can tell you is that I cut him straight after his last run and he has been doing exceptionally well since.”

If it wasn’t for Snowdance Ramsden would have the favourite for the Klawerveli Majorca in Just Sensual despite last season’s Fillies Guineas winner’s below par effort in the Sceptre.

Her trainer takes the blame for that and explains: “I did as bad a job with her for that race as I did a good job when she won the Southern Cross on her return in her previous race. I now think that I might have done too much with her.”

By Michael Clower

An MR 87 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m head the ten race card on the Vaal Inside track today and Movie Show is the one to beat.

The five-year-old Atso mare represents the flying Paul Peter yard and is in a fine vein of form. Last time she finished five lengths behind Alfolk over 1000m, receiving 3kg, and the weight for age Grade 1 Cape Flying Championships on Saturday could prove how good that form is because Alfolk could win it. Movie Show would also prefer this 1200m trip as she ran on strongly in her penultimate start to win a fillies and mares handicap over this distance. She is only two points higher in the merit ratings and goes well for Muzi Yeni. Furthermore, she has draw one which is usually the favourable side on this Inside track.

Paul Peter ( JC Photographics)

The main danger could be the consistent Shivering Sea, who has only been in the first three over this course and distance ten times in 14 attempts. She also has a nice low draw and Strydom is up. Takingthepeace has class but will have to bounce back to her best after a most disappointing run last time. Delpech has brought out the best of her and replaces JP van der Merwe. If she reproduces her best this big, rangy filly will go close. French Legend should beat Shivering Sea on the form of their last meeting when she bounced back to her best over 1160m, but her high draw might be against her. Let It Flow was Grade 2-placed as a two-year-old over 1400m and she returns to the course and distance of her only win, so can also be involved.

The best bet on the card could be Fragrant Miss in the fourth race over 1700m, provided she settles early. Last time over 1600m she was a bit keen early, but was still unlucky not to finish third as she was cramped in the closing stages. She is strengthening and improving and if she relaxes early she should turn it on the closimg stages and emerge winner. The back ups are the consistent Tigerlace and Gottalottaluv, who has been runner up in all three starts from 1400-1800m and Strydom stays aboard.

The value bet of the day is Coriander Queen over 1700m in the fifth and this is based on the hope that she settles better than she did last time. She might not have liked racing under the lights then, but still turned it on in the early stages of the straight in that 2000m contest. She now has a plum draw and on the evidence of that last run will relish the step down to 1700m, so off a merit rating lowered five points should go close. Rose Water is beat her last time by 2,75 lengths and is now 2kg worse off, but she does have another tough draw to overcome. However, she ran on well in that last 2000m race and is also effective over this trip.

In the next race the good-looking Loyal Lieutenant is interesting in his first outing as a gelding and stepped up to 2000m. He looks to be a classy sort in the making and was not disgraced when setting the pace in the Dingaans. However, it is an open race and Alssakhra will go close too. Arlington, American Indian and Forafewdollarsmore also have to be included.

In the next race over 1000m Pillaroftheearth is a well regarded sort who has his third run as a gelding, having not been disgraced against two fair sorts in his last two starts. He can fight it out with Manx Park and Like Astair.

In the eight race Fort Vodka caught the eye in her maiden win over 1200m and the form has been franked so she can go in off just a 72 merit rating, although Ninjara and Nightmare look capable of winning too.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith is 22-10 favourite to be the winning trainer in the Saturday’s Sun Met with Candice Bass-Robinson 33-10 and Sean Tarry 4-1. World Sports Betting’s other prices on this particular bet are 7-1 Mike de Kock, 15-2 Dean Kannemeyer, 10-1 Brett Crawford, 18-1 Glen Kotzen, 55-1 Robbie Sage and 110-1 Glen Puller.

“I liked to hear about that 22-10 but what worries me is that I think I was favourite last year too,” says Snaith whose runners came no closer than seventh 12 months ago and who has yet to win the great race. This time, though, he sends out a quarter of the field.

Oh Susanna (Liesl King)

Krambambuli and Elusive Silva are longshots but Oh Susanna, African Night Sky and Copper Force are all in single figures. The last-named finished so strongly in the Queen’s Plate that he was beaten less than half a length by Legal Eagle but form students are still scratching their heads because the performance was well above anything he had done before.

“He always had good form but before his previous run (the Green Point) he had a slight injury and I think the medication knocked him back a bit,” Snaith explains. “In fact he was a bit unlucky in the Queen’s Plate. The re-run doesn’t really show what happened but Lyle Hewitson said he found trouble twice in the straight. Wherever Legal Eagle finishes I reckon Copper Force will either be next to him or in front of him.”

African Night Sky (also on 9-1) is the one the stable has laid out for the race from the start of the season. “They took away the Jet Master Stakes so he was a run short, and having his second race after a rest, in the Queen’s Plate but being beaten less than three lengths in a hard run race was a good effort. He will be spot on for Saturday and he is much better over ten furlongs than a mile.”

Oh Susanna is the shortest priced of the Snaith quintet at 7-1 and bids to emulate Smart Call who completed the Paddock-Met double two years ago. She was beaten over three lengths by Snowdance in the Fillies Guineas but have a look at the re-run before judging her. She lost several lengths almost immediately by tacking across to the rails from her 13 draw and in the straight she came from miles back whereas Snowdance was perfectly placed throughout.

“Snowdance is very good but Oh Susanna is not too far behind her,” Snaith confirms. “As time goes on she will get better and better. She has a decent draw and an in-form jockey. With only 51.5kg you’ve got to give her some sort of a chance.”

Snowdance is well-nigh unbackable for the Klawervlei Majorca (at odds of anything between 2-9 and 1-6). “It’s a big concern,” says her trainer who is worried about the filly being got at. “We have heightened all the security around her but she is flying and she is now better than when she won the Fillies Guineas.”

By Michael Clower