The Vaughan Marshall-trained Tap O’ Noth will attempt to become the first horse since Capetown Noir five years ago to do the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby double and his class should pull him through, although he will have his work cut out fending off Eyes Wide Open.

The rangy Tap O’ Noth hung in the straight in the Guineas and a number of horses closed on him in the final stages. However, a closer look at the race suggests he was idling in front and still had a bit in the tank. On pedigree he has a chance of staying the trip, for although he is by the sprint-miler Captain Al he is a half-brother to the Grade 3-winner over 2500m, Strathdon. The latter is admittedly by the stamina influence Silvano, but Captain Al has produced a Met winner before in Hill Fifty Four and Captain America was a Cape Derby runner up and twice third in the Met. Furthermore, Tap O’ Noth now has a plum draw of three. His jockey MJ Byleveld has developed into a top class big race rider over the last couple of seasons and has won the last two renewals of the Cape Guineas.

Eyes Wide Open, is a classy looking sort who won the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m as a two-year-old. He proved his class last time when winning the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m. He was carrying only 52kg off a merit rating of 99, but the handicapper was impressed and raised him to 108, a four point higher mark than Tap O’ Noth. He will be improving all the time being by Dynasty and should have come on from that last run. He now has a good draw of five over a trip he should relish and Richard Fourie takes over from Anthony Andrews.

Silver Coin is an interesting runner. He is the most expensive yearling in SA history at R6 million and will be looking for this trip being by Silvano out of a Fort Wood mare who is a half-sister to Smart Banker, who won the Grade 1 Champions Challenge and the Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes twice. In his first run as a gelding last time, Silver Coin caught the eye with his rangy action and is good turn of foot to win easily. He was only running off a 74 merit rating but he looks to have plenty more to come and could surprise.

White River took a bump in the early stages of the Cape Guineas but that didn’t stop him running on strongly for second. He will relish the step up in trip considering his running style and pedigree. He is by Trippi out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, who has some good middle distance sorts in her family.

Like A Panther has always had Derby horse written all over him, although perhaps more for the traditional Derby distance of a mile-and-a-half. He would also likely be at his best at an out-and-out galloping track like Turffontein. However, he finished well in the Guineas for third and will relish the step up in trip. He does have a tricky draw of eleven but seems to be a relaxed type who should settle wherever he is.

Do It Again is held in high regard and is crying out for this trip being by Twice Over out of a Casey Tibbs mare who won the Grade 3 Winter Derby over 2400m. He can improve on his Cape Guineas effort in which he stayed on at one pace.

Pack Leader came from last in the Cape Guineas for fifth and could repeat the feat here. He should relish the step up in trip being by Philanthropist and a half-brother to Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 winner In The Fast Lane.

The filly Fresnaye finished strongly in the Paddock Stakes for a fine third to the top class Oh Susanna and she has won over this course and distance before. Piere Strydom stays aboard, albeit from a tough draw of 12, and she could gain her third successive Grade 1 place.

Spring Man is unexposed and on the up. He held off the fair older horse Mister Colin over this course and distance in a handicap first time out the maidens. However, he was running off only a 78 merit rating and has a wide draw. Stable jockey Corne Orffer has chosen to ride White River.

Another dark horse could be Visigoth as this big colt by Visionaire is a long-striding galloping sort who is crying out for a step up in trip. The furthest he has been is the 1800m of the Politician Stakes and he was not disgraced in fifth place. The blinkers are now off.

Steel Rose was ahead of Visigoth in the Politician after plugging on gamely for third, but he now has a tough draw as opposed to pole position that day.

The Sun Also Rises also has to be considered despite his wide draw as he finished second in the Politician Stakes, ahead of Steel Rose and Visigoth, but Strydom has stayed aboard Fresnaye.

Opera Royal Is a rangy sort who stayed on for fourth in the Politician Stakes and he should enjoy the step up in trip, so also has a place chance.

What A Joker ran on for a place over 1600m last time off a 74 merit rating so will need a lot of improvement.

Kimberley Star is merit rated 94 based on his two-year-old Port Elizabeth form. He has never run beyond 1400m but is by Ideal World out of a Strike Smartly full-sister to the Grade 2-winner over 2000m Prestic, so he should relish this trip. However, he doesn’t look to have had an ideal preparation having had only one run since a four month layoff and gelding.

By David Thiselton

Sean Tarry declares himself “very hopeful” of making it third time lucky with Legal Eagle in Saturday’s Sun Met now that the dual runner-up does not have to shoulder a 2kg penalty.

The three-time champion trainer has been carefully monitoring Legal Eagle to see exactly how much the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate took out of him so that he can judge what work to give the horse in the interim.

Tarry said: “We were mindful of the fact that he may have had a hard race but there were no telltale signs to confirm this afterwards. He was very fresh  – indeed full of himself- and he also ate well. So we have basically handled him as we would normally.”

Tarry, who won the 2005 Met with 50-1 shot Alastor – his first runner in the great race, is untroubled by Legal Eagle’s 15 draw not least because he has the priceless advantage of Anton Marcus in the irons. “A good jockey and a good horse – they will find their way,” he said.

He has also been concentrating on getting the slow-starting Trip To Heaven smartly into his stride. This is to ensure that there will be no repeat of the gelding’s performance in last year’s Betting World Cape Championship when he gave away eight lengths at the break but flew home so fast that he was only beaten a neck by stable companion Carry On Alice.

Tarry explained: “Basically it has been just different schooling in the pens and repeatedly putting him through them.”

It seemed to work in the Diadem but is there any risk that altering his accustomed method will take the horse out of his comfort zone and affect his performance?

“Yes, there is and that’s possible,” Tarry admits. “Indeed I felt that he might have been a little too handy in the Diadem. He certainly didn’t kick as he normally does. But it’s a matter of getting the right balance.”

By Michael Clower

Mike de Kock has a strong hand in the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship and the least fancied of his two runners, Alfolk, could upset Naafer, who is the ruling favourite.

Both horses are Australian breds by Lonhro out of Exceed And Excel mares.

Alfolk, in his last three runs over 1000m, for two wins and a narrow second, has appeared to have something in the tank at the line.

Naafer, on the other hand, has shown plenty of pace in his last two starts, admittedly over 1160m, but has appeared to have little left at the line.

Alfolk has improved continually since gelding and could improve again in this race. He is drawn two and might be able to find protection from the predicted South Easterly wind behind the speedy Jo’s Bond, drawn 3, and from Sergeant Hardy, who is drawn 6. Naafer is drawn 13, in between the two speedy horses La Favourari and Olympian. Anthony Delpech said last week, “You ride him like you find him,” meaning he is not a one dimensional type and Delpech is likely to get cover from those two horses considering the wind direction and predicted strength of between 20 and 25 knots.

Sergeant Hardy loves this track and is just as good over 1200 as he is over 1000m, so should stay all the way to the line despite probably having to bear the brunt of the wind.

The conditions will favour Trip To Heaven, who usually loses ground at the start and then sits behind them before using his exceptional turn of foot to mow them down. He only just failed last year after losing two lengths and then not having the straightest passage when he sliced through the field. He does not go in to the race with as good form as he had last year and the Sean Tarry yard have not been as lethal as they were last year. However, he does have the advantage of Anton Marcus aboard and is having his third run after a rest, so should go close.

The eight-year-old Tevez comes from off the pace and overtook Sergeant Hardy close to home last time over 1200m in the Sceptre Stakes only to be scythed down by the strong-finishing Bishop’s Bounty. His five draw means he is next to a lot of speed which will suit him down to the ground.

Bold Respect showed good cruising speed in the front last time in the Listed Sophomore Sprint over 1200m and was only caught on the line by the classy Sir Frenchie. He now reverts to 1000m for the first time since slamming a decent Maiden Juvenile Plate field over this course and distance in January last year, so is a most interesting runner.

His Brett Crawford-trained stablemate Search Party is a similar type to Gulf Storm, who won this race for the Crawford yard two years ago, being a handy type, who can kick late. He ran a fair preparation race in the Diadem and is now drawn one outside of Sergeant Hardy so can perhaps get a tow.

Jo’s Bond has her third run after a layoff. She specialises at 1000m, being speedy, but did also place fourth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m.

Sommerlied is the Scottsville 1000m record holder and is held in high regard. The Dennis Drier yard have not had a good time of it in Cape Town and the horses appear to have been effected by a virus, which does not show up until after the race. However, Lady In Black’s storming second place in the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes might herald a form turnaround, so this horse can’t be ignored.

Live Life choked up near the front in her seasonal reappearance when beaten 6,1 lengths over 1100m by Sommerlied, although she was giving the latter 2kg. A new bit was fitted which helped her settle and it paid dividends as she showed her usual good turn of foot in the Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m, coming from last to finish third and beating Sommerlied by nearly a length. Last time out in the Sceptre over 1200m she was perhaps too handy again, so didn’t find the necessary extra but still finished a fair 4,65 length sixth. She is now drawn one and there is a lot of speed around her, so she shouldn’t over race and can finish strongly. She won the US$500,000 CTS 1200 at the Met meeting last year and is the dark horse here.

Graduation Day has only had eleven runs, despite being a seven-year-old, but has won six of them and this classy type can never be written off. He packs a strong finish, but a concern is his overall soundness and he often makes breathing noises.

Always In Charge won the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m in impressive style as a two-year-old and has the class to go close. Last time out his high draw was against him in the Diadem as they all went to the inside and he also probably didn’t take to blinkers, as they are off again. He has a nice middle draw of 8 and is another dark horse.

Talktothetstars is a former Equus Champion Sprinter but his tough schedule might be taking its toll, as he is yet to reproduce his best this season.

Brutal Force has also not reproduced his best this season.

The enigmatic Attenborough is capable of popping up and the pace in the race will suit him. Piere Strydom rides.

La Favourari and Percival are both talented types but the Nel yard are having a nightmare season due to a virus and both horses have not run to form in their last start or starts.

Olympian has a tough task at the weights.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track has a low key eight race meeting tomorrow, although some top class sprinters will be turned out in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1000m.

These races are not always as predictable as the ratings make them appear, as some horses use them as stepping stones to bigger things.

The speedy and classy Wrecking Ball is taken to win it despite having a bit to do at the weights. She will be fit and hopefully her trip to Cape Town to run in the Southern Cross Stakes hasn’t taken a lot out of her. She is an out-and-out 1000m horse and is unbeaten in two starts over this course and distance. Bull Valley and Green Pepper are the best in at the weights but will need to be fully tuned up to catch Wrecking Ball and probably won’t be. Bull Valley is a twice Grade 1-winner over 1200m and is taken to chase her home. Kangaroo Jack bounced back to his best in his last start and could finish in the top three. Raasmaal has his third run after gelding and is interesting dropped back to this trip considering he over-raced over 1450m last time. The classy and speedy Green Pepper returns from an eight month layoff and could get away with it being a sprinter.

The obvious Pick 6 banker is in the first leg where Pearl Of Bahrain is impossible to oppose.

The other PA banker is taken to be Tundra Taita in the seventh race over 1800m. She has stayed on well in her last two starts over 2000m and 1800m respectively and this long-striding sort is set to come into her own this start. However, she does face a competitive field and Return To Power and Faraway Island have also been included after their respective eye-catching finishes in a 1700m and 1800m race.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Dorman has a plum draw and is off the same merit rating as when running Lauren Of Rochelle close. The latter won again on Saturday. Last Battle has the eyecatching booking of Delpech from a plum draw and is off a competitive merit rating over a suitable trip, unlike the 1400m of Saturday which was too far for him. Shortstop should be running on over a trip a touch too sharp.

In the next race also over 1200m State Trooper looks to be going places and Penny Royal and Kenan’s Rock also make some appeal.

The value bet of the day is Shotgun Rider in the last over 1800m as he is 15 points lower in the merit ratings than when staying on for a good third over 1700m in April last year in yielding going.

By David Thiselton

Vaughan Marshall sent a chilling ripple of fear through the Milnerton training centre on Saturday morning when he scratched all his six runners from that day’s Kenilworth card because of a respiratory virus.

For obvious reasons it was felt most by his immediate neighbours Greg Ennion and Candice Bass-Robinson  (“I don’t need that going into Met day”) but Marshall, speaking at the Convention Centre’s cauldron of dreams that evening, played it down.

He said: “It’s just a few horses that are affected and I did it as a precaution. We are taking no chances and we have also nebulised them all.”

He confirmed that Alec and Gillian’s Investec Derby favourite Tap O’Noth is fine and on course for Saturday. But for Andre Nel and Platter Racing’s Rondeberg yard 100 kilometres up the coast the nightmare continues.

Abnormal bloodcounts forced them to scratch all Saturday’s four runners and, with the problem having continued on and off for many weeks, Nel has now  brought in a virologist and is toying with the idea of shutting up shop for a short period.

In any case stable jockey stable jockey Donovan Dillon will be out of action for another three weeks because of a broken bone in his right hand that has sidelined him for the past fortnight.

He said: “It happened coming out of the starting gate shortly before the Queen’s Plate. I didn’t think much of it to begin with but it then began to get more and more sore. It is now getting better and I am due to see the doctor again on 12 February.”

Ken Truter has purchased CTS 1600 favourite Talk Of The Town from Mayfair Speculators. The price is undisclosed but the shrewd Truter is only 2-1 against winning over R3 million on Saturday.

Last year’s Sun Met winner Whisky Baron is also on course to collect big money, in his case in Dubai, and Brett Crawford said: “He is doing very well there. He’s been on the grass and on the main track and is on schedule to run in the Zabeel Mile (Group 2) on 22 February.”

With 13 horses scratched last Saturday’s Kenilworth card was left looking like the equine equivalent of the Marie Celeste and all bar the last race averaged less than six runners.

As a result they took less winning than usual but two of them were won by horses who look like beating the handicapper again next time even though both winners have an unviable medical history.

With Marion Belle it’s due to an offset knee. However Crawford said: “It’s an ongoing thing but it’s manageable. She is a decent filly and she has the ability.”

Seemingly not even the best vets could find what was wrong with Brave Move. “Before she even ran she developed a massive swelling on her hock and nobody could tell us what it was,” related Adam Marcus. “We tried ice-bandaging and box rest but in the end it was time that proved the great healer. Even now, though, she wears magnetic therapy boots in her box.”

By Michael Clower