The gallops have always been a bone of contention for some trainers, especially Justin Snaith who has been a sharp critic in the past.

The gallops were at the discretion of the operators and not a condition of entry as is the case for the Vodacom Durban July.

The operators feel that most of the Met contenders have had runs this month and have proved their fitness so the gallops were not necessary.

The field for the Sun Met will be finalized on Monday, January 15 with a draw function to be held at the V&A Waterfront on Wednesday January 17.

Last Winter, 15-4 clear favourite for the Sun Met with Betting World but only 9-2 joint favourite with Legal Eagle and Marinaresco in the books of World Sports Betting, will do his final piece of serious work at Kenilworth tomorrow week.

Dean Kannemeyer said yesterday: “I will put him over 800m. At home he doesn’t exert himself – he keeps himself fit and does just enough. But he is doing exceptionally well and he is in good shape. We are on track for the race.”

Confidence is also growing in the Marinaresco camp and both Aldo Domeyer and part-owner Marsh Shirtliff stressed yesterday that he was unlucky not to finish closer than fifth (albeit beaten less than a length) in last Saturday’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

Last Winter

Candice Bass-Robinson spelt it out, explaining: “Silicone Valley carried him out quite a bit and close home the winner did the same. Had he been able to keep going and keep his momentum he would have finished even closer. But he has taken his run very well and he looked amazing this morning.”

The in-form Milnerton trainer – she won the first three at Durbanville yesterday – also had encouraging news of Horizon who was reported lame by the racecourse vet after finishing fourth to Eyes Wide Open in the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap.

Mrs Robinson said: “Horizon is fine. In fact he wasn’t lame. He was the same after the race as he was before it.”

Fillies Guineas winner Snowdance, her performance boosted by the Cartier Paddock win of runner-up Oh Susanna, looks like starting one of the shortest-priced favourites in the history of the Klawervlei Majorca.

WSB opened her at 1-2 and even at that price she was backed. She is now 4-10! Just Sensual and Nother Russia are next on 7-1 with 16-1 and upwards the rest.

Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth, predictably, is favourite to follow up in the Investec Cape Derby and 7-2 is the best available. White River is 6-1 and Peninsula Handicap winner Eyes Wide Open on 7-1 even though he is expected to run in the Met instead.

This Saturday’s Diadem will have a big bearing on the Cape Flying Championship with many engaged in both races including Trip To Heaven who is 33-10 favourite for the 27 January Grade 1.

Former West Indian cricket star, and now top commentator, Michael Holding was at Durbanville yesterday to see Domeyer batting home winner after winner as well as some particularly promising performances from Indian Song and Marion Belle.

By Michael Clower

Drageda has been expensive to follow, a beaten favourite in three of his first four starts, before landing the odds at Scottsville last time out.

He makes his handicap debut at Greyville today and now that he has broken the ice he does look capable of following up in the Track & Ball Fixed Odds Handicap.

Anton Marcus, who rode a superb race on Legal Eagle in the l’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on Saturday, has been making the long drive from Umhlanga to Ashburton to put a few of the Duncan Howells horses through their paces in the morning and he wasted no time on Drageda, bouncing the gelding out of the gate and keeping him going to hold Kazaar who he faces again this afternoon.

Kazaar paid tribute to that form, coming home and easy winner of his next outing for Dennis Bosch and under Marcus.

Drageda (Candiese Marnewick)

Marcus has kept faith with Drageda which may prove significant.

Howells, was of the opinion that Drageda would get further, an opinion shared by Marcus, and with a smart draw over the Greyville seven on the poly. He can go in again.

Kazaar and Master Sam will have their supporters but chief threat could come in the form of Air Chief Marshall. He takes a major drop in class and has also dropped significantly in the ratings which should make him a serious threat.

Frank Robinson has been in a rich vein of form of late and if the form comments in the Computaform are to be relied upon then Autumn Rain should be difficult to beat in the Racing. It’s a Rush Maiden. However, he does take a major jump in trip which may be a reason for caution. Anthony Delpech has stuck with the ride and no doubt gave Robinson advice after their close-up second in a 1200m sprint so one needs to show some faith.

Lord Of Glencoe on the other hand is a lightly raced four-year-old who is bred to go two miles and made good improvement when Belinda Impey sent him out in blinkers for the first time. Along with Barking Irons and Itdawnedonme, he could upset.

A more optimistic trainer you will never meet than Tony Nassif and when he makes his way into town from his Turffontein base you had better take note.

He saddles Queenie in the tabGOLD Information App Handicap and along with Madame Excess could make for a good boxed exacta. Queenie has put in two smart efforts since shedding her maiden and with apprentice Ashton Arries claiming his 1.5kg Queenie could prove difficult to peg back.

Howells has declared Madame Excess in blinkers for the first time and her best form is on the poly. Joint bottom weight and a good draw should make her a serious contender.

The Track & Ball Gaming Handicap has a wide open look about it but as the old saying goes, “when in doubt, back the top weight”.

Hidden Thought shed her maiden last time out but that was only her fifth visit to the track. She has improved with each outing and with Marcus in the saddle for good measure, she must warrant serious consideration. Lady Lisha comes from an in-form yard and although only a narrow winner in a qualified maiden she is showing signs of improvement. Eina, Salsa Queen and Summer In The City are others to consider in a tricky handicap.

Trainers are slowly cottoning on to the fact that barrier trials, far from leaking information, are a valuable opportunity to get in a solid gallop before a race. Ideal Winter won her barrier trial but considering that 1000m is far from her optimum trip, the blinkers she wore for the first time did seem to sharpen her up. She has a tricky draw over the mile in the Gold Circle Facebook Handicap but first-time blinkers may be the key.

She will however, have to be sharp as the Louis Goosen / Gunter Wrogemann combination is proving lethal at present and they team up with Shifting Gears who was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out. With a better draw than her rival and possibly more at home over this trip, she will be a major threat.

By Andrew Harrison

Jonno Snaith said yesterday: “At this stage she [Oh Susanna] is an intended runner but ante-post punters should be cautious. We would suggest they do not back her until she has been confirmed a definite runner. Drakenstein has still to make a final decision and this will be based on an assessment of the weights.

“But she has come out of Saturday’s race amazingly well. She was on the beach this morning and she looked superb. We are very happy with her.”

Justin Snaith added that the filly’s draw, which will not be known until Thursday of next week, could also have a significant bearing on the decision.

Oh Susanna (Liesl King)

Mike de Kock has supplemented the Irish-bred filly Cascapedia whose win in the London News Stakes at Turffontein on Sunday was her fifth in six starts. But Mike Azzie has scratched Hat Puntano and Abashiri. Edict Of Nantes has also been officially removed from the lists.

Betting World has installed Oh Susanna at 8-1 and Cascapedia at 9-1 but it’s Last Winter who is the market mover. Dean Kannemeyer’s hope is now clear favourite at 15-4 with Legal Eagle out to 4-1, the same price as Marinaresco.

Eyes Wide Open, slashed from 80-1 to 16-1, after bouncing back to form in the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday, could be even better than his performance suggested.

Glen Kotzen explained: “There is a respiratory bug going around and he wouldn’t stop coughing. We had to back off and it was touch and go whether we would get him to the race.”

Ante-post favourite Horizon, who finished fourth, came back lame on his near fore while Black Arthur (last) suffered an epistaxis and has been suspended for 60 days. The pace-setting Milton was found to be not striding out on his right front after dropping out in the closing stages.

Heineken Chairman’s Cup handicap winner Our Emperor will step up to a conditions event in the Western Cape Stayers on Met day even though a strong performance could prejudice his chances of a decent weight in the eLan Gold Cup at the end of the season.

Brett Crawford reasoned: “They have dropped the Gold Cup to a Grade 3 so the Met day race could be a better option.”

However Snaith is deliberately nursing the handicap mark of the improving Strathdon who has won his last four (including the Cape Summer Stayers) and he has put the four-year-old away until the Durban season.

Candice Bass-Robinson, who won last year’s $500 000 CTS 1200 with 8-1 chance Live Life, has the probable favourite this time in Magical Wonderland who won last Friday’s Cartier Sceptre Stakes with scarcely believable ease.

By Michael Clower

The four-year-old Marion Belle is a Ridgemont Australian-bred and they tend to be good. She was certainly backed as if she was when she made a belated debut at Kenilworth two months ago. Starting favourite at 15-10, she raced green and she shifted sharply away from the whip when asked to race in earnest but the performance was rather better than her six length-seventh would suggest.

Brett Crawford (Liesl King)

Her trainer has given her plenty of time and she looks the one. World Sports Betting thought they were taking no chances when they opened her at 16-10 on Sunday but the money has come and she was 9-10 yesterday.

Second favourite at 22-10 and the obvious danger is Pumeza whose form is in the book even though she totally failed to fire when returning from a five-month absence last time. Another with a chance but at a much bigger price (10-1) is Jeovana who was totally unfancied when second to shock 100-1 winner Passion Peach.

Some of those who you might otherwise fancy are drawn wide in the Play Soccer Handicap and that is surely the kiss of death over 1 000m on this course, despite last year’s improvements.

Therefore the vote goes to Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount Over Again at 5-1. She ran well last time and her rider can be relied upon to make the most of her number two draw. The consistent Lily Theresa (reported blowing hard here on New Year’s Day) and outside-drawn Swift Dancer share favouritism at 33-10.

The 23 December form of Apollo Star and Para Handy was given a significant boost when Doublemint, who beat them, won again on Saturday. Apollo Star (5-1 here)  finished a length and a quarter in front of Para Handy (9-1) and he should confirm the placings in the Supabets Handicap as he is a kilo better.

Riding arrangements point to the Crawford newcomers Gimmie A Cohiba and Due Volte in the first but this is a difficult course for unraced horses and What A Summer is given the vote in preference to fellow 28-10 joint favourite L’Histoire.

The in-form Candice Bass Robinson-Aldo Domeyer combination’s newcomer Indian Song is 15-10 favourite for race two but preference is for 9-2 chance Negma whose inexperience cost her dear on debut nine days before Christmas. She lost a lot of ground at the start and then raced green.

The commendably-busy Lyle Hewitson is back again and he should more than cover the expenses by winning race three on Parisian Gold.

By Michael Clower