So, just how good is Snowdance? Stable companion Oh Susanna, best of the rest when Snowdance annihilated the Fillies Guineas field, put the star older fillies to bed in Saturday’s Cartier Paddock Stakes.

Justin Snaith, winning his fourth Paddock in 11 seasons, said: “I think you know the answer but I did say at the time of the Fillies Guineas that if anything could beat Snowdance it was this one.”

Snowdance now goes for the Klawervlei Majorca on Met day but seemingly there will be no rematch with Oh Susanna. “It is not up to me – it will be a team decision – but going back to a mile wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Oh Susanna will go to Durban.”

Oh Susanna (Liesl King)

Grant van Niekerk, who also won this in Gaynor Rupert’s colours on Inara three years ago, said: “I was basically a passenger. When I pulled her out she quickened clear and she kept going. If anything had come to her she would have quickened again.”

He and Snaith each won a third of the 18 races over the two-day meeting and he said: “When you are riding for Snaith Racing on big days you come with confidence because you know the horses will be ready.”

The trainer responded, saying: “Grant has a quirk about himself – a certain way that he handles things – but he is such a good young jockey and horses run for him.”

They certainly do even though his all-consuming will to win sometimes takes precedence over keeping them straight and, as a result, he is almost as familiar with the boardroom as he is with the winner’s box. He got another ten days for interference on Friday and has resolved to bite the bullet straightaway, starting the suspension on Wednesday. He was also fined R2 500 for raising his arm in triumph before he reached the line on Oh Susanna.

Second-placed Lady In Black, fourth to Snowdance in the Fillies Guineas, will also miss the Majorca. “She needs further so I didn’t enter her,” Dennis Drier explained.

Nightingale ran way below form and finished with only two behind her, with Anthony Delpech reporting that she was not striding out properly. Gimme Six (11^th) was squeezed early in the straight while Wind Chill (eighth) lost a front shoe.

By Michael Clower

…after what is going to be fantastic racing at the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate meeting at Kenilworth on Friday and Saturday.

Abashiri

Abashiri is the selection in the London News, which is a conditions race over 1800m. He has been showing glimpses of his old self this season. Last time out in the Summer Cup he was dropped out to last from a wide draw and proved too be too far back. He sliced through the field with that giant stride of his, but understandably ran out of steam in the closing stages having made up a lot of ground. He now has a plum draw of two and Gavin Lerena is up. The course and distance is ideal and he is second best in at the weights. Matador Man is the best weighted horse. The tough Turffontein Standside 1800m might stretch him, but he is much better drawn than he was when disappointing in the Victory Moon Stakes over course and distance. He should find cover from this draw and can then use his powerful finish to good affect in the straight, as he did when third over this trip at Greyville in the Grade 1 Champions Cup.

The dark horse in the race is the classy Irish-bred filly Cascapedia. She is officially not well weighted, especially as she is in reality still a three-year-old having been bred in Ireland. However, she looks full of class and was impressive over course and distance last time out when stretching away to win easily. She has a good draw and champion jockey Anthony Delpech is up. The Elmo Effect has an impressive stride and has won twice over this trip. He has an ideal pole position draw for his style and should be staying on strongly in the straight, so could be good value for a place. Pagoda ran a good fourth from a similar draw to this tricky one in the Summer Cup. He needs to be well drawn as he does not have good gate-speed but he will be staying on. He is 2kg better off with Coral Fever, who beat him by a short-head in the Summer Cup. Coral Fever was drawn 19 out of 19 in the Summer Cup, so can earn again here from a better draw of eight. Brazuca ran a bit disappointingly in the Summer Cup from a tough draw.

Brazuca

He has a better drawn here and runs well fresh, but it going to be tough giving 2kg to Abashiri and 2,5kg to Matador Man. Girl On The Run won the Victory Moon from a handy position and made a bold bid from the front in the Summer Cup. She can’t be written off from a fair draw. Bi Pot will also relish the course and distance. French Navy is a Grade 1 winner over this course and distance and can’t be ignored, although his last win was two years ago.

In the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m, Royal Crusade and Majestic Mambo as two-time winners have to give 2kg to the Investec Dingaans runner up Seerite. However, Royal Crusade caught the eye last time as one who switches off well and then when asked the question shows a fine turn of foot and a powerful action. Seerite is a long-striding sort who will love the course and distance having flown for a narrow second from a wide draw in the Dingaans. Majestic Mambo stretched away last time to remain unbeaten in two starts, both over this trip. However, he does have a tricky draw to overcome. Haralan County went close in the Secretariat Stakes over 1400m, although he was receiving 7,5 kg from the classy winner Surcharge. He is progressive and should enjoy this trip. Alshibaa has regular Mike de Kock rider Callan Murray up, but his Dingaans run was disappointing and he still has a bit to prove.

By David Thiselton

The five-month break could find him ring-rusty but Dennis Bosch is in hot form at present and Chantyman showed last term that he has plenty of potential.

He shed his maiden at second time of asking in facile fashion and although unplaced in the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes next time out, he was only beaten five lengths by Eyes Wide Open after jumping from a tricky draw over the Greyville mile.

Haddington (Candiese Marnewick)

However, if Chantyman does go ‘missing’ the race turns into a difficult puzzle as there are a number of other runners in with chances.

Bottom weight Gadget Man ran a cracker first up on the poly, beating course and distance specialist Fire The Rocket, and was then arguably unlucky when finding traffic at a crucial stage of his race when going the mile.

He is in receipt of 5.5kg from the year-younger Chantyman and comes from an in-form stable which adds to his appeal.

Top weight Mumsy’s Jet doesn’t know how to run a bad race and was a close-up third over course and distance in tough company last time out. He is also something of a course and distance specialist and with apprentice Ashton Arries claiming he must be in with a shout for the eighth win of his career.

Sunset Eyes made a fair enough local debut and should be all the better for the run and also comes into the reckoning.

Cossack Guard was something of a bookmakers favourite in Cape Town, finishing second in seven of his 13 starts, but given a break and shipped back to home territory he finally got his act together last month when running out a comfortable winner of his maiden. That form was given a boost when second-placed King’s Command, who was making his debut, made short work of his opposition next time out.

He makes his handicap debut in the opening leg of the jackpot in a field that includes course and distance specialist Fire The Rocket. Doug Campbell’s gelding was never in the hunt in the Chapter Challenge final on the Scottsville turf but is lengths better on the poly and looks an obvious threat to Cossack Guard.

Wayne Bardenhorst has recently moved from a private establishment near Richmond to Summerveld and Ogilvy can give him his first winner out of his new premises. The four-year-old has been much improved since moving to Bardenhorst, finishing third and fourth respectively.

He is under sufferance at the weights but looks capable of further improvement in a field that doesn’t stack up to much.

The well named Ouzo was given a hefty merit rating for his maiden win and is lumbered with top weight in his handicap debut in the eighth. The gelding won third time of asking for Alyson Wright, up with the pace for most of the trip and going on strongly to win comfortably.

Second placed, The Grey Crusader has been luckless and winless so far, but would have a chance in this line-up. Gold Chalice and Zenzero look the most obvious dangers.

A winner of four of his last six races, Haddington has been shrewdly placed by Louis Goosen and has been creeping up the ratings little by little. He’s as game as they come and although ten furlongs would appear to be his optimum trip, two of his recent victories have been over tonight’s course and distance where he has an outstanding chance of rounding off the meeting.

By Andrew Harrison

Legal Eagle is a dreadfully short price but he is well-nigh impossible to oppose in his bid to win the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate for the third successive year at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The six-year-old looked as good as ever when he returned to Cape Town to take the Green Point five weeks ago and the champion trainer’s conversation with tabonline’s Jack Milner earlier this week confirmed that the horse has now found the expected extra and is very much on-song – “He has had a perfect prep and everything has gone smoothly.”

Anton Marcus (Liesl King)

Victory tomorrow would extend his unbeaten run over a mile to eight and provide four-time champion Anton Marcus with Queen’s Plate number seven.

Trading at 6-10 or 7-10 is for the brave but this is a good race for short-priced horses. Although Legal Eagle 12 months ago was the first winning favourite for four years, favourites had won seven of the previous eight runnings and only one winner has started at a bigger price than 7-1 this century.

The only horse that could reasonably be expected to put it up to the dual Horse of the Year is Edict Of Nantes and he is due to spend the rest of his days in Hong Kong.

Gold Standard is the next shortest in the betting at 6-1. He was good enough to finish second in the Cape Guineas and fourth in the Sun Met last season before being sidelined as a safety measure and his return has gone more or less according to plan. But he is not a champion.

Captain America (7-1) is a tough, consistent sort who was second last year and fourth the year before. He seems sure to make the frame but third time lucky? No.

Stable companion Sail South is a big price at 16-1 for a horse that was third 12 months ago – less than a length behind Captain America – and has retained his form. He looks a reasonable place bet at 9-4.

Marinaresco (10-1) has been deliberately left undercooked to stop him dropping himself too far off the pace. It’s a gamble but, as his trainer freely admits, this mile is too short for him and his race is the Met.

African Night Sky (17-2) is held in high esteem by his stable but in the Winter Series it was only the 2 400m of the final leg that marked him out as something much better than his contemporaries and it is hard to see Bernard Fayd’Herbe winning his sixth Queen’s Plate tomorrow.

Hat Puntano (10-1) is difficult to assess. At his best he just might cause an upset but the favourite would have to run way below form for him to win.

Silicone Valley ran a great race to take fifth 12 months ago but that is as good as he is while fellow 25-1 shot Deo Juvente’s flop last time – he was found to have sore muscles in his chest and hindquarters afterwards – hardly inspires confidence and the rest surely don’t count.

Mike de Kock has won the Cartier Paddock Stakes four times – the most recent with Nother Russia’s dam Mother Russia in 2010 – but he has also sent out six beaten favourites. Craig Zackey’s mount is a warm order but favourites have won four of the last ten runnings and she is taken to win.

She probably has most to fear from Nightingale and the Snaith trio Gimme Six, Star Express and Oh Susanna. The last-named has been backed from 12-1 to 7-1 this week and three-year-olds have won three of the last seven Paddocks.

Today Just Sensual can follow up her Southern Cross win by taking the Cartier Sceptre Stakes for Marcus and Joey Ramsden but don’t forget what Snaith said about Mister Colin in race three tomorrow.

By Michael Clower

Such was his reputation that Marinaresco started second favourite when he finished fourth in last year’s Queen’s Plate. This time he is a 10-1 chance despite (or just possibly because of) winning the Durban July in the interim.

“Obviously the Met is his main race as he is better suited to the trip and the Queen’s Plate is a tough ask for him,” says Candice Bass-Robinson. “A mile is tough for him but I have deliberately kept him fresh for this race. He is doing well and he put up a nice gallop on the course just over a fortnight ago.”

Marinaresco (Liesl King)

Mike Bass’s daughter, buoyed by the strong recent form of her horses and in particular by her son’s miraculous recovery from a frightening attack of viral meningitis, has high hopes for Majorca winner Nightingale in the Cartier Paddock Stakes.

“They went slow in the Victress Stakes and she couldn’t get going in time but she has come through her prep well and she must have a good chance. I actually think she prefers 1 800m to a mile.”

The stable dominates the market for the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap with Piere Strydom’s mount Horizon favourite at 5-1, Ollivander next on 6-1 and Our Mate Art joint third favourite at 7-1. “I had been struggling with Horizon but I have now got him going well. Last time was only his second run back and the way the race panned out didn’t suit him. He has a short run and he likes to be sat on.

“Ollivander is much better off at the weights than he was when he was fourth in the Premier and he definitely has a shout while Our Mate Art will run a good race if the 1 800m doesn’t find him out.”

BLOB The Queen’s Plate and the Paddock Stakes will attract worldwide interest, particularly in America as they are the first two legs of this year’s Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.

Racing South Africa seems convinced that the winners of next year’s races, and just possibly this year’s too, will no longer have to go via Mauritius to compete.  It’s latest brochure refers to the adoption of an African Horse Sickness diagnostic test by the World Organisation for Animal Health and adds: “2018 promises to be a watershed year with a drive to bring South Africa into the international arena led by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.”

By Michael Clower