Unfancied on debut, she put up a smart showing at long odds on the Greyville poly but it was four months before she saw the racetrack again, this time the Greyville turf, and she turned in another good effort behind Cause And Effect. The step up in trip tonight should also suit.

Likely opposition are Holy Flame and Viva Le Bleu, the former looking the more dangerous. A beaten favourite in the soft over the Scottsville mile last time out, Holy Flame makes her poly debut and that, coupled with a drop in trip give her a strong chance.

Accidental Tourist (Candiese Marnewick)

With Drier in Cape Town for their summer season, Summerveld assistant Stuart Ferrie could be in front of the cameras again after the fourth where he saddles Biometric. The gelding came up one short when sent out favourite for his last race and sports blinkers for the first time. He looks the part here but blinkers have seen Whiteleaf Hills improve for Alistair Gordon and Paul Gadsby has had similar ideas with Emerald Victory also racing in blinkers for the first time.

Winning four races on the bounce is a tall order but Accidental Tourist appears capable in the sixth. Duncan Howells’s runner has stepped up to the plate and denied the handicappers twice in succession and got a further 4 pounds for her most recent win. However, she has taken to the poly track and the step up in trip could also be in her favour.

It won’t be easy however, as she faces a number of in-form opposition including Spring In Seattle, Moon Princess and Strategic Move.

The Dean Kannemeyer yard has hit form with a vengeance of late and Gadget Man will be out to extend his winning run of victories in the seventh. He took to the poly last time out in spite of drifting alarmingly in the market. He does not have the best of the draw but he is now hitting his straps and given his pedigree the step up in trip should be what he is looking for.

Savuti was a winner on Wednesday so is unlikely to take his place in the final race of the evening but Brett Crawford has ample back-up in Scriptwriter who made a promising local debut on the poly. He drops back to a mile and could prove too swift for top weight Haddington who, although having won over course and distance, could well be more at home over a touch further.

By Andrew Harrison

That fervour was dampened as his long anticipated debut proved to be a major disappointment as much for Mike Azzie as for the racing public in general, not to mention Piere Strydom who was the unfortunate jockey aboard.

Hat Puntano hardly raised a gallop and was eventually eased out of the race.

Hat Puntano

The critics were quickly onto social media hinting that South Africa had been sold another ‘lemon’.

But some serious introspection and a visit to a specialist bit-maker based in Pietermaritzburg got things back on track although after his debut flop, Hat Puntano was easy to back for the Charity Mile where he shouldered top weight.

The race proved a major turnaround in fortunes as Grant van Niekerk set for home with a wet sail and the Argentinian champion showed his worth by putting a high-class field to the sword for a much relieved trainer.

Azzie and son Adam, saddle the colt in a Pinnacle Stakes event at Turffontein tomorrow and given his Charity Mile performance and the weight structure, he looks impossible to oppose. Victory here will also set him up nicely for the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate to be run in early January.

Sean Tarry saddles three runners, best of which may be Social Order, runner-up to Hat Puntano in the Charity Mile. More was expected of Social Order in the Summer Cup where he finished seven lengths adrift of his lesser fancied stable companion Liege but he is capable of much better than that. However, given that this is a set weights event, Social Order will be hard-pressed to turn the tables on Hat Puntano.

Unagi has come well for Garry Alexander and comes into the race off a string of two wins on the bounce. He is obviously useful on his day but like all the field, he has it all to do against the top weight.

French Navy has not won a race in over two years but was finishing strongly behind Hat Puntano in the Charity Mile and was not too far behind Liege in the Summer Cup after jumping from a wide draw. He is also better off at the weights with Hat Puntano than Social Order but his current winning record is a concern.

Of the balance, Matador Man and Romany Prince have upset chances but given the Charity Mile result and the weight structure here, it will take a good one to beat Hat Puntano.

By Andrew Harrison

Kantor, who has been a non-executive director since the company was founded, thanked retiring chairman, Peter Malungani, for his 20 years of loyal service to the company and wished him well for the future.

Kantor added that there have been many rumours about the future of racing which is understandable in times of uncertainty. “What is certain is that the board and management of Phumelela are confident about the future of racing and betting in South Africa and we look forward to meeting the opportunities and challenges of 2018 and beyond.”

Kenilworth Racing have announced that Markus Jooste has resigned from their board of directors. The board would like to thank him for his valued contribution to the board and to racing in the Western Cape and in the rest of the country.

Sir David Baird recently won the Listed KZN Guineas Trial in effortless fashion and comes into the Guineas very fit and very well. Trainer Mike de Kock told Turf Talk yesterday morning: “Sir David Baird and Like A Panther have been in Cape Town for a few weeks and we’ve had a chance to gallop them at the track. We’re expecting good runs from both.”

Sir David Baird (Candiese Marnewick)

He said about Sir David Baird: “He has something about him, there is something there. He was beaten against expectations over 1400m twice, once by the smart Surcharge, but all he needed was the bend and a mile and he showed what he was capable of.

“Sir David Baird beat a weak field in the Guineas Trial, but he wasn’t near extended so should handle the step up. He’s well drawn and has a good jockey, two factors we don’t have to worry about.”

De Kock added: “If I look at Saturday’s Guineas I see no obvious stars, they haven’t revealed themselves yet. Vaughan Marshall’s Tap O’Noth is probably the best of the opposition, he may come out of it victorious as the champion among them, but it could be us too, it could be Sir David Baird. We’re keen to see how he goes.”

Like A Panther, De Kock opined, will be better over 2000m and further. “He’s a good Derby prospect for us. He will be hard pressed to win a mile at this level. But he’ll be staying on, he has a place chance.”

Ante-post betting for the Gr1 Forus Cape Guineas

9-2 Tap O’ Noth
13-2 White River, Do It Again
7-1 Rocket Countdown
8-1 Undercover Agent, Bold Respect
9-1 Captain And Master
10-1 Sir David Baird
12-1 Like A Panther, Sir Frenchie (Aus)
14-1 Wonderwall
16-1 Pack Leader
20-1 Purple Diamond, Cot Campbell

Ante-post betting for the Gr3 Premier Trophy

2-1 Last Winter
9-2 Nebula
11-2 Deo Juvente
6-1 Back Arthur, Horizon
8-1 Crambambuli
10-1 Milton
14-1 and upwards others.

– Turf Talk