Legal Eagle has been installed 3-1 favourite for the Sun Met by World Sports Betting with Edict Of Nantes next on 9-2. But on the evidence of Saturday’s Green Point it’s going to be a battle royal between the two in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate let alone in the Met.

They were divided by only half a length in the Kenilworth Grade 2 with the Mayfair pair challenging either side of the pace-setting Captain America.

Anton Marcus, repeating last year’s win, said: “I was loathe to get into a dogfight with Captain America too soon, especially as Sean had left a bit in the locker. But it’s going to be close again in the Queen’s Plate – one is an improver and the other is holding his form.”

Derek Brugman observed: “Edict Of Nantes has matured and strengthened up. Last season you had to push him over a mile but now you don’t.”

The Mayfair racing manager, quizzed about Legal Eagle’s apparent vulnerability over the Met trip, said: “He may be better over a mile but he gets ten furlongs alright. Don’t forget, he would have won last season’s Met had it been run on this season’s weight-for-age terms.”

Sean Tarry, who missed his wife’s birthday to be at the Green Point, left the course well satisfied with both his stable star’s performance and the way it fitted into his preparation for Cape Town’s big two races.

“This second race back is always the tricky one,” he explained. “Nobody expects anything in the first one and in the second one you have to leave the horse a little bit underdone. At the same time you can’t let him fluff his lines. After today we know exactly where we are with him and hopefully there is enough left in the tank to find another gear in the Queen’s Plate.”

Glen Puller is debating whether to run Silicone Valley in the January 6 showpiece after the 12-1 chance finished fast under Donovan Dillon to snatch the WSB Cape Merchants. The gelding was only beaten four and a half lengths when fifth in last season’s race.

Runner-up Dutch Philip reverts to a mile in Saturday week’s Cape Guineas before going for the big money in the CTS Sprint while the gallant Tevez (somewhat insultingly priced at 55-1) earned a reprieve by finishing fourth. July hero Marinaresco finished with only three behind him but satisfied his trainer who said: “He can’t be competitive in a sprint but this should have put him where I need him for the Queen’s Plate.”

By Michael Clower

Snowdance will bid to become the first to complete the Fillies Guineas- Klawervlei Majorca double since Sun Classique 11 years ago after the spectacular way the 11-10 favourite demolished the opposition in the World Sports Betting classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Justin Snaith, winning this race for the fifth time and successful in five of the nine races, said: “She definitely won’t run in the Paddock Stakes – we are being careful in the way we pick our races this season – so she probably won’t race again before the Majorca.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, winning his second Cape Fillies Guineas, took it up over two furlongs out and the Captain Al filly stretched further and further away. She was five lengths clear at one point but she was eased before the line to win ears pricked by three and a quarter lengths.

Fayd’Herbe said: “At the 500m mark I thought it was a bit early to go but she is such a good horse that I let her take it up and quicken away. The last filly I rode this good was Sun Classique.”

The winner’s 1 min 38.4 time, even though a second slower than the Green Point, was the fastest in the Fillies Guineas in the past 12 years.

The R2 million National Yearling sale purchase is yet another feather in the cap for breeder Vaughan Koster. She carries Jack Mitchell’s colours but is part-owned by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein which underlined its considerable strength in depth by breeding and owning both the second and third.

Runner-up Oh Susanna will run in the Paddock Stakes while a short head behind was 75-1 shot Fresnaye who fully justified Joey Ramsden’s prediction that she could run into a place. Lady In Black (Dennis Drier: “She ran a cracker but she is looking for further”) was just over a length further back fourth with Magical Wonderland reproducing her previous form with the winner in fifth.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “She got shuffled back early on but also I think a mile is a little bit far for her. I will give her a break and then she goes for the $500 00 CTS Sprint on Met day.”

Love Supreme’s saddle slipped and she was found to be lame after finishing with only two behind her while Too Phat To Fly (tenth) lost a hind shoe and was cut into.

By Michael Clower

Brave Mary, facile winner of the Gr1 Alan Robertson Championship was vote Horse of the Year at the annual KZN Breeders Awards that took place on Saturday at Fordoun Hotel and Spa in Nottingham Road.

CHAMPION 2YO FILLY – sponsored by Piemonte Stud: Brave Mary

CHAMPION 2YO COLT – sponsored by THE EQUINE GROUP: Zodiac Jack

CHAMPION 3YO FILLY – sponsored by CHOICE CARRIERS: Anna Pavlova

CHAMPION 3YO COLT – sponsored by Equifeeds: Matador Man 

CHAMPION SPRINTER FEMALE – sponsored by Odds On Colours: Anna Pavlova

CHAMPION SPRINTER MALE – sponsored by Flying The Flag : Talktothestars

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE FEMALE  – sponsored by TRM: Intergalactic 

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE MALE  – sponsored by Crusade: Matador Man

CHAMPION STAYER MALE AND FEMALE – sponsored by Hughcor: The Elmo Effect

CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE – sponsored by Gold Circle: Intergalactic 

CHAMPION OLDER MALE – sponsored by Epol Horse Feeds: Talktothestars

BROODMARE OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Gold Circle: Mary Lou

STALLION PROSPECT OF THE YEAR: Crusade

STALLION OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Thoroughbred Breeders Association: Kahal 

BREEDERS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – sponsored by Summerhill Stud: Bruce Le Roux

LEADING BREEDER OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Almiray Vet Practice: Summerhill Stud

SPECIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – sponsored by Spurwing Horse Feeds: Anton and Judy Procter

ANITA AKAL INDUSTRY AWARD: Greig Muir

HORSE OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Gold Circle: Brave Mary

After a two-month break, Scottsville patrons were greeted by a strip of manicured lawn and competitive fields as trainers lined up for a crack on the almost virgin turf.

It was not all good new for punters as a few long shots made catching the exotics tricky but not so Redcarpet Captain. “He’s a good horse,” said a cuffed Mark Dixon after Brandon Lerena got the gelding home in a tight finish to the Reddy’s Cartage & Tanker Services Pinnacle Plate.

“He’s a lazy horse and thank goodness we had Brandon aboard. He had to get into him a little bit at the end.”

The Christmas Handicap in next on the agenda for Redcarpet Captain with Dixon confident that his charge will get a mile. Seventh Plain was game in defeat and The Poet, returning from a lengthy break, only surrendered late as his condition gave out.

There were no secrets in the first juvenile scurry of the season as the well-backed Vertical Decent landed the odds. The word was out early in the week that Mike Miller’s charge would be hard to beat and so it proved although the colt made Gavin Lerena work for his riding fee.

Vertical Decent was all over the course when under pressure but under Lerena’s skilled hands he landed the odds comfortably ahead of Special Force and Play The Tune, the first runner for freshman sire Noble Tune.

Replacement rider Warren Kennedy had a nightmare ride on Love Theme in the second as he dropped his near side rein when switching his crop. It all became a bit of a tangle before he got straightened out but the bird had flown as Anton Marcus on Prosecco took full advantage of Kennedy’s misfortune.

Buying full siblings to champions does not always guarantee in a repeat but Statute, a full sister to Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate, got her racing career off to a bright start as she spread-eagled her field in the opening leg of the Pick 6.

It was not the strongest of maiden fields but Michael Roberts’s charge sped clear with a furlong to run and the result was never in doubt.

The KZN Summer Challenge Series of races proved as competitive as ever with Wynkelder giving Mandla Ntuli a deserved win for Tony Rivalland, catching favourite Di Mazzio close home.

Saint Marco continued his consistent form when finishing too strongly to deny Viento a hat-trick of victories.

Possible disappointment of the afternoon was a below par showing by Zen Arcade, strongly fancied for the Series mile. He struggled to quicken as Seattle Skyline finished with a wet sail to out-run Admiral’s Guest and game front-runner Baltic Amber.

By Andrew Harrison

Cape Town takes centre-stage tomorrow but the afternoon-evening meeting at Turffontein will enable punters to have extended entertainment and The Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m provides some classy racing for the purists.

The Robbie Sage-trained Surcharge is the selection to win The Secretariat. He was forced to drop out from a high draw in the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over this course and distance last time out. He had to come from last and then had traffic problems, so did well to charge home for fifth. This time he has to give the others weight, as it is a handicap, but he has a good draw this time and plenty of class so looks up to it. Dhabyaan is an expensively-purchased Australian-bred by Medaglia D’Oro and he was stretching clear from a handy position on debut over 1200m, so will relish this step up in trip. He is widely drawn but is receiving 7,5kg from Surcharge, so with likely improvement he could be a threat. Prince Of Kahal is a well-regarded sort, who finished a one length third in the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m and his time was about half-a-second better than Surcharge’s time on the same day, which puts him in with a fine chance as he is receiving 1,5kg from the latter.

However, he has a tough draw to overcome. Harlan County is officially 1kg under sufferance but caught the eye in his maiden win over 1600m and looks capable of rising above a 78 merit rating, so he could earn from draw two. Polar Ice ran well last time over 1600m to be just a length behind the well regarded Alshibaa, from whom he was receiving only 2kg and this improving sort could earn. Keanan’s Rock found some betting support in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion in just his second start, so must be well thought of, and he has come down eight points since his handicap debut so could surprise over a likely ideal trip. Full Of Attitude was an easy maiden winner over this trip, but was accorded and 86 merit rating and has a tough draw.

The meeting starts at 15h00 and Silvano filly Tia could get punters off to a good start, as she made a good debut over 1000m and as a full-sister to the Grade 2-winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Tellina, so she will enjoy the slight step up to 1160m.

The best bet comes in race three over 1160m. Lobo’s Legend is a tall athletic sort with plenty of scope and after going close last time to Buffalo Bill Cody he can take care of this field. Fearless Fred is a similar type and made a good comeback over 1000m, where he was a touch unlucky when finishing 4,7 lengths behind the promising Star Of Joburg. He had some fair two-year-old form and could be a threat.

In race seven over 1600m Redberry Wood is by Fort Wood out of a full-sister to dual Guineas winner Solo Traveller and she was finishing strongly on debut over 1400m, so should relish the step up in trip. She is a big horse but looks a relaxed type, so should be capable of performing well from a high draw. Paul Peter’s horses can never be ignored and his front-running sort Angelic has landed a good draw at last and she and Let’s Twist, who had some decent two-year-old form and jumps from pole position in her return from a layoff, look to be the main dangers.

In the last race a horse who caught the eye as a classy sort in the making, Illegal, makes her comeback in a fillies and mares handicap over 1160m and off an 81 merit rating she could pay to follow.

By David Thiselton