Magical Wonderland has only been beaten once in five starts but, by common consent, the 4-1 second favourite has it all to do in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday – and her trainer is no exception to the general belief.

“Justin Snaith’s filly is going to be hard to beat and we have over four lengths to make up,” acknowledges Candice Bass-Robinson who played a key role in Silver Mountain’s success two years ago. There just might be stamina problems too if the pace is searching.

“I think a mile is her limit,” the Milnerton trainer continues. “But she is very well in herself and she is drawn well so we can hope.”

Stable companion Rings And Things is the 50-1 rank outsider. “She’s a long-shot but she is a hard-knocking sort and her form out of the maidens is pretty consistent. If she runs a place we will be happy.”

Dutch Philip, a star juvenile, has been considered more of a sprinter by his stable and he is 8-1 to prove the point in the WSB Cape Merchants – “He is doing very well, he will enjoy the trip and he must have a shout.”

Seemingly, though, it’s the last chance saloon for Tevez, twice a winner of this race, once second and fifth last year. “He is getting on and he didn’t run so well on his first run back. If he doesn’t shape up I am going to retire him.”

No horse has won this with 62kg in the past 16 years at least but then much the same was said about Marinaresco before the July. “This is a gallop before the Queen’s Plate and it will be a bit sharp for him but he will run well.”

Edict Of Nantes (Liesl King)

You can get 15-1 about Our Mate Art in the WSB Green Point and the four-year-old’s trainer is being realistic – “If he beats two home he will be doing well.”

Brett Crawford, who runs the hat-trick seeking 12-1 chance Love Supreme in the Fillies Guineas, provides strong three- handed opposition to 11-10 favourite Legal Eagle in the WSB Green Point Stakes – most notably with Edict Of Nantes who is 28-10 second favourite.

Will he confirm the recent Pinnacle placings with Captain America (5-1) and Sail South (8-1)? “There is no reason why he can’t – I feel he has come on since that race,” is the in-form trainer’s answer.

And can he beat Legal Eagle? Crawford carefully considers the question before giving his answer: “Legal Eagle is a top horse, he has never been beaten over a mile and he is rated 123 whereas Edict is on 113 so on paper it’s going to be difficult – but they don’t race on paper!”

Search Party won last year’s WSB Cape Merchants with 52kg and now he has 59.5kg yet he is 5-1 second favourite. Can he do it? “He is a big horse, he can carry the weight and I think he is a huge runner.

“Al Mariachi (8-1) is in top form but he is a little bit under sufferance. Coming back to six furlongs is a little bit on the short side for Black Cat Black (15-1) but he comes into it off bottom weight and has a chance of running into the money.”

By Michael Clower

The Vaal stages a low key eight-race meeting tomorrow and Cathedral County could make more progress by beating a good field in the headliner.

The four-year-old Trippi gelding runs in race 6, a MR 85 Handicap over 1000m. Former champion jockey Gavin Lerena has ridden Cathedral County three times for three wins and is back aboard. Last time out after losing a length at the start, he was soon up with the pace and the horse then stretched clear in the closing stages to win by 1,4 lengths without being under any pressure. He has only been given a four point merit rated raise and this well regarded sort should be coming into his own. Vicomte ran on well in his penultimate start over this trip on the Turffontein Inside course to be beaten only 1,25 lengths by the classy Alfolk when receiving only 3kg. This three-year-old Var gelding will appreciate the step down in trip after being well beaten over 1400m in the Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Gavin Lerena

He has a long-striding action and should be finishing strongly again off a merit rating of 86 and should go close considering Alfolk is now merit rated 100. Marmook will also be a strong contender and on paper can beat Cathedral County on a strict line through Bono. Cathedral County beat the latter by 1,4 lengths when giving him 4kg and Marmook beat Bono by 4,75 lengths when receiving 1,5kg. Marmook now receives 6kg from Cathedral County and having won that last race comfortably in his first outing as a gelding he can continue to progress. Rebel’s Champ also has his second run after gelding and if recapturing the form which saw him running 1,5 lengths behind So Var at level weights over 1160m, he has a chance off an 85 merit rating, considering So Var is now merit rated 94.

The meetings starts off with an interesting first-timer in the Candice Dawson-trained Silvano colt Shadow Man. This horse was bought for R1,9 million and is a half-brother to dual Grade 1-winner Thunder Dance. He faces an uninspiring maiden field over 1500m and is drawn in pole. Flexible Fugitive looks the horse to beat among those who have raced. He finished just 3,55 length behind the decent sort Ideal Secret over 1400m in June. Last time he was tried over 1800m and didn’t go on with his effort, so is interesting dropped back to this trip with blinkers on.

In the first leg of the PA, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1500m, Silvano is also represented by a well-bred sort. The three-year-old Zargun is a daughter of Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and Grade 1 Woolavington 2000-winner Zirconeum, who went on to finish second in the Vodacom Durban July. Zargun made a fair debut over 1400m in June and has not run since. She does not have a lot to beat in her comeback run here. Adrenalina ran an improved race last time when stepped up to this trip and can also be included in the PA, although her wide draw makes it tricky and the better-drawn Our Biscuit thus also warrants consideration.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a maiden over 2000m, Before Noon would likely no longer be a maiden if the race he was entered in last time over further than this had not been cancelled due to lightning. This big son of Await The Dawn ran out of racetrack when chasing the winner over this trip before that. He does not have a lot to beat here and the Sean Tarry yard will hopefully turn the corner from their spell of bad form now that they have the first Grade 1 of the season, the Sansui Summer Cup, under their belt. One Wall Street and Matchmaker don’t look any great shakes but could be the main dangers.

Just Cruised In

The first leg of the Jackpot, a Maiden over 2000m, could be won by Whiteout. She was stepped up to 1700m last time out and was most unlucky. When finally seeing daylight, having been shuffled back and then having to switch, she flew home and just failed. She looks likely to enjoy this trip, despite being by a champion sprinter in What A Winter. The main dangers, Until Dawn and Kings Creek, were in that same race last time and she should confirm the form considering how unlucky she was.

In the next race over 1800m Big Parade, a colt by Dynasty out of the Summer Cup winner Flirtation, can progress further having won his maiden comfortably when stepped up to 2000m. Just Cruised In and Lee’s Pick can be the dangers as they both look well handicapped on their best form.

The seventh race, a Middle Stakes event over 2400m, Just A Jet is the selection, despite not being well weighted on official merit ratings. She has won her last two over this trip easily and could develop into a useful stayer now that the yard appear to have got on top of her behavioural problems at the start. End Game could be the main danger as she has caught the eye before and looks to be crying out for this trip.

In the last race, a MR 71 Handicap over 2400m, Sess showed herself to be an out and out stayer last time over 3000m and is the one to beat despite being given a six point raise. Scotland and Stunner both did well the last time they went over this trip and will be threats.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith believes that Snowdance ranks with his previous Cape Fillies Guineas winners Captain’s Lover, Sparkling Gem, Ebony Flyer and In The Fast Lane and the only chink in the favourite’s armour could be lack of stamina.

He said: “Everything about her has been impressive but some of the family have been quite quick so there is a little worry about the extra 200m on Saturday.”

Justin Snaith

That apart he rates stable companion Oh Susanna the biggest danger even though she is as big as 25-1 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas.

He said: “Just watch the re-run of the Western Cape Fillies Championship and you will see what I mean. She was five wide at the back of the field going into the turn yet she came through to finish fifth. If there is anything that is going to improve a lot it is her and if she had a better draw she would be the one I am most afraid of.”

Snaith has won two of the last seven runnings of the WSB Cape Merchants and this time he runs four headed by Sergeant Hardy who is 9-2 favourite despite his breathing problems.

“I wasn’t even going to nominate him because I thought he would be weighted out of it. I was over the moon when he got only 57kg and off this weight he is going to be competitive, but I don’t like his outside draw which could be a big problem. Also in a race like this you have got to look for a horse that is well-handicapped and he is not the best handicapped of my four.

“Bishop’s Bounty (25-1) was very disappointing in his last race – he ran away with Richard Fourie – and this time we need to tuck him in. But I think he is still one run short.”

Heartland (33-1) could be better over a bit further according to the form book.  “Not at all,” insists his trainer. “I wouldn’t say he found a lot of trouble in his last race but he did come late and off 52.5kg he could be the dark horse of the race.”

Seemingly the one for the punters, though, could be Grant van Niekerk’s mount Cuban Emerald at 25-1. “I kept him away so that he would come into this with a light weight. I didn’t want to run him again because I knew that his rating would go up if I did. He could be the roughie.”

In the third of the Kenilworth big races, the WSB Green Point Stakes, the former champion trainer runs Copper Force, a 14-1 chance and on merit ratings the worst horse in the race. “On handicapping he will run last but I have a feeling that he won’t. He is doing well at home.”

By Michael Clower

The Sansui Summer Cup meeting is hopefully a good memory for those tackling the low key eight race card at the Vaal tomorrow.

Noble Secret (JC Photographics)

The highest rated race is a MR 82 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and just about the whole of the seven horse field will have to be included because a number of them are returning from layoffs. Only To Win almost beat the useful Neptune’s Rain as a youngster when setting the pace over this trip. She looks likely to appreciate the step back to this trip. Movie Show caused a shock two runs ago in a Progress Plate over 1000m when beating the like of Wrecking Ball, despite being way under sufferance. She was plugging on in that run and in her third run after a layoff will be one of the fittest horses, so could possibly see it out.

Frederico’s Dream had fine form over this trip as a two-year-old. This her seasonal reappearance and she could get away with it over a sprint. Top weight Magicality makes her seasonal reappearance and can earn on best form. Fish River has a comfortable win over subsequent Grade 2 1400m winner Desert Rhythm over 1000m to her name so she can make her presence felt if bouncing back from her SA Fillies Nursery run, where she had an unfavourable low draw. This is her first run for 206 days. Star Profile was five lengths ahead of Fish River in the SA Fillies Nursery, albeit from a favourable high draw. She had a busy juvenile campaign and returns from a long layoff.  Melinda’s Garden is a nice looking sort but has made respiratory noises and has poor form since her maiden win.

The best bet of the day comes in the seventh, a MR 79 Handicap over 1600m. Noble Secret has his second run of the season and on pedigree this Dynasty colt, out of an Al Mufti mare whose two wins were over 1450m and 1600m, will very much appreciate the step up to this trip. His maiden win showed him to be possible classic class and he will be out to prove it here. Raydaveric is starting to fulfil his potential since gelding and could be the chief threat. Copper Pot has his third run after gelding over a suitable trip and has shown a fine turn of foot before so can go close off a reduced merit rating.

By David Thiselton

National champion trainer Sean Tarry bounced back to form when it counted as his charge Liege stormed to victory in yesterday’s R2 million Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein under the top class big race rider Raymond Danielson.

In his last start in the Victory Moon Stakes Liege ran below par for a yard who have been going through a flat spell.

Liege

Yesterday, the soft conditions suited the five-year-old Maine Chance Farms-bred Dynasty gelding and that last start proved to just be a flat run. He broke well and after being up with the pace early was able drop into a good position in midfield on the rail behind a pace, expectedly set by Crowd Pleaser, which always enabled him to stride out nicely. Danielson was patient in the straight and he then burst through down the inside at the 400m mark. He never looked like being caught. The Paul Peter-trained filly Fort Ember stayed on bravely from a handy position to be beaten 2,25 lengths. Coral Fever produced his usual strong finish for third. Geoff Woodruff’s hopes of becoming the first trainer in South Africa to win one of the country’s three major races five times in succession were dashed, but his fancied Pagoda stayed on well for fourth. The fillies Girl On The Run and Orchid Island finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Danielson had never ridden Liege in a race before but felt confident on the way down as the horse felt in great shape.

Liege’s talented full-brother Lance is at stud and this win will add to his pedigree page.

Earlier, in the prestigious Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m the Alistair Gordon-trained KZN raider Monk’s Hood just held on to win from a pair of outsiders Seerite and Vacquero. Monk’s Hood had tongues wagging around the country when winning his debut over 1200m by 7,5 lengths. Later, he came from a wide draw to run a fine close up fourth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m. However, the two concerns were the form of the latter race had not worked out well and he also ran a disappointing third in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1200m last time. However, he proved yesterday turf was his preferred surface. He came from the back half of the field and burst through going like a winner. Anthony Delpech said the Querari gelding had had enough in the final stages, but he just managed to hold on by a head.

By David Thiselton