If the handicappers are anywhere near right then Rockin Russian should beat her male rivals in the Cape Classic when Cape Town racing returns in some style to Kenilworth tomorrow.

It is rare for a filly to contest this race but Sean Tarry’s runner has top form. She was only beaten half a length in the Thekwini, she receives all the allowances and has had a good recent run in a Turffontein Grade 2. On adjusted merit ratings she has 4kg (roughly three and a half lengths) in hand.

Lyle Hewitson

Of course her rating could be suspect. Trainers often accuse the handicappers of rating two-year-old Graded form too highly – after all a significant proportion of juveniles have still to see a racecourse at that stage – and several of tomorrow’s opposition have yet to show their potential. But at the forecast 6-1 Lyle Hewitson’s mount makes considerable appeal.

Three others among the 11-strong field are visitors but there is a feeling among the local handlers that the home team is better.  Justin Snaith suggested as much in this column on Monday when he said that Cot Campbell had Tap O’Noth to beat and the latter’s trainer Vaughan Marshall echoes this view, saying: “From what I saw in Durban I think the Cape horses are stronger.”

Marshall spoke of Tap O’Noth as a potential Guineas horse when the colt won first time out in April and reports him in really good form for tomorrow. If the handicappers (and me) are wrong about Rockin Russian then MJ Byleveld’s mount looks the one.

He is expected to start favourite, something of a mixed blessing. Favourites used to have a good record in this Grade 3 – they won five out of seven between 2003 and 2009 – but in the seven runnings since all but one has been beaten.

Joey Ramsden has won three of the last four renewals and his Speedpoint comes out second-best on ratings at the weights. But the draw has done him no favours whlle Dutch Philip needs to be the next Pocket Power to give 5kg and more to all the others. Mind you, he has won four out of six and he impressed on his return. “It’s not going to be easy for him but he is very well in himself,” says his trainer.

Whatever their fortunes with this one Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer should take the Western Cape Fillies Championship with Magical Wonderland who is unbeaten in four starts and put up a staggering performance when giving Rose In Bloom 3kg and a three-quarter length beating on her return at Durbanville three weeks ago.

There is a doubt about her stamina (although it’s not shared by her jockey) and her trainer says: “The race will tell but she is well and, if she does get it, she has a big chance.”

She is expected to head the market – favourites have won five of the last seven runnings and were second in the other two – but the trainer with best recent record is Justin Snaith. He has won four of the last ten and runs five.

Lady In Black and Desert Rhythm have Grade 1 form (in Durban) but neither has raced since, both have to concede weight and are drawn wide – a big disadvantage over this trip. Dennis Drier runs three but only Champenois has had a run and is well drawn.

Eyes Wide Opwn continues his build-up towards the Guineas in the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle but a Grade 1 penalty suggests he will not beat Table Bay and Copper Force. Ratings and recent running point to Table Bay.

By Michael Clower

Turffontein Inside stages a low key nine race meeting on Saturday, a week before the Highveld feature season starts in real earnest.

One of the toughest races on the card is a MR76 handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and the well-bred Best Kept Secret is the tentative choice. The Captain Al filly now has her third run after a layoff, but on the other hand she does not have as good a draw as last time, when a bit keen and run out of it. However, she will likely be allowed to stride more freely than last time and this could win her the race. The consistent mare Last Girl Standing is widely drawn and often loses ground at the start, but is capable of a strong finish. Secret Vision is well treated on her best form and is well drawn. Amoretta is represents the flying Paul Peter yard and off a 61 merit rating could make her presence felt running with a low weight from a good draw. Polly Wolly Doodle could run well fresh over a trip short of her best and Elusive Strike can’t be ignored from pole position.

Gavin Van Zyl

In the first leg of the PA, a maiden over 1600m, Harlan County will be hard to peg back from a good draw as she stayed all the way to the line last time and can now go one better. La Scala was green around the turn last time and then jostled between horses at a crucial stage in the straight, so could have got closer than a 3,7 length second. He will also ran all the way to the line and from another good draw will be a threat. Volcanic Sunset had useful two-year-old form is now having his first run as a gelding, but the concern is he is drawn wide in his return from a layoff.

Pilgrim’s could give the Gavin van Zyl yard a quick double in the first leg of the Pick 6, a MR 83 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m. She showed an effortless turn of foot from way back over 2000m on this course last time and looks to be going places, so can handle her six point higher merit rating of 83. This time she is well drawn too. Tundra Taita is likely still improving coming from the Lucky Houdalakis yard and will be staying on again. Aldebaran over raced in her maiden win but still won easily, so has the talent to be a contender here too.

The first leg of the Jackpot is a tough one but Monarch Air’s best recent run was over this course and distance from a similar draw, so he is the choice. Flowing Gown is one from one over course and distance and Iridium Silver is a five-year-old Silvano mare who is currently well handicapped.

The selection for the next race over 1600m is Walter Smoothie as he impressed with his resolute finish when winning his maiden and is drawn well. Mambo Symphony and Edisson are the back ups.

Queenie impressed early in her career with her ability to sustain a gallop and she faces a weak field in the eighth from a good draw over a 1200m trip which should suit. She proved she is back in form last time with a win over 1600m.

In the last over 2600m Sputnik Plain did well in his first try at a staying event and being by Ideal World can progress further. He is selected ahead of Stunned and Dromedaris, who have also proved they enjoy staying races.

By David Thiselton

Mike de Kock is now rare off-season visitor to KZN since shutting down his Summerveld satellite yard but he makes the trip to Greyville tonight where he saddles Kilrain in the Jonsson Workwear Michaelmas Handicap that heads a nine-race card – all races on the poly track.

The meeting is in support of the breast cancer awareness NGO Pink Drive and all the jockeys will be decked out in pink breeches as will the racecourse and patrons are requested to show their support by dressing up in pink.

Kilrain has taken a new lease on life since being relocated from the Western Cape where, in his last race at Kenilworth, he was pulled out of the event and reported to be severely fatigued post-race.

No Worries

His three outings on the Highveld have resulted in two close-up thirds and a win over the Turffontein stand-side mile.

He comes into tonight’s race with plenty in his favour including a good draw, handy galloping weight and De Kock has engaged Anton Marcus as his trump card.

Kilrain is also an acceptor for the R1 million Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile next weekend where he is badly in at the weights so victory here will not affect his weight for that race.

Duncan Howells sends out poly specialist Nicklaus and Chicago Beat, both in with decent chances. Stable rider Keagan de Melo has opted for Nicklaus who up-staged stable companion Wild Wicket in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m last time out but the choice may have been dictated by the weights rather than any preference with De Melo hard-pressed to make his absolute minimum of 52.5kg.

This has left the way open for natural light-weight Warren Kennedy. After going down by the narrowest of margins to Gone Baby Gone over course and distance, Chicago Beat was given a short break before coming back for a seven-furlong blow-out at Scottsville. He should strip very much at his peak tonight and as he receives plenty of weight from all except Techno Captain, he looks a serious contender for top honours.

Kennedy was aboard Mr O’Neill when Dean Kannemeyer’s gelding got the better of stable companion Last Tiger so will know exactly what he is up against while No Worries is a veteran who seldom gives less than his best and has his second outing for Mark Dixon. However, even though this is a handicap, the 63.5kg on his back could prove an anchor to his chances.

Matthew Lips is better known in racing circles as a popular, or unpopular, NHA Handicapper depending on which side of the fence you’re on, but given his contribution to the sport would probably be racing off a Merit Rating equivalent of around 130, not the 61 of his namesake who lines up in the first leg of the Pick 6.

Nicklaus

Matthew Lips is a lightly raced five-year-old gelding but has obviously shown enough for Sean Tarry to keep him in training and ran up a hat-trick of seconds in his first three starts. He then flopped at odds of 5-10 and subsequently given a three-month break.

He stepped out at Greyville last Sunday where he caught the eye in spite of finishing six lengths back to the winner and in this Highlands Stud sponsored Qualified Maiden he looks to have an outstanding chance of getting off the mark. Q Behind Me and Roy’s Piano look obvious threats.

Zinzara and Online were separated by a neck when last they met and the pair do battle again in the opening leg of the jackpot the World Sports Betting Handicap. They look to have the strongest current form but it is not a race to go light in when working out exotics as the race has the word ‘upset’ written all over it.

The Drakenstein Stud Handicap is a similarly open affair but the Paul Lafferty-trained Gat Henshaw has an opportunity to show his worth. He has been a touch disappointing for the stable since his maiden win but he has taken on some fair opposition in his last two over ground. Back in distance where the opposition consists of mostly modest handicappers, Gat Henshaw could land his second victory.

Capel Top heads another tough handicap in the Varsfontein Stud sponsored seventh and although shouldering top weight, he should have benefitted from his recent sprint-up and do better over this trip. Cool At Heart, although slightly under sufferance, does show some promise and may be the biggest threat to the top weight’s chances although the list of possible winners is a long one.

By Andrew Harrison

Lyle Hewitson is confident he will do the featherweight of 50.5kg on Rockin Russian when the Sean Tarry-trained filly takes on the colts in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday.

He said yesterday: “I took the ride as I knew I could do it and I have been dieting for the past fortnight. I will sweat off the final kilo on the day of the race.”

Dean Kannemeyer reports that Last Winter came out bouncing after his impressive return at Durbanville last week and the trainer is already talking in terms of the Sun Met.

Lyle Hewitson

He said: “Last Winter came through the race very well. In fact he has never been better and he doesn’t look as if he has even had a race.”

Kannemeyer is still agonising over where to run the horse next but his choices are limited unless he is prepared to stay in handicap company and, after a seven point rise to 106, that does not appeal.

The principal options are a 1400m Pinnacle on November 11, the Green Point over a mile on December 2 and the Premier Trophy over 200m further a fortnight later. The horse would escape a penalty in either of the last two.

Kannemeyer said: “I will enter him for all three and take it from there. I will also nominate him for the Met.”

Breeding suggests he might struggle over the 2 000m Met trip being by Western Winter out of Cape Fillies Guineas winner Field Flower, even if she is by Silvano.

Kannemeyer said: “Anthony Delpech is convinced he will stay ten furlongs because you can switch him off whenever you want to, and his being a completely relaxed horse will help.”

Brett Crawford is discuss future plans for last season’s Met winner Whisky Baron when he meets Wayne Kieswetter tomorrow and these could include Dubai.

Crawford said: “Whisky Baron is progressing well at Newmarket. He is at a rehabilitation place at Longholes with spas and water treatments. He is there for ten days.”

Mike Stewart, who had long predicted that Al Wahed would come into his own in soft ground, secured special veterinary treatment that enabled the six-year-old to return to something like his best on good going last Saturday.

He said: “Al Wahed has a deformed knee and when he was in Durban the vets said he would never race again. I train him only on the softer sand at Noordhoek as a result but just over a fortnight ago I got an Irish vet to work on the knee. He used a pulsating machine and the result was amazing. Normally he is crippled after a race but this time he was much better.”

Stewart was so impressed that he persuaded the vet to use the machine on his sore back. The result was much the same as with the horse and yesterday the trainer had the sort of spring in his step that normally only a winner can produce – and that was before Celtic Charm’s success in the Supabets Handicap.

By Michael Clower

The Mike de Kock-trained Captain Al colt Like A Panther struck a blow for three-year-old form at the Vaal on Tuesday and was one of a number of sophomores who have caught the eye over the last few days.

At Greyville on Sunday another Captain Al colt, Captain And Master, proved his class and the exciting Dynasty filly Hashtagyolo remained unbeaten, while at Durbanville on Saturday Trippi colt White River won a handicap comfortably despite being green, and two fillies, Dynamic Diana and Midnight Moonlight, also defied 80+ merit ratings and wide draws in an open handicap.

Captain And Master

The imposing Like A Panther has a stout female line being out of a Galileo mare who is a half-sister to the Gr.2 Reserve Stayers winner Blake. He has SA Derby winner stamped all over him. On Tuesday he travelled like a winner throughout in a MR 84 handicap over 2000m and beat toughened older handicappers going away by two lengths. This was no mean feat for a horse having his first run out of the maidens off an 89 merit rating. He has been raised to 94 and is just one of many exciting De Kock-trained three-year-old prospects, including two winners he had on Saturday, Alshibaa and Alfolk.

Captain And Master has a huge action and, having fought for his head in his last two starts as a two-year-old, was allowed to use his action from the front on Sunday in a 1400m Progress Plate. He set a blistering gallop and stretched again up the straight to win by a comfortable 1,75 lengths from the talented but problematic older horse Red Chesnut Road. The handicappers have raised Captain And Master three points to 99 and time will tell whether he enjoys a mile.

Hashtagyolo made it two from two when winning the KZN Fillies Guineas Trial from start to finish by 1,75 lengths. She was raised six points to 89 and part-owner Bruce Le Roux hinted she would avoid the Cape season and instead might be campaigned in the classics in Jo’burg next year before running in the SA Champions Season.

Last Saturday at Durbanville the rangy White River cosily beat older horses in a 1400m handicap and has been raised three points to 87. He has plenty of scope and should enjoy a further step up in trip.

Dynasty filly Dynamic Diana enjoyed the step up to 1600m on Saturday and showed a good turn of foot to win by 1,5 lengths. Runner-up Midnight Moonlight, by Jay Peg, gave her 1,5kg and was staying on strongly. Both fillies look promising and can be followed.

The first three-year-old colt of the season to showcase the crop was the Querari colt Wonderwall, who comfortably beat a number of classy older horses in the Gr.2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m, albeit in yielding going. Wonderwall represents the form of last year’s champion two-year-old male Mustaaqeem and also some of last season’s best two-year-old form in Cape Town. He is now merit rated 107 and on pedigree should stay a mile and more.

By David Thiselton