Master Sabina, winner of the last two runnings of the Sansui Summer Cup for Geoff Woodruff, will run in the Vodacom Durban July for only the second time.

Michael de Broglio’s seven-year-old was a 20-1 chance when ninth in last year’s race and this time he will be prepared by Justin Snaith who took over the gelding last week.

Jonathan Snaith said: “He may run first in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on June 10 for a gallop or go straight to the July.”

Silver Mountain, beaten little more than a head by Alexis in last season’s Tibouchina Stakes, will try to go one better in the Greyville June 10 Grade 2. Candice Bass-Robinson, who will also run her Klawervlei Majorca winner Nightingale in the race, reports that Silver Mountain has settled in well after being sent from Cape Town around ten days ago.

By Michael Clower

The SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday will see a previous winner of this race Carry On Alice attempting to win her fifth career Gr 1 and amongst the dangers will be a three-year-old, Just Sensual, whose only Gr 1 win has been over a mile.

Carry On Alice was relaxed behind the pacemaker two years ago when beating the champion filly Alboran Sea by 1,75 lengths. Last year, when a forgettable fifth, she did not settle in behind horses and the gaps didn’t open in time either. Furthermore, she might have been above herself, as the Sean Tarry yard was reportedly under a cloud at the time.

The full width of the track is being used this year and there is a small field too, which will favour her, as she has never been a horse who needs cover. With daylight in front of her she can use her high cruising speed to its maximum effect before delivering her famous kick. She will be hard to beat, but she does face one of the strongest fields to have lined up for this race in recent times.

Just Sensual showed good pace over 1200m and 1400m early in her career and coupled it with a tremendous turn of foot. Subsequent to her Cape Fillies Guineas win she ran unplaced in the CTS Mile and was then much more comfortable over the 1400m of the Gr 3 Prix du Cap. In the latter race she showed good gate speed and early pace and then moved up effortlessly under the hands in the straight. She showed a fine turn of foot when asked the question and won cosily. In recent times the infamous draw bias at Scottsville appears to have evened out, so her high draw of 12 out of 12 is unlikely to be a disadvantage.

The Secret Is Out, winner of last year’s Gr 1 Allan Robertson at this meeting, is one of the horses who has proved the draw down the Scottsville straight is no longer a factor. At the end of April she won the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes over course and distance from the very outside draw of 14, despite carrying a 3kg Gr 1 penalty. Scottsville is a course horses either love or hate and she has won all three of her starts there. She had been a touch disappointing this season, but three of her defeats were over 1400m. Her career record shows she has only once been defeated over a sprint trip. Furthermore, trainer Vaughan Marshall admitted she had bled in her second outing of the season last November and it had been “a long hard road back.”

Fellow three-year-old Live Life was receiving 1kg from The Secret Is Out in the Poinsettia and was beaten 0,55 lengths. However, she didn’t have cover the whole way and was forced to go for home early, as opposed to her win in the CTS Sprint over the Kenilworth 1200, where she came from off the pace and won full of running despite having to be switched in the closing stages. Earlier, Live Life had beaten Carry On Alice in the Gr 2 Sceptre Stakes by 0,75 lengths on terms 2kg worse than weight for age and on that occasion he came from last.

Vision To Kill showed good cruising speed in the Poinsettia and flew up for second, but will be 2kg worse off with Live Life, whom she beat by a short-head.

“Class” in horseracing has been defined as those who are supreme at middle distances but also have the speed to compete and possibly beat the best sprinters at their game. Bela-Bela, whose two Gr 1 wins have been over 2000m and 1800m, fits this bill. She lost a couple of lengths on her debut over 1000m and still won easily. That was her only ever sprint start, but she has always given the impression she has a lot of speed as she is always on the bridle in the running over further.

Last year Real Princess showed good cruising speed and a tremendous turn of foot, but on this season’s form she is held by Carry On Alice, Live Life, The Secret Is Out and Jo’s Bond and will need to bounce back.

Jo’s Bond beat Carry On Alice in the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m when receiving only 2kg and the latter duly reversed form at level weights in the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championships. Jo’s Bond is seen as a 1000m specialist, but this imposing daughter of Captain Al did turn it on impressively in the Listed Kwazulu-Natal Stakes over the Scottsville 1000m from just off the pace, which gives some hope.

The consistent Joan Ranger has speed coupled with a kick and it would be no surprise to see her repeat her third place finish of last year.

Elusivenchantment was a 2,55 length sixth last year and has been beaten twice over course and distance by Joan Ranger, while Jo’s Bond has beaten her twice over 1000m at level weights this season.

Sail won a Maiden Juvenile Plate over course and distance by 4,75 lengths just over a year ago. However, she has consistently been just off the best over further and is up against it here too.

Miss Varlicious is the lowest rated runner and looks held on Poinsettia form.

By David Thiselton

The often shoeless champion Talktothestars will have a fine chance of defending his crown in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

He had been disappointing overall this season until his last run in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m, where he flew home for second in much the same manner as he had when runner up last year. He went on to win the Tsogo Sun last year off a merit rating of 116, so has a fine chance this year off a 113 merit rating. Chase Maujean retains the ride.

Piere Strydom was aboard Talktothestars last year but this year rides the consistent Brutal Force, who was caught late by Talktothestars and Carry On Alice in the Computaform Sprint. He is 0,5 kg better off with Talktothestars for a 0,4 length beating and this tough horse should enjoy the course and distance.

London Call, unbeaten in four starts this season, was beautifully relaxed in the running when winning a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1100m at Scottsville last time out and he then showed an effortless turn of foot, This lightly raced six-year-old gelding has improved and has a chance despite having to run off a 111.

Bull Valley will be a massive runner at his best as he has class as well as a good cruising speed and a fine turn of foot. Last November he finished just 0,3 lengths behind Trip To Heaven in the Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein when receiving 3,5 kg a and he was 2,1 lengths clear of Talktothestars, but will now be 4kg worse off.

It will be on the sharp side for Bulleting Home and he might be a touch high in the merit ratings, but he has class and will be running at them late.

Sergeant Hardy is capable of dominating a race from start to finish as he has tremendous pace and has the ability to maintain it. He should have come on from his last start when beaten 1,75 lengths by London Call and he will now be 2kg better off.

Gulf Storm finished second in this race two years ago off a 109 merit rating and now runs of 106. However, he will need to bounce back from disappointing recent form.

Muscatt holds the 1000 metre Scottsville course record, but appears better over that distance and as a seven-year-old is off his highest ever merit rating.

Search Party is one of the most improved sprinters in the country and has good pace and the ability to kick on as he did when third in the Diadem over this trip in December. He beat Red Ray receiving only 1kg there that day, so is worthy of his 106 merit rating.

Seven-year-old Barbosa loves the Scottsville straight, but has had a bit of a down turn in form lately.

Captain’s Causeway ran 3,9 lengths back off a 100 merit rating last year and is now off a 104, but he does look to have improved.

The rangy Attenborough turned it on in fine style to win the Listed In Full Flight Handicap over 1000m and on that showing has a shout off a five point higher merit rating.

Table Bay has a big reputation but has proved disappointing over a mile and beyond, so is interesting stepped down to this trip.

Captain Swarovski has good pace, but still has to prove he is good enough to justify a 103 merit rating.

Janoobi has won two Guineas events this season from start to finish and as a two-year-old won the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m. He only runs off a 103 merit rating and is ultra tough, so will likely enjoy Scottsville.

Exelero finished a 2,4 length third last year off a 103 merit rating and now runs off just a 98, so has to have a shout.

By David Thiselton

Top Form has top weight but also well-named as far as his top poly track form is concerned. Charles Laird’s gelding teams up with regular rider Anton Marcus for the Itsarush.co.za Divided Handicap at Greyville tomorrow and can build on his recent run of success on the synthetic surface although he faces a stern test.

Back on the turf for the first time since November last year, Top form was run out of it late over the Scottsville 1100m, beaten just over three lengths by Attenborough, probably one of the more fancied runners in this coming Saturday’s Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Prior to that however, Top Form had won three on the bounce over tomorrow’s course and distance, up with the pace throughout and finding plenty when it counted. He obviously enjoys the surface and although giving weight all round he looks a live contender.

The Australian-bred Professor Brian makes his poly debut and will be in receipt of 10 kg from Top Form which is a hefty amount of ‘pudding’ in anyone’s terms. Coupled with the fact that Joey Ramsden’s charge is unbeaten since gelding it is pretty obvious that Top Form will be up against it. However, this will be Professor Brian’s debut on the poly from a tricky draw which could just edge things the way of Top Form.

But there is a long list of possible winners with Waltzed Home and Kingston Boy the only two whose recent form suggests that they will battle in this race.

The Lightning Shot Bar is a popular on-course watering hole named after a former July winner and punters may need a couple of stiff ones to harden their resolve for the Lightning Shot Bar Handicap that has upset written all over it.

Dennis Drier could hold the whip hand with his pair of Lloyd’s Legacy and Rocky Valley as both were deemed good enough to be shipped to Cape Town for the Summer. But the stable did not enjoy the best of raids and while Lloyd’s Legacy obliged at second time of asking, Rocky Valley didn’t trouble the judges in two outings.

But Rocky Valley did show early promise, form that booked his place on the float to Cape Town, and he can redeem himself tomorrow. He was tossed in at the deep end in the Cape and after finishing down the field in the Lanzerac Ready To Run where he had the worst of the draw, he came home and was gelded.

He showed good pace in his first run back after a five-month spell when weakening late behind Purple Tractor at Scottsville and that run should have brought him on. If he realises some of his early promise he should be good enough to at least land a blow.

The Soccer 6 Handicap over 2000m is another tricky affair where the two sophomores Night Circus and Warfarer resume rivalry. The pair last met over course and distance with the latter coming out on top, beating Night Circus by over three lengths. Warfarer has since had a further two starts, both on the turf, and the switch back to poly could be what he’s looking for.

However, Night Circus has excellent poly form and is now 3kg better off at the weights which could see the tables turned. But all the runners in this nine-horse field warrant consideration and if the two young guns don’t pitch up to the party, any one of the seven older runners are in with chances.

By Andrew Harrison

Aldo Domeyer is starting biokinetic treatment this week in a bid to cure his ongoing back problems but he expects to be able to continue riding as normal.

He said: “I have been told that I have to do three things to get my back right – firstly physiotherapy which I began last week, now biokinetics and then treatment by a chiropractor.

”I still have the pain but I can ride through it as I now know that I am not doing more damage by continuing to ride, and that was what was worrying me.”

An increasing number of jockeys appear to be suffering from severe back problems, usually attributed to falls, but there is a suspicion that riding so short is aggravating the situation. In the last 12 years almost all jockeys in South Africa have pulled up their stirrups by at least one hole, often two.

“That could well be the case,” said Domeyer. “I ride shorter than I used to, riding work as well as race-riding.”

Domeyer, who gained his biggest win on Martial Eagle in the 2013 Met, has ridden 76 winners so far this season. He partners probable favourite Dutch Philip in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery at Kenilworth on Saturday. The Candice Bass-Robinson colt has won three out of four including the Somerset 1200.

By Michael Clower