The Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion has virtually been owned by the Dennis Drier yard this decade and they will have a shout of winning it for the sixth time in the last eight years at Scottsville on Saturday with Sand And Sea.

However, this tall and speedy Twice Over colt is likely to have some stern opposition and the horse to beat looks to be the Mike de Kock-trained Naafer, while the Sean Tarry-trained pair Warrior’s Rest and Kenan’s Rock also make appeal, while the Brett Crawford-trained Al Mariachi and the Charles Laird-trained Varallo are also hard to ignore.

Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)

An unusual aspect of this year’s Gold Medallion is that all of the 12 runners bar one can be compared to each other through collateral formlines.

The key race on which the horses can be judged is the Non-Black Type Kuda Sprint over 1200m, which was run on Sun Met day.

A lot of the KZN two-year-old male form can be judged against Medallion runner Sir Frenchie, who was beaten 13,15 lengths in the Kuda Sprint. Sir Frenchie did have the excuse of a high draw, which was unfavourable on the day. This is the reason Warrior’s Rest makes some appeal in the Medallion as he was drawn outside of Sir Frenchie in the Kuda and bounded past him in the closing stages to finish a far from disgraced 5,45 length sixth, 7,7 lengths clear of Sir Frenchie.

Warrior’s Rest, a rangy son of What A Winter, showed his class in his only subsequent run in Johannesburg, going to the front from a wide draw over 1400m and comfortably keeping the challengers at bay before drawing clear to win by 3,25 lengths. The concern for Saturday is whether he has the pace to be within striking distance as he would prefer further than 1200m. However, as a solidly built horse with a big action he is likely to relish the tough Scottsville track and should be running on strongly.

Warrior’s Rest’s stablemate Barrack Street gave him 2kg and beat him by 0,3 lengths in the Kuda, but jumped from a plum low draw. Barrack Street, who was scratched at the Medallion declaration stage yesterday, then went to Jo’burg and won the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1000m and the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m to prove just how strong the Kuda Sprint form was. However, in the Gr 1 SA Nursery he was beaten eight lengths and the runner up Naafer was four lengths in front of him. Therefore, Naafer easily has the beating of Warrior’s Rest on paper. There is just the question mark of how unfavourable that high draw was for Warrior’s Rest on Met day.

Wonderwall, who doesn’t run in the Medallion, finished a narrow second in the Kuda, beating Barrack Street by 5,05 lengths, although he was receiving 2kg. Wonderwall subsequently finished third in the SA Nursery, beaten two lengths by Naafer. This is a further tick against Naafer’s name for the Medallion.

Dennis Drier(Nkosi Hlophe)

The 4,85 length fourth-placed finisher in the Kuda was Apollo Star, who was subsequently beaten over the same Kenilworth 1200m course and distance by Captain’s Charm.

Sand And Sea thus comes into the equation, because on debut over 1200m at Scottsvile he was green but ran on well to beat Captain’s Charm by 3,5 lengths, although he was receiving 3kg.

Sand And Sea was also giving 3kg to Al Mariachi that day and only beat him by 0,5 lengths. However, Sand And Sea is entitled to improve and will have the advantage of Anton Marcus aboard, being part-owned by Mayfair Speculators.

In his two KZN runs Sir Frenchie has finished a close third at Greyville over 1200m and a close second over 1100m at Scottsville and was carrying topweight on both occasions. If the Kuda form is taken literally, these runs put a dampener on the chances of the like of Varallo, Sniper Shot, Procal Harum, Woljayrine, Arianos Bagofgold and Autumn In Seattle.

However, of these Varallo was likely below his best last time having jumped sideways into the gate at the start when beaten 2,25 lengths over 1100m by Woljayrine, to whom he was giving 4kg. That was not the first time Varallo had ducked sideways during a race, so it is interesting to see the blinkers now on for the first time. This classy Var colt won his first two starts impressively and has always struck as one who had plenty of scope for further improvement. Furthermore, he has the Charles Laird factor. Laird has an outstanding record at this meeting,

The most unexposed horse is the Tarry-trained Keanan’s Rock, the only runner who cannot be found in the network of collateral form. On debut last week, this robust gelding by former Medallion winner Seventh Rock lost about three lengths over 1200m at the Vaal in a field consisting mainly of moderate older maidens. However, he ran on powerfully to beat the well-bred Flexible Fugitive by 1,3 lengths and there was a further 4,75 lengths back to the rest of the field. He could be anything and interestingly Tarry’s usual first call jockey S’Manga Khumalo will be aboard him at the expense of Warrior’s Rest.

All of the runners have to be respected, but on form it all points to Naafer being the one to beat with Sand And Sea and the imposing Tarry pair being the dangers alongside Varallo and Al Mariachi.

By David Thiselton

Ashburton’s leading trainer Duncan Howells will have a fine chance of winning the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championships over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday with Neptune’s Rain.

This Antonius Pius filly showed good cruising speed in the Gr 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m at Scottsville and then displayed a fine turn of foot to win going away by 1,25 lengths.

Neptune’s Rain (Nkosi Hlophe)

The runner up Made In Hollywood had won her maiden by 6,25 lengths over 1200m at Kenilworth and subsequently finished just 1,25 lengths behind one of the best two-year-old colts in Cape Town, Dutch Phillip, over 1000m. Third-placed Gold Image, beaten 3,25 lengths by Neptune’s Rain, impressed when easily winning her debut over 800m and then finished an outstanding third in the Kuda Sprint over 1200m on Sun Met day. The Kuda Sprint has proved to be one of the strongest two-year-old form races in the country this season. Gold Image’s run at Scottsville was her first since the Kuda Sprint, so she should have come on from it.

Elusive Fort filly Crymeariver will be a runner, having burst through impressively to beat Neptune’s Rain by 1,5 lengths in her only start, although if the 4kg claim is included she was receiving 7kg.

Crymeariver’s Australian-bred stablemate Touch Of Magic is an impressive specimen and won her only start by 3,75 lengths on debut over 1000m at Scottsville with a 2,5kg claimer up. The form hasn’t worked out exceptionally well, but she won easily and will relish the step up in trip.

Call To Account has to be a massive runner too as she beat the previously mentioned Dutch Phillip on Met day, albeit over 1000m. In her only subsequent start against the boys over 1200m at Scottsville she set the fractions, but faded late to be beaten 3,65 lengths by Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion contender Sand And Sea. However, on pedigree this Captain Al filly should easily get the 1200m trip as she is out of a Giant’s Causeway mare who won three times over 2400m.

SA Fillies Nursery winner Green Plains gave Celestina 3kg and a 2,75 length beating over 1100m in the Pretty Polly Stakes and the latter was beaten 5,5 lengths at level weights over 1000m by Call To Account on Met day. On paper that points to Call To Account having the edge, but Green Plains has improved with every run and looks to be a tough filly who will enjoy the Scottsville course and distance.

Light On Her Toes is by Gimmethegreenlight out of Allan Robertson winner On Her Toes and three winners have come out of the race she won over 1200m at Greyville in her second career start.

The others are all held by at least one other runner on form, although Daring Diva only has to make up 2,25 lengths on Green Plains.

By David Thiselton