Tevez is well-nigh impossible to oppose in the Racing. It’s a Rush Pinnacle Stakes at Kenilworth tomorrow and he is a confident selection to overcome both top weight and a 12-week lay-off.

Aldo Domeyer’s mount won a similar race last year, albeit over a furlong less and run three weeks later, and his close-up fifth in the Cape Flying Championship suggests he is as good as ever.

“He has had a break and he will need it a bit,” warns Candice Bass-Robinson who adds “but he is the best horse in the race.”

Tevez (Liesl King)

Indeed he is. The handicappers reckon he has 2.5kg in hand over the next best (Heartland) and he is considered to be better over this trip despite that blistering run in the Cape Flying.

That would have entitled him to have another crack at the best in the Computaform Sprint but he has not been entered as his stable points out that in a few months he will be eight years old.

Heartland has not raced for nearly five months and in any case he is probably better over an extra furlong and La Favourari probably represents a bigger threat. He surprised Andre Nel when winning a 1 000m pinnacle five weeks ago but there were enough hard luck stories behind him to fill a punter’s notebook and the favourite should have his measure.

Line Break, the favourite’s stable companion, has made the frame on his last two starts but he is 5kg (over four lengths) wrong with Tevez on adjusted handicap ratings.

Purple Mountains has not been seen since finishing plumb last in the Diadem 14 weeks ago – he was returned not striding out – and is well-nigh impossible to fancy while The Stone Thrower has the most to do on ratings.

Recent Kenilworth two-year-old races have proved difficult to predict with the last four winners averaging 25-1 and only two outright favourites successful in the nine events so far this month. Just about the only positive is the success rate of the Ramsden horses which have won eight of the last 18.

The stable’s Rommel may have improved enough to reverse placings with Royal Marine in the first where Victorious Captain is an obvious danger.

The second juvenile race is trickier. Donovan Dillon partners Bayeto but stable companion Blow In The Box made up a lot of ground in the closing stages when unfancied on debut and may beat Phelan Lucky.

By Michael Clower

Visiting Western Cape trainers have already started to make their presence felt and while this has not been good news for the locals, the improved quality of the fields has led to an upturn in tote turnovers which is good news for all.

Brett Crawford (Nkosi Hlophe)

Brett Crawford is already off the mark in KZN this winter and his filly Clifton Sunset looks to have a bright chance in the Racing.it’s A Rush Middle Stakes that makes up a well filled card on the Greyville poly this evening.

It is also a late start but with just 20 minutes between races punters will need to do their homework early and be on their toes in the two-and-a-half hours or so that it takes to run the nine races.

Clifton Sunset takes on males and makes her poly debut but she comes off some smart Cape form including a close-up second last time out and as Anton Marcus is a master on the poly, Clifton Sunset looks set to open her KZN account.

Joint top weight Zloty Potok is back in blinkers after trying seven furlongs on the turf. Although well beaten he was taking on much stronger than what he meets this evening. He also goes very well on the poly so looks the obvious danger. Lil Red Rooster and Sister Cosmos are others to consider.

In the card opener, He’s A Keeper could become the first juvenile to win in open company. Alyson Wright’s gelding was a close-up second to subsequent winner Sniper Shot last time out and that form looks good enough in a field that is no great shakes.

A-Rod and Light Indigo are the two obvious choices in the second with the former possibly the pick of the pair having done well over course and distance and having her third start after a break while Light Indigo steps out for her new stable for the first time and although arriving with some useful Highveld form behind her name, it has been over a touch further.

Charles Laird holds the whip-hand in the Kidzone Handicap with Rockefeller and Team Guys with the former the likely ante-post favourite. But Byron Forster, KZN assistant to Andre Nel, could put one over them in the form of Keep On Chooglin. The lightly raced son of Trippi steps up to ten furlongs for the first time and the rise in trip could bring out the best in him. All of his recent form has been over 1400m where he has been caught for finishing speed come the final furlong but the gelding has been in good form over the shorter trip. There is no reason why he should not stay the extra and he will be a major contender.

Anton Marcus has kept faith with the three-year-old Rockefeller but Team Guys appeals more as he was finishing strongly to win his last race and could also enjoy the step up in trip although Marcus’s choice must be respected.

By Andrew Harrison

The biggest talking point at Scottsville yesterday was not so much the racing but trainer Paul Gadsby’s R40k fine imposed on Tuesday by the National Horseracing Authority after one of his grooms was caught on the on-course television camera kicking his charge in the stomach in the washing bay at Greyville some months back.

Paul Gadsby (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gadsby was spitting mad at the Ashburton training centre yesterday. “I wasn’t even on track at the time,” he said. “So how can I have control over a situation like that.”

The groom was subsequently disciplined and Gadsby assumed that that was the end of the matter.

There is, however, a NHA rule that states that a trainer is responsible for the behaviour of his staff, but trainers throughout the country, responding on WhatsApp, described the fine as lunacy, threatening drastic action.

Whether anything comes of their threats remains to be seen.

The meeting got off to a rough start with an objection lodged by Anton Marcus aboard the favourite Valcar against first-placed Flamboyant under apprentice Ashton Arries. The two came together at about the 200m mark with Flamboyant shifting onto Valcar then then following Valcar as the pair continued to shift in together without making contact.

Marcus was forced to object as with only three stipendiary stewards on duty, an objection by one of the stipendiary board would have left only two to deliberate the objection when the rule requires three.

After a lengthy deliberation, the objection was upheld.

Anton Marcus (Liesl King)

Owner Rick Nidd is a great fan of the stallion Ashaawes and he was repaid handsomely when Barinois obliged in the Track & Ball Gaming Maiden at only her second start. Owned in partnership with trainer Duncan Howells, Keagan de Melo rode a copybook race and his mount came through to win smoothly.

The stable was not so lucky next up as favourite Seattle Spell failed to fire with Ian Sturgeon extricating the well supported Just Positive from a tight situation to get up late to deny Angel Landing for Des Egdes. Just Positive raced in the silks of the late Andre van Vuuren who was a staunch supporter of the yard along with Mike Clutterbuck.

The Howells-trained Roman Emperor finally got his act together in the Itsarush.co.za Middle Stakes but it was a close-run thing. The gelding is not an easy ride but De Melo pinched an early lead and kept his mount hard to his task to hold a fast-finishing favourite Cape Fling, jockey Anthony Delpech having to endure some flavourful vitriol from a few of the favourite’s supporters around the second box.

But Dean Kannemeyer and Delpech had better luck on the rest of the card with Speed Of Africa and Orelia rounding off a successful afternoon for the yard.

By Andrew Harrison

Investec Cape Derby winner Edict Of Nantes could start his build-up towards the Vodacom Durban July in the Daisy Guineas at Greyville on May 7.

Edict Of Nantes (Liesl King)

Brett Crawford said: “I have nominated him for the race although it is not guaranteed that he will run. He has only had one grass gallop [in KZN] so he has a bit of work to do.”

The Mayfair Speculators colt has a terrible draw (18 out of 19) in the R600 000 Grade 2 but only Table Bay and Janoobi are rated higher.

Crawford then intends running Edict Of Nantes in the Daily News, a race he won with Jackson five years ago. He has yet to win the July but Angus was only beaten a head by Ipi Tombe in 2002 and Futura was little more than half a length-third to Legislate three years ago.

However only two Cape Derby winners have gone on to take the July this century – Dynasty in 2003 and Big City Life six years later.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Outside Track hosts a competitive eight race meeting tomorrow. High draws by trends are favourable in all races, but some of the best form horses on the day have low draws. An example is the three-year-old Toreador gelding Refuge, who runs in the highest merit rated race of the day, an MR 88 handicap over 1200m.

Refuge has three wins, two seconds and a third in eight career starts and has acquitted himself well against some useful sorts.

Piere Strydom

Piere Strydom has won on him twice and was aboard last time on his return from a three-and-a-half month layoff. On that occasion Strydom was forced to switch him inward for a run and he still managed to do some excellent work late to get up for third. He should have benefitted from that run and can win this time, but unfortunately the low draw of two is a concern.

Refuge’s Scott Kenny-trained stablemate Hidden Agenda is a fascinating runner in this race. This five-year-old Brave Tin Soldier gelding has won over 2000m before, yet his 1200m form makes good reading and includes a victory over the classy Rafeef.

The admirable Golden Man earns a cheque virtually every time he races and is effective over this trip so should run on into the money from a fair draw under his regular pilot Ryan Munger.

Al Azraq can’t be ignored as he has talent and has dropped to a competitive merit rating. He is drawn on the right side and his penultimate start can be ignored as he missed the break. However, it has to be said he had every chance last time at Turffontein over 1160m and failed to kick on, although he was found to be coughing afterwards.

Dennis The Menace is capable of a strong finish and has a good record over this course and distance, so can’t be ignored.

Morpheus, Kapitan and Machismo are also tough to ignore in a typically competitive sprint handicap.

The previous race, the sixth, is a fillies and mares MR 84 handicap over 1200m and Silver Class makes a lot of appeal. She was campaigned in strong plate races and feature races until last time when she was finally put back in a handicap off her lowered merit rating. She proved she was better than an 82 by running a good second in the 1450m event. She was duly raised three points, but still looks well handicapped and has a fair draw over her probable optimum trip.

The best bet on the day could be Playing Games in race three, a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1200m. She fought for her head early on over 1200m last time, but was still doing good work late to finish second. She should have benefitted from the experience and should be more settled this time. She is thus preferred to Martha’s Vineyard, a well-bred filly who made a good debut, but who is bred to Northern Hemisphere time so is six months younger than her contemporaries and she also has the tough number one draw to overcome.

By David Thiselton