Anton Marcus and Anthony Delpech ride many a false favourite as their mere presence in the saddle trims much of the fat off returns, be it the tote or bookmakers. Piere Strydom is outspoken in this regard and has been vilified in some quarters as being a poor sport and just making excuses.

Anton Marcus (Nkosi Hlophe)

The simple fact is that riders of the ilk of Delpech, Marcus and Strydom are at the top of the pile because of sheer ability and as a consequence can cherry-pick rides. However, they may not necessary be on the best rides, but only on the best mounts they could secure as many stables also having preferred riders. Often in their defence a horse whose form suggests that it is say a 5-1 chance can start as short as 16-10 simply because of who’s been pencilled in to ride.

That said, Delpech and Marcus look set to fight out the first leg of the Greyville PA this evening where Delpech will be aboard likely ante-post favourite Georgina for Alyson Wright with Marcus in the saddle on Saint Karli for Jeff Freeman. The two fillies met last time out with Georgina shading Saint Karli so with two top riders in action and the balance of the field nothing to write home about we should be in for a tactical battle between two of the best.

Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

Beaten favourite Modesty can get the Jackpot rolling and make amends for her disappointing last effort when starting at a short-price. She was all at sea on the soft Scottsville track and a switch to the firmer poly could bring out the best in Duncan Howells’s filly.

Dean Kannemeyer’s runner Figaro makes his local debut in the Track & Ball Gaming Plate after showing some promise in the Cape and is the likely favourite. The Silvano gelding is rated far superior to anything else in the field and although this will be his first outing since gelding, if the ratings are correct he should be difficult to beat even if not at his peak. Of the opposition, Kali’s King improved with gelding and back over a more suitable trip could pose a threat.

Mr Hallo can round off the evening’s proceedings for Gavin van Zyl and stable rider Warren Kennedy. Since being relocated from Van Zyl’s Gauteng satellite yard, the Kahal gelding has put up two smart showings on the Greyville poly track and although he has picked up three pounds for his recent placings, his rating has dropped from a career high of 84 to tonight’s 67.

By Andrew Harrison

Meydan Selections  Saturday Mar 25

Race 1 (13) KAFUJI TAKE (3) Le Bernadien (8) Heavy Metal (include 2-6-7)

Race 2 (1) FAUCON DE LOUP (10) Sniper De Monlau (12) Handassa (include 11-9-13-7)

Race 3 (12) HEARTBREAK CITY (7) Big Orange (8) Kingfisher (include 1-11-3)

Race 4 (13) THUNDER SNOW (3) Lancaster Bomber (10) Epicharis (include 6-5-9-2)

Race 5 (6) ERTIJAAL (11) Limato (1) Amazing Kids (include 5-3-12)

Race 6 (14) MIND YOUR BISCUITS (11) St Joe Bay (5) Cool Cowboy (include 8-2-6)

Race 7 (2) ZARAK (4) Decorated Knight (6) Mutakayyef (include 13-1-7)

Race 8 (3) HIGHLAND REEL (7) Postponed (5) Prize Money (include 6-2)

Race 9 (9) ARROGATE (5) Gun Runner (12) Hoppertunity (include 7-4-14)

For downloadable Meydan racecards visit www.tabgold.co.za OR http://www.emiratesracing.com/node/3?id=2788

Featuring Paul Lafferty and Budgie Byrne

Andrew Bon chats to Pat Cummings

Andrew Bon chats to Laura King, Malan du Toit and Pat Cosgrave

Andrew Bon chats to trainer Mike de Kock in the lead up to the 2017 Dubai World Cup

Andrew Bon chats to trainer Bob Baffert in the lead up to the 2017 Dubai World Cup

The Gr 1 R1 million weight for age Empress Club Stakes has been moved from 15 April to 22 April for the reason Phumelela are hoping to be graced by the on course presence of HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Princess Charlene of Monaco

The prestigious Turffontein Standside 1600m event for fillies and mares will also be named the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes. Furthermore, the two maiden plate races of R250,000 which Princess Charlene sponsors and which were previously run on Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile day have been moved to this meeting.

The later date of the race will be welcomed by Highveld trainers of top three-year-old fillies as this will give them three weeks recovery time after the Gr 1 SA Fillies Classic, which is to be run on April 1. On the other hand, the race will now be only two weeks before the Gr 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas at Greyville in KZN, which is to be run on May 7.

One top three-year-old filly who will be in the Empress Club Stakes is the Roy Magner-trained Anna Pavlova and she will arrive relatively fresh as she is skipping the SA Fillies Classic.

Anna Pavlova, by St Petersburg, was purchased in-training by Barry Irwin’s Team Valor International before her last start in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, although a share in her was retained by original owners Courtney and Megan Soal.

She has a magnificent turn of foot, which was evident when she won the Gr 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track.

However, from a wide draw in the Fillies Guineas, she was simply too far out of her ground turning for home. She did run on well in the very soft conditions for a six length seventh, so connections will be hoping for a better draw this time.

Anna Pavlova is only merit rated 93, so is going to face a tough task at the weights. However, it will be fitting to have her in a race on the same day of the visit of Princess Charlene as she was named after one of the most graceful ballerina’s of all time.

By David Thiselton