Noah From Goa and Light The Lights will be aimed next at the Gr1 Jebel Hatta over 1800m on Super Saturday at Meydan, 4 March.

They finished second and fifth respectively to Championship in Thursday’s Gr2 Zabeel Mile and Mike de Kock commented on his website [Mikedekockracing.com]: “Noah From Goa was beaten fair and square, he ran a good race, I think he still has a length or two in the tank and Christophe reckons he will see out the 1800m of the Jebel Hatta.

“Light The Lights carried just a little extra condition, he will have no problems with the 1800m and should be stripped on the night.

Watch Noah From Goa – courtesy of Andrew Bon: 

Andre Nel has a 20% strike rate at Kenilworth this season  – only Shane Humby, with six winners from just 30 runners, can match that – and Sabine Plattner’s private trainer can strike with Kampala Campari in the Racing.Its A Rush Handicap tomorrow.

This colt won first time out on New Year’s Eve and was beaten only half a length when pitched into handicap company three weeks later.  True, the assessors hit him with a 2kg rise for that but the extra two furlongs here may swing the balance.

Richard Fourie (Liesl King)

Punters are beginning to take a jaundiced view of Kapteinspandiseile after two successive defeats, both times starting hot favourite, but the Mike Robinson runner should be a better price in the mile maiden (race four).

On the day after last time’s disappointing fifth at 6-10 the trainer reported to the stipes that the horse returned with a distended off-fore fetlock.

“He was trotting sound but his joint was slightly swollen,” the trainer explains. “But he is a big-striding horse and he fought for his head in the race. I feel he would have done better had he been allowed to stride on. You will see a different horse on Saturday.”

Richard Fourie, who had the mount on the last two occasions, has preferred to partner what he hopes is the aptly-named Perfect Choice who finished a fifth of a length the better last time but the Kaptein is taken to score for Donovan Dillon.

Herodus, third to subsequent Kuda Sprint winner Bold Respect, is the only raced runner in the opening Juvenile Maiden. That form should be good enough despite Victorious Captain (fifth) failing to frank it last Saturday. However R500 000 buy Valedictorian gets the vote.

The Fillies Maiden 35 minutes later looks wide open and it could be worth taking a chance with newcomer Straat-Kind to give Nel his 38^th winner of the campaign.

By Michael Clower

If you’ve been following the handful of Tony Nassif runners campaigned in KZN this season, especially on the Greyville polytrack, you’ve probably been handsomely rewarded. Highveld-based Nassif has saddled just five runners on the Greyville polytrack this term for two wins and a second, and he saddles Tales Of Mambo who has strong claims on best form in the fourth on the Greyville poly tonight.

Tales Of Mambo has been struggling a bit for form this season but this has resulted in her merit rating taking a nose dive [74 > 53] and the return to KZN – where she’s earned the majority of her stakes to date – could see her bounce back to best. In fact, her last win was on the Greyville poly over 2000m and she seems equally effective over tonight’s shorter mile trip.

Tales Of Mambo (Nkosi Hlophe)

The four-year-old filly looks extremely well in off a current mark of 53 and when you factor in the additional 4kg claim of apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka, as well as Nassif’s impressive strike rate at this track, Tales Of Mambo appeals as a solid eachway play at opening odds of 13/2.

Exotic players would be justified in playing wide in this apprentice handicap and course and distance specialist Gavea Girl is one that warrants inclusion in all perms. Like Tales Of Mambo, her merit rating has been dropping – albeit less dramatically – and the removal of the blinkers suggests that her poor last effort over this track and trip can be forgiven.

Roy’s Dollar beat a few of these home, including Gavea Girl, four starts back over this track and trip and warrants respect with the blinkers fitted following a few one-paced efforts.

The exciting and innovative 20/20 format limits Anthony Delpech to just four rides this evening but he could get the ball rolling early with Fashion Talk in the opener. Delpech has been somewhat selective with his rides since his recent return from injury but he upped his average mounts per meeting with seven rides at Greyville on Sunday and scored with three of them. Fashion Talk loves the poly and was a fluent winner at this track two starts back. A solid follow-up effort suggests that she’s still competitive off her revised mark and Fashion Silk is another that looks value at opening odds of 9/2.

The Dennis Drier yard raised a few eyebrows midweek with a big-priced double and can score again with Sazerac in the third. The Philanthropist filly over-raced last time out and appears at her best when held up for a run. She produced a strong finish from off the pace two starts back and a repeat of that effort could prove enough to score in this lineup.

By Brendan Pather

The Allez France Stakes over 2000m for fillies and mares heads a nine race meeting on the Turffontein Inside track tomorrow. Silver Stripe is selected to win the race, despite being 4kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby on official merit ratings.

She is a four-year-old by Silvano, so will be coming into her own. In her penultimate start over 2450m Silver Stripe was relaxed in the running and cruised in to win easing up by 4,75 lengths. She was duly given the maximum eight point raise.

Raymond Danielson

Her next race over 2000m, in which Allez France contender Cidada beat her comfortably, can be ignored as she was caught wide the whole way. She now has pole position. Raymond Danielson has a fine pair of hands, so should be able to settle her quickly and find the necessary cover. If all goes according to plan she should quicken off the elbow and stay on resolutely.

Patchit Up Baby is officially the best weighted horse. She settles well in the running, usually at the back, and under Gavin Lerena will almost certainly produce her usual resolute finish. On this tight track she might run out of time to catch Silver Stripe.

However, she will likely go close and has to be included in all the exotics. Cidada is also officially 4kg under sufferance, but this Galileo filly has always struck as one who would improve as she matured. She won well over 2000m last time and should love this trip, so can earn from a good draw of two.

Tiger Flame is 3kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby on official merit ratings and can earn, although her best run recently has been on the Standside track, and she has a tricky draw of seven. Inaninstant is the second best in at the weights and is officially only 1,5kg under sufferance with Patchit Up Baby. However, she has lacked lustre in her last couple of starts and will have to bounce back. They are selected in the order mentioned.

The best bet on the card is given to the Weiho Marwing-trained Geosphere in the third race over 2200m. Last time she was drawn wide over 2000m in a workrider’s maiden and over raced until finding cover, but she still managed to stay on well. This time she has a better draw and the experienced Weichong Marwing is aboard. The pace will be on in this race which will also suit. The Marwing yard are renowned for their expertise with stayers and the A. P. Arrow filly does not have a lot to beat.

By David Thiselton

Klawervlei Majorca third Goodtime Gal will wear blinkers for the first time when she runs in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday week.

Mike Robinson said: “I thought she was going to win the Majorca when she hit the front but she got lazy with nothing to pull her through to the line. That was the second time that she has done this so I am going to try her with a pair of blinkers.”

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Silver Mountain, a length and a half further back fifth when starting favourite, will renew rivalry on Saturday week despite being 2kg worse. She had a terrible draw in the Majorca but will start from midfield this time. Goodtime Gal, though, is drawn 23 out of 30.

Nightingale, who won the Majorca, is again Durban-bound. “She is having a break at the moment and has been in a paddock for the past fortnight,” reported Candice Bass-Robinson.

Captain’s Flame, who failed to run up to her best when only seventh in the Majorca, will try again in the 1 400m Grade 3. “I think she is coming back to herself now,” said Andre Nel.

Bela-Bela, although beaten less than four and a half lengths when seventh in the Sun Met, apparently also did not give all that she is capable of.

Justin Snaith said: “Things didn’t go her way. She hung badly and we still don’t know why but Anthony Delpech couldn’t ride her out in the last 200m. It might have been the pressure because it was a hard race for a filly at almost level weights with the winner. Nothing has been confirmed yet but I suppose she will go to Durban again.”

Quick Brown Fox, who hasn’t been seen since her rough passage in the Cape Fillies Guineas, is on the easy list. She started second favourite but met with serious interference and finished with only one behind her.

Ridgemont manager Craig Carey said: “She was lame after the race and she has had a muscle problem in her wither ever since. We are in no hurry with her because she will be special and we believe she will win something big in the next Cape season.”

By Michael Clower