Dual Grade 1-winner French Navy has been backed from 40-1 to 25-1 for Saturday’s Sun Met following Sean Tarry’s comments about the horse at last Thursday’s draw ceremony.

The champion trainer said: “People in this game have short memories but just look at his last Grade 1 race in Jo’burg. He has come along nicely and I was very happy with his run in the Queen’s Plate. I think he is a value bet for a place.”

The place odds have also shrunk to as little as 3-1 with Betting World. The five-year-old was beaten six lengths when eighth in the Queen’s Plate but rider Weichong Marwing is convinced that he has come on since. The Turffontein Grade 1 that Tarry was referring to is the Champions Challenge when French Navy was a two-length second to Legal Eagle and he is now 2kg better with the favourite.

Tarry believes that the top end of the market reflects the strength of the opposition to Legal Eagle pretty accurately – “I think they have probably got the betting right. I have a lot of respect for those in single figures. Whisky Baron has come along the soft route but he has been very impressive and he is certainly worth respecting.”

Tarry, who won the 2005 Met with 50-1 chance Alastor, has deliberately saved the talented Cloth Of Cloud for the $500 000 CTS Sprint and he was pleased with the way last season’s SA Nursery winner went with Carry On Alice in a spin on the course last week.

Cloth Of Cloud is 7-2 second favourite with World Sports Betting which has installed Sergeant Hardy as 18-10 favourite. It has Carry On Alice heading the Betting World Cape Flying Championship market at 22-10 with stable companion Trip To Heaven second favourite at 33-10.

Silver Mountain is 22-10 favourite for the Klawervlei Majorca despite her terrible draw (20 out of 20) with the Bass-Robinson second string Nightingale (drawn almost as badly at 16) on 11-2. Star Express (drawn seven) is 9-2 second favourite.

Horizon is hot favourite for the Investec Cape Derby at 11-10 with Frankie Dettori’s mount Edict Of Nantes next best on 7-2 and Table Bay a generous-looking 4-1. Anton Marcus’s mount is officially rated 3.5kg better than anything else in the field.

The bookies are offering huge prices on some of Dettori’s other mounts – 25-1 Vortex Star(Kuda Sprint) and Seventh Plain (Cape Flying), and 50-1 French Legend in the CTS Sprint.

By Michael Clower

Turffontein Tuesday [standside] Jan 24 Tips and Suggested bets by INForm

Selections:

Race 1. (7) SANDALWOOD  (5) LOLITA DELAGO  (6) MISS APHRODITE

Race 2. (5) MUJALLAD  (1) AGITATOR  (7) WHORLY WHORLY

Race 3. (4) RIGHTS OF MAN  (2) SCOTT’S PINE  (1) TOGETHER FOREVER

Race 4. (4) ORDAINED  (5) OMO POWER  (1) LOVE TRYST

Race 5. (3) AL SAHEM  (1) DOOSRA  (4) LIFE IS GOOD

Race 6. (9) SUPER STRATUM  (2) DANZA  (1) URGENT FURY

Race 7. (1) AL AZRAQ  (2) ALL NIGHT FLIGHT  (4) MISSION CONTROL

Race 8. (7) SPRING STEEL  (12) VARS PRIDE  (14) DRAGOON

Place Accumulator: (R18)

Leg 1: 5

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 4

Leg 4: 3

Leg 5: 9,2

Leg 6: 1,2,4

Leg 7: 7,12,14

Pick 6: (R960)

Leg 1: 4,2,1,9

Leg 2: 4,5

Leg 3: 3,1

Leg 4: 9,2,1

Leg 5: 1,2,4,6

Leg 6: 7,12,14,1,11

Jackpot: (R60)

Leg 1: 4,5

Leg 2: 3,1

Leg 3: 9,2,1

Leg 4: 1,2,4,6,7

Best Bet:

Race 4: 4

Value Bet:

Race 6: 9

Summerveld trainer Frank Robinson has two raiders at Kenilworth’s big Sun Met meeting and these could be shrewd entries, despite the strength of Cape racing at present.

His Dynasty filly Olma runs in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m  from draw nine under the pilot who knows her best, Ian Sturgeon. She has been with Mike de Kock’s string in Cape Town for three weeks already and Robinson said Nathan Kotzen had reported her to be working “like a machine.”

She will be fit from her run in the Gr 3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m where she was undone by a slow pace, but stayed on well for a 5,6 length fourth. On the form of that race she will not have much of a chance as the winner of the race, Fort Ember, was merit rated 96 and was receiving only 1kg from Olma. However, Fort Ember is without doubt on the way up and looks to be a promising sort. Furthermore, Olma likely needed the run.

Robinson also said she prefers running away from horses, unlike in the Flamboyant when she went down the inside. One factor which is definitely in the favour of the classy five-year-old Olma, is that she is one of only three representatives in the race of a fillies crop which is regarded as probably the best in South African history. Furthermore, she is better performed at this trip than the other two, Real Princess and Beach Goddess.

She finished a 0,5 length second to one of the best of that vintage crop, Inara, in last season’s Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over this trip and a reproduction of that effort will see her right in the thick of things. A downside to her chances is she has never performed well way from KZN. However, all of those runs have been in Johannesburg. This is at the coast and she has had enough time to settle down.

Robinson’s runner in the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby is The Winter Is Coming, who is merit rated only 90 and thus has a lot to do in the weight for age event against the like of 106 merit rated Table Bay.

However, he is unexposed at this trip and looks likely to relish it. He is by Western Winter and is out of a half-sister to Sansui Summer Cup runner up Deo Juvente, while his champion grandam Circle Of Life is a half-sister to J&B Met winner Zebra Crossing. Winter Is Coming leaves for Cape Town tomorrow and will arrive on Wednesday.

Robinson has no doubt he will travel well as he is a very laid back type. He likes to run from the front and this could be in his favour in a race where Table Bay, who has a stamina doubt, is the only other handy type. Therefore as a relaxed type he might be able to dictate. He has a wide draw of nine but is a long-striding sort and should be able to get over into the front by the first turn.

In his last start over 1400m on the Greyville poly in a Progress Plate he led and then kept on finding extra when challenged by the highly touted 104 merit rated Red Chesnut Road. He was receiving 4kg and the latter was returning from a seven month layoff, but he was pulling away at the line and struck as one who was looking for further. A tongue tie was a big help him to him in that race as he had choked up in his previous start.

Robinson had been in two minds about sending him to Cape Town until that last start.  He is an intriguing runner. He will have had a gallop before leaving tomorrow and has never showed signs of green-ness so should not be bothered by the new course and the left hand turn.

By David Thiselton

The Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2 000m at Kenilworth on Saturday could have class versus stamina as its chief protagonists.

Table Bay, an Australian-bred by Redoute’s Choice, is merit rated seven points higher than any other runner on 107. He has a ton of class, a beautiful action and a fine turn of foot.

He does have a speedy pedigree, but milers are able to win this race if they have the class, with Capetown Noir being a good example. However, they would usually be ridden cold to do so and this is an unlikely scenario with this horse as his good gate speed and big action has consistently taken him to the front over shorter.

But from a draw of two there is perhaps a chance Table Bay could end up sitting behind the front-running sort Winter Is Coming, who is drawn wide. Jockey Anton Marcus will have to be at his brilliant best to keep enough in reserve for this highly regarded horse.

Edict Of Nantes stayed on from well back in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas to be beaten 0,6 lengths by pace setter Table Bay.

He beat Table Bay when running on strongly from near last in the Selangor Cup, also over 1 600m. There is speed in his female line and his sire Count Dubois was a miler, but the latter has produced an SA Oaks winner and a Daily News 2000 winner in French Navy.

On running style Edict Of Nantes looks likely to stay the trip on this course and should be involved in the finish.

Elevated is out of sprinter by Spaceship but is by SA Derby winner Elusive Fort and on his Cape Guineas run, when widely drawn and staying on well from quite a handy position he should enjoy this trip. He should be right there from a good draw.

Horizon impressed in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m when relaxing well in the running, quickening well and staying on to the line. He is likely improving being a Candice Bass-Robinson-trained son of Dynasty. He is out of a sister to Silvano, so should relish the trip and is drawn in pole.

Australian-bred Zodiac Ruler was caught wide in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas, so not surprisingly faded. He had earlier plugged on in the Lanzerac Ready To Run over 1 400m to finish midfield.

Zodiac Ruler was an impressive winner of the Gr 2 Golden Horseshoe at Greyville over 1 400m and also quickened well when second in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1 600m.

His sire Zoffany has sired a Prix d’le Arc de Triomphe winner, Rail Link, but his damline is speedy and his dam is in fact a half-sister to the champion sprinter Laisserfaire. There must be a slight stamina doubt for this good looking, robust sort.

Australian-bred Newlands looked a touch unlucky last time out over 1 800m in the GR 3 Cartier Politician Stakes as he took a while to find a split and by the time he had done so Horizon had pinched a few lengths. He closed in late to be beaten at level weights by 1,25 lengths.

Newlands is by Epsom Derby winner High Chapparal and his dam, who won over 1 600m, is a half-sister to a Champion Two-year-old colt in Australia, Vancouver, who won the Gr 1 Golden Slipper. Therefore his pedigree looks to be ideal for this course and distance. A draw of six should be favourable for a slow starter who is likely to be held up.

KZN raider Winter Is Coming kept on finding extra in a Progress Plate over 1 400m on the Greyville poly last time to repel the much touted 104 merit rated Red Chesnut Road, although he was receiving 4kg and the latter was returning from an eight month layoff. He will relish the step up in trip on pedigree.

Winter Is Coming is by Western Winter and is out of a half-sister to Sansui Summer Cup runner-up Deo Juvente, while his champion grandam Circle Of Life is a half-sister to J&B Met winner Zebra Crossing. He is a laid back type, who likes to run from the front and a tongue tie helped him last time.

Ollivander is a rangy, long-striding sort who will be improving all the time. This is especially as he is a Bass-Robinson-trained son of Silvano. He stayed on to be beaten two lengths by stablemate Horizon in the Politician Stakes. However, he is now 3kg worse off with the latter and is drawn ten out of ten, so has it all to do.

Omaha Tribe is a staying type and off quite an exposed merit rating of 75 looks to be an optimistic entry.

Captain Gambler is a long-striding sort by Captain Al and is a half-sister to Liquid Mercury, who finished a 4,8 length third in the 2015 Cape Derby behind Ertijaal. She stayed on from last in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas for a 4,35 length eighth.

She then stayed on again for a 4,15 length seventh in the Listed Jamaica Handicap for fillies and mares over the Cape Derby 2 000m course and distance.

Captain Gambler will be getting 2,5kg from the boys, which is worth about two lengths in handicapping terms, and has scope. However, she was only running off a 91 merit rating in the Jamaica and will need to step up considerably.

By David Thiselton

“A July horse in a maiden field,” is a big statement by any stretch of the imagination but if you are an owner who likes to rough up the ‘old enemy’ then it’s music to your ears. Popular owner Alesh Naidoo is no friend of the bookmakers and Duncan Howells gave him all the confidence in the opener at Greyville yesterday and the confidence was not misplaced.

Recently signed up stable rider Keagan de Melo had favourite Roman Emperor in the box seat throughout and quickened up the inside rail to win comfortably in spite of racing green.

This may not have been the strongest of maiden fields but Roman Emperor won as the stable expected. “He has lots of scope to improve,” said Howells post-race. “He was still green on the turn and Keagan said he wasn’t travelling.”

De Melo has recently signed on as stable rider to Howells who is notoriously difficult to please. “Jockey’s don’t last long with me,” Howells quipped post-race. “Anton (Marcus) and Anthony (Delpech) have done well for me but both are contracted to top stables and I need a jockey who can give me a length or two advantage.”

With most trainers in Cape Town attending the CTS Yearling Sales where Saturday’s top price was R6million paid by Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier, it was left to the assistants to fill in. Vuzi Ndlovu has been with Paul Lafferty from his days in Ashburton and was on hand to saddle a treble for the yard, all ridden by apprentice Diego De Gouveia.

Tropical Blow was followed up in the very next by Roy’s Strike Force and the Lafferty-stable treble was completed with La Gitanila finishing with a wet sail to land the seventh.

It was not a day for backers of favourites as Hot Chilli (10-1) gave apprentice Sandile Mbhele the second winner of his career for Garth Puller. The former top jockey a mentor for many a young apprentice.

Duncan Howells was assistant to top trainer David Payne before the latter up-staked and moved to Australia and Gavin van Zyl, who had recently taken out his trainer’s license, was quick to snaffle up Opensea Mhlamvu, Payne’s long-time head groom who had a wealth of experience behind him.

With Van Zyl in Cape Town, Mhlamvu did the honours yesterday as Paint The Way saw off the fancied runners in the second.

By Andrew Harrison