Turffontein Inside track stages a low key nine race meeting on Saturday and the highest rated event is a MR 104 Handicap over 1200m.

The talented Champagne Haze has plenty of pace and has been seen to over race around the turn before, so he is interesting dropped to this trip. Andrew Fortune has abandoned the evergreen Pivotal Pursuit to pilot Champagne Haze They are drawn one away from the outside so it won’t be easy. The speedy Greasepaint has the outside draw but will make a bold bid as he has some outstanding recent form from 1000-1200m. Roy Magner puts the blinkers on when he runs over 1000m and takes them off over this trip. Piere Strydom is aboard so he should be right there. British Royale is a progressive sort who has won his last three in succession and he should be involved carrying a nice galloping weight of 53kg off his 97 merit rating. Pivotal Pursuit can never be written off, although he was given four points for his win last time.

African Ruler has a Gr 1 runner up finish to his name over this trip and Gavin Lerena should get the best out of him, although carrying 61kg off his 106 merit rating won’t be easy.

African Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the 8^th race, a MR 93 Handicap for fillies and mares over 2000m, Nother Russia makes plenty of appeal as she is likely to love this trip, being out of the star mare Mother Russia, who was an unlucky loser of the J&B Met. Nother Russia has some class and should rise above her current 87 merit rating. This is also her third run after an eight month layoff.

Earlier, in race 6, Nother Russia’s Mike de Kock-trained stablemate Red Pomegranate is an interesting runner in a MR 76 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m. She has speed, as well as ability, and is likely to be right there. However, the tip to beat her is Cape Orchid as she looks to be on the up and will be receiving 2kg. She will be race fit too, while Red Pomegranate is returning from a 123 day layoff.

In the first leg of the PA over 1800m, Magic Sword has run two fair races over 1600m and 1800m respectively and has little to beat, so should go in from a good draw.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a weak maiden for fillies and mares over 1800m, Prada Princess, Sheema and Quintessa should fight it out.

The fifth race over 2600m is very tough, but Talbec is interesting without blinkers from a good draw as he has tended to be a bit strong in the running in his races and yet has still always been right there. Commodore Al beat Talbec by 0,25 lengths over 2400m recently, but is now 2kg worse off.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 and PA over 2000m, End Game won her maiden fluently over 1800m and will enjoy the further step up in trip, so can follow up off a reasonable merit rating of 77. Turn Back Time and Barcelona Babe have to be considered too.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier will be sweating on the performance of Miss Frankel at Kenilworth tomorrow where the much-hyped filly makes her debut. However, the veteran trainer will be immediately concerned with the performance of Heir Line at Greyville this evening. The colt has had a couple of warm-ups for this maiden event and should strip pretty much close to his peak. With Anthony Delpech up from a plum draw he will have his supporters.

Dennis Drier(Nkosi Hlophe)

However, Highveld raiders are seldom less than competitive and Johan Janse van Vuuren is raiding with two runners, the first of which is Captain Rockhopper who takes on Heir Line.

Like his rival, Captain Rockhopper has only has a couple of outings but stretches to this trip for the first time. His pedigree suggest that he will enjoy every yard of the trip and with Anton Marcus booked for the ride the inference is obvious.

Both horses make their poly debut but Master Shogun is familiar with the surface and improved nicely when sent over a ‘mile’ at his last outing. Apprentice Denis Schwarz takes 2.5kg off the back of Alyson Wright’s charge and this trio look the pick of the Pick 6 opener.

Sean Tarry is in such hot form of late that he could saddle the stable cat to win and he sends out Lonely Arethebrave in the Soccer 6 Handicap. There was only a nose separating Tarry’s runner and Breakfast Club last time out but the former spread a shoe in running so one could possibly add a length or two to that showing. Dean Kannemeyer sends out Tanjiro and Night Circus with the latter possibly pick of the pair with stable rider Anthony Delpech aboard and blinkers on for the first time. Tanjiro has not been out since early November but is never far back and Eric Ngwane has dine well on him before so cannot be written off.

Janse van Vuuren saddles the Australian-bred Readforyourlove in the fifth and the switch to poly could be exactly what the front-running daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown could be looking for aided by a light weight and a pole position draw.

By Andrew Harrison

Marinaresco put his run of bad draws behind him when rider Grant Van Niekerk stepped in to pick the plum number two position at today’s Sun Met draw ceremony at Kenilworth.

Marinaresco Liesl King

The second favourite earlier worked well over a mile with leading Investec Derby hope Horizon, ridden by Belinda Haytread of Pocket Power fame, and Van Niekerk’s mount stretched clear in the final 400m.

“It was just easy pace work,” said Candice Bass-Robinson while her jockey added: “I was pleased with Marinaresco, it was a good gallop and he is doing very well.”

Legal Eagle drew nine, not that it matters with Anton Marcus – he is so quick coming out of the pens – but the four-time champion was pleased with his mount’s work with stable companion French Navy (Weichong Marwing) although neither horse was asked to do that much.

“It was probably more for the well-being of the public but Legal Eagle is in a good place,” Marcus reported while Marwing added: “French Navy has definitely come on since the Queen’s Plate and he will be better over the Met trip. I think he can finish in the money.”

French Navy is drawn one and it was mostly outsiders who were hammered with wide berths. Even The Conglomerate, almost perpetually blighted with bad draws, has a decent spot in seven.

The Durban July winner was ridden by Jannie Bekker in his work with Macduff (Donovan Dillon) and the retired jockey got off saying: “If Frankie Dettori decides he doesn’t want to ride him I will be happy to take over!”

Bela-Bela Liesl King

With the big race only nine days away hardly any of the horses were asked to exert themselves in earnest and several worked on their own. Perhaps the most eye-catching of these was Bela-Bela (Anthony Delpech). The grey filly went a mile with her tongue lolling out. “She loves her work and she is doing well,” said the well-pleased rider while an impressed Justin Snaith added: “She has to have that come-on look and she was very impressive.”

Whisky Baron also looked good in his solo spin over 1 400m and rider Greg Cheyne said: “I couldn’t have been happier with that – he is maintaining his form beautifully. There are some top horses in the race but mine is on the up and on the way he won a Grade 2 last time he is definitely reaching their level.”

One who did not gallop was the Cape Guineas second Gold Standard and Glen Kotzen reported: “I galloped him over ten furlongs here ten days ago, the ground was very firm – they are watering but the South-Easter dries it up – and he was jarred afterwards. I will have him fit and fresh on race day.”

By Michael Clower

The draws for the country’s richest Grade 1 race were done on Thursday after the horses galloped publicly.

Most of the unwanted wide berths were taken by outsiders. Dean Kannemeyer, still looking for his first Met win, fared particularly badly with Cape Speed drawing widest of all at No 15 and Mambo Mime only two places better.

Whisky Baron gallop – Liesl King

Hassen Adams, owner of Mac de Lago, recalled that his 2011 winner Past Master started from gate No 15 and his horse in this year’s Met fared only marginally better at No 14.

The one who really benefitted was Marinaresco who was drawn wide when second in the Durban July last year and when disappointing in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. Grant van Niekerk picked pen No 2. “I’m glad Mr Shirtliff is not doing the draw because he only gets bad ones”, the jockey joked.

The Conglomerate, whose long run of bad draws included the July which he won, the Summer Cup and the Queen’s Plate, fared much better this time, drawing at No 7. He also worked well when he went with stable companion Macduff (Donovan Dillon). The Conglomerate was ridden by retired jockey Jannie Bekker, who got off and announced: “If Frankie Dettori decides he doesn’t want the horse I will be happy to take the ride!”

For once the gallops took place in a light drizzle, ideal for the horses but not for the sizeable crowd of onlookers, and Legal Eagle (Anton Marcus) was the first to work alongside French Navy (Weichong Marwing). They were not asked to do that much – and with the big race only nine days away nor were most of the others – but Marcus expressed himself satisfied with the favourite. “That was more for the well-being of the public but Legal Eagle is in a good place,” said the four-time champion.

Marwing, who won this race on legendary Horse Chestnut in 1999, was every bit as pleased with French Navy and said: “French Navy is not the most impressive worker but I was happy with him. He has definitely come on since the Queen’s Plate and he will be better over the Met trip. I think he can finish in the money.”

Marinaresco impressed when worked over 1600m with stable companion Horizon (Belinda Haytread) and Van Niekerk said: “I was pleased with him. It was a good gallop and he is doing very well.”

Heavily backed Whisky Baron worked on his own over 1400m and rider Greg Cheyne said: “All good – I couldn’t be happier with that. He is maintaining his form beautifully.”

Bela-Bela (Anthony Delpech) was the other runner high up in the betting to go well, working on her own over 1600m with her tongue lolling out. “That was a proper gallop and she was very impressive,”said Justin Snaith.

Gold Standard did not gallop after being jarred up on firm ground when worked at Kenilworth 10 days ago. “I will have him fit and fresh on raceday,” vowed Glen Kotzen.

The field for the R5-million Sun Met celebrated with Mumm (Grade 1) over 2000m in order of saddlecloth number, draw, horse, trainer, jockey, weight and merit rating:

Same trainer: (1,7) (3,13) (5,10,14) (6,8) (11,12)

Vodacom Durban July winner The Conglomerate has been eased from 16-1 to 20-1 for Saturday week’s Sun Met despite being ridden by Frankie Dettori.

Betting World has made surprisingly few changes to its prices considering it had a book of 23 horses on Monday morning and there are now just 15 runners. There were 14 in each of the last two years and in 2007 when Pocket Power chalked up the first of his three wins. Other than that 15 is the smallest for a Met field in the last 25 years.

Legal Eagle remains 6-4 favourite and Whisky Baron is also unchanged at 9-2 but Marinaresco has been cut from 7-2 to 5-2. That said, fourth favourite  Bela-Bela has taken a walk from 13-2 to 9-1. Other prices are 11-1 Gold Standard, 14-1 It’s My Turn,20-1 Captain America, 40-1 Mac De Lago, French Navy, Brazuca, 66-1 Baritone, 100-1 Cape Speed, Mambo Mime and Macduff.

The eight who were not declared were the Mike De Kock trio Bold Rex, Heavenly Blue and Al Fahad, the Geoff Woodruff pair Master Sabina and Deo Juvente, St Tropez (Joey Ramsden), Nebula (Brett Crawford) and Rocketball (Gavin van Zyl).

Michael Clower