Sophomore form was in disarray yesterday when William Longsword (30-1) swung hard and fast under MJ Byleveld to decapitate his rivals in the Gr1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas at Kenilworth and give Vaughan Marshall his fourth win in the classic.

There were many question marks hanging over the opening Gr1 of the season but the first leaks in the form appeared when yesterday’s favourite Table Bay – ominously easy to back at 3-1 – took a hiding in the Selangor Cup when all were singing his praises after his facile victory in the Cape Classic.

Taken to the front by Anton Marcus, and leading into the final two furlongs, Table Bay was soon in trouble. Byleveld, tracking the leader and racing in the same Mayfair Speculator silks barring a red cap, picked his moment and powered past the tiring favourite.

Gold Standard, ahead of William Longsword in the Selangor, reversed the placings to gave the Guineas form some creditability.

Joey Ramsden was on record that Table Bay’s defeat in the Selangor was due to racing too handy so it was puzzling when Marcus bounced the gate and took Table Bay to set the pace with Byleveld sitting on his tail. Two furlongs out, Table Bay was out of puff, surrendering his lead as William Longsword whistled past.

It was not all plain sailing as Richard Fourie sent Gold Standard out of the pack to challenge but for all intents and purposes the race was over.

The expected Highveld challenge failed to materialise with both Singapore Sling and Heavenly Blue failing to fire while the KZN pair of Hack Green and Gunner were similarly disappointing.

Table Bay hung on to finish third ahead of a wall of horses.

The result was not unexpected as most pundits were divided on the form, so just how things pan out over the following six months will be interesting.

Earlier, Justin Snaith had made no bones that he has struggled to find a suitable comeback race for star filly Bela-Bela and the plan almost came unstuck in a slow-run Conditions Plate. To be fair Bela-Bela would not have been disgraced in defeat over a distance short of optimum but under a tremendous ride by Anton Marcus her class told and she goes into her Summer features with a good prep under her girth.

Off a desperate early gallop, Bela-Bela was lobbing along midfield but Marcus had all in hand and was in no hurry to make his move. He kept the grey covered for as long as his nerve held in the home straight and when he went for broke there will have been a few sweaty palms amongst the connections.

But the run was perfectly timed and in spite of the narrow winning margin, Marcus always seemed to have the result in hand.

Silver Mountain was never asked much, trailing the field for most of the race and trotting home – probably undone by the notorious ‘Cape Crawl’!

Andrew Harrison

Picture: Liesl King

Table Bay can prove his Selangor form all wrong by taking the Grand Parade Cape Guineas at Kenilworth tomorrow.

But it’s not a given and Anton Marcus’s mount faces some formidable challengers, notably Gold Standard and the Dingaans pair Singapore Sling and Heavenly Blue.

The jury – at least the handicappers and most punters – is still out on why the favourite ran so far below his Cape Classic best last time but Joey Ramsden has never wavered from his belief that his horse was too close to the pace in a race that was run too fast. This time A New Dawn will be asked to go even quicker so that Table Bay can be positioned further back.

Ramsden, who won this with Variety Club in 2011 and Act Of War two years ago, has on this occasion abandoned his usual practice of taking the horse to Kenilworth for his final gallop. “Table Bay had a hard race last time,” he explains. “So I have freshened him up and he has been doing well.”

Is the trainer afraid of anything else? “Not really, no,” he answers although the stats are not in his favour – six of the last eight Guineas favourites have been beaten.

Neither Glen Kotzen nor Richard Fourie has ever won this race but the pair are in inspired form and 7-1 chance Gold Standard has won his last three.  His trainer’s optimism is readily understandable – “Gold Standard’s times have improved like you can’t believe and I really do think he has a big shout.”

In the Dingaans Singapore Sling and Heavenly Blue raced almost together and pulled clear in the final furlong where Geoff Woodruff’s charge proved just over a length the better. Heavenly Blue has a bad draw yet – presumably because the Mike de Kock factor – he is the shorter of the pair at 13-2. That said, Singapore Sling’s chance is not helped by Gavin Lerena being ruled out after falling foul of the Hong Kong authorities.

Craven has been backed from 16-1 to 10-1 and he could have a better chance than Selangor runner-up Edict Of Nantes who is severely handicapped by a wide draw. “They have worked together, there is not much between them and Craven has been doing very well at home,” says Brett Crawford.

Africa Rising has been backed from 12-1 to 8-1 to give Sean Tarry another big race winner and it’s worth bearing in mind that S’Manga Khumalo’s mount was badly drawn when only sixth to stable companion Sage Harbour in the Lanzerac Ready To Run.

Zodiac Ruler is also in single figures with World Sports Betting despite a disappointing effort in the Lanzerac. “He got too far back and he couldn’t get a run up the short straight,” reckons Justin Snaith. “It will be a different story with the longer run-in although he still has to contend with a bad draw.”

Snaith also fancies 12-1 shot Bishop’s Bounty – “He was unlucky in the Ready To Run, he has been doing well and I think he is very underestimated. He is the dark horse of the race.”

Some punters reckon that Elevated is that and have already backed him from 50-1 to 33-1. He has been deliberately kept off the course since his second to Table Bay in the Classic. “He has blossomed at the right time,” reports Riaan van Reenen. “His draw (14) is a killer but if Greg Cheyne can overcome it I think he will be in the first four.”

Hack Green (16-1) has never raced beyond 1 200m (Dennis Drier: “On pedigree he should get the trip and I think he will”) but 14-1 Gunner’s Premier Champions win has not been enhanced by his two races since two while William Longsword is another who has to contend with a bad draw.

By Michael Clower

Anton Marcus, only seven behind log leader Greg Cheyne on the current national list, has almost carte blanche when it comes to picking rides – and that mostly the plums. He has a current winning strike rate of 27% or every fourth ride a winner and after a treble on Wednesday he should add to his tally at Greyville this evening where he again has a competitive card.

With stable rider Sean Veale doing duty for the yard in Cape Town for the summer, Dennis Drier has again booked Marcus for stable hope Well In Flight for the Pendulum Insurance Brokers River Indigo Handicap that heads up the card – all races on the poly track.

After a string of narrow defeats on the Scottsville turf, Well In Flight was switched to the poly for her last start and with immediate success, scooting home by over two lengths. The opposition this evening is stronger but Well In Flight is smart and from a good draw should be right there.

Sean Tarry holds a strong hand and stable rider S’Manga Khumalo has made the trip down from the Highveld for the evening He partners Strategic News ahead of top weight In Other Words and could possibly be the stable elect. Strategic News has excellent form on the poly and was possibly just short of an outing when third in a strong field. The rise in trip will hold no fears and from a good draw with a handy galloping weight she will be a strong contender.

In Other Words has a fair weight to shoulder but is at best over course and distance. She finished a neck clear of Strategic News when the two met behind Aliysa’s Prize and is now 1kg better off in the handicap. However, the latter has some improvement to make and appeals as the better option.

Aliysa’s Prize beat a strong field on her poly debut and is much better than her last turf effort under an inexperienced apprentice. Stuart Randolph is back aboard from a good draw and she too must have a chance. Persian Rug makes her poly debut with the blinkers back on. She is a big horse and the poly could bring out the best in her.

The more one looks at the race the more difficult it gets but Well In Flight is taken to get home ahead of Strategic News and In Other Words with Alisya’s Prize a major threat.

The handicappers haven’t taken any chances with Mike Miller’s filly Call Me Winter in the last race on the card, the Nesai Tyres Handicap, banging her up the full eight points for her last win.  That may not be enough!

The home-bred daughter of Western Winter had shown promise as a juvenile, winning her first two without any fuss. A Listed feature brought her winning run to an end and she was not seen out again for three months. On return she was never in the hunt in a tough handicap field but that allowed her to start at generous odds next time out, the handicappers also taken in, dropping her three pounds.

Miller has his charge her a difficult task with 64.5kg to shoulder from the worst of the draw but she could still be under the radar as far as the ratings go.

If not then the father and son pair of Just Vogue and Poster Girl could give plenty of cheek. Gavin van Zyl saddles Just Vogue who has yet to finish out of the money in eight starts, most recently winning over the Scottsville short-cut wearing blinkers. She is drawn on the opposite side of the course to Call Me Winter and the better draw and a 4,5kg pull in the weights make her a solid contender.

Son Gareth sends out Poster Girl who has her third run after a break and should strip close to her peak although she does look a bit high in the ratings.

Van Zyl senior should get Pick 6 punters off to a good start with Momo in the third. She has gone close over course and distance and did well in blinkers last outing. She rates the one to beat as the balance are seriously average.

Similarly, Savannah Cat in the next will be a popular banker. Although she has been disappointing.  she looks worth another chance in a weak maiden field. Of the others, Mariuccia Blue showed some improvement at her second outing on the poly and also found some market support so could be a threat.

Andrew Harrison

Husband and wife combination of Alec and Lezeanne Forbes were in top form at Greyville yesterday and possibly set something of a record for a husband and wife team, winning three races. Their meeting got off to the perfect start as Toonani returned from a break of over a year to run out an easy winner of the first.

The five-year-old has faced stronger than what he met yesterday but it is seldom that horses returning from such a long break come back fit enough to win. But not only did Toonani win, but he defied his 14-1 odds and drew off to win as he liked.

Jay Jay’s Girl was even more impressive in the Child Protection Maiden Plate although there was no guessing this time as she started 5-4 favourite. The daughter of Jay Peg revelled over the extra ground and scooted home by six lengths.

The couple rounded off their afternoon with the consistent Tanami winning the second race of her career in which she has only finished out of the money once in nine starts. She too started favourite in the Candy Pop Entertainment Handicap, beating home a useful field and holding off Vogue Idea and Velvet Wind.

It was a good afternoon for punters with a number of favourites obliging. The Alistair Gordon-trained Andermatt (1-3) looked hard to beat in the second and she duly obliged although Anton Marcus was forced to earn his riding fee.

Similarly, Paul Gadsby’s runner Patroclus (15-20) finally got his act together and won at cramped odds with the Forbes-trained Sweet Refrain kicking on strongly for second.

The Gr1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas is the highlight of the weekend and although Palladium and Marshall That are not up to that class, the two three-year-olds were expected to give a good account of themselves in the Children’s Christmas Wishes Handicap over 1600m.

Both were a spent force shortly after entering the straight leaving Capel Top and Silver Spring to fight out affairs with Capel Top (9-1) getting the upper hand close home under Morne Winnaar for Dean Kannemeyer.

Anton Marcus cut into Greg Cheyne’s lead on the national jockey log with a treble. He started his run on Andermatt and then finally got Air Chief Marshal (5-2) to break his run of beaten favourite tags as he produced Candice Bass-Robinson’s runner with a telling late run to beat home a fast-finishing First Apostle and The Poet.

Marcus rounded off his afternoon with a smart ride on Gareth van Zyl’s runner Calabash (14-10). Up with the pace throughout, Marcus made his move on the turn, skipping clear of Shine Up, who on form looked his biggest danger. However, Shine Up was soon a spent force and Calabash drew off to win as he liked.

Andrew Harrison

Table Bay has been installed favourite with World Sports Betting to give Joey Ramsden his third Grand Parade Cape Guineas win in six seasons at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Anton Marcus’s mount opened at 7-2 on Monday evening and then eased slightly to 4-1. Mike de Kock’s challenger Heavenly Blue is second favourite at 6-1 with Zodiac Ruler next on 13-2.

Other prices are: 7-1 Singapore Sling; 8-1 Gold Standard; 10-1 Africa Rising; 11-1 William Longsword; 12-1 Gunner, Edict Of Nantes, Bishop’s Bounty; 16-1 Craven; 18-1 Hack Green; 25-1 A New Dawn; 40-1 Elusive Path; 50-1 Elevated, Pacific Spirit.

Meanwhile, Marinaresco, second in the Vodacom Durban July and winner of the Champions Cup, is favourite to reverse last weekend’s Green Point placings with Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle in the Sun Met at Kenilworth on 28 January.

Betting World opened the four-year-old at 16-10 and now have him at 17-10 while World Sports Betting quotes him at 19-10. Legal Eagle is 22-10 second favourite with both firms.

Latest betting: – Betting World / World Sports Betting

Marinaresco 17-10 / 19-10

Legal Eagle 22-10 / 22-10

Heavenly Blue 10-1 / 16-1

Bela-Bela 14-1 / 14-1

Whisky Baron 14-1 / 20-1

Master Sabina 16-1 / 20-1

French Navy 18-1 / 20-1

It’s My Turn 20-1 / 20-1

The Conglomerate 20-1 / 16-1

Abashiri 25-1 / 28-1

Baritone 25-1 / 33-1

Black Arthur 25-1 / 25-1

Brazuca 25-1 / 25-1

Captain America 25-1 / 20-1

Al Fahad 33-1 / 40-1

Bold Rex 33-1 / 40-1

Mac De Lago 33-1 / 33-1

Deo Juvenete 40-1 / 40-1

New Predator 40-1 / 50-1

Zodiac Ruler 40-1 / 33-1

Cape Speed 66-1 / 50-1

Nebula 66-1 / 75-1

Mambo Mime 100-1 / 50-1

Rocketball 100-1 / 100-1

Dynamic 150-1 / 150-1

Parachute Man 150-1 / 200-1

St Tropez 150-1 / 150-1

Macduff 500-1 / 330-1

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