The latest series of KZN Summer Chapter Challenge finals will be run this weekend, with the two around the turn being at Greyville tonight and the one down the straight being at Scottsville on Sunday.

The 1600m final on turf is wide open. Nineteen Fourteen would be a deserved winner as one who always gives of his best. He has finished a close third in the winter version of this race before at Clairwood. That was his only ever start beyond 1400m and he showed a good turn of foot, which took him to the front, but he was caught late. However, the five-year-old is now a year-and-a-half older and should see out the trip on the sharper Greyville track. Lastly, the draw has proved important on the Greyville turf track recently and he is drawn in pole. Red Rover is drawn nicely in five and on his last turf run over this trip, which was in this race at Scottsville a year ago, he has a chance as he finished third in that race just two lengths behind Way Of Light, who has gone on to win another three races.

Nineteen Fourteen (Nkosi Hlophe)

Diamond King’s best run was over course and distance when winning the Listed KZN Guineas Trial back in 2013 and he looked set for big things, but issues, mainly to do with muscles, have hindered him. However, these issues are largely behind him and he is due a win but the wide draw is against him. Baltic Amber is a talented sort who is distance suited and well drawn.  Caribbean Day is known as a Scottsville 1600m specialist, but has in fact never run over the Greyville turf 1600m. The two courses are similar and from a good draw this never to be underestimated sort should be a contender. Those five make the most appeal and are selected in the order mentioned.

In the 1800m final Nicklaus is drawn in pole and looks sure to be primed for this suitable race. Night Shadow has relished being stepped up to this trip and beyond and has won his last two starts. Delpech now gets the ride from a plum draw of three. Qatar Springs has some class about him and will enjoy this trip, but has to handle a four point raise for his last win and is drawn very wide.  Pure Valor makes some appeal despite being 1kg under sufferance. He enjoyed the step up to this trip on the poly last time and has always struck as one who has more ability than his current 71 merit rating suggests. Trainer Lowan Dennyschen also knows how to have them primed and the Dynasty gelding has a manageable draw of eight. The King’s Hand should be running on from a draw of eleven over a suitable trip and Crime Victim has the class to carry top weight but the trip is a touch sharp and he has a very wide draw. They are selected in the order mentioned.

In the other races on the night, all on the poly, Calabash caught the eye on debut over 1400m on the Greyville turf and could beat Bank The Cash and Samovar in the first over 1600m.

Red Rover (Nkosi Hlophe)

The second over 1600m is a weak event and Bare All could lead from start to finish under Delpech having run some fair races in Cape Town. The first-timer She’s The One is a half-sister to the fair sort Leeuloop Jet and being by Miesque’s Approval should love the poly.

In the third over 2000m, Oblivion has stayed on well over 1800m on the Vaal sand before and could be the one to side with in a weak race and Zilla has a shout if she stays, but is not a certainty to. Juds Express can also be considered.

In the fourth over 2000m, Silver Inspiration is the form choice and could beat home Timeforatiger and Yell.

The fifth is a Novice Plate over 1400m and Do Be Snappy is officially 5kg under sufferance with Translunar but has the action and breeding which should make him ideally suited to the poly and he also comes from the stronger Cape Town centre so his merit rating might be a tad suppressed. The hard-knocking Translunar and the only filly in the race, Mayfair, are first and second best in at the weights respectively and are both distance suited.

The sixth over 1400m is the Non-Black Type Fairway Couriers River Indigo Handicap over 1400m and Alice Springs faces weaker than she has been and could carry topweight to victory. Chennai Babe has been a revelation on the poly and is likely to make a bold bid for a hat-trick from draw three despite having been given a six point raise for her last win. Red Label is course and distance suited and well drawn.

In the 1200m Chapter Challenge final on Sunday at Scottsville, Thunderwood has some good form and comes in with a nice galloping weight over a suitable trip. Surefire is the only female in the race and is interesting dropped back to the distance of her only ever handicap win off a one point lower mark. Highway Explorer has some class and is course and distance suited. Apollo’s Gift looks to be a promising sort and will appreciate the step up in trip. The classy Split The Breeze is course and distance suited and is capable of carrying top weight into the money.

By David Thiselton

Duncan Howells’ unbeaten filly Cosmic Light had a slight setback upon arrival in Cape Town, which saw her progress interrupted. It was not a serious problem but considering her class the yard did not want to take any chances. She is consequently only making her comeback in the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m at Kenilworth on Saturday, a race which falls on the same day as her original intended target, the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Howells will not aim her at anything big for the rest of the Cape Summer Of Champions Season. However, she will likely stay on at the end of the season for the Gr 3 Vasco Prix du Cap over 1400m at Kenilworth on February 20, 2016, before returning to KZN.

Howells was thrilled with the run of Same Jurisdiction in the Gr 2 Cape Merchants over 1200m last time out. He felt she had run “a cracker” considering she had to give weight to all of the boys. She will now run in a conditions plate and then go for her first intended big race of the season, the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes over 1800m on January 9.

Meanwhile, Howells’ talented but temperamental colt Sylvester The Cat will be gelded following his refusal to jump in the Gr 2 Selangor Cup on November 21. He won’t run again in the Cape Summer Of Champions Season.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Cosmic Light (Nkosi Hlophe)

Sean Tarry has nominated French Navy for the J&B Met but is unlikely to send both him and Legal Eagle down for the Cape’s premier race.

Tarry felt it would be foolish to not have one of his two biggest middle distance horses ideally prepared for the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge at the end of April as that race was now worth R4 million.

Legal Eagle is the most likely to go down for the Met and will raid, while French Navy is likely to stay at home at Randjesfontein. The latter ran another cracking race on Saturday when a close up third in the Gr 1 SANSUI Summer Cup. He could have been a touch unlucky having had to come from a mile back.

By David Thiselton

Picture: French Navy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Candice Robinson revealed the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas favourite Silver Mountain is as well as she can be leading into Saturday’s big race at Kenilworth, but was not taking anything for granted.

She pointed out the Silvano filly had enjoyed a lot of luck when overcoming her wide draw of 15 to win the Gr 2 Choice Carrier’s Championships over 1400m last time out and should not expect the same luck from another wide draw of eleven on Saturday.

By David Thiselton

OPENING BETTING FOR THE WORLD SPORTS BETTING CAPE FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 1) 1600m

1.  Silver Mountain   6/10 – 2.  Flying Ice   10/1 – 3.  Taffety Tart   14/1 – 4.  A Time To Dream   10/1 – 5.  Well In Flight   16/1 – 6.  Noor   9/1 – 7.  Anglet   25/1 – 8.  Bela-Bela   6/1 – 9.  Ocean’s Swell   50/1 – 10.  Icy Fire   16/1 – 11.  Our Destiny   33/1 – 12.  Valediction   50/1 – 13.  Miss Marker   50/1.

Turffontein stages a nine race meeting today and punters will be looking to either build on their SANSUI Summer Cup gains or recoup their losses.

The first is a workrider’s maiden over 1800m and Zillionaire beat El Bombero in a 1600m maiden the last time they met when setting the pace and, being out of SA Fillies Classic winner Zaitoon, she should enjoy the step up in trip. El Bombero also looks set to enjoy the trip, having finished well over 1600m in his last two starts, and his wide draw is alleviated by the fact that he has the top workrider Lyle Hewitson up. Thunder Applause had plenty of excuses first time out but should improve and could earn a place.

The second race, a fillies and mares maiden over 1800m, should see Silvano filly Mythical Magic getting off the mark having finished third over 1600m last time out against the boys, just 6,3 lengths behind the classy New Predator who went on to only just be touched off in the Investec Dingaans. Kellie Firth lost a length on debut over 1400m and was green so as one with plenty of scope for improvement could be a threat for the high-flying SANSUI Summer Cup-winning combination Geoff Woodruff and Gavin Lerena. Indzaba has been knocking on the door up to 1600m but is not a certainty to appreciate the step up in trip.

In the third race over 1800m, a fillies and mares MR 80 Handicap, the three-year-old fillies feature form this season looks suspect to date so horses like Star Of Love and Nikki, who have form related to the Gr 3 Fillies Mile, might be a tad flattered. Krystle Carrington loves this course and distance and Weichong Marwing stays aboard. Fortitude has a Gr 3 place over this trip to her name and showed her well being over the too sharp 1200m last time out. She would have benefitted from the run and is off a competitive merit rating. Withbatedbreath is course and distance suited and has a plum draw of three. She’s A Looker and Run For Revelry must also be considered.

The fourth is a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1450m. Miss Wales ran a good race on debut and has a fair draw over a step up in trip she should appreciate so she should go close for the Summer Cup-winning combination. Silvery Dream made late progress on debut over course and distance and with natural improvement should be right there from another good draw. Green Goddess should improve on her debut over course and distance, when green before finishing fast. She has a wide daw to overcome but looks capable of dropping out and coming from off the pace.

In the fifth race, a MR 72 Handicap over 1600m, Caymen Sunset is only three points higher for his last win and is drawn well again, so this progressive four-year-old can follow up from a good draw with Lerena keeping the ride. King And Empire is drawn in pole and the Alexander/Fortune combination could go close to bagging yet another winner as he is off a competitive merit rating and appears to have come into his own. Antonius Charm appeared to love the course and distance last time so from a similar draw could be right there again despite a five point merit rating raise.

In the sixth, a MR 74 Handicap over 1200m, Chepardo won in good style on debut and could follow up off a nice merit rating over a similar distance, especially considering he is drawn well. Lady Al lost a length last time and still ran a fair race behind a good sort over 1000m. She can be dropped out from her tricky draw as she always runs on well. Son Of Approval returns to his probable best trip so could be a big runner from a good draw.

In the seventh, a fillies and mares MR 76 handicap over 1000m, A Million Dreams was not disgraced in her last two runs behind useful sorts and Strydom is aboard. Patty Cake has some good form and is better drawn than last time so should be a runner.  Cute Lady loves this course and distance and will likely use her good early pace to overcome her high draw. Cataluga went close over this trip down the straight last time despite a saddle slip but has a tough draw. Captain’s Diva is consistently thereabouts and is well drawn but has been given a five point raise for her last win.

The eighth is a fillies and mares MR 76 handicap over 1450m and Aldiara has fared well against some good sorts recently so could clinch this under Fortune, despite a tough draw. Hit The Big Time is interesting returned to the trip of her good race three runs ago as she has been seen to pull over further and Strydom is now aboard. Kings V goes for a distance hattrick but also has a tough draw. Miss Magical is in fine form and proved her liking for course and distance last time, although she is another with a wide draw. Soul Of Spain is drawn well and on the evidence of her easy maiden win should love this trip. La Digue should be thereabouts from a good draw as she has continued in fair form since her maiden win.

In the ninth, a Maiden over 1450m, Severino is a pacey sort who has been knocking on the door over sprints and, as one who has a chance of staying this trip on pedigree, he is possibly the one to side with. Resolute Captain caught the eye on debut when nearly making all and has a chance with Lerena keeping the ride, despite a tough draw. The race should set up well for closers like West Coast Warrior, Neptune’s Jewel and King Gerard.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Sharp Princess (Nkosi Hlophe)