The principal reason for his first Cape Town appearance for seven weeks is to partner Computaform Sprint hope Normanz in the itsarush.co.za Pinnacle Stakes and this notoriously difficult starter has been the subject of some intense tuition from Malan du Toit.

“Malan has done a fortune of work with him and he has been very successful,” says Charles Laird. “I know it is all work at home rather than on the racecourse but, if Normanz can bring his A-game through on Saturday, we expect a big run.”

Anton Marcus

Strictly on the book this is one of the races that Marcus should not win –Tevez has almost a length and a half in hand on merit ratings and there are no stalls quirks in his make-up. Furthermore Grant van Niekerk’s mount is weighted to beat the rest with ease – from two and a half lengths with Happy Forever to 12 lengths with Promicing Polly.

Tevez opened 2-1 favourite yesterday with Betting World who make Normanz a generous 4-1, the same price as Happy Forever and Silver Salver.

Marcus should win the first on Prince Of Thieves  – the Joey Ramsden colt comes out quite a bit better than Seven Wood on a line through Shachar – and stable companion St Tropez should justify 12-10 favouritism in the Abercrombie Handicap.

My Emblem won well enough on debut to suggest that the 14-10 favourite may be able to beat Just Felicity and give weight to fellow 5-2 shot Just Rock ‘N Roll in the Soccer Juvenile although it could be touch and go. “She was quite ready for her first run,” says Eric Sands. “I don’t know much she would have come on but she is not a bad filly at all.”

Breathless Bertie (15-10) finished a length in front of 5-2 chance Balletome last time but the Marcus factor may swing the balance in the Bellville Maiden. “Balletome showed vast improvement last time because he had been gelded,” says the rider’s nephew Adam. “He is as well as he was then but I would expect some further improvement as it is his second run after a long lay-off, and I’m hopeful we can turn around that length.”

Azarenka is 4-1 for the M. Clarke Handicap but she could find it hard to beat 7-2 stable companion Eros’s Girl who tried to make all on Met day and was only caught on the line.

Sir Henry has lost ground leaving the pens in his last two races but there should be no worries on that score in the concluding Soccer 6 Maiden with the master starter on the 14-10 favourite’s back. Kurundu (5-1), who pulled hard early last time, and Just A Jag (4-1) look the dangers.

The J & B Met-winning trainer said yesterday: “This is the wrong time to be looking for boxes with a waiting list for Champions Season but the Gold Circle people have been very helpful and supportive.

“They have said that they are going to help me with a few boxes to get going and then increase the number later. I should know by the end of the week, or early next week, how many boxes I am to get.”

Govender, who has a house in nearby Hillcrest, is delighted at the response he has received from owners.

He said: “I have had a lot of phone calls from people who want to send me horses although I don’t want to make commitments until I know about the boxes as that would be unprofessional.”

Govender, 41, split with Sabine Plattner at the end of last month after five and a half years as her private trainer.

Picture: Yogas Govender

Laird said yesterday: “Normanz lost his stalls certificate when he ran in the Betting World Cape Flying Championship in January and I decided to leave him in Cape Town so that horse whisperer Malan du Toit could work with him.

Charles Laird

“Malan has done a fantastic job so far and, if all goes well on Saturday, we will get the horse up to Johannesburg for the Computaform Sprint at the end of April.”

Normanz will again be ridden by Anton Marcus who had the mount in the Cape Flying when the four-year-old burst through the pens and broke his breastplate. He became restless when reloaded and lost four lengths.

The gelding was difficult to load on his previous start at Turffontein and in the race before that at Greyville he was also restless and lost two lengths.

Picture: Normanz (Nkosi Hlophe)

Candice Robinson said: “Tevez runs in the itsarush.co.za Pinnacle Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday and Fly By Night will run in the next one (6 April) when Tevez will also run.”

Bass flew up What A Winter to win the 2013 Computaform Sprint. On his most recent start Tevez was fourth to Alboran Sea in the Betting World Cape Flying Championship when Fly By Night (seventh) was troubled by a previous joint infection.

Anton Marcus will partner last year’s Golden Horse Sprint winner Normanz in the Pinnacle on Saturday when the four-time champion has three rides for Joey Ramsden – Prince Of Thieves, St Tropez and Sir Henry – as well as Balletome for his nephew Adam, Azarenka for Justin Snaith and My Emblem for Eric Sands.

Picture: Fly By Night (Liesl King)