Sean Tarry has persisted with the son of Jallad after it all went wrong before the Cape Guineas two season’s back but it has all paid off with a couple of wins on the bounce and Champions Season ahead. Arriving in Durban on Friday, The Hangman, showed no signs of travel fatigue as he gave the opposition the drop.

The Hangman (Nkosi Hlophe)

Confidently handled by Ant Mgudlwa, The Hangman set sail at the top of the straight and kept finding strongly to deny Royal Zulu Guard and Duncan Howells who was looking for his third winner of the afternoon.

Anton Marcus got his meeting off to a swift start with a double and rounded off with a treble with Enforce in the last – some relief after a host of fancied runners proved just not good enough over the weekend.

William Of Wembley was all the rage in the first but Dennis Drier’s runner never settled before or in the race and was a spent form approaching the final furlong. If ever there was a copybook race, it was Marcus aboard the winner Millrace. Settled in just off the pace, Marcus made his run when it mattered and Millrace motored home to win as he liked.

In contrast, Marcus gave those that had plunged on Mamasita a few anxious moments. The 6-10 favourite was in all sorts of trouble from the start and trailed the field for much of the race. On the final bend Marcus looked to go out for a passage but was eventually forced to track up the inside rail. From there on it was not race as Weiho Marwing’s runner quickened up smartly to win as he liked.

Mamasita (Nkosi Hlophe)

Marwing was looking for a quick double with Gullivers Travel but Rocky Bay, a gelding plagued with many problems in his career, was the talking horse on course and Frank Robinson had his charge in superb condition. Once Gulliver Travel tossed in the towel – later found to have pulled up lame – Rocky Bay went to the front and kept on relentlessly to hold off the attention of outsiders Pearly King and Kings Approval.

Goldie Coast was a strong fancy for the first leg of the jackpot but Surefire finally had a change of fortune and showed her worth. Turning for home last, Donovan Dillon was forced to switch outside of the scrum in front of him and Surefire bolted home with the minimum of fuss. Goldie Coast was game in defeat but the 5kg to the winner proved too much.

Braam van Huyssteen, the principal behind popular retail outlet Tekkie Town, has over 100 horses in training, and had a tremendous run of winners this week, rounded off by Jay Power in the fifth. The son of Jay Peg rolled relentlessly from the jump at the 2400m mark under Kegan de Melo and never looked like stopping.

Howells looks to have a decent filly in his yard in Anton Procter’s home-bred Patchit Up Baby owned in partnership with Larry Nestadt.

In the box seat for much of the sixth over 2000m, the daughter of Ideal World accelerated through the middle of the field in the stretch for home and cruised in with a wet sail.

After a spell with ‘horse whisperer’ Malan de Toit, a well behaved Normanz could prove difficult to beat, and then it’s back to Greyville for Sunday. Marcus has three rides for Tony Rivalland to night, all three in with strong chances but his first visit to the winner’s box could come in the first where he partners Clever Kate for Charles Laird. She finished runner-up to the highly rated Lala on debut and can go one better with the benefit of experience.

Al Ciberano

The first of his rides for Rivalland is Lucky Break in the fourth who is due a change of luck after a string of places. He has everything in his favour tonight and should be right there.

Kadeze, who races in the same vieux rose, cream and green silks of Mary Liley as Lucky Break, was backed in from 20-1 to 8-1 when tried in blinkers at Scottsville last time out but came up a half-length short behind Golden Mirabillis. With a plum inside draw on the poly she looks to be a big runner.

Marcus’s final ride for the evening comes in the seventh where he partners Al Ciberano for Rivalland. The gelding has a big weight but Marcus is a master at nursing front-runners home and in truth, Al Ciberano may just hold too much class for the opposition with all in his favour.

With the Gr 1 Champions Challenge and the Gr 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes on the horizon the Conditions Plate that makes up the opening leg of the Pick 6 at Turffontein tomorrow takes on even more significance with Western Cape raiders Captain America and Exelero warming up against some useful local opposition.

Cape trainers have taken on the challenge of the Highveld’s rarefied atmosphere with some success this season with both Vaughan Marshall and Mike Bass holding their own and Marshall breaking the ice with Exelero. Highly thought of early in his career, Exelero disappointed on a number of occasions and in desperation the vet was finally called in.

Two stone lighter, the operation coupled with blinkers appears to have brought the best out of Exelero who promptly won first up in Graduation company over tomorrow’s course and distance, putting four lengths between himself and second placed Mr Mulliner.

He is obviously well suited to the Turffontein inside track with his sharp turn of foot and looks a likely favourite.

Brett Crawford has followed his Cape colleagues in search of the lucrative Highveld pickings and his hopes rest with Captain America.

Like Exelero, a string of disappointing showings prompted a visit from the vet for Captain America and his form also appears to have benefitted. He ran out a very easy winner in handicap company in his first run back, lumping 64,5kg. He was also not short of friends in the market, backed in from an opening call of 3-1 to starts 18-10 favourite.

He is unlikely to be at his peak for this race with the Horse Chestnut in mind but a strong showing will not do his chances any harm.

Killua Castle was one of the multiple victims of the ridiculously slow early pace in the J&B Met and one can safely draw a line through that showing. The addition of blinkers to his raceday equipment has given him a new lease on racing although he could find tomorrow’s trip a touch on the short side, given that the 2000m Champions Challenge is likely to be on his agenda.

Never the less he should be fit after being primed for the Met and can finish in the money.

The Gavin van Zyl-trained Se Agabor lines up in the Listed Breeders Guineas at Fairview this afternoon. In consultation with Drakenstein racing manager Kevin Sommerville, it was decided to try for black type. According to Van Zyl, Se Agabor travelled well and is expected to be competitive racing in blinkers first time.

Picture: Al Ciberano (Nkosi Hlophe)

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