Miss Plumcake might not have the most flattering of names – apparently she gets hers from a shoe blog -but she sure as hell paid handsome tribute to the Brett Crawford Cape Fillies Guineas hopeful Shamrock Wind in the Hollard Maiden at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Just over a month ago the Candice Bass-Robinson trained filly finished a remote third to Shamrock Wind, beaten a staggering 11-plus lengths, yet on Saturday she finished strongly to beat older horses.

Needless to say, Shamrock Wind’s next run is eagerly awaited and Crawford reported: “She didn’t winter that well so we eased off with her for a bit but she is looking good again now and I will find something for her towards the end of August.”

Stable companion Grand Silvano made a third successive repayment on all the TLC lavished on him during his laminitis and tendon problem days but, so far as the future is concerned, Valbonne’s success in the Lyall Morgan Pinnacle was probably more significant. The Var colt, carrying the colours of Hong Kong owner Robert Chung, was the only three-year-old in the field yet he was able to surge clear under Greg Cheyne well inside the final furlong.

Could he become a good sprinter next season? “I see no reason why he shouldn’t,” said Crawford. “Certainly he has the potential and he is learning how to race.”

Tevez was only fifth but there were genuine excuses. ”I never thought the race would pan out like it did. They just went slower and slower,” Aldo Domeyer explained. “He didn’t enjoy that. He likes a strong pace to do his work late.”

He will race on as a nine-year-old next season. Bryn Ressell’s racing manager Mark van Deventer said: “We had been tempted to call it a day but we will keep him going.”

Power Grid, who looked like winning as he came up his beloved inside rail a furlong out, was apparently also a victim of the slow gallop. “Robert Khathi told me that they outsprinted him at the end as there was no pace early,” said Andries Steyn.

Ressell and racing partner Marsh Shirtliff were also on the mark with the Domeyer-ridden all-the-way scorer Elusive Trader in the Coachworks Motor Group Maiden and Greg Ennion has Lanzerac Ready To Run ambitions with the R300 000 purchase.

Sandile Mbhele’s 4kg claim, which has proved such a productive asset this season, came to an end after the talented apprentice registered his 20^th success on the Vaughan Marshall-trained Secretariat’s Girl in the Mortgage Max Handicap.

Morne Winnaar slipped the field on Foxy Princess last month and his rivals (surprisingly and fatally)  again under-estimated the ability of the Paddy Kruyer filly to keep going in the finale while Andile Ndzongo used his experience to good effect for Paul Reeves on 6-1 shot Skidoo in the Work Riders’ Maiden.

But it was Harold Crawford who delivered the shock of the day when 36-1 apparent no-hoper Aldato just held on under Grant Behr in the Guthrie. Colananni Attorneys Maiden.

The 180-member Western Province Nomads, a golf club with no course, filled the vast Peninsula Room – no mean achievement – and sponsored the day as part of its support for beneficiaries of the Project Playground and Reading Room charities.

w Michael Clower’s winners included Miss Plumcake at 11-1. This followed 27-4 scorer Spectra Force at Durbanville last Tuesday.

By Michael Clower