Alistair Cohen

Expect the pace to be blistering in race 2 over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville today. Some of the quickest in Cape Town will test their pace against each other. With the promise of a hot speed, the one who could sit back and wait to pounce could be the most dangerous. That is the talented North Point as he continues his rise through the ranks.

Setback by injury for a few months, many forgot the promise North Point showed as a two-year-old toppling the likes of Demanding Dave. From five starts he claimed two wins and two places through his juvenile campaign. Rested between May and November 2025, expectations might have been curbed slightly for his return.

He lost none of his exuberance and obvious natural ability. To return to the course in the form that he has is the mark of a talented horse. After six months away from racing he came back with a superb 0,4-length second behind Demanding Dave over this trip at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. He hit the line with plenty of gusto suggesting that he would be hugely dangerous in his next run. Keep in mind that Demanding Dave has now completed three wins-on-the-bounce.

North Point duly followed up with a classy win over subsequent winner, Black Eagle over the same Hollywoodbets Kenilworth trip. He might be one-dimensional in that he is best over the minimum trip but there are serious races in that range.

With Elusive Winter and Candy Town in this race, they are likely to do what they do best. Their best assets are their speed which should allow North Point to have horses who have battled it out up front to aim at. It is never as simple as wait and pounce but he should have every opportunity judging how the race should transpire. JP van der Merwe knows him best and he takes the ride for James Crawford.

Elusive Winter never does things the easy way. His speed is a weapon and that has carried him to five wins and eight places through his career. Michelle Rix has done a fine job keeping this horse on the boil. He was hammered early by the handicapper for winning on debut so patience had to be exercised for him to spark into life. One can be sure that despite his brave but vulnerable running style, that he has tons of tenacity to pull this off. Especially with Sifiso Bungane taking 4kg off his back.

Candy Town is another known element of pace. She probably has more natural gas but she is prone to the odd howler. Her cheap speed makes her interesting on a dry track but she is not the easiest to follow. At her best, she is very dangerous. Keagan de Melo takes the ride.

Fort Yukon ran his best race in his most recent appearance and he could confirm that improvement against a rather poor field in race 1 over 1600m. His last run came over 1400m down the road at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and he finished second behind Cedar Point. That elevation in form and proximity to the winner should be enough to propel him to victory. Calvin Habib rode him last time and he is back aboard for Adam Marcus.

There are a few with chances in race 3 over 1000m. Lyrical Gangster has always suggested some promise but he has fallen short of kicking on from a rather weak level. He might still have the tools to make progress and he could be the horse to beat. He left the maiden ranks in his penultimate run when he reverted to this trip and he followed up with a neat second post-maiden. He might have a little more scope than his rivals.

Kamchatka is the most interesting runner in race 4 over 1250m. She gave the entire field stacks of weight in the Clapham Stakes over 1600m exactly a month ago. She was not disgraced when she finished fifth behind her stable companion, Rose Woott. If she can fit into this sprint trip, she will take a ton of beating. Her exploits this summer read well with runs to Legal Counsel and Sukhumvit. Legal Counsel was runner-up in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met.

There is a good spread of chances in race 5 over 1250m. Star World could be peaking at the right time to score an overdue second career victory. She has placed in her last two starts which came over this course and distance. Richard Fourie sticks with her for Vaughan Marshall. She finished ahead of Final Call last time and he is 4kg better off for two lengths. That should keep her ahead of a rival with a chance. Others to consider are Flying South, William’s Woman and South Of France.

Gin Palace was a fluent winner of her most recent start when she beat South Of France by a length over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Andrew Fortune did duty on her last time and the run before when his irons snapped and he was of no assistance. She is tipped to complete back-to-back wins in race 6 over 1400m. Corne Orffer has won on Gin Palace before and he replaces the medically indisposed Andrew Fortune. Dream Searcher could be her main danger. She gets on so well with jockey Craig Bantam. They are never easy to ignore.

A simple view of Show Off’s last run which came over 1400m at this course will remind racing fans just how unlucky he was. He was baulked twice and after he came from the clouds to finish second behind Boogiefied, beaten 0,4 lengths. No fault of Gareth Wright aboard, he should have won. He is back over the same course and distance in race 7. Consider chances from King’s Quest, Astronomical Boy and Nightrain.

There is not much to get excited about in race 8 over 1400m. Theleia could prove to confirm her better last run when she ran second behind Peaches And Cream over this course and distance. She has always given the impression that she needs time and racing. Things seem to be falling into place.

CAPTION: Trainer James Crawford runs NORTH POINT in Race 2 – the JOIN THE RACE COAST TURF CLUB MIDDLE STAKES at Hollywoodbets Durbanville – Wednesday 04 March 2026