There look to be some decent opportunities for punters at both tonight’s polytrack meeting at Greyville and Saturday’s workrider’s meeting on the Turffontein Standside track.

Friday night’s first race over 1600m looks to be a match race between Black Hall Bar and Eden Gardens Glitz. However, the former is given the vote having had two runs under the belt and now likely to be cherry ripe over a step up in trip she will appreciate.

Ruler Of The Sky (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the second race Step Up looks to have plenty of scope and the step up to 1600m should suit, although Highway Eightyfive caught the eye over 1200m on the poly last time and should also go close with Anthony Delpech now up.

The third race is an intriguing contest. Anton Marcus has retained faith in the big and long-striding Ruler Of The Sky, following her comfortable back to back victories over 1400m and 1600m respectively on the poly. She is perfectly drawn in pole position for her relaxed, front-running style. However, a big threat could be the Cape horse Grey Light. She has overall been a disappointing sort, but her best runs have been on the Greyville poly, including a 7,5 length romp over course and distance in her third career start in a Novice Plate. Her poly runs last season were consequently a touch disappointing, but now off a merit rating six points lower she should be competitive. Mayfair’s three runs on the poly have all been good and she bounced back to form on the turf last time with a close second over this trip at Greyville. She looks to be competitively merit rated and should be in the shake up.

In the fourth race over 1600m Desert Fighter is by Toreador out of the useful 1400-1600m horse Sahara and should see out the trip. The 71 merit rating he was given after his facile maiden win looked lenient and it proved so when he romped home next time out over 1200m in a handicap on the poly. He could still be ahead of the handicapper after a five point raise. Lonelyarethebrave has taken to the poly like a duck to water and could be a threat despite his six point raise for his easy last win over course and distance. Oh Boy’s last outing didn’t pan out well and with a 4kg claimer up he could produce a strong finish from off the pace from a plum draw which could carry him into the first three.

The fifth is a Graduation Plate over 1800m. Liege has always struck as one who would improve with age and he is well weighted here over an ideal trip and has Delpech up. Ole Gunnar has a touch of class and is third best in at the weights over a step up in trip he looks likely to relish. What A Poet is second best in at the weights and being by Dylan Thomas, who won six Gr 1s between 10 and 12 furlongs, he should also relish the step up in trip.

Variable Pitch (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the sixth over 1000m Zinnavar could have a suppressed merit rating having run against some good sorts in Cape Town and this speedy sort is the one to beat, although he has a tricky draw of eight. Variable Pitch had some useful maiden form last year and won easily over course and distance in his recent second run after a layoff. The form has been franked and off a 70 merit rating and a 2,5kg claimer up he only has to carry an effective 50kg, so should be thereabouts from draw three. Fire The Rocket is course and distance suited and perfectly drawn and is only two points higher than his last win. Big King, Kept Secret and Elephant Matriarch can’t be ignored in this competitive race.

The last over 1200m is also competitive, although the one to beat in a weak field could be Burnburry. He clearly hated the blinkers last time and before that had caught the eye running on over this trip. The two-year-old Pep Squad wasn’t disgraced in a strong field last time over 1160m at Turffontein and from a good draw with Anton Marcus up looks likely to improve. Burnburry’s stablemate Honeysuckle Rose has some hard knocking form from 1200m up to 1400m and from draw three with Bernard Fayd’Herbe up could be involved. Le Monde and the Australian-bred two-year-old first-timer Sweet Pleasures also have to be considered.

At Turffontein on Saturday Just a Gigolo is an intriguing runner in the second race. He has always tended to over race over 1400m and beyond, and his best race was duly when dropped to 1200m, where he finished a close third despite jumping from a very tough draw. He is now back over 1200m and is probably drawn on the right side. Furthermore, the head gear which had seemed to make his over racing antics worse, is now off.

In the sixth race Sheet Weaver is likely improving being by Ideal World and the form of his first attempt over this 2000m trip makes him hard to oppose here. A similarly difficult draw did not bother him last time and he has one of the best workriders in Chamu Mabaya aboard.

By David Thiselton