Top jockeys don’t necessary make top trainers but Garth Puller was and is both. He is also in a rich vein of form at present and can add to his tally when he saddles Saint Marco in the KZN Breeders Club Handicap on the Greyville poly this evening.

The gelding makes his debut over the 1900m, having never gone further than a mile, but now that he is older the extra 300m may well be what the five-year-old is looking for. He very seldom runs a bad race and last time out was touched off by the strongly fancied Wild Wicket over the Scottsville 1600m. It was an excellent run, and one that also impressed the handicappers who promptly bumped him up four pounds for his efforts.

In a small field there is always the danger of a false pace but there are a number of runners in this event that do like to race handy. Saint Marco was up with the pace set by stable companion Main Player in the race won by Wild Wicket and he races off the same mark with apprentice Craig Bantam again taking 2.5kg off his back.

At the bottom of the weights, Roy Had Enough could be contesting favouritism with top weight Warfare, both winners of their last starts.

Roy Had Enough makes his seasonal debut for Frank Robinson and led all the way when following up on his maiden win over tonight’s course and distance. He is up in class here but with only 52kg to shoulder he will have many supporters.

Warfare is also at home over course and distance and with Serino Moodley claiming 2.5kg he too will have his supporters.

The more one dissects the form the trickier it starts to look but Saint Marco is taken to come into his own over the trip and is selected ahead of Warfare and Roy Had Enough.

Draugluin has twice let his supporters down and has been expensive to follow. However, he makes his poly debut with blinkers in the card opener from pole position draw and Dennis Drier’s runner can make amends. Alistair Gordon saddles Mambo Rock who was a neck behind Draugluin when last they met jumping from a wide draw. If Draugluin does not make the expected improvement in blinkers then Mambo Rock should be right there to pick up the pieces. Dean Kannemeyer is enjoying an island break but assistant Barbara Bardenhorst does a sterling job and Slightly Scottish was running on well on debut behind heavily supported Zen Arcade and can do better at his second visit to the racecourse.

Shane Humby is back in his home province after an extended spell in the Western Cape and the Ashburton-based trainer saddles two runners who should be included in all calculations in their respective races.

Dusty Button is lightly raced but is showing signs of finding her best form. She was not far back on her local debut after returning from a six-month break and followed up with a cracking effort on the Greyville poly next time out. This being her third run after a break she looks pretty much primed.

Also returning from a break is Green Ice who showed excellent promise last season. Her last two outings were against winners and she was three lengths back to subsequent Gr1 winner Lady In Black last time out. Alyson Wright’s filly may be short of a run after a three-month break but her class could carry her through.

Humby saddles Stunning Seed in the opening leg of the PA and she looks overdue a maiden win after three smart efforts in blinkers. However, she does face a couple of form runners in Meet The Logans and Continuum while Excellistic makes her poly debut for Charles Laird who has her third run after a break and with her American pedigree she should enjoy the poly first up.

By Andrew Harrison