Justin Snaith believes that Snowdance ranks with his previous Cape Fillies Guineas winners Captain’s Lover, Sparkling Gem, Ebony Flyer and In The Fast Lane and the only chink in the favourite’s armour could be lack of stamina.

He said: “Everything about her has been impressive but some of the family have been quite quick so there is a little worry about the extra 200m on Saturday.”

Justin Snaith

That apart he rates stable companion Oh Susanna the biggest danger even though she is as big as 25-1 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas.

He said: “Just watch the re-run of the Western Cape Fillies Championship and you will see what I mean. She was five wide at the back of the field going into the turn yet she came through to finish fifth. If there is anything that is going to improve a lot it is her and if she had a better draw she would be the one I am most afraid of.”

Snaith has won two of the last seven runnings of the WSB Cape Merchants and this time he runs four headed by Sergeant Hardy who is 9-2 favourite despite his breathing problems.

“I wasn’t even going to nominate him because I thought he would be weighted out of it. I was over the moon when he got only 57kg and off this weight he is going to be competitive, but I don’t like his outside draw which could be a big problem. Also in a race like this you have got to look for a horse that is well-handicapped and he is not the best handicapped of my four.

“Bishop’s Bounty (25-1) was very disappointing in his last race – he ran away with Richard Fourie – and this time we need to tuck him in. But I think he is still one run short.”

Heartland (33-1) could be better over a bit further according to the form book.  “Not at all,” insists his trainer. “I wouldn’t say he found a lot of trouble in his last race but he did come late and off 52.5kg he could be the dark horse of the race.”

Seemingly the one for the punters, though, could be Grant van Niekerk’s mount Cuban Emerald at 25-1. “I kept him away so that he would come into this with a light weight. I didn’t want to run him again because I knew that his rating would go up if I did. He could be the roughie.”

In the third of the Kenilworth big races, the WSB Green Point Stakes, the former champion trainer runs Copper Force, a 14-1 chance and on merit ratings the worst horse in the race. “On handicapping he will run last but I have a feeling that he won’t. He is doing well at home.”

By Michael Clower