The highly rated and still unexposed Red Chesnut Road will run in the Gr 3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m at Turffontein on Saturday.

However, his Summerveld-based trainer Robbie Hill said he would not be at “a hundred percent” and the race appears to be a stepping stone towards targets in the SA Champions Season.

Hill said, “He has been doing well in work, but hasn’t run for a while so will be slightly underdone, but he will give a good account of himself.”

Red Chesnut Road (Nkosi Hlophe)

Red Chesnut Road has been at Randjesfontein since mid-January, so has had plenty of time to acclimatise to the high altitude of the Highveld.

The Pathfork gelding might not have won any awards last season as a two-year-old, but his formline stood out. He destroyed the opposition in his first two starts over 1200m and 1100m respectively, both at Scottsville,  and a few winners emerged from those races, including Gr 1 winner Gunner, whom he beat by 11,75 lengths.

However, unfortunately, Red Chesnut Road had to be put away for the season after a hiccup in training.

He made his long awaited come back from an eight month layoff on January 9 on the Greyville polytrack over 1400m, but was defeated half-a-length by the resolute Winter Is Coming, to whom he was giving 4kg. He had the Listed winner Palladium 2,25 lengths behind and was also giving that one 4kg if the claim of Palladium’s apprentice jockey is included. Red Chesnut Road was green around the turn in the race and the conclusion was also that he had needed the run. Furthermore, Winter Is Coming is highly rated by his trainer Frank Robinson and was subsequently entered in the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby (although he ended up having to be scratched).

Red Chesnut Road will likely attract a lot of market support on Saturday, despite needing it and having to carry topweight under the merit-rated band conditions of the race. His class could pull him through, although it won’t be easy against some top class sorts, including the two fillies Green Pepper and Ektifaa who are both better in at the weights than he is.

The currently 104 merit-rated Red Chesnut Road will be back at Summerveld next week.

Hill will see how he comes out of Saturday’s race before confirming his SA Champions Season targets.

He has always believed Red Chesnut Road would stay a bit of ground and mentioned the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas on May 7 as one of his possible targets. Hill concluded, “I believe he is versatile, but it will be baby steps at a time and a lot will depend on him.”

By David Thiselton