RACE 1

WINIKA and STAR MAGNOLIA have the form and experience to be competitive and will likely fight out the finish with a repeat of their career-best last starts. IRISH WILMA and WHAT NOW MY LOVE are open to improvement and could get into the picture. Newcomer BLUE STORM RUNNER is worth a market check and won’t need to be special to make her presence felt on debut. Watch the betting!

RACE 2

ENFLAME made no impression last time in a KZN feature but will be a different proposition back on the Highveld. He is course-and-distance suited and the best-weighted runner in the race. Stablemate ETHICAL returns from a layoff but is a maturing stayer with scope to improve on her reappearance. BREEZE OVER and MO MENT get the trip well and are weighted to be competitive but both are out of sorts. EUPHRATES has no stamina doubts but his better form has come at a lower level. DECEPTION PASS is unexposed over this distance but have earning potential.

RACE 3

SECRET FATE was outrun late when a game-in-defeat 3rd over track and trip recently. She’s 3kg better off with QUEEN LEILA so is weighted to turn the tables on her last-start conqueror who will likely remain competitive under top weight. WITHIN REACH was a fast-finishing 2nd over this trip when last seen, conceding 3kg to the winner who has won both subsequent starts. She resumes from a break and should make her presence felt with improvement expected on her reappearance. Recent maiden winner IMPRESSIVE and well-related likely improver BELLFLOWER also have the means to get involved.

RACE 4

SPIRIT OF GABZ has improved in two recent Highveld outings around the bend, the latest in a minor feature over course and distance. He should play a leading role with a repeat of that performance. Maidens EXPERT WITNESS, RAFE’S ORACLE and SNOWBLADE are closely matched on the form of their 1600m meeting on the Inside track last month. They should improve to be competitive in receipt of 3kg from the selection. Well-bred newcomer HARTREE is worth a market check on debut and recently gelded DEAR DOC is another to keep an eye on.

RACE 5

Hard race to assess but the value could lie with WHATSDAMATTERWITHU on his reappearance after a break. Soundly beaten in his 3 starts, he bumped highly rated multiple winners on each occasion and is open to any amount of improvement after a subsequent gelding operation. WISH YOU WERE HERE and CAMPO FORMIO have the benefit of experience that should stand them in good stead against several unraced rivals. GLASTONBURY FIRE and PARISIENNE QUEEN warrant respect on debut, as do 2yo newcomers POLE POSITION and SPICY PLUM. Follow the betting market for clues!

RACE 6

THE EQUATOR made an encouraging return to form last time in his first start for this stable behind a Durban July contender in a course-and-distance Grade 3 event. He will have tightened up with the run and is weighted to fight out the finish. WILD INTENT is out of sorts and held on that form but has the means to pose a threat, as does distance-suited KING’S EXPRESS who gets 7.5kg from the selection. DON’T CRY FOR ME and FIRE ‘N FLAMES will appreciate stretching out to this trip so can’t be ignored.

RACE 7

ERROL FLYNN is unbeaten in 2 starts with blinkers fitted. He hit the line strongly when winning over 1600m last time and will be hard to beat over this extended trip on the evidence of that performance. COPPER EAGLE was a fast-finishing 2nd in a course-and-distance Grade 3 last time (conceding weight to the 5yo winner who runs in the Durban July) and will play another leading role with if reproducing a similar effort. GOT THE FEELING is held on from and at the weights by the selection but has earning potential. CHRONICLE KING and GOLDEN OPERATOR are untried over 1800m but warrant respect too.

RACE 8

TAXI TO THE MOON, prolific after gelding, produced another career-best effort to win a KZN Grade 2 last time. He carries a 3-point penalty for that victory but is weighted to remain competitive, even with 62kg on his back. Fillies ALMOND SEA and ONE FINE WINTER are the joint best-weighted runners in the race so have to be respected, though a bigger threat may come from hat-trick seeking 3yo AFRICAN PRIDE who is at the top of his game and open to further improvement in his peak outing. ZALATORIS, CHARMING CHEETAH, CHAPBOOK and SLINKY MAPIMPI are useful sprinters so aren’t taken lightly either.

RACE 9

MASTER CHRISTMAS bounced back to form last time in a stronger race over this distance so a repeat of that performance off an unchanged mark could suffice. Maturing WARNING SOUND, consistent 3yo KENSAL GREEN and versatile CHESTNUT BOMBER are up in the ratings after encouraging last starts but should remain competitive. DANTONFROMSANDTON may have more of a place chance than a winning one.

RACE 10

WAR REPORTER has gone from strength to strength this year after an 8-month absence, winning two of his three comeback appearances. As a lightly raced 4yo, he remains open to improvement and is probably better than rated so it could pay to follow his progress. Stablemates PRINCESS KEIRA, TOP SHELF TEDDY and UTSAAH have the form and experience at this level to be competitive. SKY PILOT hit the front 400m out on his handicap debut but was outrun late over 1700m so this shorter trip could be more to his liking. SUNSET WARRIOR, MILLENNIUM WARRIOR and returning HARUN AL RASHID can also get a look in.