The riders of both WSB Computaform Sprint participant Muscatt and Premier’s Champions Challenge runner Inara gave the thumbs up for their mounts at Summerveld yesterday.

Trainer Michael Roberts has remained loyal to Muscatt’s rider Calvin Habib, despite him still being a 2,5 kg claimer. Habib has hit form at just the right time and was superb when scoring a double at Greyville on Friday night and adding another winner at Scottsville on Sunday. He has ridden Muscatt in both of the six-year-old Victory Moon gelding’s last two outings, which have yielded two wins over 1000m at Scottsville, including a course record-breaking effort.

Muscatt (Nkosi Hlophe)

Habib was pleased with Muscatt’s pace work yesterday and said, “He doesn’t ever feel like he’s going fast and it’s only when you watch the race later that you see he is.” Roberts backed this up and it points to the gelding’s high cruising speed, an essential asset for a big field Gr 1 WFA Sprint like the Computaform. He has a decent kick too. His low draw might be a concern if last year’s race is anything to go by, although it was wet that day and the opposite is forecast to be the case on Saturday.

“The filly (Carry On Alice) will be hard to beat,” said Roberts. Muscatt will likely travel on Thursday, in the day if it’s not too hot, otherwise at night.

Grant Van Niekerk had no concerns at all about Inara staying the 2000m trip of the Premier’s Champions Challenge and was hopeful she could win. He feared Legal Eagle the most.

The Trippi filly has never faced the boys before but has the beating of Legal Eagle on a strict line through Smart Call. Furthermore, she jumps from a plum draw of two. She travelled well both there and back when winning the Gr Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes on April 16 and should do so again. Van Niekerk concluded by saying Inara was “definitely” a Vodacom Durban July contender too.

By David Thiselton