There is a quality ten race meeting at Turffontein Inside track on Saturday and a number of big guns are stepping out.

Juxtapose is one of them and could get punters off to a good start in race 2, a conditions plate for fillies and mares over 1600m. This four-year-old by Judpot is drawn widest of all, but it should be no problem as she likes to come from off the pace. She is full of class and could mow them down in the straight, the only slight concern being this is her second run after a five month layoff. The dangers are the three-year-old Querari Falcon and the four-year-old Negroamara. Small field races like this one, in which there are only seven runners, tend to favour front runners. Querari Falcon used this to her advantage on 27 September over course and distance, dicating and then stealing a march on Negroamara to win comfortably by 2,75 lengths.

However, Negroamara is now 3kg better off and the highly professional Anton Marcus, who replaces the equally astute Gavin Lerena, will have a reference point from which to work. The wily Marcus is likely to do all in his power to prevent a repeat. However, if the end result is a faster paced race, it will play into the hands of Juxtapose. It is sure to be an intriguing race, one for the purist, and it looks to lie between those three runners. On paper Negroamara is the one to beat, being 3,5kg better off with Juxtapose on official merit ratings. She is also 4kg better off with latter for a mere 0,4 length beating in last season’s Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m. Querari Falcon is the highest merit rated horse in the field, but taking the weight for age scale into account she is a whopping 7kg under sufferance with Negroamara. However, Juxtapose is the choice as it the race could pan out in her favour and she looks to be the one who could ultimately be the best of the three this season.

There are some good sorts turning out in race 5, a MR 90 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m. The Great Britain three-year-old filly Wrecking Ball looks to have plenty of class and is interesting with a first-time tongue tie on. She is the selection to beat the pole position-drawn top weight Easy Game, who has dropped to a competitive merit rating and has Anthony Delpech up. There is very little between Easy Game and her Mike Azzie-trained stablemate Announcing Rain on their last meeting over 1000m down the straight at Turffontein. The latter was undone by a tough draw on Grand Heritage day and could make amends here from a plum draw. The in-form Johan Janse van Vuuren is represented by Seattle Lady, who won comfortably over 1200m on rand Heritage day from a plum draw. Her merit rating was not effected as she was well weighted in that race. She is held by Easy Game and Announcing Rain on a 1000m event down the straight, but her draw could well have been against her that day and is now drawn five, which is better but still tricky. Bonnie Dawn won her first two races over this trip and the form looks strong, but she disappointed on Grand Heritage day over this same trip and has a tough draw to overcome here.

In race 6, a MR 91 Handicap over 1450m for three-year-old fillies, the Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred New Approach filly Dame Eleanor has her second start after winning in eye-catching style on debut from a tough draw over 1200m at Scottsville. She will relish the step up in trip and can follow up from a good draw under Anthony Delpech.

In race 7, a MR 96 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1450m, De Kock runs a classy Australian-bred colt by Redoute’s Choice called Al Fahad. His maiden win is probably the form race of the season to date. He beat Doosra by 0,2 lengths, with the promising Matador Man 2,45 lengths back, and there was then more than ten lengths back to the rest. Doosra has since won impressively and had the field spread out like the washing. Mexican Sun, who was beaten 12,25 lengths by Al Fahad, has also won. Al Fahad should be up to his 89 merit rating and is drawn well over a step up in trip he should relish with Delpech aboard.

In race 8, a MR 100 Handicap over 1450m, Lunar Approach looks to be back to himself and is well drawn off what could prove to be an attractive merit rating.

David Thiselton