Adam Marcus will send a team to Durban this year for the first time since his first season in 2012/13.

He said: “At that time I was training a few for Mrs Oppenheimer. This time I have been allotted ten boxes and I will take between five and ten horses, depending on some whose merit rating still needs to go up.

Adam Marcus

“It may be a small string but it’s an exciting one and the main hope is the Cape Summer Stayers winner Royal Badge who has the Gold Cup as his objective.”

Zodiac Jack, 8-10 favourite when collared by Sir Frenchie inside the last half furlong of the Kenilworth Juvenile Plate a week ago, has been found to be suffering from pharyngitis.

Greg Ennion said: “Richard Fourie told me that the colt was going along at his normal speed but, when he asked him to quicken, he choked up. I found that most of my babies have got the same thing. I scoped five of them and four had the infection.”

Gerrit Schlechter, previously reluctant to say that he was retiring – partly because of insurance company requirements – has now done so.

He made a rare visit to Kenilworth on Saturday and said: “I am now officially retired – the doctors said there was no chance of riding again – but I don’t yet know what I will do. I will have to see what happens but I am still young (52).”

Schlechter’s big race victories include the 2006 Durban July on Eyeofthetiger and the 2011 Met on Past Master. He has not ridden since September 2015 when he was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc compounded by osteoporosis and arthritis.

Plattner Racing is advertising for an assistant to trainer Andre Nel but applicants need to act quickly. The deadline for submission of CVs is on Friday.

By Michael Clower