Vaughan Marshall steps into the season-long two-year-old battle between Joey Ramsden and Candice Bass-Robinson at Kenilworth today and he just might beat them both with One World in the 1 400m Juvenile Plate (race four)

The Cape Town score stands at Ramsden 14 and Mrs Robinson 13 whereas Marshall has had only seven but One World made a huge impression when winning on debut at the end of March. Heavily backed, he led two furlongs out, was ridden clear and won by three lengths pulling up. Marshall (“I didn’t think anything could beat him”) promptly started talking in terms of the Langerman.

Vaughan Marshall

The form was nothing to write home about – the second horse was perpetual bridesmaid Frozen Tune and none of those behind has won since – but the impression was memorable.

There is no question that Arabian Air’s form is stronger and he has been backed from 18-10 to 15-10 favourite with World Sports Betting which has One World on 17-10. The Ramsden horse looked a bit special when easily beating older horses on debut and 11 days later went down narrowly to stable companion Twist Of Fate (disappointing at Scottsville on Saturday) after hanging in the last two furlongs. He had the third three lengths back and his trainer said afterwards: “He is a very good horse but he had the worst preparation.”

Ramsden runs four others, the shortest-priced of which is the 11-2 shot Lucky Dancer who was also second to Twist Of Fate last time but was beaten two and a half lengths. That said, he met the stable companion at levels whereas Arabian Air was receiving 2kg.

For once the Bass-Robinson runner does not look good enough. Sacred Arrow (11-1) won at Durbanville and only by three-quarters of a length. While the form book says Arabian Air the memory goes for One World.

In the Betting World Juvenile Fillies Ramsden (four runners) and Bass-Robinson (two) have it between them. With no Go The Distance ( lame and scratched), it looks a straight fight between 9-10 favourite Sans Regrets and Cruise Along (22-10) whose second to Canukeepitsecret reads well after Scottsville. Marginal preference is for Sans Regrets.

In the opening Juvenile Fillies the Brett Crawford-trained Vodka Lime may have come on sufficiently to beat the equally lightly raced Margrethe while Blue Roller’s seconds to Rainbow Bridge and Arabian Air suggest she is a stand-out for TAB Telebet Maiden despite the strong recent form claims of the busy Seventh Sea.

Flower Of Carmel’s below-par last effort is apparently something of a mystery to her stable and so Clifton Beach is preferred in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden.

By Michael Clower