Vardy, stunning winner of the Gr1 Queen’s Plate, starts his Champions Season campaign in the Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow. Adam Marcus has the Vodacom Durban July in his plans and the gelding he looks difficult to oppose in this season opener.

Vardy took on the best ‘milers’ in the country in the Queen’s Plate and gave them a galloping lesson, coming from off the pace and breezing past the opposition in seemingly effortless fashion.

On that performance the Gr1 Sun Met looked well within his compass but there is never a racing certainty in this sport as favourite Hawwaam, ran into the back of him, fatally compromising both horse’s chances.

Hawwaam starts his season in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein today, and if their stars align the pair could meet again come Saturday, July 25.

Given the weight conditions of the Drill Hall, Vardy need only be at half-throttle to win and this should be the ideal blow-out for his next VDJ stepping stone, the Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

The only possible threat could come from top sprinter Kasimir. Justin Snaith’s charge is no stranger to the course having beaten the top filly Celtic Sea in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint last season. He comes into the race off a grinding victory in the Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth where he looked beaten a furlong out but kept fighting off all challengers. The majority of his form has been over 1200m but given his never-say-die attitude, Vardy’s rider, Craig Zackey, will need to be fully aware of what he is up against especially with master tactician Anton Marcus aboard.

Matador Man could battle in this line-up but loves this course while Sniper Shot tries blinkers for the first time. The balance should all prefer more ground.

Adam Marcus has had a stellar season to date, with two Gr1 wins to his credit. Vardy’s Queen’s Plate triumph was his second, Mississippi Burning his first in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas.

She is also in action in the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas tomorrow where there are a few in opposition who will be looking to turn the tables.

Mississippi Burning is not the most striking physical specimen but she made her Cape rivals look pretty ordinary as she won the Guineas easing up with three lengths of daylight back to the runner-up Driving Miss Daisy, also in tomorrow’s line-up and one of the leading contenders. A repeat performance will see her hard to peg back.

Kelpie was no match in the Cape but has since run two smart races in open features and comes from a very much in form stable.

Labyrinth is unbeaten since Vaughan Marshall tried her in blinkers and looks a far better proposition than when beaten by Kelpie three runs back.

The Gr2 World Sports Betting Guineas is an intriguing contest where the Cape raiders are again likely to hold sway. Golden Ducat, a half-brother to the pair of top gallopers Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam, was easy to back in the Cape Derby where he revelled in the ten-furlong contest beating the well fancied Sachdev. The pair meet again tomorrow, but the latter could be more at home over this shorter trip and able to turn the tables.

Golden Ducat is a giant of a horse and one would reasonably expect him to battle around the relatively tight Greyville circuit but the past has shown that big horses are not necessary at a disadvantage so it would be foolish to write off the Derby winner’s chances.

Count Jack comes off three straight wins, Sachdev his most recent victim, so must also come into the reckoning while local hopes could rest with Padre Pio and Guru’s Pride.

The lock-down initiated by the Covid-19 pandemic saw horse racing on hold for the past two months but was given the green light to resume last Monday, June 1. Under strict quarantine guidelines, only persons essential to the running of the race meeting are allowed on course but all races can be watched live on channel 239 on DStv. All TAB and bookmaker rooms are closed and betting can only be conducted on line.

By Andrew Harrison