Among his other good horses that will be contenders in big races for the Champions Season will be Forest Fox, Mogok Master and Henry Higgins.

Amsterdam, a three-year-old gelding by Windrush, plugged on resolutely in the testing going on Saturday under Ian Sturgeon and was only 0,75 lengths shy at the line, despite odds of 40-1. He might have even won had he not been caught on the less favourable going on the inside of horses.

Peter has few doubts about him staying the 2450m trip of the SA Derby at Turffontein on April 25.

He said, “He has such a big action and is only learning how to race now. On Saturday at the 1000m mark he dropped the bit and Ian had to pick him up again, so he will keep on and on improving.”

Amsterdam’s mission in Durban will be the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 and Peter also hopes to get him into the big one, the Vodacom Durban July. Therefore his SA Derby run is of all importance as a win there will likely gain him a berth in the July.

Peter bought the Highlands Farm Stud-bred Amsterdam at the Cape Thoroughbred Sales Ready To Run Sale of 2013 for what now looks a bargain R110,000 and interestingly the horse that beat him on Saturday, the Sean Tarry-trained Count Dubois gelding French Navy, was bought at the same sale for a mere R100,000.

Amsterdam’s USA-bred dam Kindly Kat is by Machiavellian, a well-bred horse who was a champion two-year-old in France and who later became a major sire of sires, producing the like of Street Cry as well as South Africa’s own Kahal and Right Approach.

It is not surprising that the pedigree of Amsterdam, who was originally named Chivalrous Cheetah, caught the eye of Peter’s brother Dominic. The latter is a pedigree expert and Paul then follows up by looking at the specimen. Amsterdam paid back his purchase price early as he won his first two starts, both over 1600m, and Saturday was only his fourth career outing.

Windrush himself won up to 1800m, so on Amsterdam’s pedigree alone there might be some stamina doubts for the Derby distance, but he certainly gave the impression on Saturday that he would have a chance of staying the trip.

Forest Fox, a three-year-old gelding by Dupont, was the more fancied of Peter’s coupling on Saturday and started at odds of 10/1, having come from way back in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas to finish an excellent third. Peter describes him as a “top, top horse” and said that according to his rider on Saturday, Anton Marcus, the run can be ignored. He said, “He was left, so was on the back foot from the start, and he then raced wide and battled for a run. He is the type who likes to be left alone, he doesn’t want to be bustled.”

Peter described top jockey Marcus as a “thorough professional” and said, “I have a good relationship with him and would like to use him as much as I can in Durban.”

Forest Fox will be aimed at the Gr 2 KRA Guineas to be run on May 2 at Greyville, the opening meeting of the Champions Season.

Paul and Dominic also worked together to find the Peter de Beyer-bred Forest Fox at the CTS Premier Yearling Sale Book 2 of 2013 for R210,000.

The Hyperpaint Syndicate, with Paul’s brother Gerrad as the nominee, own Amsterdam and have a share in Forest Fox in partnership with Bernard Kantor, Hassen Adams and GK and MM Nassif.

Peter also had a graded place on Saturday with the promising Mogok two-year-old colt Mogok Master, who ran on well for third in the Gr 3 Englezakis Protea Stakes over 1100m. He has always had a high regard for this horse, but believes he is looking for further, so although he will run him in the R1 million Gr 1 SA Nursery over 1000m on April 25, his chief target will be the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on July day. He thinks he will also be suited to the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m on Super Saturday.

Henry Higgins, a six-year-old gelding by Caesour, is one of the most popular horses in training due to his big heart. He took 15 starts to win his maiden but has since then won another ten races and has risen from an original handicap mark of 60 right up to 95. He is a versatile sort, but in feature company the staying races likely give him the best chance and his target will be the Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Greyville on June 6.

Peter will have a number of two-year-olds among his 20 Champions Season campaigners. He is one of the most transparent trainers in the country and is seldom wrong when he gives the public confidence in one of his horses, so it will pay to listen closely to his comments during his stint in KZN.