Al Wahed, roughly translated as The Chosen One, is an appropriate choice for the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth today and he is attractively priced at 7-2.

“He is going to love the soft ground and I think he has a big chance even though Captain Bagg is a good horse,” says Mike Stewart. “We have a huge weight advantage.”

The gelding came to the Noordhoek trainer from Duncan Howells because he was born with an offset knee and Stewart is able to send him out into the sea morning and afternoon, keeping the knee cool and comfortable.

Mike Stewart

The four-year-old won over this 1 000m in April and repeated the performance five weeks later but last time he disappointed and managed only sixth behind Captain Bagg. However there were valid excuses.

“He jumped badly, he was bumped by the horse drawn alongside him and then by the horse the other side – and by that stage he was five lengths behind,” Stewart explains. “His rider chased him up and 500m out he was in front but the horse had basically blown his bolt.”

Brandon May, who rode him in those two wins, is now back on board but Captain Bagg, installed evens favourite by World Sports Betting, could again be a big danger even though he is 2kg worse this time. When the pair met in April, and Al Wahed beat Captain Bagg a length and a half, the Eric Sands horse was conceding 5kg. Now the difference is 4.5kg.

But what really counts with Grant Behr’s mount is the pace. Normally they don’t go fast enough and he pulls his way to the front. When he won last time there was a decent gallop and Behr was able to hold him up.

Another to bear in mind is the Andre Nel-trained 7-2 chance Ovar who is a consistent sort and good in sprints.

Rock On Wood is fractionally odds-on for the opening Maiden Juvenile Fillies and deservedly so. She lost valuable ground at the off when hot favourite on her most recent start but she ran on strongly in the final furlong and would have won in another 20m. The one worry is that she is developing seconditis – that was her third runner-up position in as many starts.

Race three is wide open and 3-1 favourite Kenny Trix gets only marginal preference. Mount Keith (4-1) has similar credentials while 11-2 chance Summer Sky had Edict Of Nantes (9-2) two lengths behind when both were making their debuts.

Two-year-olds Drop The Pilot and Possibly Me are 15-10 equal favourites for race four and preference is for Greg Ennion’s runner who was taking on a big field when beating all except Reine Tonnerre.

Michael Clower