Speaking prophetically on Friday, Weiho Marwing said “Big Mac” was in good order after arriving from his Turffontein satellite yard the day before. “Those Jo’burg races, especially at Turffontein, may have been too far. He always looked dangerous but didn’t finish of his race. I think the 1600 might be his game. We’ll see.”

Well it was close! “Big Mac” didn’t get home first in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville yesterday, but it took an objection from Marwing to get him there.

Trip To Heaven came from well back in the field to hit the front two furlongs out but Mac De Lago stuck to him like a burr. Under pressure, replacement rider Grant van Niekerk allowed Trip To Heaven to shift ground onto Mac De Lago and with the winning margin a piece-of-paper most agreed that the stewards made the correct decision to reverse the result.

Not a great way to win a Gr1 but it was some consolation for Marwing who two years back was on the wrong end of a steward’ protest in the Vodacom Durban July with Wylie Hall relegated to second behind Legislate.

In spite of being suspect over the distance, Mac De Lago will take his chances in the July.

“I thought the objection was clear-cut,” said Marwing. “I don’t know why the stipes didn’t object. You will have to ask them.”

“It was a great prep for the July. I think he will spark from here.”

French Navy, having his final race before the July, was doing his best work late finishing third and Sean Tarry will be more than happy with his showing in his lead-up to the country’s big one.

The notorious ‘Cape Crawl’ has taken hold in KZN this winter and there appears to be no antidote as both the G3 Cup Trial and the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes caught the virus and the recent Gr1 Daily News 2000 was also not immune.

That said, there is no substitute for experience and internationally experienced Weichong Marwing played the field on the brake in the Cup Trial. Controlling the pace on rank outsider Exit Here he spoilt the chances of a few Vodacom Durban July hopefuls and cemented the chances of his mount making the final field as he kept Exit Here finding extra to hold Dynamic, the heavily supported The Conglomerate and Saratoga Dancer with a blanket covering the rest of the finishers.

Setting a sedate gallop Exit Here, beaten out of sight by current July anti-post favourite Black Arthur in the G2 Canon Guineas, responded to Marwing’s urgings to hold off the attentions of Dynamic who battled to quicken past his rival after being in close attendance throughout.

Chares Laird, not complimentary of his previous jockey bookings for Exit Here, confirmed that pace was the key and was critical of the

colt’s last two rides. “He’s a very gutsy horse and went the right pace. Weichong was able to ease him up a little bit. At the top of the straight he gave him a kick and it’s actually nice to know that it’s not his fault that he had two bad runs.”

Behind the first two, Anton Marcus aboard favourite The Conglomerate and Muzi Yeni on Saratoga Dancer had a barging match resulting in a successful objection by trainer Duncan Howells against The Conglomerate on the grounds of interference and intimidation over the final 350m resulting in the placings being reversed.

With both runners in the running for a place in the final July field this could prove a costly dust-up for both runners who could be relegated to contesting the July consolation.

Last year’s KRA Fillies Guineas winner Alexis has a shine for Greyville and she added a third victory at the track from just four starts. Putting in a telling finish in the Gr2 Tibouchina Stakes, Brett Crawford’s filly got up close home under stable rider Corne Orffer to edge out Silver Mountain and a fast-finishing Sensible Lover, defying odds of 20-1.

Favourite Inara, caught wide early in a race run at a dismally slow early pace, loomed dangerous for a few strides but was caught for finishing speed and plodded into fourth.

Crawford said, “For me this was a race that we pin-pointed so it’s mission accomplished”. Next up will be the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes on July day.

It was also mission accomplished for Charles Laird and owner Alesh Naidoo when Palladium finished with a rattle to catch favourite Daffiq in the Gatecrasher Stakes. The race was marred by a false start but did not faze the R1,7 million yearling buy who came from last under Keagan De Melo.

“We have a plan for July day,” said Laird. “We’re three-quarters of the way there.”

Later, the Alec Laird-trained Maleficent booked her place in the Golden Slipper on July day in similar fashion in the Devon Air Stakes. Weichong Marwing was hard at work from the top of the straight and the filly only got rolling inside the final furlong to catch Querari Falcon to win going away with the balance well beaten.

Andrew Harrison