The SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday will see a previous winner of this race Carry On Alice attempting to win her fifth career Gr 1 and amongst the dangers will be a three-year-old, Just Sensual, whose only Gr 1 win has been over a mile.

Carry On Alice was relaxed behind the pacemaker two years ago when beating the champion filly Alboran Sea by 1,75 lengths. Last year, when a forgettable fifth, she did not settle in behind horses and the gaps didn’t open in time either. Furthermore, she might have been above herself, as the Sean Tarry yard was reportedly under a cloud at the time.

Carry On Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

The full width of the track is being used this year and there is a small field too, which will favour her, as she has never been a horse who needs cover. With daylight in front of her she can use her high cruising speed to its maximum effect before delivering her famous kick. She will be hard to beat, but she does face one of the strongest fields to have lined up for this race in recent times.

Just Sensual showed good pace over 1200m and 1400m early in her career and coupled it with a tremendous turn of foot. Subsequent to her Cape Fillies Guineas win she ran unplaced in the CTS Mile and was then much more comfortable over the 1400m of the Gr 3 Prix du Cap. In the latter race she showed good gate speed and early pace and then moved up effortlessly under the hands in the straight. She showed a fine turn of foot when asked the question and won cosily. In recent times the infamous draw bias at Scottsville appears to have evened out, so her high draw of 12 out of 12 is unlikely to be a disadvantage.

The Secret Is Out, winner of last year’s Gr 1 Allan Robertson at this meeting, is one of the horses who has proved the draw down the Scottsville straight is no longer a factor. At the end of April she won the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes over course and distance from the very outside draw of 14, despite carrying a 3kg Gr 1 penalty. Scottsville is a course horses either love or hate and she has won all three of her starts there. She had been a touch disappointing this season, but three of her defeats were over 1400m. Her career record shows she has only once been defeated over a sprint trip. Furthermore, trainer Vaughan Marshall admitted she had bled in her second outing of the season last November and it had been “a long hard road back.”

Fellow three-year-old Live Life was receiving 1kg from The Secret Is Out in the Poinsettia and was beaten 0,55 lengths. However, she didn’t have cover the whole way and was forced to go for home early, as opposed to her win in the CTS Sprint over the Kenilworth 1200, where she came from off the pace and won full of running despite having to be switched in the closing stages. Earlier, Live Life had beaten Carry On Alice in the Gr 2 Sceptre Stakes by 0,75 lengths on terms 2kg worse than weight for age and on that occasion he came from last.

Just Sensual (Liesl King)

Vision To Kill showed good cruising speed in the Poinsettia and flew up for second, but will be 2kg worse off with Live Life, whom she beat by a short-head.

“Class” in horseracing has been defined as those who are supreme at middle distances but also have the speed to compete and possibly beat the best sprinters at their game. Bela-Bela, whose two Gr 1 wins have been over 2000m and 1800m, fits this bill. She lost a couple of lengths on her debut over 1000m and still won easily. That was her only ever sprint start, but she has always given the impression she has a lot of speed as she is always on the bridle in the running over further.

Last year Real Princess showed good cruising speed and a tremendous turn of foot, but on this season’s form she is held by Carry On Alice, Live Life, The Secret Is Out and Jo’s Bond and will need to bounce back.

Jo’s Bond beat Carry On Alice in the Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m when receiving only 2kg and the latter duly reversed form at level weights in the Gr 1 Cape Flying Championships. Jo’s Bond is seen as a 1000m specialist, but this imposing daughter of Captain Al did turn it on impressively in the Listed Kwazulu-Natal Stakes over the Scottsville 1000m from just off the pace, which gives some hope.

The consistent Joan Ranger has speed coupled with a kick and it would be no surprise to see her repeat her third place finish of last year.

Elusivenchantment was a 2,55 length sixth last year and has been beaten twice over course and distance by Joan Ranger, while Jo’s Bond has beaten her twice over 1000m at level weights this season.

Sail won a Maiden Juvenile Plate over course and distance by 4,75 lengths just over a year ago. However, she has consistently been just off the best over further and is up against it here too.

Miss Varlicious is the lowest rated runner and looks held on Poinsettia form.

By David Thiselton

The often shoeless champion Talktothestars will have a fine chance of defending his crown in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

He had been disappointing overall this season until his last run in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m, where he flew home for second in much the same manner as he had when runner up last year. He went on to win the Tsogo Sun last year off a merit rating of 116, so has a fine chance this year off a 113 merit rating. Chase Maujean retains the ride.

Talktothestars (Nkosi Hlophe)

Piere Strydom was aboard Talktothestars last year but this year rides the consistent Brutal Force, who was caught late by Talktothestars and Carry On Alice in the Computaform Sprint. He is 0,5 kg better off with Talktothestars for a 0,4 length beating and this tough horse should enjoy the course and distance.

London Call, unbeaten in four starts this season, was beautifully relaxed in the running when winning a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1100m at Scottsville last time out and he then showed an effortless turn of foot, This lightly raced six-year-old gelding has improved and has a chance despite having to run off a 111.

Bull Valley will be a massive runner at his best as he has class as well as a good cruising speed and a fine turn of foot. Last November he finished just 0,3 lengths behind Trip To Heaven in the Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein when receiving 3,5 kg a and he was 2,1 lengths clear of Talktothestars, but will now be 4kg worse off.

It will be on the sharp side for Bulleting Home and he might be a touch high in the merit ratings, but he has class and will be running at them late.

Sergeant Hardy is capable of dominating a race from start to finish as he has tremendous pace and has the ability to maintain it. He should have come on from his last start when beaten 1,75 lengths by London Call and he will now be 2kg better off.

Gulf Storm finished second in this race two years ago off a 109 merit rating and now runs of 106. However, he will need to bounce back from disappointing recent form.

London Call (Nkosi Hlophe)

Muscatt holds the 1000 metre Scottsville course record, but appears better over that distance and as a seven-year-old is off his highest ever merit rating.

Search Party is one of the most improved sprinters in the country and has good pace and the ability to kick on as he did when third in the Diadem over this trip in December. He beat Red Ray receiving only 1kg there that day, so is worthy of his 106 merit rating.

Seven-year-old Barbosa loves the Scottsville straight, but has had a bit of a down turn in form lately.

Captain’s Causeway ran 3,9 lengths back off a 100 merit rating last year and is now off a 104, but he does look to have improved.

The rangy Attenborough turned it on in fine style to win the Listed In Full Flight Handicap over 1000m and on that showing has a shout off a five point higher merit rating.

Table Bay has a big reputation but has proved disappointing over a mile and beyond, so is interesting stepped down to this trip.

Captain Swarovski has good pace, but still has to prove he is good enough to justify a 103 merit rating.

Janoobi has won two Guineas events this season from start to finish and as a two-year-old won the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m. He only runs off a 103 merit rating and is ultra tough, so will likely enjoy Scottsville.

Exelero finished a 2,4 length third last year off a 103 merit rating and now runs off just a 98, so has to have a shout.

By David Thiselton

The Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion has virtually been owned by the Dennis Drier yard this decade and they will have a shout of winning it for the sixth time in the last eight years at Scottsville on Saturday with Sand And Sea.

However, this tall and speedy Twice Over colt is likely to have some stern opposition and the horse to beat looks to be the Mike de Kock-trained Naafer, while the Sean Tarry-trained pair Warrior’s Rest and Kenan’s Rock also make appeal, while the Brett Crawford-trained Al Mariachi and the Charles Laird-trained Varallo are also hard to ignore.

Sand And Sea (Nkosi Hlophe)

An unusual aspect of this year’s Gold Medallion is that all of the 12 runners bar one can be compared to each other through collateral formlines.

The key race on which the horses can be judged is the Non-Black Type Kuda Sprint over 1200m, which was run on Sun Met day.

A lot of the KZN two-year-old male form can be judged against Medallion runner Sir Frenchie, who was beaten 13,15 lengths in the Kuda Sprint. Sir Frenchie did have the excuse of a high draw, which was unfavourable on the day. This is the reason Warrior’s Rest makes some appeal in the Medallion as he was drawn outside of Sir Frenchie in the Kuda and bounded past him in the closing stages to finish a far from disgraced 5,45 length sixth, 7,7 lengths clear of Sir Frenchie.

Warrior’s Rest, a rangy son of What A Winter, showed his class in his only subsequent run in Johannesburg, going to the front from a wide draw over 1400m and comfortably keeping the challengers at bay before drawing clear to win by 3,25 lengths. The concern for Saturday is whether he has the pace to be within striking distance as he would prefer further than 1200m. However, as a solidly built horse with a big action he is likely to relish the tough Scottsville track and should be running on strongly.

Warrior’s Rest’s stablemate Barrack Street gave him 2kg and beat him by 0,3 lengths in the Kuda, but jumped from a plum low draw. Barrack Street, who was scratched at the Medallion declaration stage yesterday, then went to Jo’burg and won the Listed Storm Bird Stakes over 1000m and the Gr 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m to prove just how strong the Kuda Sprint form was. However, in the Gr 1 SA Nursery he was beaten eight lengths and the runner up Naafer was four lengths in front of him. Therefore, Naafer easily has the beating of Warrior’s Rest on paper. There is just the question mark of how unfavourable that high draw was for Warrior’s Rest on Met day.

Wonderwall, who doesn’t run in the Medallion, finished a narrow second in the Kuda, beating Barrack Street by 5,05 lengths, although he was receiving 2kg. Wonderwall subsequently finished third in the SA Nursery, beaten two lengths by Naafer. This is a further tick against Naafer’s name for the Medallion.

Dennis Drier(Nkosi Hlophe)

The 4,85 length fourth-placed finisher in the Kuda was Apollo Star, who was subsequently beaten over the same Kenilworth 1200m course and distance by Captain’s Charm.

Sand And Sea thus comes into the equation, because on debut over 1200m at Scottsvile he was green but ran on well to beat Captain’s Charm by 3,5 lengths, although he was receiving 3kg.

Sand And Sea was also giving 3kg to Al Mariachi that day and only beat him by 0,5 lengths. However, Sand And Sea is entitled to improve and will have the advantage of Anton Marcus aboard, being part-owned by Mayfair Speculators.

In his two KZN runs Sir Frenchie has finished a close third at Greyville over 1200m and a close second over 1100m at Scottsville and was carrying topweight on both occasions. If the Kuda form is taken literally, these runs put a dampener on the chances of the like of Varallo, Sniper Shot, Procal Harum, Woljayrine, Arianos Bagofgold and Autumn In Seattle.

However, of these Varallo was likely below his best last time having jumped sideways into the gate at the start when beaten 2,25 lengths over 1100m by Woljayrine, to whom he was giving 4kg. That was not the first time Varallo had ducked sideways during a race, so it is interesting to see the blinkers now on for the first time. This classy Var colt won his first two starts impressively and has always struck as one who had plenty of scope for further improvement. Furthermore, he has the Charles Laird factor. Laird has an outstanding record at this meeting,

The most unexposed horse is the Tarry-trained Keanan’s Rock, the only runner who cannot be found in the network of collateral form. On debut last week, this robust gelding by former Medallion winner Seventh Rock lost about three lengths over 1200m at the Vaal in a field consisting mainly of moderate older maidens. However, he ran on powerfully to beat the well-bred Flexible Fugitive by 1,3 lengths and there was a further 4,75 lengths back to the rest of the field. He could be anything and interestingly Tarry’s usual first call jockey S’Manga Khumalo will be aboard him at the expense of Warrior’s Rest.

All of the runners have to be respected, but on form it all points to Naafer being the one to beat with Sand And Sea and the imposing Tarry pair being the dangers alongside Varallo and Al Mariachi.

By David Thiselton

Ashburton’s leading trainer Duncan Howells will have a fine chance of winning the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championships over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday with Neptune’s Rain.

This Antonius Pius filly showed good cruising speed in the Gr 3 Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m at Scottsville and then displayed a fine turn of foot to win going away by 1,25 lengths.

Neptune’s Rain (Nkosi Hlophe)

The runner up Made In Hollywood had won her maiden by 6,25 lengths over 1200m at Kenilworth and subsequently finished just 1,25 lengths behind one of the best two-year-old colts in Cape Town, Dutch Phillip, over 1000m. Third-placed Gold Image, beaten 3,25 lengths by Neptune’s Rain, impressed when easily winning her debut over 800m and then finished an outstanding third in the Kuda Sprint over 1200m on Sun Met day. The Kuda Sprint has proved to be one of the strongest two-year-old form races in the country this season. Gold Image’s run at Scottsville was her first since the Kuda Sprint, so she should have come on from it.

Elusive Fort filly Crymeariver will be a runner, having burst through impressively to beat Neptune’s Rain by 1,5 lengths in her only start, although if the 4kg claim is included she was receiving 7kg.

Crymeariver’s Australian-bred stablemate Touch Of Magic is an impressive specimen and won her only start by 3,75 lengths on debut over 1000m at Scottsville with a 2,5kg claimer up. The form hasn’t worked out exceptionally well, but she won easily and will relish the step up in trip.

Call To Account has to be a massive runner too as she beat the previously mentioned Dutch Phillip on Met day, albeit over 1000m. In her only subsequent start against the boys over 1200m at Scottsville she set the fractions, but faded late to be beaten 3,65 lengths by Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion contender Sand And Sea. However, on pedigree this Captain Al filly should easily get the 1200m trip as she is out of a Giant’s Causeway mare who won three times over 2400m.

SA Fillies Nursery winner Green Plains gave Celestina 3kg and a 2,75 length beating over 1100m in the Pretty Polly Stakes and the latter was beaten 5,5 lengths at level weights over 1000m by Call To Account on Met day. On paper that points to Call To Account having the edge, but Green Plains has improved with every run and looks to be a tough filly who will enjoy the Scottsville course and distance.

Light On Her Toes is by Gimmethegreenlight out of Allan Robertson winner On Her Toes and three winners have come out of the race she won over 1200m at Greyville in her second career start.

The others are all held by at least one other runner on form, although Daring Diva only has to make up 2,25 lengths on Green Plains.

By David Thiselton