With 28 runners in the line-up, the WSB Grand Heritage very much represents the charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava in the 1854 Crimean War, sans the cannons and bullets.

That said, the jockeys will be out to dodge any bullets in the run down the Vaal 1475m straight and it will be every man for himself come the final 400m.

Sean Tarry has eight runners in the race, 10 if you add the reserves, but his best bet of a victory could come with Social Order. Tarry has an enviable record in feature events and always has long-term plans for his runners. Social Order put in a cracking effort behind stable companion Tierra Del Fuego in a strong Pinnacle Stakes last time out and although he carries joint top weight, he has earned it.

Glen Kotzen saddles the mare Elusive Heart who has shown that she was not far off the best of her generation last season. There is not much of that stature in tomorrow’s contest although this is a handicap with a big field to boot.

She put in a tremendous effort first crack out of the box this term when second to accomplished sprinter Sunset Eyes in receipt of only 4kg. She has shown that she is effective up to a mile so if Stuart Randolph can track the pace and find a clear run to the line, she must be a big runner.

Another KZN raider is Desolate Road and Tony Rivalland has his gelding primed for this. Desolate Road made steady progress into his recent victory where he made most of the running to hold off The Master. He has drawn on the extreme outside of the field giving Mark Khan a box-seat view of the runners on his inside.

Both KZN runners are among the 33-1 supposed no-hopers.

Paul Peter and Warren Kennedy could team up with the stable cat and win this and Riverstown is the early favourite, although 6-1 odds in this line-up look decidedly skinny. Lightly raced, he has not finished out of the money in four starts. He was doing his best work late when beaten by Ikigai in a Graduation Plate last time out but not far behind him that day was Russian Beat who was giving him 2kg. They meet at level weights here and Russian Beat is double the odds.

Runners from the De Kock yard can never be discounted and Fired Up, second call at 7-1, will be looking to build on his last two wins but given recent trends, his inside draw, two off the paint, could prove a disadvantage with jockeys generally heading for the outside going at recent meetings.

By Andrew Harrison

Umkhomazi Stakes winner African Warrior heads the 16 declared for the Cape Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday – and Dean Kannmeyer is convinced that Keagan de Melo’s mount is fully recovered from the muscle problem that was found to be responsible for his flop when starting favourite in last month’s Concorde Cup.

Kannemeyer, who will be bidding for his sixth success in this Kenilworth classic, said yesterday: “He tweaked a muscle in his hindquarters and as a result he was slightly short behind but, after two or three sessions with the physio, he was 100% again. It never set him back in his fitness – he was only off for about five days – and he is back in tiptop shape. He had a good workout on the cinders on Monday and he is ready for his race on Saturday.”

African Warrior is the highest rated horse in the race but the one slight doubt the trainer has is whether he will get the trip. “On pedigree (by Vercingetorix out of a Jet Master mare) there is no reason why he shouldn’t but whether he will really get a genuine mile is a question mark at the back of my mind. He has a hell of a turn of foot.”

The gelding’s chance has been boosted by Sean Tarry’s decision not to run Dingaans winner Shango (the original favourite) and by Mike de Kock not declaring Frosted Gold who won the Graham Beck Stakes. De Kock has won the Cape Guineas five times but he will have no runner in Saturday’s race.

However Tarry, who has yet to win it, runs four headed by Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Eden Roc (Gavin Lerena) and including last Saturday’s CTS Ready To Run winner Pure State who has been raised 17 points for that valuable win. He will be ridden by jockey-of-the-moment Craig Zackey.

Brett Crawford, successful with Elusive Gold six years ago, has declared three including Concorde Cup winner King Of Gems (Aldo Domeyer) plus the two reserves. Justin Snaith, who won with Solo Traveller in 2010, also has three starters with Richard Fourie opting for Sachdev and Bernard Fayd’Herbe, hoping for Guineas victory number four, on Wild Coast.

Vaughan Marshall, whose five wins include two of the last three runnings, is represented by both Cape Classic winner Silver Operator (Anton Marcus) and Cane Lime ‘n Soda (M.J. Byleveld).

Glen Kotzen put Green Point fourth Pack Leader into the Sun Met at yesterday’s R9 900 (plus VAT) supplementary entry stage while Snaith has already declared Do It Again (Fourie) and Bunker Hunt (Fayd’Herbe) for the February 1 showpiece

Pack Leader was one of the few Green Point runners whose rating has been changed by the handicappers. He went up two points to 116, Undercover Agent (fifth) was dropped three points to 127 while Head Honcho (seventh) came down by the same amount to 126. The winner Vardy was left unchanged on 128. Stable companion Missisippi Burning was raised 19 to a new mark of 116 for her triumph in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

By Michael Clower

The Dennis Drier-trained Croisette, who made such a big impression when winning on debut, may be good enough to defy the first-time-out-of-the-maidens bogey in the 1 000m handicap at Kenilworth today.

She may not have beaten much on Guy Fawkes day – to many in racing better known as Lester Piggott’s birthday – but she won like a good horse, coming away in the final two furlongs to win in a canter.

“I rate her highly, I think she is very special and very classy,” enthused Sean Veale while Drier, never a man to confuse his geese for swans, added: “I think she could be something special.”

The handicappers have put this well bred filly – by Var, she is a half-sister to the SA Fillies Classic and SA Oaks winner Juxtapose – on a mark of 86, maybe a fraction higher than warranted by the bare form but not unreasonable considering the way she won.

Queen’s Club, for instance, was introduced to handicap company on a rating of 88 while Mon Cherie was rated 82 after winning her maiden. That said, My Wicked Ways and Yucatan were both put in on 76.

The bookmakers are taking no chances and have cut the selection from 12-10 to 17-20 but they are shrewd judges of form – they wouldn’t last long if they weren’t – and they also listen to the post-race comments.

Queen’s Club (6-1) and My Wicked Ways (7-1) look the main dangers. The former has top weight and started favourite last time but was seriously interfered with while the Glen Kotzen filly has gone up a hefty eight points for last time’s 30-1 shock success.

Cape Town two-year-old races have been difficult to call so far this season and it’s worth noting that Richard Fourie rode Stuck On You last time and now switches to newcomer Erik The Red in the first. However Pray For Rain has been backed from 3-1 to 17-10 and the Drier colt gets the vote.

Over The Way (3-1) has some strong form claims in the 1 400m maiden 35 minutes later but, as  she has already run 23 times without success, logic suggests we look elsewhere. Springisintheair (2-1) is a tentative choice to beat 22-10 second favourite The Vow and the reason for not going stronger is because she is drawn widest of all.

A handicap for maidens is something of a rarity. Peter Paul Rubens is favourite at 13-10 for race three and gets the vote to confirm last time’s placings with stable companion. Brooklyn’s Choice. The selection finished two lengths in front of Brooklyn’s Choice that day and is half a kilo better. Not surprisingly Fourie switches to him.

By Michael Clower

Vardy’s Sun Met price has been slashed from 16-1 to 5-1 third favourite in the wake of last Saturday’s World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes victory. Hawwaam still heads the market at 17-10 but Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge have eased to 4-1 and 13-2.

But, while there is no denying Vardy’s claims, there was so much bumping and barging that the Green Point would not have been out of place at the rugby stadium down the road at Newlands and in the weighing room afterwards there were more hard luck stories than in the bankruptcy courts.

Some of the trainers were particularly aggrieved at seeing weeks of carefully planned preparation sacrificed on an altar of interference. “It was a rough race, not what we wanted at all,” said Justin Snaith. “Do It Again was bumped round the turn and it bothered him so much that he didn’t want to run on and then he was checked again.”

Brett Crawford added: “Undercover Agent suffered bad interference at the 1 000m mark and was nearly put over the fence.”

The jockeys, too, were complaining – “The winner ran right across me,” said Gavin Lerena who was squeezed so badly when Vardy hung in that he had to stop riding Rainbow Bridge for several strides. Had he finished second rather than third he might well have had grounds for an objection. His mount came back with an abrasion behind his left fore fetlock

The all-seeing replays in the boardroom showed Rainbow Bridge pulling hard early and Lerena tucking him in to get cover, causing Richard Fourie to ride Do It Again to hold his position. Undercover Agent, on the rails, also suffered. The stipes are to hold a further inquiry into this part of the race.

Vardy, when mounting his challenge, hung in badly just as he had done earlier in the year but this time the stipes were satisfied that Craig Zackey had done all he reasonably could to keep his mount on a straight course. However Adam Marcus was advised to “ensure that this horse does not behave similarly in future.” Easier said than done.

Marcus was convinced that the winner was nowhere near ready – and presumably his printed comments had a lot to do with the Var gelding drifting from 4-1 to 7-1. “To cruise past July, Queen’s Plate and Met winners was unbelievable,” he said. “The last two of those races are now the target but our over-riding priority is to ensure that he remains sound.”

The priorities for Mario Ferreira’s Missisippi Burning have yet to be decided. “She is very small and the way she won was incredible but we will now sit down and look at the programme,” said Marcus after the Rathmor-bred Captain Al filly had given the 30-year-old his first Grade 1 in the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

Zackey shone, securing a beautiful run mostly up the rails to hit the front 150m out on the 22-1 shot. However 2-1 favourite Kelpie managed only sixth and seemingly we over-estimated her ability. “Look at her rating (99) and bear in mind that is equivalent to the old 89,” said Anton Marcus. “I was happy with the run but she is very progressive and she will be better in time.”

Eric Sands’ view that Driving Miss Daisy and Larentina were unlucky in the Western Cape Fillies was borne out by them finishing second and fourth with Third Runway (winner of that race) third. There should be another day for all three.

Sean Tarry has six in Saturday’s Cape Guineas including Pure State who beat main home hope Rio Querari half a length in the CTS Ready To Run, fourth-placed Rock The Globe and Invisible (fifth).

The champion trainer, winning the race in Chris van Niekerk’s colours for the third time in four years, said: “It’s not my style to run horses in races only a week apart but they are in Cape Town and I’m certainly going to run one or two. I will see how they pull up.”

Piere Strydom, who made much of the running on the 16-1 winner, said that he needed to “fill up the bank account after all the meetings we’ve lost in Jo’burg.” Nine per cent of R1.25 million should help.

Run Fox Run, who impressively extended her unbeaten stretch to five in the WSB Southern Cross, seems likely to go straight for the Cape Flying Championship rather than take in the Cartier Sceptre three weeks earlier.

Brett Crawford said: “I have put a lot of thought into this. The Sceptre is only a Group 2 and she doesn’t need a race in between. Also it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go up to 1 200m and then come back to 1 000m. I will discuss it with the owners.”

Fellow Ridgemont star Front And Centre, who readily won the Pinnacle, goes for the Paddock Stakes and the Majorca. Seemingly her Durban form was all wrong – “She got into the habit of hanging there and it cost her the Woolavington while In the Garden Province she never raised a gallop,” said Crawford.

Winter Derby winner Dharma, who just held Crome Yellow in the Cape Summer Stayers despite Anthony Andrews’ slipping saddle, is being aimed at the Western Cape Stayers on Met day. Owned and bred by the jockey’s parents, the four-year-old is trained on behalf of her father by Lucinda Woodruff who is the girlfriend of Adam Marcus. Seemingly a match made, if not in heaven, at least in Milnerton!

By Michael Clower

The KZN Breeders Awards took place this Saturday, 14 December at Fordoun Hotel and Spa where the Middlefield Stud-bred and Robbie Hill-trained Gr1 winner Camphoratus was named horse-of-the-year.

CHAMPION 2YO FILLY

Montreal Mist – Clifton Stud

CHAMPION 2YO COLT SPONSORED BY THE EQUINE GROUP 

Wave – Scott Bros

CHAMPION 3YO FILLY SPONSORED BY ODDS ON COLOURS

Running Brave – Summerhill Stud

CHAMPION 3YO COLT SPONSORED BY EQUIFEEDS

Nexus – Rathmor Stud

CHAMPION SPRINTER FILLY SPONSORED BY CHOICE CARRIERS

Vision To Kill – Robert Mauvis

CHAMPION SPRINTER COLT 

Africa Rising – Summerhill Stud

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE FEMALE SPONSORED BY HOLLYWOODBETS

Camphoratus – Middlefied Stud

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE MALE 

Dawn Assault – Graystone Stud

CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE SPONSORED BY GOLD CIRCLE

Camphoratus – Middlefield Stud

CHAMPION OLDER MALE SPONSORED BY EPOL HORSE FEEDS

Dawn Assault – Graystone Stud

CHAMPION BROODMARE SPONSORED BY GOLD CIRCLE

Wild Camphor – Middlefield Stud

STALLION PROSPECT

Capetown Noir

STALLION OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Crusade

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Bruce Le Roux

ANITA AKAL INDUSTRY AWARD

Allen Bechard

BREEDERS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD SPONSORED BY SUMMERHILL STUD

Graystone Stud

CHAMPION BREEDER

Summerhill Stud

KZN BREEDERS HORSE OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY GOLD CIRCLE

Camphoratus – Middlefield Stud

All the big action may have been at Kenilworth on Saturday where, in vintage Leicester FC fashion, Vardy put one past the goalkeeper in the Gr2 Greenpoint Stakes followed by Mississippi Burning landing the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas, giving Adam Marcus his first Gr2 win followed a half-hour later buy his first Gr1. A remarkable feat.

But one has to start somewhere and Gavin van Zyl appears to have another smart filly in his yard in Whizz Of Odds who took the step up from maiden to MR90 in her stride at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

“I would have been happy to finish in the first three,” admitted Van Zyl, “but I must admit that I was pretty impressed with that. She was taking on seven-time winners like Effortless Reward, hard knockers.”

Current jockey championship leader Warren Kennedy was equally impressed. “I was pacing it with Effortless Reward and she was doing it easy. When I pressed the button, she just gave me more,” he said of his filly.

Seasoned mare Queen Of Alamo was closing fast over the final 100m but the race had already been put to bed. Given this performance the SA Fillies Sprint next May could be an option.

Tony Nassif is one of the nicest people that you will ever meeting in racing. He operates a small string out of his Turffontein yard and is quite open that in that he is in the sport because he loves it.

“I don’t need to do this,” he mentioned in conversation a while back. “But I love it.”

Some of his raids to KZN have been optimistic given the form of his runners but one can never discount them with any confidence.

With Anton Marcus aboard on Sunday, the inference was obvious. “Me and Anton go back a long way,” confirmed Nassif after Cut Loose had claimed the second in emphatic fashion. She started favourite at her second start but, “that run was all wrong. She got her tongue over the bit and choked up,” said Nassif. “She’s a nice filly.”

“When Tony nominates it just a case of getting on the phone and asking if it was worthwhile riding and if Tony says yes you jump on,” said Marcus. “As Tony says we go back a long, long way and we have had a lot of fun and success together and that’s what it’s all about. I believe the owners drove down (from Jo’burg) at 4 o’clock this morning so I’m sure they are delighted.”

Divine Hugh, a close-up second to recent Dingaans winner Shango two runs back, started short-priced favourite but, having only his second outing after a lengthy break, found one too good in the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Master Tobe. “Johan left him here after his last run,” confirmed Pat Lunn, Van Vuuren’s Summerveld assistant. “He’s been here three weeks. I told Johan that he was working exceptionally well, eating well and put on some condition. We put the tongue-tie on last run and he runs on very nicely.”  

By Andrew Harrison

The floods that plagued midweek racing on the Highveld have receded and although much of that water was not welcomed by most, track managers will have been delighted. One can irrigate as much as you like, nothing beats water from above and Turffontein has had four days of sun and wind and should strip in prime condition for tomorrow’s meeting.

Return Flight was one of the stand-out sophomore fillies last season and few who witness the SA Oaks will forget her dogged determination to hold off the attentions of Blossom in the 2450m event.

Her Champions Season campaign did not amount to much, ending on a rather disappointing note in the Vodacom Durban July.

Sean Tarry then put her away for four months before making her seasonal debut in a seven-furlong dash at the Vaal where she faded late behind top class stable companion Celtic Sea.

That run should have brought her on lengths and over a more suitable trip tomorrow, many will be relying on her as a possible exotic bet banker in the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle Stakes.

The biggest threat could come in the form of Pretty Border. She is in receipt of 12kg from Return Flight which is a lot of pudding

Basadi Faith has not had much luck with the weather, her intended return to the track falling foul of the rain gods. She was then fancied to beat Chimchuri Run on Thursday but both were scratched on stipes permission, a soft track possibly the reason and given further sunshine the Turffontein track should be in pristine condition with the going a little firmer. Tomorrow’s field is a lot weaker than what she would have taken on last Thursday but of some concern is that she was suspended after finishing down the field when favourite for the Gr1 Allan Robertson for bleeding. However, Paul Matchett is sure to have got on top of that problem after a six-month break from the track. 

Given the recent weather, stable companion Donderweer would be an appropriate winner. He is back over what looks to be a more suitable trip at this stage of his career, leading for most of the way in the Dingaans before being swamped late. Of the balance, Fly Away is super quick and was an easy winner of her last two while Big Bay is a PE raider with smart form who cannot be ignored.

Alramz and Mythical Bolt look the principal contenders in the eighth. The former needed his last run and wasn’t disgraced when involved in a rough finish last time out. Mythical Bolt blew the start when among the fancied runners last time out and never recovered. He can do better here in spite of top weight.

By Andrew Harrison

The weather has played havoc with racing north of the Orange River. As parts of the country buckle under a devastating drought, other parts are floating to the sea as torrential rain makes racing virtually impossible.

Continuous rain during the week was enough to flood the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly with nearly 400mm recorded in three days. As a result, tonight’s scheduled meeting on the turf has been switched to the poly.

According to the early market, Duchess Of Windsor is virtually home-and-hosed in the first. Track & Ball has Johan Janse van Vuuren’s filly priced up at 4-10 According to the early market, Duchess Of Windsor is virtually home-and-hosed in the first. Track & Ball has Johan Janse van Vuuren’s filly priced up at 4-10 with only Mystery Trip and Imperial Seal in single figures, bracketed on 8-1.

Duchess Of Windsor arrives with solid Highveld form to back her claims and the presence of Anton Marcus in the saddle will have further shortened her price.

Nathan Kotzen is enjoying a good run of late and Mystery Trip could prove the biggest threat. Donovan Dillon replaces a claiming apprentice and she can do much better than her last effort.

Imperial Seal has been consistent for Lowan Denysschen but she will need to improve on her recent showings if she is to have the measure of Duchess of Windsor.

Duncan Howells endured ‘one-of-those-days’ at Scottsville on Sunday, two runners being badly hampered and a third touched off in a tight finish. He will be hoping for better luck with Brilliant Disguise in the second and has cut his odds with Marcus engaged from a pole position draw. Running on well behind shock winner Bordeaux last time out, his first outing since being gelded, the 1600m should be right up his ally.

However, 12-10 looks a tad short with Master Vision knocking at the door having finished a close-up second in his last two with championship-leading rider Warren Kennedy aboard although the 11 draw is something of a concern.

Sherman Brown teams up with the Howells runner All The Way Up in the hope of a quick double for the Ashburton-based trainer. The gelding has shown marked improvement since racing in a tongue-tie and was a touch unlucky behind What A Blast in his latest outing.

But he will not have things his own way. Stuart Ferrie, deputising for Dennis Drier while the boss is in Cape Town, saddles Holy Land. Granted, the gelding has not been out for two months but has seldom been far off the pace and this shorter trip may suit.

Gentleman’s Wager will need more than a handshake from the opposition to get home in the fourth, a highly competitive handicap. But Janse van Vuuren’s runner has come good of late and has a top rider aboard. Seasoned trainer Pat Lunn oversees the stable which in its self is a big plus.

Sea Sponge and Justfortheepenny strike as likely threats in an open race.

The fifth is another difficult handicap. Green Ice and the younger Arrabiata look to be the principal contenders with Zerina, a 14-1 shot on the books, a must inclusion in all exotics.

Born To Perform made a late start to his racing career and given his pedigree, there must have been plenty of faults with his R55 000 price tag.

But Dennis Bosch has been around the block a few times and has coaxed the best out of the gelding that boasts five wins from just seven starts. But it starts to get tougher as one climbs the ladder and the consistent GG’S Dynasty, beaten by Born To Perform last time out, is now 1 kg better off and goes into the contest on the back of two smart warm-up races.

Gary Rich is concerned that Connect Me will find the 1400m of the seventh on the short side but has been hard-pressed to find another suitable race. However, she has done little wrong of late and 5-1 strike as fairly generous odds.

The last is another nightmare but Mademoiselle can round of a productive night for Janse van Vuuren and Pat Lunn.

By Andrew Harrison

One World can make the most of his race fitness and get the better of both Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge in the World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The selection has won both the Matchem and the Cape Mile this season and has only been beaten twice in 11 starts. He has a bit to find with the big two on adjusted ratings but this is his trip and at 5-1 he is a decent price.

You have to go back to Legislate in 2014 to find this race being won a horse having his first run of the season but, as Legal Eagle won the last three runnings as part of a well-executed plan by Sean Tarry, not too much notice should be taken of that particular statistic – and nor of the fact that the favourite has won five of the last eight.

Do It Again almost brought it off 12 months ago and, while Justin Snaith speaks of the dual July winner being only 80%, it was he who trained Legislate and Richard Fourie’s mount is an exceptional horse. He is favourite at 17-10.

Similarly, while old rival Rainbow Bridge has also not run this term, he can be expected to get into the shake-up and is next in the market at 26-10.

But, if you take the view that you are putting too much faith in sheer ability by going for a horse without a run, you are realistically left with only two choices – One World and Undercover Agent who almost did it a year ago and looks a major threat this time. He is a huge price at 10-1. Of the others Head Honcho could do with a bit further but at 28-1 he could be worth considering each way. Vardy is not quite ready according to his trainer and is much too short at 5-1. Pack Leader (40-1) and the sprinter La Favourari (80-1) are surely too far out of the weights to be considered.

Anton Marcus, who has won the last three runnings, will this time be watching from the jockeys’ room, albeit with considerable interest, but the four-time champion may still enjoy a bumper pay day and I expect him to win the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas for the third time in four seasons.

Kelpie, now 7-2 favourite, has a lot to find on ratings but she keeps winning and she looked really special last time. I am not convinced that the Johannesburg horses are better than the Cape Town ones, let alone better by the margin the handicappers assess 4-1 shot True To Life.

Third Runway (15-2) looked the part when winning the Western Cape Fillies Championship – a race that has been won by the subsequent Fillies Guineas winner five times in the last nine years – but she has a lot to do from that wide draw. Too much to do? Well, no surprise if Morne Winnaar lands the biggest win of his 20-year career but Kelpie looks a safer bet.

Driving Miss Daisy (14-1) and 20-1 stable companion Larentina, who both had little luck in running when badly drawn behind Third Runway, have place prospects as does Pretty Young Thing (17-2) despite starting from the widest pen of all.

Roi Querari looked the part for the R.25 million CTS Ready To Run when winning at Durbanville but since then Invidia has put that to bed with his performance here three weeks ago. He should justify 22-10 favouritism.

Clouds Unfold is a formidable proposition in the WSB Southern Cross but Run Fox Run is unbeaten and may prove yet another for Marcus.

By Michael Clower

Saturday’s Southern Cross Stakes is dominated by the Sceptre and Majorca winner Clouds Unfold, beaten only once in her last seven starts, and Run Fox Run who has won all her four races. Neither has raced since May but sponsors World Sports Betting make it almost a straight fight with 22-10 against both of them. You can get 10-1 and upwards about anything else.

It is Clouds Unfold’s first appearance since chipping the point of her hip when slipping on the grass at Summerveld but apparently she is none the worse.

“She has come on nicely, she has been doing well and she looks great,” reports Candice Bass-Robinson. “She has had two gallops and, while it’s her first run back in a long time and she has top weight, I think she will run well. However they might run her off her feet a little bit over 1 000m.”

There is little danger of that happening with Run Fox Run whose races have all been over sprint distances. “She has had two gallops here in preparation for this and, being a five furlong, I am not worried about her fitness – she will be fit enough,” says Brett Crawford. “I am expecting a very good run.” 

Hawwaam’s absence from the WSB Green Point makes it an all Cape Town race and Vardy’s price has been halved to 9-2 joint third favourite. But is that too short? Not according to the ratings because he has no penalty and comes out equal top with Do It Again when you adjust for the weights. This makes him a kilo better than Rainbow Bridge!

But, before you rush off to back him, listen to Adam Marcus’s words of caution: “He has improved a lot physically and I am excited about him for the season. But he has had a small chip removed from his near-fore knee and this is his first race since the operation. It should be a nice come-on run but, while he is quite well-in, he is not at his peak so I don’t think those one or two kilos are going to help that much.“

Fellow 9-2 shot One World, though, could be quite a different story. He has only been beaten twice in 11 starts and the way he won both the Matchem and the Cape Mile this term suggests he is crying out for the longer run-in of the summer course. Furthermore he has a fitness advantage over the top two.

“He has been doing well since the Cape Mile and he put in some nice work when he galloped on the course last week,” says Vaughan Marshall. “I am very happy with him, he has a good draw and I think he is going to run very, very well.”

Head Honcho, you might think, will ensure a cracking gallop – but apparently not this time. “We will be more patient,” says Andre Nel.  “Also 1 600m is not his best trip but he runs here because I am trying to work in two races before the Met.”

Nel, who believes he can win the WSB Cape Summer Stayers with 15-1 shot Crome Yellow, also runs 80-1 outsider La Favourari. “The jockeys who ride him keep saying ‘Go a mile,’ he is nearing the end of his career so we are doing that before he retires.”

In addition to all the top class racing Kenilworth is laying on a Christmas market and providing treats for children. Burger King is providing 500 meals for them while 150 orphan children have been specially invited and each will be provided with a special first-day-of-school package for next term.

World Sports Betting will have a presence in the first floor Paddock Room as well as their customary spot on the ground floor.

By Michael Clower