Barry Donnelly, assistant to stalwart Cape trainer Brett Crawford, makes Black Tractor a big runner at Scottsville on Wednesday, where he faces a decent field in a MR 80 handicap over 1200m.

A couple of Crawford’s SA Champions Season charges might also be appearing at Scottsville on Sunday and among them is Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship winner Gulf Storm. Donnelly said about three-year-old Captain Al gelding Black Tractor, “He ran fourth at Scottsville in his pipe opener but was very green. He has been putting in exceptional work and has Anton Marcus up.”

Wavin’ Flag (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gulf Storm will be defending his Listed In Full Flight Handicap crown, which he won in his KZN pipe opener last season. However, if he does take his place he will have to lug 65kg off his 113 merit rating, as opposed to the 57kg he carried off a 100 merit rating last year. Donnelly said the five-year-old Sail From Seattle gelding, who has consistently defied the handicapper, had been doing very well. His chief mission is the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, in which he was runner up last year.

The yard’s Gr 3 Prix du Cap winner and Gr 2 Southern Cross Stakes runner up Cuvee Brut will be facing a strong field in the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes on Sunday with Marcus up. She enjoys Summerveld and is doing “very well.”

Wavin’ Flag is back from a tendon injury, which saw him box rested for a long time, and will bid to repeat his win of the 2014 Gold Cup.

Alexis “blossoms” in Durban and this KRA Fillies Guineas winner should give a good account of herself again this Champions Season.

The expensively purchased Nebula has been gelded after his disappointing run in the Investec Cape Derby, but disappointed in his KZN debut over 1600m at Greyville last week where he had been expected to win, so now might not make it into the Gr 2 Canon Guineas field.

Sail South, Big Cat, Winter Prince, Red Moon At Night and Speedy Chestnut are the others in the Summerveld string at present.

By David Thiselton