Wet weather and flooded tracks have put paid to many a well laid plan and Duncan Howells has been having a difficult time getting a race under the girth of his crack filly Dawn Calling. But all going well she looks the star bet on tonight’s Greyville card when she runs in the SANCO Conditions Plate.

Ideally Howells was looking to stretch the filly past 1200m with the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas in mind but his only other option was against the colts in a handicap.

Given her high merit rating Dawn Calling was set to shoulder over 60kg and giving weight to all including Gr2 Dingaans entries Palladium and My Pal Al who in previously scheduled but washed out conditions races, would have been giving the filly weight.

But Howells’s tribulations should benefit punters as Dawn Calling looks a blinder in a field that sees the return of a number of useful fillies, all of whom may be in need of the run and a touch further.

One of these is the Sean Tarry-trained In Other Words. She has excellent poly form but does seem better over further. In her favour is that she has won over the course and distance and as she has not been out since July she could race fresh.

Ashburton-based Paul Gadsby is at logger heads with the handicappers over their assessment of his filly Miss Varlicious. She has come down from a career high 103 to 97 but that counts for naught in this conditions race where she is set to give Dawn Calling 6kg. Anton Marcus, who has been aboard Dawn Calling in all of her last two starts, is aboard Miss Varlicious, so will have a good idea of what his mount is up against.

Time Marches On won over course and distance two runs back and although never a threat at her last outing over 1400m, she could prove a better proposition over tonight’s trip.

Alistair Gordon and Charles Laird have had similar problems in trying to prepare My Pal Al and Palladium for next Saturdays Gr2 Dingaans and they come up against each other in the PMB Community Chest 3-Year-Old Handicap. Along with Dawn Calling this will be their third attempt at getting a race under their belts and a week between races is not ideal. My Pal Al shed his maiden on the poly and followed up with a cracking effort in a strong field behind highly rated Roy’s Magic who incidentally also holds a place in the Dingaans field. He has a big chance from a good draw but Gordon is sure to be hoping that the race does not turn into a dogfight for the line.

So too Laird. Palladium was a short head behind My Pal Al in the race won by Roy’s Magic and on that showing there is also not likely to be much between them again.

Marshall That, stable companion to My Pa Al, was down the field in the Roy’s Magic race but he was bounced to the front in an attempt to overcome a wide draw and he faded out come the business end of the race.

Prior to that he shed his maiden, putting five lengths between himself and Newyorkstateofmind, the later still a model of consistency. Warren Kennedy replaces his apprentice rider and one can expect a better showing this time around.

The King Of Random has yet to finish out of the money and Michael Roberts’s charge has a light weight and a good draw to help his cause. He was only two lengths back in the Roy’s Magic race and was doing is best work late. He steps up to a mile here and if he does not get too far out of his ground early then he too must rate a winning chance.

The first leg of the Air Mauritius International Jockeys’ Challenge gets under way at Fairview this afternoon where the international team, led by the inimitable Frankie Dettori takes on a South African team lead by champion S’Manga Khumalo.

Race tactics could play a crucial role here with teams trying to outsmart each other so it should make for fascinating viewing.

The first of the four challenge races is off at 2.15.

The challenge extends to Turffontein on Sunday for the final four legs of the eight-race challenge.

By Andrew Harrison