Ten Gun Salute is in fine fettle before Saturday’s Gr 1 World Sports Betting Champions Cup. He put in a good piece of work at Ashburton yesterday morning under regular workrider Kospendule Hlongwe but Duncan Howells is cautious about his chances.

Ten Gun Salute (Nkosi Hlophe)

“This is a strong field and one has to be realistic about his chances. Every time he has stepped up to Grade 1 level he’s been found wanting and you can only make so many excuses.”

That said, “He has a good draw which is a bonus and I think he may be better suited to this trip. I think the July may have been a little too far for him although he did run into a lot of trouble in the race.

“I think this race is a lot different to the July.”  Not so cut-throat and if he can reproduce his Gr2 Betting World 1900 performance, “I don’t say he can’t win it but he will be right on top of them at the finish.”

By Andrew Harrison