Life Life warmed up for her assault on Scottsville’s Poinsettia Stakes and South African Fillies Sprint by convincingly overcoming a rushed preparation in the Golden Bulls Allowance Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Aldo Domeyer, riding the CTS Sprint winner for the first time for ten months, said: “She drops it in the first half of a race but the better she switches off the better she turns it on.”

Candice Bass-Robinson added: “She was classy enough to beat these even with top weight, she has a great turn of foot and she has improved tremendously. I will send her up to Durban a week to ten days before the Poinsettia. Scottsville is a tricky track but hopefully she will handle it.”

Piet du Toit’s filly will be on a four-timer in the April 30 Grade 3 and seemingly there is a possibility that she may not stay on in KZN after Scottsville’s Grade 1 meeting four weeks later as her trainer explained: “I don’t want to kill her for next season.”

Stable companion Extradite, less than a length back third, stays at home for the Sweet Chestnut on April 22.

Mike Stewart’s R5 000 bargain buy Icon King will be upped to Grade 3 in the Winter Guineas that day. He was receiving weight all round in the Bolands Promotions Pinnacle Stakes but Akshay Balloo was able to make all at 20-1.

“My stable is in shocking form and I don’t think my brother-in-law Hattie Zeppel had any faith in me,” said Mike Stewart, grinning as broadly as if he had won the Horse Chestnut. “He said ‘What are you doing, running him against a horse (Milton) who was second to the Met winner?’

“Indeed I wasn’t going to but the NRB rang me, said there were only seven in the race and asked me to put him in.”

Our Mate Art, who overcame a 19-week absence to grab second close home, will also be in the Winter Guineas line-up as will Elevated despite dropping out in the closing stages – “He needed it badly but it will be a different story next time,” said Riaan van Reenen.

The Craig Bantam-ridden Raya Baya became the first two-year-old in Cape Town to win first time out since Valedictorian six weeks earlier when coming home at 30-1 in the opener but seemingly Tap O’Noth 35 minutes later is the one for the notebooks.

The Fosters’ homebred Captain Al newcomer was heavily backed and, although MJ Byleveld only gained the advantage in the final furlong, Vaughan Marshall left no doubt, saying: “William Longsword goes to stud this week but I am hopeful that this one will follow the same route – I think he is very special.”

Domeyer made it 60 for the season on Waitingfortonight in the OFYT Maiden to leave owner Ron Caris wistfully reflecting that the only previous horse he had with Piet Steyn was Sanshaawes who he bought for R30 000 and sold to Mike de Kock for more than R1 million. As Caris indicated, this one has a bit to go to attract the maestro!

Mind you, he was breaking his duck at only the seventh attempt and the Eric Sands-trained Cautiontothewind had 17 races before finally getting her head in front in the Lavender Blue Maiden. She is the first winner for Belinda Edmonds and her son Justin Offord and was ridden by Donovan Dillon who doubled up in the last on the Shane Humby-trained Waywood while Gyre booked his Durban ticket by coming from the back under Corne Orffer in the Glasfit Handicap.

By Michael Clower