Top jockeys Anton Marcus and Greg Cheyne are looking forward to their rides in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 on Saturday aboard The Conglomerate and Light The Lights respectively.

Marcus said about the Joey Ramsden-trained Australian-bred colt by Lonhro, The Conglomerate, “He doesn’t give much away at work, but I’m happy with where he’s at.”

Marcus rode The Conglomerate for the first time in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville at the beginning of this month and the colt surprised Ramsden, who believed a mile would be his bare minimum, by winning impressively by two lengths. However, he did benefit form a good pace and should relish the step up to 2000m. Marcus is not convinced about the strength of the KRA Guineas form and mentioned the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal as a horse that could be the one to beat, having noticed how well he had quickened in the Investec SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein last time out before the soft ground and the distance got to him.

Marcus has also been happy with his Gr 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup ride Disco Al’s work at Summerveld.

Cheyne was looking forward to seeing how Light The Lights would do over the 2000m trip and confirmed trainer Glen Kotzen’s view on the Western Winter colt’s stamina range. He said, “He had some speed when he was younger but has lost that now and this is the trip he is now looking for.” Cheyne believed the colt only had to repeat his run in the Gr 2 KRA Guineas, where he finished third, to have a good chance on Saturday. Kotzen confirmed that the colt had come on nicely from that last run.

Light The Lights has landed another good draw of three, while The Conglomerate is in seven.

Kotzen was also happy with his Lonsdale Stirrup Cup contender Gone Baby Gone and said, “We fancied him last time, but he has in fact been working even better this time.” .

By David Thiselton

Picture: The Conglomerate (Liesl King)