The Hawaii Stakes is a conditions event and the joint best-weighted horses are the Mike Bass-trained Ashton Park and the Justin Snaith-trained Readytogorightnow.

Ashton Park was raised from a 101 merit rating to 107 after finishing a 3,5 length second to Legislate in the Gr 2 weight for age Lanzerac le General Green Point Stakes over 1600m despite running three wide. He was then a highly unlucky fifth in the Gr 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m, which earned him another point, and last time out he ran a cracker in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate.

His optimum trip is likely Saturday’s 1400m and he is drawn nicely in seven. Altitude shouldn’t be a factor over a 1400m trip and he has Anthony Delpech up, which is a big bonus as this top jockey has plenty of experience of this track and will know exactly when to press the button.

Sabadell was a gangly type as a youngster, but has grown into his frame and is improving continually. From a good draw with Strydom up he can get into his favoured handy position and stay on strongly.

Lockheed Jetstar has a good turn of foot and could well relish this trip, so will be a player too from a nice draw.

Readytogorightnow was beaten about two lengths by Ashton Park in the Green Point, but the last time they met over this trip Readytogorightnow gave the latter 0,5kg and beat him by 1,25 lengths. This More Than Ready gelding has in fact won both his starts over this trip this season and the Queen’s Plate was deliberately avoided with Johannesburg in mind, so he will be nice and fresh. He does have a tricky draw of eleven, which means he might have to be dropped out as he looks a type with quite a short run and will need cover in the early part of the long straight.

Whiteline Fever defends his crown and will have come on from his decent comeback from epistaxis. He has a wide draw to contend with, but does have a decent turn of foot so can come from off them.

Halve The Deficit has quite a tough task at the weights, but is perfectly drawn in pole for his handy style and is sure to make a bold bid.

Bezanova has come into his own and ran on strongly from a handy position when winning the Peermont Emperor’s palace Charity Mile. He would prefer the 1600m trip, but is interesting running fresh here, although he has a tough draw.

Chestnut’s Rocket has a tough task on paper but has always been well regarded and could be dangerous from the front over his optimum trip. However, Chekilli will also be trying to make all and this pair could tire each other out up front.

The best has probably not yet been seen of Sovereign Mint. He has a fine turn of foot and this is a trip he loves, but it is his comeback run and he is widely drawn.

Those mentioned are the ones that make most appeal. The Gr 3 Acacia Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m is always one of the toughest races of the season to assess and this year is no different.

The enigmatic Amber Orchid could be the one to side with as she has everything in her favour with a nice draw and handy galloping weight.

The in form Whatalady should be included, while Mike de Kock’s charge Maria Theresa probably did not enjoy the testing going when last running over course and distance in the Fillies Mile and if the going is faster she could be a threat. Euphoria and Be Mine Tonight both have good draws over this suitable trip and will also likely be involved in the finish. De Kock’s Will I Do has shown glimpses of class and will appreciate the step up in trip from her last run.

Aki Bua has always been well regarded and showed that staying is his game last time out, so he could be the one to beat in the Aquanaut Handicap. Savage Wind is only 0,5kg under sufferance and is a good stayer on his day so has a chance with this light weight from a nice draw. However, just about any one of the runners could win it, so it is probably wise to go wide in this race.

The Australian-bred colt by Haradasun was taken to Greyville last Friday for a gallop. He sat in behind two horses and passed them as if they were standing still in the straight drawing clear in effortless fashion and crossing the line about ten lengths clear.  His rider in the workout, apprentice Nicholas Patel, “couldn’t believe” how well he had quickened.

Harry’s Son will begin his journey from Summerveld to Johannesburg at midnight on Friday.

He has drawn reasonably well in eight in the nineteen-horse field and regular rider Piere Strydom will be aboard.

This is only one position inside of the draw over the same course and distance he had in the level weights Gr 2 Investec Dingaans, where he was beaten 4,25 lengths by Unparalleled.  The latter was drawn three that day and has landed another plum draw of two in the Guineas.

However, the Lafferty team are hoping there is not a repeat of the deluge which turned the Dingaans into a mudbath. They believe the sticky ground was the reason he could not find the necessary extra that day having moved up well.

Harry’s Son was flown down to Cape Town for the Cape Guineas but the journey did not go according to plan. He stood on the tarmac at King Shaka airport in Durban for about three hours due to a “hiccup.” Furthermore, the flight was also a two-legged one as it stopped over in Port Elizabeth. Lafferty was still full of praise for the organisers of the flight who did everything to ensure the comfort of their precious equine passenger. Interestingly one of the pilots of the boeing 737 was the former Summerveld trainer Dylan Cunha, who knows a thing or two about horse care. Harry’s Son over raced early in the Cape Guineas, which was out of character, so did well to still finish runner-up, just 1,75 lengths behind Act Of War.

Lafferty mentioned Unparalleled and MLJet as the main dangers on Saturday, but added that he had “great respect for the others” too.

MLJet has been disappointing this season but has recently been gelded and could begin fulfilling the potential he showed as a two-year-old, which included a 0,25 length third to Harry’s Son in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes.

Other notables in the field are Anjaal, Mutamakkin, Belong To Me, Zambezi River, French Navy, Imperial Gold, Captain’s Tune and the only unbeaten horse in the field Amsterdam.

Anjaal dead-heated with MLJet in the Premier’s and obviously needed his seasonal reappearance two weekends ago when staying on for a 3,75 length fourth in a Novice Plate over 1600m of the inside track. The Guineas might come a little soon but he is a striking looker and could play a part.

Mutamakkin gave the impression last time out when a 0,3 length second to Belong To Me in the Gr 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1450m that he would relish a step up in trip. However, he was receiving 2kg, so has no easy task on Saturday.

Belong To Me’s class is not in question, but he has a stamina doubt and looks safely held by Harry’s Son on the form of the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m.

Zambezi River was beaten into fifth in the Cape Guineas, about 4,5 lengths behind Harry’s Son, but had excuses. Trainer Sean Tarry believes that was not his run.

French Navy looks to have scope and was only beaten 1,25 lengths by Harry’s Son in the Dingaans, although that means he has 5,5 lengths to find on Unparalleled.

Imperial Gold could be a threat if repeating his Cape Guineas fourth, where he was ahead of his more fancied stablemate Zambezi River.

Amsterdam has only had two starts and after winning his debut over 1600m at the Vaal, he came out and beat older horses cosily over the Gauteng Guineas course and distance in a handicap, running off an 83 merit rating. He strikes as still being immature so should continually improve.

Last year’s winner Louis The King came into the race unheralded, despite having previously won three out of four starts, and went off at 15/1. Geoff Woodruff’s entry this year, The Captain’s Tune, is almost as interesting. He was fancied for the Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes, but just as he was poised to strike he appeared to want to run in behind another horse and became difficult to control.

He wasn’t given the opportunity to repeat this antic when leading from start to finish over the Gauteng Guineas course and distance in his penultimate start and beat older horses in a handicap by 3,25 lengths off a merit rating of 88. Next time out he ran in a deluge so wasn’t disgraced in second behind the known mudlark Earl Of Derby. The Captain’s Tune could be the dark horse on Saturday.

The Brett Crawford gelding was a 25-1 chance over 200m further on debut but made up a lot of ground in the closing stages and promptly went on to the Winning Ways list of horses to follow.

“I wasn’t surprised because he had been showing good work at home,” says Crawford. “The trip is not ideal but I didn’t want to take him to Durbanville and he is doing very well.”

Breathless Bertie and Pegasi were joint 3-1 second favourites when Betting World posted up the prices on Monday but the former holds Pegasi on their running last month. Imperial Guard (4-1) has been off since September but the booking of Bernard Fayd’Herbe is significant.

Fear Not is proving expensive and it is a bit disturbing to see her dropping back to 1 200m in race four as Adam Marcus has maintained all along that she is going to be best going round the turn – and he still does.

“Greenness beat her last time,” he explains. “She came round the turn a bit wide, pricked her ears and looked around. I know she is bred to go further but she has the ability and hopefully she can win.”

She opened favourite at 18-10 and possibly deserves another chance although Good Grace (5-2) and Captain’s Dove (5-1) won’t be easy to beat.

Form points to Political Power in the opening maiden juvenile and the Crawford hope is 7-2 in the Betting World forecast (the bookmakers delay offering prices on two-year-old races as long as they can) but 5-2 shots Schachar and Prince Of Thieves, in particular, might beat him.

“I didn’t think Prince Of Thieves would win first time but I did think that he would run well,” says Joey Ramsden. “I would hope that he has come on.”

Nordic Wind is a forecast 8-10 to confirm the placings with Leylani (22-10) in the fillies race but Karl Neisius’s mount may be able to reverse the form. “It was a good performance on debut. She got left a furlong and a half,” says Dean Kannemeyer with tongue-in-cheek exaggeration. The starter put it at four lengths but it would be enough to change the result.

However don’t ignore Me Jane, particularly at her forecast 14-1. “She was running on strongly when she stumbled badly last time and she pulled up a bit jarred,” reports Greg Ennion. “I thought she had a big chance that day and I’m hoping for a change of luck with her.”

Mike Robinson, who has 32 two-year-olds to go to war with, introduces two well bred sorts in the first and two more in the second. But it’s worth noting that he is not expecting fireworks. “They are nice horses who are ready to start campaigning but they will probably need it,” he says.

Lafraisiere won Zimbabwe’s most prestigious race, the Gr 1 Castle Tankard, with a horse he part-owns, the Alyson Wright-trained Code Rock, in 2012.

Kevin Wright commented, “He is an absolute gentleman, a pleasure to train for and his roots in racing are deep.”

Lafraisiere has had about 15 wins in South Africa and still has horses with the Wrights as well as with Brian Wiid and Glen Kotzen.

He was the Gold Circle owner of the month in July 2012.

Lafraisiere has had over 70 wins in Mauritius and, on top of being a member of the Mauritius Turf Club, is the ex-Chairman of the horseracing association in Mauritius, the AEPS.

As a successful businessman and knowledgeable racing man Lafraisiere should be good for the game in a region where racing innovations are sorely needed in the tough current economic climate.

He has already stated that one of his aims in becoming a steward is “co-operation between South African racing and Mauritius.”

Picture: Christian Lafraisiere (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Western Cape stud sold the top three lots at Sunday’s Val De Vie Yearling Sale outside Paarl and appropriately the stud is owned by Susan Rowett, chairman of both Bloodstock SA and its TBA parent.

John Freeman went to R1.2 million to fend off all opposition for the sale-topper, Playboy Prince, a fine Dynasty colt out of a winning daughter of the four-time Grade 1 winner Kiss Of Peace.

Freeman said: “He was the nicest horse in the sale and I bought him for Jack Mitchell.”

Hassen Adams stands his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Gimmethegreenlight at Varsfontein and he had little hesitation in going to R950 000 for the stallion’s colt Hack Green who is out of a full sister to the dam of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Pluck.

But it was the stallion that influenced Adams who said: “This colt looks the spitting image of Gimmethegreenlight.” Justin Snaith, who trained the horse, also liked the colt but he seems set to go to Darryl Hodgson.

Auctioneer Graeme Hawkins (who later earned a big round of applause for an impromptu rendition of ‘I did it my way!’) asked for R1 million for the third lot into the ring, Doosra, a Captain Al colt out of the SA Fillies Classic winner Caughtintheslips. He very nearly got it because the hammer came down at only R100 000 less.

The buyer was Johannesburg clothing businessman Laurence Wernars who said: “He is a nice horse, well put together, and Janse van Vuuren will train him.”

Jehan Malherbe paid R850 000 for a nice Var colt from the Cheveley Stud out of four-time winner Time Control. He was acting for Sheikh Khalifa Al Maktoum and the colt will go to Mike de Kock.

The top six prices all came from the 30-lot select session where vendors paid R10 000 – as against the normal R4 000 – to put horses into it, and there were mixed views about allowing sellers to be the judge of their own horses.

Director Peter Gibson said: “A lot of the buyers don’t like it but it adds a bit of razzmatazz and I am sure we will continue with it.”

But the venue met with almost universal approval. True, the estate’s internet access problems compromised the office staff and made filing copy a nightmare. But otherwise the only real complaint was the ring – too small and also too low for the horses to be viewed properly.