Irwin is the founding member of Team Valor International who own Visionaire and who also bred Royal Pleasure.

Royal Pleasure was backed in from 25/1 and started 3/1 second favourite. She showed pace throughout and then simply pulled away from the opposition in the closing stages.

Kotzen will be planning her career carefully and not rushing her. He said, “She still had a ton in hand at the finish and pulled up very well.”

Royal Pleasure created a big impression and one of her chief owners, the Durban bloodstock agent Andy Williams, said that the phone had been ringing off the hook since the win.

“Horses are always for sale if the price is right,” said Williams.

Royal Pleasure (Nkosi Hlophe)

Williams owns her in partnership with Kotzen’s mother-in-law Judy Wintle as well as the youthful syndicate 3 A Racing. The latter is made up of a group of friends that have a passion for racing and have done much to promote the sport to KZN’s youth, so they are thoroughly deserving of landing such a promising horse. The 3 A syndicate are headed by well know Tellytrack presenter Wesley Bowman and the Sportingbet Sports Trader, Andrew Harrison.

Royal Pleasure was chosen by Kotzen and Williams at the Suncoast Yearling Sale and they clinched her for a mere R30,000. She also qualifies for the lucrative KZN Yearling Sale Million on Vodacom Durban July day.

Mick Goss of Summerhill Stud pointed out a couple of years ago that Irwin had always wanted to send a stallion like Visionaire to cover his mares in South Africa.

Irwin explained, “Visionaire had only 25 named foals in his first crop. He stood at one of the smaller farms in Kentucky and was not promoted very well. What Mick meant is that I want to stand a horse in South Africa that I have enough faith in to produce straight-legged foals so that I can breed my own mares. I don’t like overpaying for classy but sometimes unreliable stallions that produce foals with front legs that are not consistently correct enough. The reason I chose Visionaire is that he is tall, his front limbs are perfect, he has a lot of bone, he was fast enough to sprint with the best, yet he easily got a middle distance around turns in America. Even though he was not an accomplished runner at 2, he did have the fastest clocking in the 2-year-old breeze-up sale in Ocala, Florida. He had plenty of gas.”

Visionaire’s best performance was when winning the Gr 1 King’s Bishop Stakes over seven furlongs on the dirt at Saratoga. He swept from the back of a ten-horse field that day and powered away to a 2,25 length triumph in a race that is widely considered to be North America’s most prestigious one-turn event for three-year-olds.

Visionaire is the son of the Gone West sire Grand Slam, who was a twice Gr 1 winner as a two-year-old. Among Grand Slam’s best progeny were the five-time Graded winner Limehouse as well as the Breeder’s Cup Sprint winner Cajun Beat.

Visionaire produced the Listed winner Bacopa Breeze and the stakes-placed Outlook with his only USA-bred crop.

He said on Monday this week, “He will have to be 100% spot on before we run him in the Met.”

Legislate (Nkosi Hlophe)

Legislate scoped full of mucus in his lungs after his shock last place finish in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and Snaith spoke of the virus that caused it, “With an ordinary horse you will pick up immediately from its work that there is something wrong, but with a top class horse like him it is so hard to pick up because even when he works badly he will still feel like a superstar.

“He got the virus good, so we have our work cut out. We scope him once every four days and its almost gone. It is still in the lungs, but should be over in the next couple of days. He was coughing after the Queen’s Plate, so probably has the same virus that Futura had and if he (Futura) could recover so can we.”

Snaith was asked why Legislate had not been scoped before the Queen’s Plate. His reply suggested that this safety measure is very seldom employed and for good reason. He said, “The scope can actually help spread a virus. It is obviously cleaned each time before being used but having been stuck up so many horses’ noses it still poses a risk.”

He added, “I sought some advice from Barry Irwin after the Queen’s Plate on how they do it in America to avoid this problem and he told me about this new serum aminoid test (which is a blood test as opposed to scoping) and we will now be using this on our horses.”

Dynamic (Liesl King)

Meanwhile, Snaith was very bullish about another of his Met entries, Dynamic. He said, “He is the dark horse on his work as he is just getting better and better.”

Arion was an eyecatching winner of his last start in the Gr 2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap over 1800m when producing a powerful and resolute finish and Snaith said, “He is very well and just needed his previous starts. He takes plenty of work and just became fitter and fitter.”

The yard now have Arion at his peak, so would rather just keep him ticking over, and Snaith added that this was an example of where the compulsory J&B Met Gallops could be a problem. He said, “He (Arion) is not the soundest, so we will have to be careful with him.”

Jet Explorer pulled a shoe during last year’s Met Gallops and banged his leg, which left the yard in a race against time to have him ready for the big race. However, Snaith said that this year he is in the mint of health in the build up to the gallops, “He is doing very well and is very sound and he will be better off at the weights with the first three in the Queen’s Plate.”

Astro News  (Nkosi Hlophe)

Snaith also runs two of the biggest outsiders, Astro News and Johnny Rockets.

Astro News has shown in the past that he comes to hand quite quickly, so should be at his peak having his third run after a rest, but he has consistently been found out at the highest level and in ten Gr 1 outings his best finish has been a fourth place in the SANSUI Summer Cup of 2012. However, he did finish just 1,95 lengths behind the great Igugu when finishing sixth in the Met as a three-year-old three years ago.

Johnny Rockets is an unsound horse, and therefore inconsistent, but he is capable of producing a strong finish as he proved when a close up fourth in the Gr 2 Vasco Premier Trophy over 1800m. He did not fully let himself that day, probably due to his unsoundness. If he was able to do so, for example in a case where the ground was more forgiving, he would be an interesting each/way prospect in a race like the Met or in other forthcoming major events like the Vodacom Durban July.

Next year this race will be run over 1400m and will carry a stake of US$1 million. Kingvoldt, who finished second to his stablemate Act Of War in the Gr 2 Selangor Cup and third to him in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas has the form to be favourite on Saturday. He is drawn ten in the 15 horse field, which should allow Bernard Fayd’Herbe options, as this horse not only has plenty of pace but also has a superb turn of foot.

Kingvoldt (Liesl King)

Kingvoldt had two below par runs before the Selangor and it was thought to be due to him haemoconcentrating, but his next two runs suggested the yard had overcome the problem. In the Queen’s Plate he was not suited to the slow pace and over raced, but still only finished 4,55 lengths back, which on its own would be good enough to have a great chance in Saturday’s race.

The Dominic Zaki-trained Precursor is the second highest rated horse in the race and his four wins have been from 1000-1200m. His high rating was achieved on the sand, but he did finish only 4,5 lengths behind the classy Trip To Heaven when fifth in the Gr 2 Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein last time, despite conceding 1kg. That effort should see him in with a place chance, although considering the pace he possesses, he might prefer an easier 1200m than Kenilworth’s.

The Sean Tarry-trained Zambezi River won the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes and in his only defeat in the Cape Guineas, where he finished fifth, he was hampered around the turn and set alight before he really had time to find his balance. He will be at home over this trip and the fine finish he is capable of producing from off the pace will be a valuable asset on this tough 1200m track. However, he won’t be able to afford one of his tardy starts.

The Corné Spies-trained Captured Wind made a big impression in his first two starts as a two-year-old, winning easily over 800m and 1000m respectively, but then disappointed when third in a Gr 3 over 1100m. He was given a nine month layoff and was not disgraced when finishing 3,5 lengths behind the exciting Unparalleled last time out over 1160m at level weights. He showed speed in that last race before fading and does give the impression that he would prefer shorter than 1200m or at least an easier track than Kenilworth.

The Ramsden-trained Brutal Force finished second in the Ready To Run Stakes from a wide draw. In his only win, with first-time blinkers, he led from start to finish over course and distance and beat some useful horses like Milton. He is improving all the time, so has a chance here.

The Brett Crawford-trained filly Alexis bounced back to her best last time out when dropped back to this trip and oozes class. She is highly regarded and possesses a blistering turn of foot, so will be a big threat over her probable ideal course and distance at this stage of her career.

Alexis (Liesl King)

The Charles Laird-trained KZN raider Beloved Country is merit rated the same as Alexis on 97 and has matched it with some of the best three-year-olds in KZN, including Harry’s Son and Rich Girl. She has plenty of natural speed, but is effective from 1000-1450m and would prefer to come from off the pace, so will enjoy this tough 1200m.

The Mike Bass-trained Equity Kicker beat two horses, Castlethorpe and Happy Forever, that are involved in the Cape Flying Championship over 1000m last time out. Jockey Grant van Niekerk now knows that he is better when ridden from off the pace and he should see out the trip if the hold up tactics are repeated.

Justin Snaith has three entries, but they all look outgunned on paper. He has put stable jockey Richard Fourie aboard Azarenka, who is a consistent and progressive sort who could sneak a place, as her last win over course and distance was quite eyecatching. His charge Sunset Tripp has possibilities too, as she finished just 2,75 lengths behind Zambezi River when finishing third in the Ready To Run Stakes and was then seven lengths behind the mighty Majmu in the Gr1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas. Her two wins have been over 800m and 1300m so she should enjoy this trip. Captain Blackwater’s only win has been in a workrider’s maiden. He did win it by seven lengths, but was then unplaced off an 81 merit rating in a handicap over 1400m last time out so will battle here.

The Tarry-trained Spanish Dawn looks held by Captured Wind on their last meeting and would likely prefer shorter or possibly less aggressive tactics. Tarry’s other charge Silence Descends is quite exposed and is merit rated only 84.

The Mike Bass-trained Kilrain is merit rated 75 and looks held on formlines. The Ramsden-trained Stem In Die Bos won a weak maiden by 3,25 lengths over course and distance last time, but that was his seventh start and this is a lot tougher.

It should be an intriguing event as these sales races bring some useful horses together with those that have a once in a lifetime chance to race for such a big cheque, so no quarter will be asked or given.

The four-year-old Var gelding Normanz won the Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1200m last May when leading from start to finish under Athandiwe Mgudlwa, although that race was run under handicap conditions and he only had to carry 53kg.

Charles Laird

Saturday’s race is weight for age, so will be a lot tougher. However, on the bright side there are no dominant sprinters in the country this year, considering Via Africa is now overseas, and the race looks very open.

Normanz has always had only one style of racing and that is to go like the clappers from gun to tape. The break is therefore crucial and this is Laird’s only concern.

He said that Normanz “does have his issues with the pens” but added that he had spoken to the stipendiary stewards and hoped he would be able to load as late as possible. Normanz, as opposed to being difficult to load, does not enjoy standing in the pens.

Normanz raced in the Gr 2 Stronach Group Merchants Racing Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein last time out under Sean Cormack and showed tremendous early pace before staying on for a five length sixth to the classy three-year-old Trip To Heaven, to whom he gave 6,5kg. On strict formlines the Gauteng raider Trip Tease has him well held, as he subsequently beat Trip To Heaven over 1000m when giving the latter 5kg. However, in Normanz’s favour is that his last race, seen together with his Golden Horse Casino Sprint win, showed that he would probably prefer the tough 1000m trip of the Cape Flying Championships than the quick Turffontein 1160m.

Normanz is drawn five out of the 13 horse field and Laird believed that looking at current trends he was on the right side. However he added that Anton Marcus, who will be riding him having recovered from his thumb injury, had always believed that it was possible to win from anywhere down the Kenilworth straight.

Laird has an outstanding record in the Cape Flying Championships. In the last ten years he has won it three times, twice in succession with Nhlavini in 2005 and 2006 and with Rebel King in 2009.

Beloved Country, on a merit rating of 97, is the joint highest rated filly in the CTS Stakes, although there are four males rated higher.

This Trippi filly won three out of four races as a two-year-old, including beating Harry’s Son in the Non-Black Type Sentinel Stakes over 1000m and beating Pine Princess in the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1450m.

Normanz  (Nkosi Hlophe)

This season she was twice narrowly beaten by her brilliant stable companion Rich Girl on the Greyville polytrack over 1000m and 1200m respectively and in her last start at Scottsville in very soft conditions she was beaten only 1,75 lengths by the progressive Littleblacknumber, despite conceding 2kg (or 4,5 kg if the apprentice claim is not included.) She will also be drawn towards the inside in barrier six on Saturday.

Laird said that she was “very well”. She has plenty of natural speed but prefers to come from off them, which could augur well for her because horses around her like Captain Blackwater, Brutal Force and Precursor look likely to be up with the pace.

Marcus has been riding at Summerveld recently. He is having his first comeback ride from his thumb injury on Thursday aboard the Mike de Kock-trained Red Ray in Dubai. Marcus has a fine record in Dubai, having only had seven rides there for three wins, including the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free on Jay Peg in 2008 and the US$1 million Godolphin Mile on Variety Club last year.