The Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner, second in the Empress Club and third in the Garden Province, should not beat Supreme Sunset on adjusted merit ratings but there are grounds for believing that she may be good enough. Gavin Lerena flies in for the mount and the filly opened at evens with Betting World.

“This is more of a run to acquaint her with the track – the Klawervlei Majorca is a target – but I think she will be fit enough to do herself justice,” says the five times champion trainer.

Officially Supreme Sunset has 1.5kg in hand at the weights. She was raised 3.5kg for her 25-1 shock win in the Joburg Spring Challenge (when Arcetri Pink was over two lengths away fifth at levels and when Majmu suffered her only defeat) but she has run nowhere near the revised rating in her two subsequent races. You would have to wonder whether the handicappers over-reacted.

That said, Mike Bass rates her and says: ”I don’t know what happened in those two races but she is quite decent. I gave her a break after her return, I have freshened her up since and she is doing very well. She is in with a shout.”

She is certainly a big price at 6-1. Bass also runs Play Of Light (33-1) and the useful Princess Ofthe Sky (7-1) who was reported to be making an abnormal respiratory noise last time. “She is a bit restricted because of her wind,” says her trainer. “But she can manage this 1 400m comfortably.”

Neil Bruss has booked champion S’Manga Khumalo for 33-10 chance Red Flame who has won three of her last five and her trainer reckons she is still improving. “Her last race was over 1 800m and it was too far for her,” he says. “This is a prep for the Majorca.”

Antonia’s Fortress (who, not surprisingly, has drifted from 4-1 to 7-1) faces a well-nigh impossible task with top weight but she has won her last two and Yogas Govender reckons there is more to come. Petty Officer is a 16-1 shot but, according to Greg Ennion, Karl Neisius says she won’t be disgraced. Neisius can’t do the weight and so in-form Richard Fourie takes over.

Malan du Toit has been working on Captain’s Dove who refused to load last time and this filly has the form to beat 5-2 favourite In The Know in the first. “The last time she actually ran was over 1 400m and it was too far,” says Mike Robinson. “She doesn’t show much at home but she is a very talented filly.”

Ovar keeps running well and may get the better of Winter Trade in race three although the once-raced Mayoral Decree and newcomer Royal Union Jet may not be far away.

Blinkers failed to work with the well bred Imibala (he refused to settle and over-raced) on Christmas Eve so he runs without them in race four but Sail For Gold is preferred. Unfortunately the price has gone and he has already been backed from 5-2 to 13-10.

In Tribute is far from the most obvious choice in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap but Govender is keen on him so he could be worth a few rand each way. He has already been supported from 10-1 to 7-1.

“They galloped over a mile and put up a very fast 400m. They are fit and very well and have now seen the course, but there is still a way to go to the Met.”

The Black Minnaloushe colt Louis The King won the SASCOC Triple Crown last year, becoming the first since the great Horse Chestnut to do so, and in his last start he added a third career Gr 1 by getting up late to win the Sansui Summer Cup over 2000m, despite carrying second topweight of 59kg.

Woodruff felt that he was better over further and said, “He is an effective miler, but 2000m is more his game, although I’m not discounting him.”

Indeed, two of his most impressive performances have come over the Queen’s Plate 1600m distance, firstly when demolishing a strong field in the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas, where he showed a phenomenal turn of foot, and then when running on from near the back when just failing in the Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile, despite carrying a big weight.

He is drawn well in four and Piere Strydom remains aboard, an added bonus.

Tellina has been gelded since his disappointing last run in the Charity Mile and Woodruff said that he was “much improved” since the operation. An indication of his ability over 1600m is that he is also a Gauteng Guineas winner and finished just 0,75 lengths behind the high class Yorker and the champion miler Capetown Noir in last season’s Gr 1 weight for age HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.

Tellina, a five-year-old by Silvano, is drawn seven and Gavin Lerena rides.

Ashton Park was nearly brought down in the Diadem Stakes last time out on December 27 and returned with a swollen joint, meaning he was only able to start working again this week.

However Bass said, “He’s not quite comfortable and although the vets will still try and sort it out, there are only a few days left so it looks dicey.”

Ashton Park’s cracking second in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes didn’t really surprise the Bass yard as they had always felt he was a bit underrated and Bass also pointed out that he can always be relied on to earn a cheque. If he does run he jumps from draw 6 in the nine horse field and Aldo Domeyer will be reunited with him.

Bass also runs Paterfamilias, a five-year-old gelding by Trippi, who will be ridden by stable jockey Grant van Niekerk from draw 8 and he has the blinkers back on. His last run over 1800m in the Gr 2 Premier Trophy was his first run for a year due to a tendon injury and Bass said, “He’s doing well and will be running on, I wouldn’t be surprised if he placed, although it’s probably not an ideal race, it’s not one you would think he can win, and the Met will be more up his alley.”

Hammie’s Hooker, a five-year-old mare by Trippi, was rated by jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe as the horse he was most looking forward to this season and now that her nemesis Beach Beauty has retired she will have a good chance of landing a Gr 1 this season.

There has always been a question mark about her staying the 1800m trip, but she was close up to her perennial rival Jet Aglow in both the Victress Stakes and the Paddock Stakes over this trip last season and is now obviously a year older. Like last year, Jet Aglow once again has a draw advantage over her in the Paddock Stakes. However, Bernard Fayd’Herbe is reunited with Hammie’s Hooker so her draw of eight shouldn’t be a major problem.

Hammie’s Hooker has only had two 1200m sprints this season and after finishing a cracking 0,85 length third in the Gr 2 Cape Merchants when carrying 59kg, she ran a bit disappointingly in the Gr 2 weight for age Diadem Stakes.

However, Bass said, “She was too advanced for the Diadem, so was not fresh enough. She is doing well and will run well on Saturday, I have no doubt about that. I think she will make the trip and if things go her way she has a good winning chance.”

Bass also runs the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Inara as well as Shingwedzi in the Paddock Stakes.

The three-year-old Trippi filly Inara ran on very well for a 2,5 length second to the mighty Majmu in the Cape Fillies Guineas at odds of 25/1 and Van Niekerk keeps the ride. Bass said, “She has loads of ability and I think she will run a big race again. I think she might well surprise them again and is good value for the frame.”

Bass would only be concerned about Inara’s wide draw of 13 if there was a lack of pace. He felt Shingwedzi would need to run above her form to feature.

Bass’s four-year-old Jet Master gelding Helderberg Blue has a fine chance in the Gr 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m, in which the yard also run Night Trip and River Crossing. Helderberg Blue is a temperamental sort, but after a lot of work with him Bass said that he was now “almost normal”. This is illustrated by his two wins followed by a second in the Gr 2 Premier Trophy over 1800m last time out.

Bass said, “Helderberg Blue is very well, I don’t know how much he has improved but he is steadily getting better and I think he is quite nicely weighted. The crowds, tents and noise on the big day is a bit of a concern as he can get himself hyped up, but I’m hoping it’s not a problem and if so he has a good shout.”

Helderberg Blue jumps from a fine draw of four with Van Niekerk up.

River Crossing stays further and will likely run in the Gr 2 J&B Jet Stayers over 2800m on J&B Met day, but Bass said, “He can do any trip and always runs well.” He said about Night Trip, “I just wish he would run as well as he works.”

Bass said about his other runners on the day, “Diamond (2^nd race) will need it. Hypervarlocity (3^rd race) is very temperamental, but we hope for a better run. Evening Storm (4^th race) has an each-way chance at the weights. Castlethorpe (5^th race), there are just no races for him and this 1000m trip is too sharp.

Equity Kicker (5^th race) will be competitive, this is a step up in class but he is a decent sort. Winter Reserve (11^th race) has not been quite at her best and needs another sprint to get her in form but this 1000m is a bit quick. Carousel Swing (12^th race), if she had dawn well I would have fancied her, but this 1400m is a difficult distance from a bad draw.”

There will be a full betting menu at the 12 race meeting, including two Bipots and two Jackpots, and The Pick 6 pool is expected to be around the R3,5 million mark as things stand, although it might increase if there are further carryovers.

This year’s Peninsula renewal is as competitive as ever, but a horse that makes a lot of appeal is the Dean Kannemeyer-trained four-year-old Silvano gelding Power King. In his first start as a gelding he ran on well off a slow pace to finish third in the Gr 2 Vasco Premier Trophy over the Peninsula course and distance. He will now be 1kg better off with Helderberg Blue for a 1,25 length beating.

However, the more significant factor is that he has “come on in leaps and bounds” since gelding. Kannemeyer said, “Before gelding he was becoming heavy in the neck and shoulders and his blood was thickening. His blood was still not quite right for the Peninsula, but it was a great run and he has come on tremendously. He is starting to take shape and will now be a lot fitter. Obviously, he doesn’t have a great draw. However, Karl Neisius has a lot of experience, I will leave it to him, and we will be hoping for a better pace.”

Power King is drawn in 12. The widely drawn Serissa is a likely pace setter. S’Manga Khumalo could slow it up once reaching the front, unless taken on, and that will give him a chance.

Helderberg Blue has also come into his own this season, as the professional Mike Bass yard have managed to sooth his bad temper. He will also appreciate a stronger pace. From a plum draw of four he will be a big runner as he still has the potential, despite two wins and a second in his last three starts, to rise above his 98 merit rating.

Bass’s Night Trip has jumped slowly in his last two starts and won’t be able to afford a repeat. He has a fair draw here in his third run after a layoff. He has a good turn of foot and showed his class when easily winning the Listed Darley SRabian over 1600m on the Greyville poly on Super Saturday, but he did receive a six point raise for that effort.

The other Bass runner River Crossing is quite high in the handicap and although effective over this trip will likely be more fancied in the J&B Jet Stayers over 2800m on J&B Met day.

Justin Snaith’s stable jockey Richard Fourie has switched from True Master to Arion for this race. Arion was not at all suited to the slow pace of the Premier Trophy and could only plug on from a handy position for a 2,15 length fifth. However, he is 1kg better off with Helderberg Blue for a 1,95 length beating and Snaith has always thought a lot of him, so he will be a threat despite a tricky draw of nine.

Sean Cormack was not aboard the Snaith first choice when winning both the Premier Trophy on Dynamic and the Gr 3 Calulo Victress Stakes on Jet Supreme on the same day, and he could repeat the dose on True Master. This talented gelding had a successful wind operation after the Champions Season and over raced slightly behind the slow pace in the Premier Trophy and was then kept in by Captain America for a while in the straight before sprinting on at the same pace as the rest of the field. He has a difficult draw of 13 to contend with, but Cormack is an expert in placing horses in the running.

Snaith also runs Johnny Rockets who has a fair draw and is capable of a strong finish, so he has as much chance as either of his stablemates.

Vaughan Marshall’s Chestnut’s Rocket might be stretched by the trip and also has to contend with a two point raise for winning a Non-Black Type race over 1400m on the Fairview poly, but he is well drawn and could be a contender in a slow paced race if stealing a march from near the front. Marshall’s other runner Desert Swirl will be better suited to the J&B Jet Stayers.

The Stan Elley-trained joint topweight Puntas Arenas is having his second run after a layoff and the J&B Met, in which he finished a surprise third last year, is his likely chief target.

Elley’s Dynastic Power is a classy sort, who could rise above his 93 merit rating and is drawn well. He is 2,5kg better off with Power King for a 1,5 length beating in last season’s Winter Classic over this trip, although he will need to be closer to the action turning for home than he was last time in a Gr 3 2500m event and the J&B Jet Stayers could also be his chief target.

Disco Al ran below par in the Sansui Summer Cup after winning the Betting World Algoa Cup in taking fashion. It will be tough to have him at his peak for this race but if anybody can do it, it is his trainer Joey Ramsden.

The former Selangor Cup winner De Kock, who fractured a knee about a year ago, has never been over this trip, but would likely prefer it to the sprints he has been running in. However, he has appeared a bit lacklustre in his last couple of runs.

Tiger Tiger has run well since being stepped up to 1600m and looks bred to enjoy this trip, but his wide draw makes it difficult.

Gone Baby Gone is drawn in pole and is only three points higher than his last win over this trip, so has an outside chance.

Commingling of the Saftote with France’s government-controlled betting agency, the Paris Mutuel Urbain (PMU), also saw the Tote win and place pools at last Friday night’s meeting being given a massive boost.

In its heyday, racing virtually marketed itself as it was the only form of gambling in the country and every meeting attracted huge crowds. Friday night’s crowd for an eight race meeting featuring the Gr 3 Flamboyant Stakes was reminiscent of those days and newcomers, who were initially attracted by the many activities laid on, have clearly started taking an interest in this most exciting of sports as the outside rail was lined with spectators for every race.

The horse is what it should be all about and the magnificence of the thoroughbred can only but impress anybody who has never been close up to one before, especially when they are in full flight. The atmosphere on course at Greyville recently has been brimful of excitement and enjoyment and being close up to these amazing animals is one of the reasons.

The Greyville turf has been presented in fine condition since its comeback on Boxing Day, while the polytrack continues to be a fair track as virtually every race has a true pace which, more often than not, leads to a true result.

The average win and place pool at Greyville’s well attended Boxing Day meeting was R144,175.40 and R73,409.43 respectively and the total combined amount for nine races was R1,958,263.45. These pools increased dramatically at Greyville’s meeting last Friday night due to the money wagered in France and the win and place pools averaged R1,078,277.92 and R822,034.24 respectively, while the combined total was R15,202,497.27. The total injected by France’s Parimutuel was R12,509,322.

Earlier in the day the Parimutuel injected R3,589,236 into the Fairview pools. The boost in pool money led to one or two surprising dividends for those having a flutter, including the hot favourite National Approval, who looked difficult to oppose in Greyville’s second race, paying R2,60 for a win.