Shimmering Leaves is one of three horses in the race that has had  eight runs or more, so at first sight she looks quite exposed. However, in her three-year-old career she has raced only twice and performed with noteworthy merit on both occasions.

In her reappearance on October 1 she was slow away from a wide draw in a MR 68 Handicap over 1000m at Durbanville against older fillies and mares, running off a merit rating of 80. She ran on well from near the back to finish only 1,5 lengths back in second to House Of Lorraine. However, it was in her next start over the 1400m course and distance of Saturday’s big race that she showed she could be a fair sort as she finished third in a Progress Plate and was only 0,75 lengths behind the promising 101 merit rated filly Grey Light. She also had the Listed winner and Gr 2 placed four-year-old Star Jet behind her.

There is only one horse in Saturday’s field, Belong To Me, who is merit rated over 100, so on paper Shimmering Leaves has a chance. Sands had put her in that Progress Plate last time because he felt she had already done enough to qualify and she then went and proved that she could well be better than her 83 merit rating. Furthermore, in her last start as a two-year-old she finished just 6,75 lengths behind one of the best males in the land, Act Of War, at weight for age terms. She was at one stage leading in the straight in that race before being swamped, so the 1400m trip is probably more to her liking.

Sands said, “She is well in herself and her preparation has gone well. She has run a very good race already last time out and I would like to think she has improved from that outing. She is a decent filly and really fights.”

As a versatile type in terms of where she is positioned in the running, her perfect draw of four will give her several options. Greg Behr rides and while she probably won’t be one of the fancied horses in the betting she could run into the money.

Act Of War has laid claim along with the KZN horse Harry’s Son to being the best three-year-old male in the land. He beat the highly regarded MLJet last time out in the Cape Classic over 1400m despite conceding 4kg and has already proved he stays the Selangor Cup distance. Ramsden said the colt was very well, had been working well and his preparation had gone smoothly.

He added, “MLJet will be a tough nut to crack and so will Generalissimo, but we’re looking forward to a good race.” Piere Strydom replaces the injured Anton Marcus aboard the Dynasty colt and they jump from draw 6 in the seven horse field.

Ramsden has three other runners in the race, Kingvoldt, Catkin and Cotton Hill.

Western Winter colt Kingvoldt (pictured) was shaping up to be something special after three comfortable wins as a two-year-old, but he then ran dismally in the Langerman. They discovered that he was haemo-concentrating and have done everything they could for him since, but Ramsden said, “However, that didn’t stop him running below par again last time, so it was back to the drawing board. We can only hope that he will be back to his best on Saturday.”

Ramsden said about Horse Chestnut colt Catkin, who ran a touch disappointingly last week, and Antonius Pius colt Cotton Hill, “Catkin’s white blood cell count was up and if we can’t get it down in time he probably won’t run. Cotton Hill, we just trying him to see how things go.”

Brutal Force is a full brother to the top class Red Ray and is officially the highest price horse to ever be sold on public auction in South Africa at R4,5 million. He was pin-hooked on that sale with the obvious aim being that he could qualify for Saturday’s race and he was duly bought back by Markus Jooste. Interestingly, Ramsden has removed the blinkers which were applied for his third outing over 1200m, having finished runner up over 1200m and 1300m respectively in his previous runs.

He said, “I put the blinkers on just to sharpen him up because I couldn’t afford any mistakes in that race.” Comparing him to Red Ray, he said, “They are totally different horses and their only similarity is their gorgeous natures, they have hearts of gold. I think Brutal Force will probably stay further than Red Ray.”

He continued, “I think Brutal Force is good enough to win, but a lot of luck and skill is going to be required from that draw of 12. He is huge so will need big gaps to open, although if the other horses knew he was coming they would probably move out of the way as there is 600kg of him!” Bernard Fayd’Herbe has ridden Brutal Force before and replaces Marcus.

Ramsden runs Coltrane and Manx Missile in the Listed Pioneer Pinotage Kenilworth Cup over 3200m and said, “Coltrane is very highly rated but I think 3200m would be at the end of his limit and he would probably prefer a touch shorter. Manx Missile will love the two miles and is consistent but he has had to run in races where he has been out at the weights so his merit rating has slid up and should be lower, so he might not be good enough.”

Ramsden concluded, “All of our horses are running to form and long may it continue.”

Pictures: Act Of War and Kingvoldt (Liesl King)

The top class Var colt broke the Kenilworth course record over 1200m last time and his previous two wins over 1200m and 1000m respectively were equally impressive.

The only question is whether he will stay the trip and Drier said, “He is spot on but this is his big test to see if he is a Guineas horse. If he gets the mile I think he is the horse to beat.”

Generalissimo jumps from pole position with stable jockey Sean Cormack up. It is a small seven horse field, but is full of quality and includes two of the best three-year-olds in the country, Act Of War and MLJet.

Drier runs the classy Jet Master mare Jet Aglow in the Gr 2 weight for age Lanzerac Le General Green Point Stakes over 1600m and said, “She might just need it, although she is doing very well. It’s not easy against the colts, but she won’t disgrace herself. Beach Beauty couldn’t win the Green Point, but then won the Paddock Stakes and Majorca, and Jet Aglow will be following that same route.”

Drier’s below par Cape form does have to be judged against his fantastic results of previous seasons. He said, “They are all over the hiccup they had when they first arrived in Cape Town, but a couple of them haven’t run up to scratch.”

Pictures: Generalissimo and Sean Cormack (Liesl King)

Snaith contests two big races on Saturday, the Gr 2 Lanzerac le General Green Point Stakes over 1600m and the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Cup over 1400m, and have three runners in each.

Sue said, “Legislate is over the injury he picked up in the July and galloped well recently at Kenilworth. My heart is with Jet Explorer due to his courage in overcoming his fall and jaw break, he is doing well and is peaking. Justin has high hopes for Readytogorightnow, but it’s a big jump and he has to prove he has the class.”

She added, “I think Sunset Tripp will give us our best chance in the Ready To Run Stakes. But we are worried about the Johannesburg horses of Sean Tarry and Geoff Woodruff that we have heard a lot about.”

Sue concluded, “Princess Chloe, Legislate and Eros’s Girl are our best runners on the day.”

Earlier today, the yard’s four-year-old Australian-bred Danehill Dancer filly Acrostar was impressive from off the pace for the second time in succession when winning a competitive Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m at Kenilworth under Richard Fourie. This much improved sort could make an impact in the biggest female events of the Cape Summer Of Champions Season.

Picture: Legislate gallop (Snaith Racing)

His impressive Dynasty filly Alexis is a leading contender in the Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m and both Captain America and Gr 1 winner Futura have a chance of winning the Gr 2 Lanzerac Le General Green Points Stakes over 1600m.

Crawford said about the athletic filly who could maintain his unbeaten record in the Ready To Run Stakes, “Alexis has won both of her last two starts well and she shows us a lot at home. It will be a tough test against the boys but she is drawn well and is fit and well, so we are expecting a good run.”

She showed a fine turn of foot first time out of the maidens in a MR 79 handicap over 1200m against some useful older fillies and won by 2,25 lengths, despite having been awarded an 85 merit rating for her facile maiden win over 1300m at Durbanville.

On pedigree Alexis will have no problem with the trip at all as she is out of a half-sister by Parade Leader to the stakes winning Winona, who won from 1600m to 2600m.

She is drawn superbly in barrier two with Corné Orffer up and should be doing her best work at the finish.

Fillies receive 2,5kg from the boys and have a fine record in the country’s big sales races, having won half of the eight renewals of Turffontein’s lucrative Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup.

Crawford said about the Captain Al gelding Captain America and the Dynasty colt Futura, who are both making their seasonal reappearances, “They are both very well and have come on beautifully. It’s obviously their first run but both are exactly where I want them to be and they are going to be competitive on Saturday.”

Orffer, who has filled in for the sidelined Glen Hatt as Crawford’s stable jockey, is aboard Captain America and Crawford explained, “Corné knows that Futura is Glen’s horse so he would rather stick with Captain America than be replaced when Glen returns.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides Futura from a wide draw of ten and Captain America hasn’t fared much better in barrier 9.  However, both horses have a tremendous turn of foot and will likely be running on.

Futura, third in the Vodacom Durban July and winner of the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m, is merit rated 113, just one point below Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate, who also lines up in the Green Point. Captain America, who is a twice Gr 1 runner up, enjoyed no luck at all in the July and is merit rated 106. He is a big horse and will likely enjoy being back on his home, left-handed course.

Crawford  mentioned some of his other runners on the day, “Secret Society will run well and Prescient has a chance. Zacharias has a big weight, but is doing very, very well. She likes running fresh and over the tough Kenilworth 1200m should be in the shake up.”

Picture: Futura (Nkosi Hlophe)

Picture: Futura (Nkosi Hlophe)