The Pinnacle Stakes event over 1000m on Sunday, race one on the card, should not be missed as it boasts some classy horses and should be a classic “puncher versus boxer” affair.

The punch will come from the speedy Cherry Tripper, who came close to stealing a race over course and distance last week by tearing off to the front. She is worse weighted in relative terms this time, as last week’s race was a handicap and she is under sufferance under the conditions on Sunday. However, she is carrying a featherweight 50kg compared to 61,5kg last week so is not going to be easy to catch. The best in at the weights is Pej, and that is even before taking the 4kg claim of her rider Callan Murray into account. Furthermore she is proven on the polytrack and is drawn well in barrier three. She has early pace so should be in a position to challenge Cherry Tripper in the straight.  However, Anton Marcus will be aboard Pej’s stablemate, Normanz, who hasn’t run since showing blistering speed throughout to win the Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville last May. Laird always has his fresh horses fit enough and the trip should be ideal for Normanz after that layoff. He is also well drawn. Mr Whatever has excellent early pace too and this is his ideal trip. He is proven on the polytrack, but this is his first appearance this season. Showmetheway, who has improved since blinkers were removed and hold up tactics employed, is having his first outing since his excellent third in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint. With so much pace in the race his wide draw shouldn’t be too much of a problem and he should be running at them late. Eddie Sweat is also making his reappearance and has a blistering turn of foot so over his favourite trip he could be a candidate as he is less than a length off Mr Whatever on strict formlines. However, the race looks likely to be decided either by the early speed of Cherry Tripper, the favourable weight of Pej or the Marcus factor. Pej is given the vote ahead of Cherry Tripper and Normanz.

Tonight a MR 87 Handicap over 2000m heads the card and the most interesting runner here is the well regarded Mike de Kock-trained Akii Bua, who lost a length last week over 1600m on the polytrack and proved in need of the run. Anthony Delpech has returned from a holiday, so should be as hungry as ever and gets the ride from a good draw over a distance the horse will relish. The danger could be the stablemate, the well-named Mercurial Brave, who has breathing issues and is therefore in and out, but on his day he has some class.

Race two tonight is an intriguing MR 77 Handicap over 1200m. Black jaguar has always been well regarded and is equally effective over this trip as he is over 1600m. After finally finding his feet and winning three times, he is still merit rated only 74, so can go in again here from  a pole position draw. The Mike de Kock-trained Razed In Black was a touch disappointing in his last two outings but now has his third run after a rest over a suitable trip with Delpech up, so will be a big runner too.

The best bet on tonight’s card could be Dark Eyes in the third over 1200m. She won in emphatic style over course and distance last time and can overcome a six point merit rated raise and a wide draw. Throne from a pole position draw looks to be the danger.

A MR 92 Handicap over 1600m on Sunday has attracted some in-form horses. Auction King had a weight advantage when winning a Graduation Plate over course and distance in eye-catching style last time out, so wasn’t given a raise in the merit ratings. Anton Marcus stays aboard from the same draw and he could follow up. Acapulco is a talented horse but does look to prefer 1400m, so the danger will likely be Zestful, who ran a cracker over the too sharp 1200m last time out and being by Spectrum he will always be dangerous on the poly.

A fillies and mares MR 86 Handicap over 1400m should go to the up and coming Cousin Annie, who is distance suited and ran a cracker last time out behind the highly promising Grey Light, despite having been found to have coughed.

Three horses that make appeal on the Sunday card are Saratoga Dancer in the seventh, a promising sort who will need to win to qualify for the R3,85 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup, Rachel Leigh in the fourth, who is better than her form suggests and should represent fair value, and Halloween Night in the eighth, as she showed considerable improvement with blinkers last time out and should enjoy the step up in trip.

Dixon won the inaugural running of the event in 2007 with the Muhtafal gelding Umngazi, but unfortunately for him and owner Bruce Lin the total prize money back then was a relatively paltry R500000, despite their charge having beaten the like of Imbongi, who went on to become a dual Guineas victor and winner of Group races in both the UK and Dubai.

Oi Yoi Yoi, who is also owned by Lin, impressed jockey Brandon Lerena when stepped up to the 1400m trip of the Ready To Run Cup last time out in a Maiden on the Greyville polytrack on September 29. She came from last with a powerful run, despite the race having been run at a slow pace, and scooted clear in commanding fashion to win by 2,5 lengths.

That was only her fourth career start and it will now be up to the panellists to decide whether she is good enough to make the final Ready To Run field. She was only in 28th place on the latest log, but a few of those above her are yet to prove they stay the 1400m trip.

Whether she makes the race or not, she is one to follow this season as the yard rate her and Dixon confirmed yesterday that she was improving all the time.

Justin Snaith said yesterday: “He broke down on both suspensories – the ground was too firm – but I will look after him for the rest of his life. He gave me everything he had and so I will give him everything for the remainder of his days.”

The seven-year-old was frequently unlucky, hence he won only four of his 33 starts, but he was placed in 15 other races and his earnings were almost R1.9 million.

Gaynor Rupert said “I am very much looking forward to seeing the offspring of these two superstars on the track one day.”

Ebony Flyer was a three time Grade 1 winner of the Cape Fillies Guineas, SA Fillies Sprint and Majorca Stakes for trainer Justin Snaith and owner’s Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert), Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin), Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh. CEO of Team Valor International Barry Irwin said about the mare: “Ebony Flyer was the most talented female to carry our colours at Team Valor and we are thrilled to welcome her first offspring.”

Ross Fuller (Farm Manager) commented that the colt was “a good size, well balanced and correct for a first foal we are thrilled”. Ebony Flyer visit’s champion sire Captain Al in 2014.

Picture: Ebony Flyer and foal (Drakenstein Stud)

That was no mean feat for an early three-year-old running off a merit rating of 84, especially considering she was only receiving 1kg from the well regarded four-year-old old filly Stay Amazed and gave her a 1,25 length beating. Van Zyl gave credit to owner Brian Burnard for the purchase of this Lammerskraal Stud-bred filly. Burnard phoned Van Zyl while the latter was down at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 and asked him to have a look at Kileigh as he had been impressed by a picture he had seen of her. Van Zyl, who admitted he had not considered looking at her as she was by an unfashionable sire, also liked what he saw and they went ahead and bought her for what is now looking good value at R250,000.

She will be aimed at races like the Starling Stakes and Fillies Mile, before going for the Johannesburg classics next year. Van Zyl said, “What is particularly exciting about her is that she will get better the further she goes and the older she gets as Go Deputy’s usually get better with age.” Kileigh has won her last three races in succession since getting off the mark in her third career outing with a facile victory over 1600m at Scottsville last June.

The Van Zyl yard have already landed one Johannesburg feature this season courtesy of No Worries, who won the Gr 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m last weekend. They have the like of Pioneer Spirit, Heart Of A Lion, Banbury, Sun On Africa and Respectable Ruler waiting in the wings so should be on their way to a fruitful season.