KZN has a double header this weekend with eight races on the Greyville polytrack tonight and eight more at Scottsville on Sunday.

The latter meeting has attracted some good horses and should provide purists with a feast of action.

In the first on Sunday Mike de Kock brings out the Argentinian-bred filly Ebtihaal for her second career start. She looked to be full of class on debut over this 1000m course and distance. She was slow away but made up the ground quickly and then still managed to kick away from the field in impressive style despite soft underfoot conditions. The Allan Robertson could be beckoning. She has to give weight to the rest of the field, who are all first-timers, but it will take a good one to peg her back. The Australian-bred Mygirldownunder by Gr 1 Prix Morny winner Myboycharlie is an interesting contender.

The second is competitive, but Bold Approach makes a lot of appeal coming back down to 1000m. Her last win, over 1200m, was off an 81 merit rating and before that she beat the useful Sarve over 1000m off a 77 merit rating. She has come down the ratings quickly to a 66 and with her natural pace from a good draw should go close. Kingsview loves this course and distance and has a shout with a 2,5 claimer up. Easy debut winner Cosmic Burst could still be anything and her mere 72 merit rating gives her the chance to progress through the ranks if she proves good enough.

In the third over 1200m an exciting sprinting sort in Natal is the one to beat. The turn of foot he showed over1000m last time was effortless but devastating and he should enjoy the step up in trip. He is best in at the weights. Captain Chaos, the facile Gr 3 Cape Nursery winner, makes his debut for the Mark Dixon yard. Dixon said the run might come just one week too soon. However, Cape form can never be sneezed at and he has to be considered.

In the fourth over 1200m the Highveld raider Joan Ranger looks the one to beat. She has shown plenty of speed over 1450m against good horses, so the step back to this trip might be what she is looking for despite her pedigree. She has a nice stride and Delpech rides from a plum draw. She is also officially the best in at the weights.  The older Shezaleader loves this course and distance and has not been disgraced against some good sorts recently, so will be a threat. Elusiveenchantment looked a smart sort when winning her maiden and is another big runner.

In the fifth over 1950m, All Together Now relaxed beautifully in the running before turning it on nicely in the straight when winning comfortably over 1600m last time out. He should love the step up in trip on both pedigree and running style and looks to have a touch of class.

In the sixth over 1600m the exciting Mater Familias reappears after impressing with an easy maiden win second time out on the poly. She could be anything and is a banker possibility. However, beyond her the race is very open and the whole field would probably have to be included.

The seventh is a maiden over 1400m and is much more open than it appears to be at first sight. Lateral Dancer looks to have the most scope for improvement among this weak bunch and is tipped, but all of Hanji, Destined For Dawn, Reactive, Nutcracker, Powder Keg and Stormatic could be considered.

The eight is a competitive fillies and mares handicap over 1400m and it would be wise to go wide in the exotics, although the one who makes most appeal is Black Cashmere.  She looks likely to appreciate the step down in trip, as one who has over raced over further, and she looks to have some scope too. Furthermore, she jumps from a good draw off a merit rating which has been dropped ten points since her handicap debut.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Ebtihaal (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mega Secret, one of the few maidens to run in the Investec Cape Derby in the last decade, could be worth waiting for in the last race at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Paddy Kruyer-trained gelding  ran two good races over this mile before finishing 11^th of 15 behind It’s My Turn and Brazuca. He was beaten less than eight lengths and only the badly drawn, six-month absent Imperial Dancer is rated his superior in the Patronage Maiden.

“I think he got the 2 000m that day although he just rolled on a bit at the finish,” says Kruyer. “His best distance will probably be 1 800m but he is in good shape for this.”

Grant Behr’s mount opened at 4-1 with World Sports Betting yesterday and he has 15 up against him with Imperial Dancer (11-2) rated the biggest danger.

The first four races have an ominously straightforward look about them – usually a sign that upsets can be expected – but 14-10 favourite Attenborough stands out in the opening maiden juvenile and should certainly be able to confirm the placings with Rand Hedge (7-2) and Studiolo (14-1) as he lost valuable ground at the start on debut.

Barak Lavan showed promise first time and another to bear in mind is Rasta Rebel, who although last in the Listed race on Met day, met with some interference just inside the final furlong.

Mike Bass, with four winners, is only two behind Justin Snaith in this season’s Cape Town two-year-old log and he can add to his score in the Play The Bipot Maiden Juvenile with Whose That Girl (2-1) who finished eye-catchingly strongly when only just beaten by stable companion Wake Up Maggie on debut three weeks ago.

Ubiquitous Star and Baseema look held on that run but it’s worth noting that there is a line of form that puts 7-2 chance Colorado Rose (fourth to top-notch Cloth Of Cloud) in front of the Bass hope.

Brett Crawford’s luck deserted him at Durbanville last Saturday but his Juba (8-10) looks nailed on for the Place Your Bets Maiden (race three) after taking third to Leisure Trip last month despite losing five lengths at the start.

You might think that Helen’s Bay, the only non three-year-old in the race, has lost her chance of winning at the age of five (this is her 11^th attempt) but the year younger Ravishing Lad won at the 23^rd time of asking last month and Exclusive Knight (five) at the 36^th. Helen’s Bay (6-1 here) showed significant improvement last time and Mike Robinson says that was because he dropped her back to this 1 000m.

Crawford and Corne Orffer can double up with 2-1 favourite Tide Is Turning in the Quinte Plus Maiden 35 minutes later when Oli Miranda looks the one for the forecast.

By Michael Clower

Paddy Kruyer has ambitious plans for his Cape Fillies Guineas fourth Anglet who was badly jarred after running on odd shoes in the World Sports Betting-sponsored classic.

Kruyer said yesterday: “I am getting her ready for the season and I will be taking her to Durban a bit later on when she will have a go at the Garden Province on Vodacom Durban July day.”

The Biarritz filly won her last three starts as a juvenile including the Irridescence and beat all except shock winner Budapest in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run.

She was doubly unlucky in the Fillies Guineas. She wore special front shoes but lost one on the way to the start and the racecourse farrier had to fit an ordinary racing plate as he did not have one to match. Then Raymond Danielson was forced to snatch her up to avoid the fallen Gareth Wright.

By Michael Clower

Picture: Patrick Kruyer (SAHorseracing.com)

Weichong Marwing’s neuro surgeon has granted permission for the top class jockey to begin physiotherapy on his back in order to strengthen it.

However, he will only be able to begin workriding again at the beginning of next month.

Marwing described the situation as “very frustrating”, but was following the best professional advice.

The debilitating back injury has forced him on to the sidelines since taking part in only one race at the January 14 meeting at the Vaal.

He consequently missed such rides as Illuminator in the CTS Million Dollar and Smart Call in the J&B Met, both of whom won.

However, he has already stated his philosophical attitude to the missed opportunities and wished respective replacement riders Heavelon van der Hoven and JP van der Merwe all the best for their big victories.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Weichong Marwing (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Paul Lafferty-trained champion Harry’s Son will attempt to guarantee his place in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free over 1800m on Dubai World Cup night by running in the  Gr 1 $US300,000 Jebel Hatta over 1800m on Super Saturday this weekend.

Meanwhile, Harry’s Son’s regular jockey Piere Strydom, who is nursing a broken collar bone, faces a race against time to be ready for the Duty Free.

Harry’s Son’s last outing in the Zabeel Mile on February 25 didn’t pan out in his favour as the slow pace saw him over racing slightly. This blunted his usual turn of foot and he could only stay on to the line for fourth place.

However, Lafferty was not concerned, especially considering the smart Australian-bred Haradasun colt will now be having his third run after a rest.

He reminded of the form of great horses like Variety Club and Jay Peg, who were both defeated in their second runs in Dubai before going on to win on World Cup night.

Harry’s Son has drawn four in Saturday’s ten horse field.

Strydom has always been of the opinion Harry’s Son’s best trip is 1400m, but Lafferty revealed the great jockey had said the same before winning the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on him as a two-year-old. The colt had also run a fair fifth in “bottomless ground, which he hated”, in the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

Lafferty added Harry’s Son was “very well” and had actually put on 1kg since his last race.

Meanwhile, Harry’s Son has been invited to run in the prestigious HK$14 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on May 1.

Strydom has been in a sling for three weeks and the recovery process is being aided by the use of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. He has been able to remove the sling occasionally so is now at least getting some movement in the injured area.

He would normally allow the injury to heal at a natural pace, but is very keen to make it for World Cup night on March 26.

He estimated he had a 50/50 chance of doing so.

The doctor had reckoned six to seven weeks would be required, but Strydom said this had been from a cautious point of view.

Strydom would like to ride in a couple of meetings before flying out, in order to avoid ring rustiness. He would also like to be in Dubai for the build up, as he said this was probably the most enjoyable week possible for anyone of his profession.

He would therefore probably need to be ready to ride in the Turffontein meeting of March 17 and he could then also take in the Highveld meeting the following Saturday.

Strydom described the week’s build up to the Dubai Word Cup. Jockeys are treated like kings and it also provides an opportunity to rub shoulders with the best riders in the world for a few days.

He believed this week should be on every racing fan’s to-do list and recommended the tour put on by Phil Georgiou’s Let’s Go Travel company.

By David Thiselton