However, he was not writing him off and also had hopes for his other Gr 1 runner on the day, Banbury, who takes her place in the Gr 1 Wlgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m.

No Worries (Nkosi Hlophe)
Van Zyl said that the five-year-old Kahal gelding No Worries had been given a break after the Sansui Summer Cup and would be using Saturday’s run chiefly as a preparation for the Gr 1 R2 million President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein on April 25. However, he added that he would not be far off his best and unlike in the Charity Mile, where he was drawn widest of all in 16, he now had the pole position draw, so could well find himself in “the box seat”. Van Zyl also believed that quite a number of the field on Saturday would be viewing the race as a preparation event for the Champions Challenge. He concluded, “This isn’t No Worries’ target but he won’t be disappointing.”
Banbury, a promising filly by the late great Horse Chestnut, benefitted from a change of tactics when winning the Gr 3 Bradlows/Morkels Fillies Mile on Sansui Summer Cup day. Instead of being out in front, she was held up off the pace and finished strongly to overtake the decent sort Smart Call and win by 1,25 lengths. She is held on paper over a mile by Siren’s Call and Same Jurisdiction, but Van Zyl said that if she could bring her last win she could have a chance. Indeed, she reversed form with Smart Call in the Fillies Mile with that change of tactics, so could be a threat to Siren’s Call and Same Jurisdiction if the same tactics are employed. Van Zyl said that she had been given “a little bit of a break” after the Fillies Mile and they hadn’t had her ready in time for last month’s Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas. However, he added that she was now “fit and well and in a good place.” The manner of her Fillies Mile win suggested she should get the 1800m. She has a fair draw of six in the small ten horse field, but Piere Strydom, not surprisingly, will stay aboard the Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Siren’s Call and is replaced on Banbury by Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Banbury (Nkosi Hlophe)
Van Zyl clearly thinks a lot of the two-year-old colt Captain Al colt Redcarpet Captain, who runs from draw seven under S’Manga Khumalo in the Gr 3 Englezakis Protea Stakes over 1100m. On debut he showed good cruising speed in a Juvenile Plate over 1000m, which allowed Khumalo to ride a confident race, sitting on him until the closing stages and then producing a telling late burst to win cosily by 0,75 lengths. He is now 3kg worse off with the runner up from that race Mogok Master, but Van Zyl said that he had improved a lot since that last run and had been working well. He concluded, “He is a smart colt, the formlines are unestablished and this is new territory, but I expect him to be competitive.”
The yard step the four-year-old Seul Amour gelding Heart Of A Lion up to 2850m in the Gr 3 Caradoc Gold Cup. He is the best weighted male in the race, but the new conditions invented for these sorts of races usually favour females and two of the latter, Rodeo Sioux and Wild Ash, are duly the best weighted horses according to official merit ratings. Van Zyl said that there was no reason why the well regarded Heart Of A Lion shouldn’t enjoy the trip. The gelding jumps from draw 8 in the 12 horse field and Muzi Yeni rides.
Van Zyl was bullish about the chances of Vino Veritas in the Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap over 1800m for fillies and mares, despite her having to carry topweight. She is drawn well in four with Piere Strydom up and Van Zyl said, “She is on the up and has been doing very well.”
He felt that his other runner on the day, the two-year-old Noordhoek Flyer gelding Schillaci, who runs from a difficult draw of ten under Yeni in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m, would improve on his first run and could run into the money. He finished 6,75 lengths behind Redcarpet Captain on debut and looks to have a form chance here over a step up in trip he should enjoy.