But he has no ride in the Rugby 5 Maiden where Legal Force is taken to make amends for last time’s unlucky defeat.  Karl Neisius’s mount looked certain to win until Fourie somehow conjured hidden depths from Garden Feature but it was earlier in the race where the hard luck stories originated and she was slowly away.

Sean Cormack

“That didn’t worry her but she then got a big bump in the middle of the race,” recalls Paddy Kruyer who is hoping that all goes smoothly this time.

His charge is evens favourite with Betting World who make the equally luckless Hilaria a 2-1 chance. She was second three times on the trot, including defeats by a head and less than half a length, before being upped to 1 400m at Durbanville. That didn’t work because she took too strong a hold early but Heavelon van der Hoven’s 4kg claim makes her a formidable proposition.

One to note each way is Philadelphia who got worked up in the pens at Durbanville but has a chance on her previous Kenilworth run. She is a huge price at 20-1.

Malachite Sunbird was considered good enough to run in the Listed race on Met day but she was found – after the race – to be suffering from the virus that affected several of the stable’s runners that day.  She reappears with Cormack in the irons in race three and Snaith comments: “I don’t say she is a good thing but she will run well.”

First run out of the maidens is normally the kiss of death but Fear Not won with such authority that she has opened 3-1 favourite for the Soccer GG Handicap even though the handicappers upped her 1.5kg for the way she broke her duck. “She has improved since, she is above average and I think she has the pace to get over from her eight draw,” says a hopeful Adam Marcus.

Ashram (who has surprisingly drifted from 9-2 to 8-1) came from a long way back to win a maiden over 200m further but Silvane Spring appeals most at 5-1.

Gauteng was second to Ashram last time and so the Glen Kotzen horse’s running will be a pointer in the last for which Gauteng is 28-10 favourite. But 3-1 chance Natatela makes most appeal over the mile.

This is the filly on whom Andrew Fortune thought he had won on Valentine’s Day only to find he had been beaten a short head. The pair tried again over 200m less a week later but could manage only sixth.

It looked as if the trip was too short but Darryl Hodgson says: “It was more that the race came too soon although we might have been alright if it had been 1 400m and then 1 600m.”

The opener is tricky. The form book says Bonfire Heart but Victoria Lavelle’s debut run was boosted by the way Jet Air won on Saturday and the ground Tar Heel lost at the start also puts him in the picture. Maybe Bonfire Heart but don’t take less than 2-1.

There are usually one or two “spooks” on the big Turffontein racedays that upset the applecart and sends dividends for the exotics soaring. These spooks are not easy to find, but it pays to look at every horse in every race as some of the outside winners have hidden form that becomes clear after the event. It will also pay to look at the ground conditions on the day and whether there is any going bias that will favour certain draws and styles of running. For example on Sansui Summer Cup day, horses coming from off the pace appeared to be at an advantage but in other big Turffontein racemeetings this season, handy horses have been favoured. Horses that have decent collateral form with any previous winners on the day should also receive a tick of approval.

Ertijaal (Liesl King)

The Gr 1 SA Classic heads the card at Turffontein and will prove whether the unbeaten Investec Cape Derby winner Ertijaal is some sort of superstar and also whether the top class KZN raider Harry’s Son stays the 1800m trip. Ertijaal will relish the galloping nature of the Standside track and the trip, while Harry’s Son showed in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas, when over racing early but still staying on well for second that, the 1800m could be within his stamina range. However, they are both very widely drawn, so exotic punters will have some tough decisions to makes.

Is Ertijaal, who clearly has a huge engine to go with his superb action, a banker or must Harry’s Son and a few lesser fancied horses also be included?

Another horse that has to be considered here is French Navy, who was closing in rapidly when finishing second to Harry’s Son in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas. He will relish the step up to 1800m, is improving all the time and he has landed another plum draw of two. Forest Fox, who ran on strongly from way back in the Gr 2 Gauteng Guineas to finish only 1,75 lengths, back also has a good draw of six. This Dupont gelding’s pedigree suggests the mile would be more down his alley, but on that last performance he could well get the 1800m.

MLJet was caught very wide in the Gauteng Guineas before the jockey eventually decided to round the field and lead, so he not surprisingly found little extra. This horse has been one of the season’s disappointments, as big things were expected of him, so he can’t be written off in his second run after gelding from pole position over a trip he should enjoy.

Same Jurisdiction (Nkosi Hlophe)

An outsider worth considering is Illuminati as he came from last to finish fifth in the Gauteng Guineas and appears to have benefitted from the removal of the blinkers. He has quite a wide draw but Sean Cormack, who won this race two years ago on Love Struck, is aboard. Highly rated Unparalleled is only a reserve runner as his trainer failed to declare him before the stipulated deadline, but if he does get in he will have to be considered as he has landed a good draw at last and his facile Investec Dingaans victory suggested he would stay this trip.

The Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic could present one of the best bets on the card in Same Jurisdiction, who suffered a nightmare passage in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas. However, her class when moving up in the straight on that day was clear to see and from draw 2 with Anton Marcus aboard she could make amends.

Siren’s Call won the Gauteng Guineas with Smart Call third and both will much prefer the 1800m here, so will be huge runners too from fair draws. Banbury is held by the top two on mile form, but should enjoy the step up in trip, as she finished well to win the Gr 3 Fillies Mile in tough conditions on Sansui Summer Cup day.

Pine Princess will relish the step up in trip, but Anthony Delpech has opted for Estidraaj, who beat older horses in good fashion over this trip last time out and is drawn in pole position. Gauteng Fillies Guineas runner up Trophy Wife and fourth-placed Tamanee are improving all the time. Over this trip the latter looks more likely to trouble the favourites, but neither can be written off.

The switch from a tapeta surface to dirt has seen the quality of the Dubai World Cup improve this year and among the starters for the 2000m race will be American Horse Of The Year California Chrome, who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. In his Triple Crown bid in the Belmont he finished tie fourth but was later found to have had some tissue torn from his right front heel in an incident at the start. In his only start this year on February 7 he finished a 1,5 length second over nine furlongs on dirt to the top class Shared Belief, who is to date a six-time Gr 1 winner. That run alone makes California Chrome hard to oppose on Saturday.

African Story (Emirates Racing Authority)

The highest rated horse in the race is the Japanese contender Epiphaneia. This five-year-old entire won the Japan Cup over 2400m last year, beating 2014’s highest rated horse in the world Just A Way, by a facile four lengths. However, he might not be as effective over 2000m and has also never raced on dirt before.

The USA raider Lea won the Gr 1 Down Handicap over 1800m cosily in February last year at Gulf Stream Park and made a decent comeback after nearly a year’s layoff to win a Gr 3 over a mile at the same venue in January  before finishing second in the Down Handicap last month. However, on strict formlines Lea looks held by California Chrome and so does another American horse Candy Boy.

Last year’s World Cup winner African Story lines up again, but there were no big American horses in the race last year and in the 2013 running he was beaten seven lengths by Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. The Australian eight-year-old raider Side Glance won a Gr 1 over this trip on turf in 2013 and is interesting on dirt.

The US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic over 2410m produced a brilliant Japanese winner in Just A Way last year and Harp Star, who came from last to finish sixth in the Arc, could be another Japanese horse to conquer this year under the brilliant Ryan Moore.

The Gr 1 Dubai Turf over 1800m, formerly known as the Dubai Duty Free, could also be won by Moore as his mount The Grey Gadsby beat the much acclaimed Epsom and Irish Derby winner Australia in the Irish Champion Stakes over 2000m last time out in September last year.

The Gr 1 Golden Shaheen over 1200m on dirt could go to the USA raider Secret Circle, who finished well ahead of last year’s Golden Shaheen runner up Rich Tapestry the last time they met in an America Gr 1 over this distance on dirt and he also beat another contender Big Macher easily in that event.

South African Gr 1 hopes at the meeting will rest on Via Africa in the Al Quoz Sprint over 1000m on turf and she could well do it if coming back to her brilliant best in a division that is not very strong worldwide.

The CapeTown trainer explained: “I am looking to expand and I have been granted boxes for a permanent satellite yard at Summerveld.”

Kannemeyer, who won the Vodacom Durban July with Dynasty in 2003 and with Eyeofthetiger three years later, sent his horses to Durban earlier than usual and he is optimistic that this will pay dividends.

He said: “I normally went between March 15 and 21 when the humidity at Clairwood was just about over but Summerveld is a new place for me and I wanted to get used to the tracks. The feedback I have been getting (from riders) has been good and the new barns are magnificent.”

His Durban team will shortly be boosted by last season’s Golden Horseshoe and Gold Vase winners Afrikaburn and Hot Ticket.

Kannemeyer said: “Hot Ticket is my main staying horse and he had to have a wind operation but it has worked well while Afrikaburn has been at Jane Thomas’s pre-training operation.”

The three-year-old was forced to miss the Grand Parade Cape Guineas when Kannemeyer was not happy with his off-fore joint and the decision was taken to geld him.

Brett Crawford, who has won the last two runnings of the Champions Cup, sent his first batch last week and these included Gold Cup winner Wavin’ Flag, De Kock, Sail South and Gulf Storm. More are due to travel tomorrow.

The Riverside Handicap and the Nkosazana Stakes will both be run over 1 450m and while both events could produce upset results, there are runners that stand out as potential winners.

In the Riverside Handicap the six-year-old Strike Smartly gelding Brooks-Club has been a gallant and gutsy performer, seldom running an uninspiring race. He gives of his best and for his efforts has amassed stake earning of more than R1-million, considerably more than any of his rivals.

Ian Sturgeon has retained the ride for trainer Mike Azzie and the gelding was a little unlucky in his last race over 1 600m on the course when second to Augustinus. Since then he has raced twice in features on the turf doing good work in the finish and certainly not disgraced.

With a win and three places in five starts over the course and distance he has to be rated as one of the potential winners.

Solar Triptych has won his last two starts for Alec Laird over the course and distance but against weaker opposition than he meets today. However, he won those races very easily and although stepping up in class, he could have more to offer and cannot be ruled out.

Kiss Me Hardy has a big weight to shoulder but he too has to be respected. He has raced and won at the course and won well enough over 1 400m last time to suggest he will handle the extra 50m and if combining the two today he is not without a money chance.

At the bottom of the weights with 52kg on his back is Samogan from the Sean Tarry stable. He has two of his four starts over the course and distance and with that light weight from a good inside draw he could be dangerous.

In the Nkosazana Stakes, the Jet Master filly Be Mine Tonight looks the horse to beat and could even be considered as an exotic bet banker. She has recorded two wins and a second from three starts over the course and distance for trainer Dominic Zaki and with regular pilot from a good draw she has a lot going for her today.

But one cannot ignore the chances of a few other runners including the likes of Jade Vine, Mystic Express, Mohave Princess and the Mike de Kock duo of Qawaasem and Bang Sue. Qawaasem took to the dirt like a duck to water in her last race winning by 4,5 lengths over 1 200m. She has won over the distance and with a light weight to shoulder today she could give Be Mine Tonight something to think about.

Jade Vine does shoulder top weight but has won under similar over the course and distance before. She is a consistent sort in giving of her best in every race so does warrant utmost respect.