Over the years, the World Sports Betting Cup Trial (Gr 3) has shifted from Clairwood to Hollywoodbets Greyville and on Saturday to Hollywoodbets Scottsville for the first time given the programme revamp due to the dreaded Covid-19.

All 12 runners in Saturday’s World Sports Betting Cup Trial are entries in the big race and the sponsors have Justin Snaith pencilled in to add another runner to his current six-horse compliment come Saturday, July 25.

The World Sports Betting Cup Trial is the dreaded last-chance saloon for most and given the competitive nature of the contest, the market spread is not wide.

The Snaith-trained Nexus is a lukewarm favourite at 28-10 with the sponsors with Herodotus (11-2), Magnificent Seven (6-1) and Cat Daddy (7-1) the only other runners in single figures. But the longest priced runner is Tilbury Fort at 16-1. Snaith saddles both Nexus and Magnificent Seven.

Betting for the Golden Horse Sprint is equally tight with Kasimir, 33-10, at the top of the boards but a host of runners are in single figures in a typically open sprint handicap.

Run Fox Run and Celtic Sea dominated in the market for the SA Fillies Sprint brought to you by The Witness with the former a narrow favourite at 12-10 with 13-10 on offer about the defending champion.

After four straight wins over the Cape summer, Erik The Red will be tested to the full in the Golden Horse Medallion and is relatively easy to back at 29-10. Tempting Fate, who will give Dennis Drier and unprecedented ninth win in the race, and the Mike de Kock inmate Al Muthana are joint second favourites at 7-2 with debutant Validus in the mix at 7-1.

The Ashley Fortune-trained Validus is obviously an unknown quantity in the Medallion but she saddles hot favourite Winter Smoke in the Allan Robertson Championship. You can get 12-10 about Winter Smoke with Vernichey (7-2) and Delta Queen (4-1) the only other runners quoted in single figures.

By Andrew Harrison