Highveld trainer Joe Soma sends down two promising horses in gelding Orapa and colt Old Oak Tree for the Bloodstock South Africa Million Mile to be run at Scottsville on Sunday.

Orapa has been merit rated 83 after an impressive win second time out over 1400m at Turffontein where he came wide into the straight before cantering past the field effortlessly and winning by 3,25 lengths.

On debut over 1450m Orapa was backed in from 12/1 to 4/1 but it did not pan out too well for him and Old Oak Tree beat him by 3,1 lengths.

In his next start Old Oak Tree was caught wide so was not at all disgraced in finishing a six length fourth to the highly regarded Heavenly Blue. However, he has been accorded a merit rating of only 78.

Orapa, who is by Tiger Ridge out of the decent Fort Wood mare Loupe (who won three-in-a-row between 1160m and 1200m early in her career), has unfortunately drawn 18.

Soma said, “We rate him highly although it is still a big ask for a young horse who is still gathering experience. We are also a bit concerned about how well he will travel, as he has tended to be a naughty horse in the pens, and there is also the draw, although on the bright side with the new rules in place he should load last from that barrier position.”

Old Oak Tree, who is by champion freshman sire Gimethegreenlight out of Captain Al mare Ribbons For Thee, was a 12/1 shot when winning the 1450m maiden third time out from a handy position and Soma said his last start proved he is improving. He is drawn in barrier 10 and Andrew Fortune, who rode him in his last two starts, is up again.

Soma said, “When you have a jockey like Andrew Fortune, you always have a chance.”

Corné Orffer will ride Orapa for the first time as Aldo Domeyer, who won on him, is serving a suspension.

Soma concluded, “There is not much between them in work. We are not a stable who drills young horses and they could both have very nice futures ahead of them, so I hope they come through the race unscathed.”

David Thiselton