It’s on the cards, or in this instance, it’s in the entry lists for the four Grade 1 races on Tsogo Sun Sprint day at Scottsville on May 27 that this meeting could host one of the most talented and competitive gatherings of speed horses ever seen in the country.

With Scottsville in Pietermartizburg having become known as the Mecca of sprint racing in Africa featuring four Grade 1 sprint events over 1 200m on the same card and making up the four legs of the Jackpot, every one of the four special events have drawn entries loaded with talent.

Always In Charge (Nkosi Hlophe)

The races are the R1-million Tsogo Sun Sprint, the R750 000 South African Fillies Sprint, the R750 000 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and the R750 000 Allan Robertson Championship and with such talent on show things are likely to be very hot on the challenging 1 200m track.

Top sprinters like Trip To Heaven, Talktothestars, Purple Tractor, Always In Charge, Attenborough, Barbosa, Lord Balmoral and Moofeed are among the 32 entries for the Tsogo Sun Sprint and there are many other talented nominees that could make this a highly contested race where any one of the final entries could win.

The grand dame of sprinting fillies, Carry On Alice, is likely to take her place in the final field for the South African Fillies Sprint along with The Secret Is Out, Green Pepper, Vision To Kill, Live Life, Exquisite Touch, Real Princess, Joan Ranger and Jo’s Bond with the star fillies and mares Bele-Bela, Just Sensual, Dawn Calling and Sail using the race as part of their season preparation programme but talented enough to make their presence felt.

The two-year-old contests are packed with potential future champions with runners like Woljayrine, Sir Frenchie and Varallo, the first three past the post in the Godolphin Barb Stakes matching strides in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion with Naafer that was runner up to the sensational Mustaaqeem in the Gauteng Nursery and Sentinel Stakes winner Arianos Bagofgold.

The first four past the post in the Strelitzia, Neptune’s Rain, Made In Hollywood, Gold Image and Princess Peach, could renew their battle in the Allan Robertson Championship and match their talents with the Pretty Polly Stakes and Gauteng Fillies Nursery winner Princess Peach and the Tony Ruffel Stakes winner Daring Diva.

Overall, the number of talented sprinters entered for this famous meeting is awesome and extremely exciting.

By Richard McMillan