Turffontein’s big Guineas meeting tomorrow heralds an opportunity to reassess the three-year-old crop and history will say the picture could be dramatically altered.

Abashiri and Negroamaro are the two stars going into the meeting, but it would be no surprise if other stars are shining brighter by Monday.

Abashiri will find the trip sharper than ideal in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas. Furthermore, the outside often appears to be sort after down the straight on big days at Turffontein, so another concern could be him being caught on the inside of horses from his low draw. He won the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m by 2,5 lengths, but did have a weight advantage and had to be hard ridden. Things will need to go his way tomorrow over this too sharp trip, but is still the first choice due to his class and progressive profile.

Suyoof’s stride will be dwarfed by Abashiri’s, but he does also possess a nice turn of foot. Anthony Delpech should help him overcome his wide draw and will surely judge his run to perfection in the straight.

The classy Brazuca will also be running on and the Anton Marcus booking speaks volumes.

New Predator is on a par with Brazuca on a line through Noah From Goa and likely didn’t enjoy the Turffontein Inside track last time out.

Muwaary bled in the Cape Guineas when widely expected to romp home at odds of 12/10. This is his comeback from the obligatory three month suspension and he is the dark horse.

Champagne Haze took off from quite some way out when winning the R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run over 1400m on this track and stayed all the way to the line, so he should stay this trip and is horse whose name could potentially be up in lights on Monday.

Rocketball will finish on top of Abashiri on paper, although the latter did lose some ground at the start when they met in the Sea Cottage. Rocketball will probably appreciate the step up in trip and has a winning chance.

His stable companion Celtic Captain over raced in the Tony Ruffell, so did well to finish fifth. This is the trip of his three career wins. The blinkers remain on and if he settles he could be a contender.

Romany Prince finished second in the Sea Cottage, but is 2kg worse off with Rocketball for a 0,75 length beating and he then disappointed in the Tony Ruffell .

Ole Gunnar is unexposed but progressive and should be running on. He makes most appeal of the rest.

The selection is Abashiri to win from Suyoof,  with New Predator, Brazuca and Champagne Haze next best.

The Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas is also ultra competitive beyond the obvious favourite Negroamaro. Her facile Gr 3 Fillies Mile victory and her flying close up second in the Three Troikas over 1450m make it difficult to look beyond her.

However, this does not appear to be a strong crop, so the unexposed runners must be considered in the search for a special horse. KZN raider Princess Varunya is a candidate as her four wins on the trot were achieved with impressive fluency. She will relish this galloping course, although she would prefer further.

Christmas Carol is lowly merit rated but has won her last three and brings the Geoff Woodruff factor to the party. The five-times champion trainer’s ability to extract improvement for big Turffontein racedays is well known.

Frosty Friday impressed last time out over 1450m and is on the up.

She’s A Dragon was doing her best work late in the Three Troikas where she carried 1kg more than Negroamaro and only lost to her by two lengths.

Juxtapose finished just as quickly as Negroamaro in the Three Troikas and was beaten 0,6 lengths, although she is now 1kg worse off. She was hanging in the Fillies Mile when beaten over seven lengths and has improved since then but the memory of that antic does create a question mark.

Jungle Mist has to be considered on her last run, Persian Rug is enjoying the more forgiving recent ground and will relish the course and distance and Bella Sonata is better than her Three Troikas effort in which she pulled up with pharyngitis.

The selection is Negroamaro to beat Princess Varunya and Christmas Carol with Frosty Friday and She’s A Dragon next best.

The brilliant KZN miler Ice Machine will be a thrill to watch in the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m if producing his best.

The Gr 3 Acacia Handicap is an open affair, but Off The Mark is progressing in the right direction and sneaks in with the minimum weight.

Arch Rival looks well weighted in the Listed Aquanaut Handicap over 2450m.

The treble for the day could be Ektifaa in the first, French Navy in the fourth and Down Under in the tenth.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Abashiri (Nkosi Hlophe)