The next Ryder Cup will take place in France next year, the South African Rider Cup will be staged at Scottsville on Sunday where three teams of four of the country’s top jockeys will compete against each other, each team represented by the leading jockeys in the three main racing jurisdictions.

Given the number of single crosses marked in each of the four competition races in the Computaform, the competition is wide open and indeed, every race on the card is a potential minefield.

The Global Logistics Handicap is the card headliner and does not form part of the competition but Anton Marcus, who rode a treble at Scottsville on Wednesday, teams up with Brett Crawford and The Great One who will be looking to defy top weight. In spite of some criticism, the handicappers got it spot on in last Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July with eight horses finishing within a length of the winner Marinaresco, so one is a little hesitant to take them on here.

To my superstitious mind it is tempting fate to give horses names that most will be hard-pressed to live up to and The Great One may be a misnomer. However, the Australian import is still a relatively young horse that has been lightly raced and he may still live up to his name.

The Great One had not been out since January when making his local debut at Scottsville back in May where he was denied in the last jump by Last Winter after making all the running.

He was not far off Safe Harbour and Horizon in previous outings and with a run under his girth he does rate the horse to beat in spite of his burden.

The opposition will not go down without a fight and The Great One will need to be as good as his name suggest. The Slade has a similar profile to The Great One, having been rested since finishing a head back to The Great One in the Gr3 Politician Stakes won by Horizon.

Dean Kannemeyer has since gelded his charge and he made a winning debut when ‘two stones’ lighter beating Ever Dear on Sunday’s course.

He is 2kg worse off with The Great One when judged on their Politician Stakes run but the gelding could make up for the difference in weights.

The two are drawn alongside one another which could lead to another Marcus / Anthony Delpech tactical battle.

Adam Marcus saddles the consistent Gyre who has had two outings in KZN this winter. He has not been quite at his best but with no rain forecast and the going likely to be on top come Sunday he could up his game.

Duncan Howells saddles to tough competitors in Chicago Beat and Baltic Amber, both capable on their day. With stable rider Keagan de Melo suspended, Gavin Lerena will be aboard Chicago Beat who narrowly got the better of stable companion Wild Wicket last time out. Baltic Amber is an honest from runner. Apprentice Ashton Arries is quickly making a name for himself and is full value for his 2.5kg allowance.

Also in the scrum is Copper Pot. One leaves a Sean Tarry runner out of exotics at your peril and although Copper Pot’s recent form is not all that inspiring, it could prove deceptive.

He was tossed in at the deep end in the Gr2 Greyville 1900 in an effort to make the Vodacom July field but the soft going and a wide draw saw him run no sort of a race.

He races in blinkers and a tongue-tie for the first time and the improvement could prove spectacular.

The Great One and The Slade are taken to fight this one out with Copper Pot the dark horse.

By Andrew Harrison