Wissa’s On Fire can provide Turf Talk-sponsored jockey Craig Bantam with another winner in race 9 (Picture: Wayne Marks)
R1 2 BE MERRY is impeccably well bred and made some strong progress from the back fo the field on debut to finish 3rd. With natural improvement expected, she should have every chance of winning here. The biggest danger is 9 DUCHESS OF PALOMA who brings the Cape Slipper formline to the table and with the drop in class back to a maiden juvenile plate, it would not be surprising to see her win. 1 SCARLETT MACAW placed on debut and should be the best of the rest followed by 3 POETIC PRINCESS (Devon Pretorius: 2-9-1-3)
R2 On paper, 7 MASTER OF PARIS looks hard to oppose holding a few runners at the weights and brings the best form to the race. However, 5 TOTHEMOONANDBACK was heavily supported last time out from big odds and now with the jockey booking of Richard Fourie, one must assume that Tothemoonandback is capable of bouncing back and a chance is taken on him to reverse the form. 2 SUMMER FLING has improved with every start in the Cape and is capable of featuring here. 3 PRIME VENTURE could be the lurker in the field dropping in class but does have top weight to shoulder (Devon Pretorius: 5-7-2-3)
R3 The filly 7 LOVE IS A ROSE is the best weighted in the race after receiving the 2,5kgs sex allowance. She should have no issue with the distance and she should go very close to winning here with 56kgs if she is not in need of the run. 4 ALLEZ MORIS is poorly weighted but he is on the up and progressive. Fourie retains the ride and must be respected. 1 SALVATOR MUNDI returns after a break and has raced in the summer feature races for stayers in the Cape. He has top weight to shoulder, but his class should see him place. 5 SUPREME DREAM can complete the quartet (Devon Pretorius: 7-4-1-5)
R4 2 MONT LOISIR looks hard to beat and could be one of the better bets on the card. 2nd in his last two starts, combination of Crawford and Fourie as well as a good draw of barrier 2 and is distance suited. 3 WATER DRAGON is lightly raced and is open to big improvement after a good enough effort after nearly a year off the track. 5 WALK WITH ME is a juvenile taking on older company but he doesn’t need to be a superstar to win here. 6 GREENLAND has been costly to follow but he has been gelded and he should be in the shake up. 11 DEVIL A SAINT drops back in trip to 1400m where he has run his best races (Devon Pretorius: 2-3-5-6)
R5 4 CALLMEGETRIX finished 5th in the Cape Fillies Classic and takes a drop in class back to a class 4. Princess Izzy has franked that form when she won the Sweet Chestnut Stakes last week in no uncertain terms. With that form behind her she should be hard to beat. 2 WUGUG, 3 GLEE CLUB, 5 GO LIKE FLO as well as 13 SENHORA VICTORIA are all closely matched with nothing much separating them. They should all be in the finish in an open looking race (Devon Pretorius: 4-2-5-3)
R6 On collateral formline 4 INNAMORARE is well weighted by a few kgs to finish ahead of the likes of 1 FIBONACCI; 2 TYRION LANNISTER and 5 POMODORO’S JET. If 1600m isn’t a touch too far then he should be the one to beat. 7 PROMETTERE must be respected even with the top weight to shoulder. 6 SOLOMONS SEAL had too much work to do last time out and was unlucky not to have finished closer. A case can be made for the majority of the field in a wide open race as well as 12 QUATERMAIN who is a model of consistency of late and 8 LINDBERGH who is stepping up in trip. Take the field in exotics (Devon Pretorius: 4-1-5-6)
R7 8 PLUM PUDDING has improved every time she has stepped up in trip and should continue that trend here over 1800m. She is capable to win first run out the maidens. 7 BASIC MANEUVERS was not disgraced first run out the maidens when finishing second behind a horse that has won three in a row. She should be involved in the finish. 1 CATTALEYA as well as 4 SUMMER NIGHT CITY were not far off Basic Maneuvers last time out and should feature here. Watch out for 6 ETERNAL OPTIMIST who has been creeping closer as his rating continues to drop and if timed right, he could upset at a price (Devon Pretorius: 8-7-1-4)
R8 2 PREVALENCE is one of the more consistent runners in the race but the hard fact is that is has been some time since has featured in the winners box. 6 VOORLOOPERTJIE showed big improvement with the blinkers on and won easing up at the line. If he continues to improve he could have the beating of the former. 7 BLUE BAY shouldn’t be too far off the action and won at short odds last time out but it wasn’t in a convincing manner. 11 ABERDEEN can finish in the quartet after a much improved last time out (2-6-7-11)
R9 13 WISSA’S ON FIRE won in a very comfortable fashion a few weeks ago in a strong maiden plate. He’s still on the up and if he repeats that effort here, he should go close to winning again. 6 NIGHT TIGER is consistent and never far off the action. He should fight out the finish as well as 14 THE TINKERMAN. Watch for improvement from 15 RAF’S ROCKET who has been gelded. (Devon Pretorius: 13-6-14-15)
R10 9 GREAT CAT found a good finish last time out and if she was a little closer in running, she could have won. She should fight it out along with 10 NIGHT VIGIL and 6 LOVE SHACK. 14 HEAR MY VOICE has won two of her last three starts and shouldn’t be too far off. (Devon Pretorius: 9-10-6-14)
