The Gr 2 Post Merchants headlines the Friday night meeting at Greyville this week and, as usual, looks to be something of a lottery, with cases to be made for most of the runners. The barrier position is of paramount importance over the 1200m trip and many a widely-drawn runner will find his race over even before it begins. Throw in the fact that it's a handicap and it's no wonder that the race has sent punters running for cover in many a year.

The race that many will look to for pointers is the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint, run over this trip at Scottsville at the of May, as many of the Merchants protagonists crossed swords there. Wild Type fared best, running a cracking race to finish second to Contador, with Merhee just behind in third. Coffee Sheik (fifth) and Copper Parade (sixth) fared respectably in that race but all of Cap Alright, Captain's Secret, Snowdon and Mike's Choice finished downfield.

The pick of the lot on Friday could well be Merhee. He is now 2.5kg better off with Wild Type, giving him an excellent chance of turning the tables, and enjoys the combination of a decent draw and very handy galloping weight. He is best around this trip, having won the Gr 2 Senor Santa Handicap three runs back, hails from the stable of champion trainer Mike de Kock and has the capable Sean Veale in the irons. He's also relatively lightly raced for a 4-year-old, indicating that he may still have some improvement to come. It's not easy to make a confident selection in a race such as this but Merhee seems to tick the boxes at least as well as anything else in this line-up and, whether or not he actually wins this, looks well set to at least dispute the finish.

The main threat could well come from his own stable in the form of the British-bred mare Welwitschia (pictured), who has established herself as one of the better female sprinters around. She also ran on Golden Horse Sprint day in what was arguably the outstanding race of the meeting, the SA Fillies Sprint. As usual, she came from well back and, although "only" managing fifth, it was a more than respectable performance when one considers that she had four top-class fillies in front of her, spear-headed by superstar Via Africa. Welwitschia has been a model of consistency and has proven herself several times against male opposition, not least when finishing third to champion What A Winter in the Computaform Sprint. This is her trip and she looks exceptionally well-weighted under 55.5kg. Throw in the fact that she appears the stable elect, with Anthony Delpech up, and jumps from pole position, and she looks the logical choice to take the honours. There is, however, one concern: she habitually loses ground at the start and that may well negate the advantage of her inside draw, especially if she gets trapped behind horses on the rail. She probably packs the best turn of foot in this line-up and if she gets the gaps at the right time, will go very close.

Wild Type, as mentioned, turned in an excellent performance in the Golden Horse Sprint and it was interesting to see him relatively well-fancied in a very open betting race, considering that his recent form had been less than inspiring. He's entitled to plenty of respect on that run, but he is now 3kg higher up in the weights and consistency is not his strongest suit. He's in with a chance but will need to prove that he can hold the level of form he showed last time out.

Piano Man is up in class but looks very progressive and there was a lot to like about the way he went about his business in a handicap over this trip last time out when lugging 61.5kg. He obviously faces a much tougher task here, but he looks to have more improvement to come and will enjoy having just 52kg on his back. He's well drawn and looks a nice kicker for the quartet.

Coffee Sheik is usually thereabouts and stayed on gamely in the Golden Horse, having been in the vanguard throughout. He's badly drawn but if he gets across early, he could well keep going and make the placings.

Captain's Secret has the class to feature here at his best but is proving to be very inconsistent of late - just at the time when he had finally regained the winning thread, following a long spell in the wilderness. He trounced Contador over this trip back in January and a repeat of that sort of form would make him a contender here, especially from a good draw. It's just difficult to catch him right these days and, coincidentally or not, he has been running his best races at Clairwood of late.

The West Is Wide won a good race in the Southeaster Sprint during the Cape summer festival but has been slightly disappointing in two subsequent efforts. He is reunited with MJ Byleveld, who seems to get the best out of him, and is not without a chance if he can regain his best form, especially as he is reasonably weighted.

Showmetheway beat Welwitschia in the Golden Loom Handicap last November, but that was over his favoured 1000m. His chances of confirming the form on 8.5kg worse terms appear slim to say the least, especially from a wide draw. Having said that, if the track is running fast, he is the type who could sneak into a minor placing.

Tipo Tinto is usually thereabouts and the combination of Dennis Drier and Sean Cormack is not one to be lightly dismissed. He'll need to raise his game to actually win in this class, but is another one who could earn a minor cheque if things go his way.

Topweight Cap Alright is as game as they come but faded out in the Golden Horse Sprint and - although winning a good race in the Cape version of the Merchants - has always looked best over 1000m. He faces a very stiff task over this trip under 60kg.

Copper Parade has proved capable of mixing it with the best sprinters in the country in the past and he was not disgraced when sixth in the Golden Horse. His form at this track is not great, though, and his inability to win in lesser company in Port Elizabeth over the past few months makes him look an unlikely victor here.

Blaze Of Fire is another runner who usually plies his trade in the Eastern Cape. He's a tough campaigner who usually runs his heart out but looks best over slightly further and is likely to find things happening too quickly for his liking here.

Mike's Choice won this race last year and would be an obvious contender if he could recapture that sort of form. He has been well below his best for some time, though, and it's not easy to make a case for him on his current form.

Gogotine has shown some promise but needs to do more to convince that he can make an impact here while stablemate Shades Of Indigo is one of the better-performed runners in the race but is currently completely off form and would need to step up significantly on his last few efforts, especially from an extreme draw,

It's a race that could easily throw up a shock result but it may be safest to stick to with the coupling of Merhee and Welwitschia. The mare should be the one to beat but she can be her own worst enemy at the start and may just arrive on the scene to collar her younger stablemate. The up-and-coming Piano Man looks set for a big run and is worth including in trifectas, while Wild Type and Coffee Sheik could be best of the rest.