This looks a tricky decision to make, with all four candidates having landed Grade One sprints in open company this past season.
The Lammerskraal Stud bred Red Ray (Western Winter) did however account for both Gulf Storm (fourth) and Talktothestars (5th) when the trio met in the G1 Mercury Sprint.

CARRY ON ALICE: Captain Al –Carry On Katie
A Grade One winner at two, three and four, Carry On Alice has ranked among the country’s top sprinters for the past two seasons, and has been among the leaders of her generation for the past three. Narrowly beaten on her 4yo debut, Carry On Alice bounced back to win the Gr2 WSB Southern Cross Stakes. Surprisingly, if unluckily, beaten in her following two outings, Carry On Alice made amends in no uncertain terms when returning to Gauteng. There the daughter of Captain Al cruised to victory in a pinnacle stakes before registering a comprehensive defeat of some of the country’s top sprinters in the Gr1 World Sports Betting Computaform Sprint. Runner up to Carry On Alice in that race was Talktothestars (Overlord), who would go on to land the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint (under top weight) to frank the form.

GULF STORM: Sail From Seattle –Royal Drummer
Runner up in the 2015 G1 Tsogo Sun Sprint (to champion Captain Of All), Gulf Storm only won once during the 2015-2016. However, the Ascot Stud bred gelding’s win came in a major feature –the Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Flying Championship where Gulf Storm accounted for fellow Equus Award nominees Carry On Alice (3rd) and Talktothestars (5th). Well held in two subsequent outings (when carrying big weights), Gulf Storm ended his 2015-2016 campaign with a fourth place finish to Red Ray in the Gr1 Mercury Sprint.

RED RAY: Western Winter –Nacarat
The blue blooded Red Ray (his now deceased dam is also responsible for Red Ray’s high class siblings Brutal Force and Nania) returned after a brief stint in Dubai and a lengthy layoff to make just three outings in the season that was. It was a case of third time lucky, with the handsome entire (who is set to retire at the end of his career to Klawervlei Stud but is said to remain in training for 2016-2017) who ended his season on a high when a comprehensive victory in the G1 Mercury Sprint over G1 winners Real Princess, Gulf Storm and Talktothestars to stamp himself a live contender for the title of Champion Sprinter.

TALKTOTHESTARS: Overlord –Tellittothestars
Famous for racing unshod, Talktothestars did plenty of travelling during 2015-2016, when he raced in three different provinces. He began his campaign in style, winning a MR 91 handicap by 1.5 lengths, before finishing fifth to G1 sprinter Brutal Force. After scoring a pair of back to back wins, Talktothestars was sent to the Cape for a crack at some of the bigger Cape sprints. He failed to win during the Cape Summer Season but made amends when returning to Gauteng. A win in the Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes was followed by a runner up to Carry On Alice in the Gr1 World Sports Betting Computaform Sprint. Talktothestars showed his class in no uncertain terms on his penultimate start of his season –by romping home (under top weight) in the G1 Tsogo Sun Sprint at Scottsville.