Saturday’s Gr2 World Sports Betting Cape Merchants really has a wide open look to it.
The field has attracted some of the country’s top sprinters, with last season’s Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray (Western Winter) the top rated runner.

A lightly raced six-year-old entire, Red Ray will have to shoulder 62kgs on his back and will have to concede from 3.5 to 10kgs to his rivals. Still he is the class act in the race, and should be respected.

There has been plenty of support for Search Party (Captain Al), who apparently has been backed from 25-1 into 6-1 (at the time of writing). He was most impressive when defeating a high class field last time out and meets most on much better terms here –although it should be remembered that many of his beaten rivals last time out were perhaps in need of the run. Nonetheless, the rapidly improving and well weighted Search Party looks a definite contender here.

Search Party’s stable mate Orion Quest (Trippi) has done little wrong in his career, and was second in his last two outings to the top class pair of Always In Charge (Captain Al) and Attenborough (Western Winter) respectively, but was slow away last time out –and he can’t afford to repeat that against this top class field.

Real Princess (Trippi) is a top class filly, who won the Gr1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint and was third to Red Ray last season. She now meets the latter on 2kgs better terms.
Real Princess made a pleasing comeback when running on smartly behind Search Party, but now meets the latter 3.5kgs worse off. Her stable mate Mambo Mime (Mambo In Seattle) is a high class performer himself but is surely using this as a pipe opener for bigger races in the season.

Tevez (Caesour), who has won this race twice and was second last year, has an excellent record in the Merchants, and should be given respect, although the seven-year-old has a stiff task at the weights against some talented younger sprinters. He will be partnered by Aldo Domeyer, who teamed up to win this race aboard him in 2014.

Former Equus Champion 2YO Seventh Plain (Seventh Rock) has not won since his juvenile days but put up a promising comeback run when running on for third behind Search Party last time out-despite reportedly not striding out.
His stable mate Hack Green (Gimmethegreenlight) won his first three outings (including the Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes and Bloodstock SA Million Sprint) but proved bitterly disappointing when beating just five home when making his Cape debut.

Another top class 3yo son of Gimmethegreenlight is last season’s G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Gunner. This appears a bit on the sharp side for that high class juvenile, who will be making his Cape debut on Saturday.

Last year’s winner Triptique (Trippi) looks well held by the likes of Search Party, Seventh Plain and Real Princess on their last meeting, while Line Break (Dynasty) can’t be fancied on current form –even if he does have just 52kgs on his back.

Trainer Glen Puller will saddle two runners in Silicone Valley (Jay Peg) and Asstar (Ashaawes). A top class athlete, the talented Silicone Valley (now six) has made just 12 outings in a career blighted by injury, but showed he was as good as ever when returning after a four month break to win a pinnacle stakes over 1200m by three parts of a length from Victorious Jay (Jay Peg) (Equus Champion Marinaresco were among Silicone Valley’s beaten rivals on that occasion). However, he now meets Victorious Jay on 2kgs worse off which should see that runner turn the tables. His stable mate Asstar is a proven high class performer, who won the Listed Umngeni Handicap last season and was not disgraced last time out behind Muscatt (Victory Moon).

Vaughan Marshall will saddle two runners –the aforementioned Victorious Jay and the talented Exelero (Western Winter). The latter, who has long threatened to win a decent prize without doing so, has plenty of ground to find with Red Ray on his Mercury Sprint run but is 2kgs for his last run behind Silicone Valley.

Former Listed Sophomore Sprint winner Ernie (Elusive Fort) was well beaten by Search Party last time out but is now slightly better off at the weights with that Crawford runner. Slightly worrying that he has not won since capturing the Sophomore last January.

Former champion trainer Justin Snaith will send out three runners, but his trio, Captain Alfredo (Captain Al), Captain Swarovski (Captain Al) and It Is Written (Dynasty), are hard to fancy on current form, with the latter looking in need of more ground.

Bottom weight Percival (Var) has work to find with Search Party on their last run.