Snow Pilot, an average winner of the Cape Guineas, beating a filly in the process of winning the weakest Cape Guineas in recent memory, has been a revelation at 4, or has he?

What isn't in doubt is that Snow Pilot pitched up twice this season and, from the front, smashed two good quality fields in succession.

One Stripe is no ordinary 3 year old; he beat him last time out under highly favourable conditions and this time he beat a quality field including horses rated 120, 112, 112 and 111 quite easily.

If one looks at the form of Green With Envy beating Snow Pilot over the mile in the Gr2 Kzn Guineas and consequently Sandringham Summit, who both finished in front of the optimal inside running Snow Pilot on that day at Greyville, one will note that the Snow Pilot runs this season aren't out of context.

Green With Envy beat Beach Bomb in the Gr1 Cape Derby this year and, the filly, went on to finish just 3.5 lengths off in the Breeders' Cup Fillies and Mares Turf under not ideal pace conditions.

July winner Oriental Charm, who was exceptionally well weighted in that July, was a nose behind Beach Bomb under the 2.5kgs sex allowance in the Cape Derby. That makes the Green With Envy/Beach Bomb runs, exceptional.

Snow Pilot now figures in that mix based on the Kzn Guineas run and his form. Lengths ahead of the rest in this calmer waters, isn't a surprise in Saturday's race. At a rating of 120, he has always been underrated considering Green With Envy is a 127. They ran half a length apart in that Kzn Guineas. Snow Pilot regressed in the two subsequent KZN starts.

In this Progress Plate, he had the most optimal run, gun to tape, so he had all the favours and was left alone up front leading the fractionals up until the 500m pole with searing pace and then cruised home under no pressure. It won't be the same in better company, so the run needs to be put into context.

Overall a lovely, neat effort, rather than eye popping although the visuals tell a different story. As astute form analysts will subscribe to, it was a nice effort.

Image Cape Racing