With the consolation bonus in his sights, the focus will now be on Earth Hour in the World Sports Betting East Cape Poly Challenge, by Henk Steenkamp. 

That is the word from trainer Juan Nel who has three runners on the scoreboard after the recent first leg of the Challenge.

Earth Hour has the least points of the three Nel horses. Wolfgang (6) and What A Winner (4) is better off but Nel is very happy with the two points Earth Hour received for running fifth over 1200m.

“The Poly Challenge is his mission. I thought he ran very well in the first leg,” Nel said of the seven-year-old gelding.

The distances in the coming two legs will suit Earth Hour much better. The second leg is on 9 April over 1400m and the final leg, over 1600m, is to be run on 7 May.

Wolfgang is in action this coming Friday over 1000m at Fairview and will probably not be seen in the Challenge again.

Nel is also uncertain if What A Winner will give the second leg a go.

Luyolo Mxothwa looks set to resume his partnership with Earth Hour after he rode What A Winner in the first leg.

Nominations for the second leg are being done on Thursday.

There is a R250,000 bonus on offer to the connections of any horse who can win all three legs.

It is very doubtful though if the Alan Greeff trained Viking Moon, winner of the first leg, will contest the second leg.

The consolation bonus of R50,000 is to be paid for the horse that performs the best in the Challenge, however horses must participate in all three legs and win at least one leg.

Points allocation for the consolation bonus are: 1st 10, 2nd 6, 3rd 4, 4th 3, 5th 2 and 6th 1.

Image Pauline Herman