Dutch Philip is a good bet
his first race of the season when third to Rock Of Africa in a good 1 200m handicap a fortnight ago.
He was drawn wide that day and he has a much better position here.
Al Wahed missed that race – off-feed was the reason – but previously he was only beaten a neck by Master’s Spirit.
Starflash
He will have appreciated Monday’s rain and looks real each way value at 12-1 even though he has been raised three points and there is a line of form that says he shouldn’t beat Starflash.
Black Cat Black (5-1) has gone up five points and, although he has won his last three starts, they were all over a furlong further and this is his first outing of the season.
Olympian, also a 5-1 shot, is a stable companion of Starflash and is not without a chance.
Evelina is 17-10 favourite for the first and could be hard to beat.
The Andre Nel filly is certainly well drawn and would have finished closer last time (only her second start) but for racing green and ducking out sharply 100m from home.
Spam Alert is second favourite at 4-1 but don’t ignore 13-2 shot Romantic Crusade.
Grant van Niekerk’s mount was only just over a length behind Evelina and then lost ground at the start on her only subsequent outing. Van Niekerk has a favourite’s chance on Orakal in the next but the 33-10 chance faces stiff opposition, notably from 5-1 hopes Tyrandeus and The Sun Also Rises.
The form book says the latter could be the one.
The older horses meet the three-year-olds on far better terms than weight-for-age in these maidens and Destiny Duchess (33-10) can prove the point by beating 5-2 favourite Woodstock Fairy in the Betting World Maiden 35 minutes later.