De Beer to do the talking at Scottsville

The accent will be on speed at Scottsville on Sunday when six sprinters line up in Race 2, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m, and the one who could have the edge is Coenie de Beer’s Talktothestars with claiming apprentice Dennis Schwarz aboard.

This six-year-old, who has not won since October 2016, slipped down the merit ratings scale from a high of 121 to 106. The 10-time winner struck top form that year when winning the Senor Santa (Grade 1) and finishing second in the Computaform Sprint (Grade 1) – both at Turffontein. He followed up with a decisive win in the Golden Horseshoe (Grade 1) over 1200m at Scottsville.

The gelding started this season with two encouraging close thirds over 1000m in Pinnacle contests at Scottsville and Turffontein. He confirmed his current wellbeing with two creditable fifths over 1160m at Turffontein in the WSB Merchants and a Pinnacle Stakes. With Schwarz’s 1.5kg claim reducing the gelding’s carded weight to 60kg he could bounce right back to top form.

Expect a bold bid from seven-year-old London Call (Brandon Lerena) out of the in-form stable of Mark Dixon. This gelding posted a clear-cut ninth career win with Lerena aboard over the course and distance in his penultimate outing, and was not disgraced next time when carrying 61.5kg again and finishing third at Greyville in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m.

Next best is Dennis Drier-trained five-time winner Seventh Plain who will have Anton Marcus up again. The five-year-old regained his best form in his penultimate outing when snatching victory in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m at Scottsville, and followed up with a game 0.50-length second in a Pinnacle Stakes over the same course and distance.