Marcus and Mbhele take centre stage

Anton Marcus scored the first of what is sure to be many victories for new sponsors Ridgemont Stud and Brett Crawford when booting home impressive debut winner Front And Centre in Race 2 at Kenilworth on Saturday.

This half sister to Potala Palace was friendless in the market, drifting from 5-1 to go off at over double those odds.

And the Dynasty filly looked sure to have to settle for a place when 5-4 favourite Juniper Spring swept into the lead 200m out.

But Marcus coaxed a strong finish out of the debutante to win going away by 1.5 lengths.

Her jockey said she was “a very nice filly but immature. They should have a lot of fun with her”.

Crawford agreed, saying “she should come on heaps still and is quite exciting”.

Justin Snaith and Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud carried all before them last season, and judging by the way Clouded Hill won the opening race they could have another top sort.

Coming up against a couple of decent stable mates in Seventh Sea and Clipper Captain, he quickened up impressively to score his second consecutive easy 1200m win, and this Horse Chestnut gelding should be even better over 1600m or so.

Mrs Rupert revealed post race that this one “is directly descended from Final Call, the first filly I ever bought back in 1986”.

Individual star of the day was undoubtedly up and coming apprentice Sandile Mbhele though.

He had three rides for Vaughan Marshall, and all won, with the treble at odds of over 350-1.

First Sandy Sport (9-1) won Race 3, after surviving an objection for causing interference to runner up Carlas Mambo. Based on how long it took the stipes to announce their decision this must have been a close run affair.

He then kicked into overdrive late on as The Silva Fox (61-20), and Symphony (31-4) took races seven and eight respectively.