Marcus, Strydom set for turbulent battle

Both Anton Marcus and Piere Strydom journey to Cape Town tomorrow to ride in the Grade 3 Highland's Stud Winter Guineas and one can safely assume they are not going all the way to join a group of rain dancers.

Marcus has the first choice for any of the horses owned by Mayfair Speculators but is normally guided by the advice of Mayfair's racing manager, Derek Brugman, and that has to make Turbulent Air the runner to beat in this 1600m race.

While the race itself has not always been seen as all that prestigious, it has been won by some of the country's best horses, including Pocket Power, Variety Club, Act Of War and last year, Marinaresco. Whether Turbulent Air is anything close to that class off runner is questionable but he does seem to have improved with gelding.

He seemed to have a few issues early in his career and after finishing a 1.65-length fourth in a MR78 Handicap over 1400m in November he was gelded and then given a good rest. He was supported in the betting to win his comeback run in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m on 1 April and did well to run third, beaten just 1.70 lengths by an in-form Icon King.

Strydom is on I Travel Light for the Joey Ramsden yard and he has not raced since finishing seventh in the $500,000 CTS 1600, but beaten just 3.25 lengths by William Longsword. He has also had some decent runs against quality opposition and as he is drawn No 1 and Turbulent Air at No 2, it could be an interesting battle between these two top jockeys.