Jack Milner: Sultanah returns to her favourite distance and that could see the four-year-old daughter of Vercingetorix return to the winner’s enclosure at Turffontein on Thursday.
The Candice Dawson-trained four-year-old runs in Race 5, a MR 89 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m on the Inside track. It was over this distance that she reeled off three successive victories last year, the final one coming over this track and trip with Gavin Lerena up, the same jockey who will be aboard her in this event.
She found one too good in her next start when a 2.75-length second to Destinys Game, but the winner did go on to finish third in the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap in her next start and previously had run in a Pinnacle Stakes with stable companion Summer Pudding.
Sultanah was next tried over 2000m but she never got into the race and perhaps the trip was a touch too far.
The two main threats look to be Me Time from the Corne Spies yard and Mike de Kock-trained In Limbo.
Me Time has been runner-up in her last two starts and Ryan Munger will be looking to go one better in her first attempt at 1600m.
Her last race was over 1450m on the Vaal Classic track where she produced the fastest 400m to finish to run Say When to 0.50 lengths.
In Limbo is a full sister to Hawwaam and is a member of an illustrious Grade 1-winning family. She has yet to prove she is in their league, but her maiden win last time out has produced two winners.
She is 1.5kg under sufferance but she doesn’t know that, and with just 52kg on her back and in-form Muzi Yeni in the irons, In Limbo has to be a contender.
Sean Tarry-trained Senescence will be looking to complete a hat-trick of wins when she lines up in Race 3, a Classified Stakes over 2000m. If she fluffs her lines anything could pop up, although De Kock-trained Emaline loves this course and must the runner to follow her home.
Race 8 is a MR 77 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m and could see punters double their money or “get out of trouble” with Tarry-trained Full Velocity. She stumbled at the start last time but flashed up late to be narrowly beaten.
That was her first start after a rest and the run will have brought her on nicely.