The G1 SA Derby (2450m) is the third leg of the South African Triple Crown but, with two different winners of the G2 Gauteng Guineas (1600m) and G1 SA Classic (1800m), this year there will be no Triple Crown champion.
SA Classic winner Purple Pitcher has been aimed at the Derby and is looking to add a second Grade 1 title to his tally, and there is a lot of confidence emanating from both trainer Robyn Klaasen and jockey Kabelo Matsunyane.
Purple Pitcher, a son of New Predator, has won six of his past seven races, and appears to get better as he matures.
He led all the way to win the SA Classic over 1800m and it will be interesting to see whether similar tactics will be adopted over the additional 650m this time.
Matsunyane, who has ridden Purple Pitcher to all of his victories so far, has no concern about the distance and is confident his mount will deliver the goods.
He is the best weighted runner and has proven his class at a high level so he remains the runner to beat.
An interesting runner is Mike de Kock-trained Marauding Horde, who has improved since fitted with blinkers and tried over distance.
He finished second in his first two starts, over 1400m and 1600m respectively, but shed his maiden when pushed to 1800m in his third start.
His fourth race was in the Listed Hawwaam Stakes (2000m), which in effect is the Derby Trial, and tried in blinkers for the first time, he turned out to be a runaway four-and-a-quarter-length victor.
De Kock gave him one more preparation run in a MR 80 Handicap over 2000m and, despite giving weight to a number of older horses, he was never under pressure to win by one and three quarters lengths.
On paper he is way out at the weights with the likes of Purple Pitcher, but he is surely a lot better than his current merit rating. It is also worth noting that in all of his starts the Vercingetorix colt has produced the fastest 400m to finish.
He looks certain to relish the distance and one always has to have respect for De Kock-trained horses in races of this nature. After all, De Kock has won the Derby six times.
Jockey Marco van Rensburg has ridden Marauding Horde to his past two victories, and he will be in the irons once again.
Hotarubi looks the main threat to Purple Pitcher on form. They raced against one another in both the Gauteng Guineas and the SA Classic with Hotarubi, who finished second behind Sandringham Summit, getting the upper hand on the first occasion by about one and a quarter lengths. Purple Pitcher reversed that in the SA Classic, finishing with a three-length advantage.
Sean Tarry is another trainer who comes good on big occasions so one would be ill-advised to write off the chances of Hotarubi.
S’manga Khumalo has been engaged for the ride.
Presley looks to be quite talented but has not won over further than 1600m. He finished unplaced in his one run over 1800m but his connections were taken aback by that defeat. Gavin Lerena takes the ride for trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren and Presley could well be the surprise package in this field.
