The stage is set for a titanic battle for glory in the R500 000, Grade 1 Schweppes Golden Horseshoe at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday where the 16 juvenile colts and geldings will battle it out over 1 400 metres in the main supporting event to the R2-million Vodacom Durban July.

And for the Goldkeeper gelding, Tiza, there is an enormous amount at stake as he is the only runner in the field still able to win the R1-million bonus offered by Gold Circle and Phumelela for any horse winning all three legs of the South African Juvenile Championship.

Paul Matchett’s colt put himself in line to win the bonus when he skated home in the SA Nursery at Turffontein, the first of two first legs of the championship. Carnadore won the second of the first legs but is not included in Saturday’s field.

On Monday, trainer Paul Matchett was confident his charge would run a big race on Saturday if he can successfully overcome the effect of the wide 12 draw.

“But he is very well and will run a good race. If we do manage to win the race on Saturday we will definitely look at going for the final leg of the Juvenile Championship.”

That race is the R500 000 Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes at Clairwood Racecourse on All Stars Day on July 30, but before that he has a formidable task ahead of him at Greyville on Saturday.

Among his opponents are some he has beaten before, including Charles Laird’s National Assembly gelding, Ndabeni, who is drawn a lot better at five and should appreciate the distance.

Matchett said he would be travelling to Durban from Gauteng on Thursday but that Tiza would travel overnight on Friday to arrive in Durban on Saturday morning.