South Africa’s top three-year-old colts and geldings are among the 28 nominations for the R750 000, Grade 1 BloodStock SA Cape Guineas to be run at Kenilworth Racecourse in the Western Cape on Saturday, January 8.

The first leg of the SA All Stars Triple Crown, the top Cape classic over 1 600 metres has long been one of the premier three-year-old events in the country and in past years has drawn entries from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

This year, however, Gauteng’s two leading trainers, Mike de Kock and Geoff Woodruff, have nothing nominated at this stage and it is Charles Laird with three, Ormond Ferraris with two and Sean Tarry with one that make up the contenders from the north. Supplementary nominations are due by 11h00 on Friday 17 December.

The majority of nominees are from Western Cape stables which appear to house the top young horses, six entries have been received from Gauteng but none from KwaZulu-Natal.

The top-rated colt from Gauteng is Charles Laird’s Tigray, who finished only a neck behind National Spirit in the Dingaans on Summer Cup day. The Ferraris duo, Bishops Rock, beaten favourite in the Dingaans and Silverpoint, a three time winner as a juvenile who is looking for his first win this season, are expected to improve on their last performances on the Reef.

The strong Cape contingent is led by Vaughan Marshall’s Play Catch, winner of a feature race at every start as a three year old, Dean Kannemeyer’s Green Point Stakes winner Royal Opinion and Joey Ramsden’s star juvenile of last season, Something Else. Also from the Kannemeyer yard is the class colt Rabiya and Mercury Chief while Ramsden’s entry also includes Omaha Beach, Black Kite and Playing Possum.