Triple Grade 1 winner, Yard-Arm, is likely to start the shortest priced favourite for the Vodacom Durban July in the history of the race after his fantastic win in Saturday’s Skeaping Champions Stakes Trophy at Turffontein Racecourse.

Still some way off peak condition, and having his first run since winning the J&B Met in Cape Town, the strapping son of Western Winter delighted trainer Geoff Woodruff as he dug down deep in the final 100 metres to get the better of Mike de Kock’s Wolf Whistle by a long head.

It was as near a repeat as one could get of the Summer Cup over the course and distance last year when the pair fought a neck-and-neck battle with Wolf Whistle getting the decision by a short head.

Woodruff said after the race that the four-year-old was nowhere near peak condition, having had a rest after returning from Cape Town a month ago and having only recently returned to full work.

That made the performance even more special as the gelding stopped the clock in a time of 121,48 seconds which was nearly two seconds faster than the 123.03 set by Wolf Whistle in the Summer Cup and more than one second faster than the 122.60 Yard-Arm posted when beating stable companion Monet in the Elevation Stakes over the faster Newmarket course.

With there being a chance that Dynasty will not contest the Vodacom Durban July this year, Yard-Arm is not likely to have many, if any, major challengers in the country’s top race and after starting at 1-6 on Saturday, his odds are likely to be considerably less generous than the 11-10 offered about Sea Cottage in 1967.

Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday set the scene for a fantastic season in KwaZulu-Natal with de Kock’s American-bred three-year-old, Greys Inn, winning the R750 000 Sun International SA Derby with a gutsy performance. The Zabeel colt had to dig right to the very bottom of his shoes to get the better of Woodruff’s Fort Wood gelding, Saddlewood, just making it to the line by a long head.

de Kock said after the race that Greys Inn, owned by Mrs Bridgett Oppenheimer, would contest the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and then go into the Vodacom Durban July where he will meet Yard-Arm.

Saddlewood had the race won all but on the finish line under a perfect ride by Mark Khan but from his outside draw Greys Inn was forced to ride wide all the way making his task a difficult one.

But the performances of both horses, as well as that of third-placed Bilboa from Alec Laird’s yard, was superb and will add spice to the races they contest in KwaZulu-Natal.

Veteran trainer Ormonde Ferraris had a good day and his runners completed a feature double. He won the Bloodstock SA South African Nursery with Bishop’s Rock then took the Sun International South African Oaks with the Sportsworld filly, Sabina Park, who had won the SA Fillies Nursery last year.

Ironically, the Bloodstock South Africa SA Fillies Nursery on Saturday was won by Paddy Kruyer’s Sportsworld filly, Dash For Gretna, who won exceptionally well and put another feather in the cap of the American-bred sire.

Champions Day on Saturday showed South African racing was in a very healthy state quality wise and set the stage for what promises to be an outstanding season in KwaZulu-Natal.