We are only a few weeks away from the start of the Highveld autumn season with the Grade 1 Gauteng Guineas and Gauteng Fillies Guineas scheduled to be run on Saturday 5 February.
Those two races see the start of the SA Triple Crown and SA Triple Tiara so warm-ups for those features now begin in earnest.
As a result we have some excellent racing at Turffontein on Saturday where we have some top horses in action
Heading up the card is the Listed Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1160m and although only six runners have been carded to go to post, it looks quit a competitive race.
The two best performers in the line-up are Big Burn from the Paul Peter yard and Sean Tarry-trained Under Your Spell. Both were leading juveniles last season and have trained on well.
The edge in this race has to lie with Big Burn, who beat Under Your Spell by 1.60 lengths in the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Fillies And Mares Challenge over 1450m on the Inside track at Turffontein in October.
Under Your Spell is 1kg better off but that should not be enough to reverse the form.
Last time out Big Burn ran in the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap over this course and distance but was touched off by another Tarry-trained filly, Sound Of Warning, going down by 0.25 lengths, but giving the winner 1.5kg.
Tarry rates Sound Of Warning highly and took the filly to Cape Town to contest the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth. She was priced up favourite for that event but had to be withdrawn at the start due to circumstances beyond her control.
Warren Kennedy rides Big Burn, while Calvin Habib will be aboard Under Your Spell.
Peter has good back-up in Freed From Desire and she is pretty speedy, too. She will be chasing a fourth successive victory and has a top jockey in Gavin Lerena in the irons.
Preview by Clive Robinson
