We are due to return to the turf track on Friday at Fairview and it looks a testing card.
Trainer Dean Smith has his runners in fine form and two of his runners on the day particularly stand out.
The first is Zatara’s Magic who is carded to run in Race 3, a Pinnacle Stakes over 2000m, and the second is Perfect Impact, who lines up in Race 6, a MR 80 Handicap over 1400m.
Zatara’s Magic is weighted to win the race, and comfortably so, but there is a risk involved.
This now seven-year-old gelding has to defend his Algoa Cup victory from last year, which takes place much later in the season, so this will be a build-up race for him.
The Rabada gelding returned from a break when runner-up behind Zinovi, and he got closer to that rival than most of his rivals have done.
Regular rider Craig Zackey is not at this meeting, so Stallone Naidoo gets a golden opportunity to ride a rare winner.
Naidoo has also been given the ride on Perfect Impact.
The Danon Platina gelding has impressed in both of his local starts. The gelding won by 6.50 lengths on local debut and doubled up with a 4.75-length victory.
Both those successes were on the Polytrack and he clearly likes that surface, but he has also run some decent races on the grass. In October 2025, he was runner-up behind Miami Summer, who looks a promising sort.
Clive Robinson
