Variety Club: has an extra two furlongs to travel in Saturdays Cape Derby

PICTURE: Liesl King/Thoroughbrednews

Preview: South Africa, Saturday 12.50pm GMT

Kenilworth: Investec Cape Derby (Grade 1) 1m 2f, turf, 3yo

VARIETY CLUB (Joey Ramsden/Anton Marcus) scotched stamina doubts when winning the Cape Guineas over a mile and was only caught close home in the LOrmarins Queens Plate over the same distance.

But he has another two furlongs to travel here and his trainer admitted he was unsure whether he would stay the extra distance.

Ramsden said: We are going into unknown territory but he is in very good form, better form than he was for the Queens Plate. I have no opinion about whether he will stay the trip. I will just wait and see.

However many punters have already made up their minds, allowing him to be headed in the market by the progressive Jackson (Brett Crawford/Karis Teetan).

Crawford said: If the handicapper is right, and Variety Club stays the trip, none of us have a chance. This is a step up for Jackson and his first time against big horses, but hes done nothing wrong and he will get the trip.

Potala Palace (Mike Azzie/Weichong Marwing) has yet to reproduce his top two-year-old form but Azzie is optimistic that he will do so while Mushreq (Mike de Kock/Anthony Delpech) is nearly 7lb better for the four and a half lengths he finished behind Jackson last time.

Also on Saturday:

Kenilworth: Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (Grade 1) 1m, turf, 3yo+, fillies and mares (1.35pm GMT)

Covenant (Mike Bass/ Karl Neisius) bids to repeat last years win and is on song after winning a second successive Sceptre Stakes.

However, her trainer has reservations this time around and said: She doesnt stay a true mile and everything went right for her in the race last year which enabled her to get it.

Ante-post favourite is Welwitschia (Mike de Kock/Anthony Delpech), who has won three of her last five and was impressive last time out.

However, they may struggle to contain Ebony Flyer (Justin Snaith/Felix Coetzee), who could be a tough nut to crack even though she ran below her best in the Queens Plate.

Snaith said: We have freshened her up and she is doing well. She will take some beating.

Trinity House (Joey Ramsden/Anton Marcus) twice chased home Princes Victoria before taking second to Covenant and,on that form, comes into the reckoning.

Ramsden said: With her outside draw its going to be a little bit tricky but there looks plenty of speed in the race.

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