The Gr 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes, to be run over 1450m, tops the bill at Turffontein’s inside track on Saturday and the bad news for punters                                                          reeling from Martial Eagle’s 75/1 shock in last week’s J & B Met is that they face a pretty open-looking affair here. Cases can be made for at least half the field and there is the unknown factor of which runners are improving the most, relative to the opposition.  

The preference – however marginal it may be – is for Emerald Approach who looks a really progressive sort. He caught the eye with his turn of foot when scoring impressively over 1600m at his penultimate start, albeit against much weaker, but showed he is up to group race level when running on late to finish fourth in the Dingaans behind The Hangman. He had both Sabadell and Killua Castle ahead of him that day and meets them on identical terms here, but while both those runners merit respect, they each fluffed their lines next time out and will come into this race with question marks hanging over them. There is every chance that Emerald Approach has improved sufficiently to reverse the form and while he is by no means a good thing here, he looks the one to side with in a race where there isn’t much to choose between the key contenders.   Fantastic Mister Fox flew up late to win the Secretariat Stakes over 1400m and followed up with a rather unlucky second to Gitiano in a very competitive progress plate over the same trip next time out, once again coming from well off the pace. He’s now 1.5kg better off with that one and that should be sufficient to reverse the form, especially as he was finishing best that day and was only just touched off. As with Emerald Approach, he’s badly drawn, and that is a crucial factor at this tight circuit. However, he the sort who can be dropped out and despite the shorter straight, his blistering finishing kick could see him home here.  

Sabadell and stablemate Killua Castle both ran cracking races in the Dingaans, finishing second and third respectively, and trainer Geoff Woodruff will be relieved that, for once, they have both drawn well in a feature race. Of the two, Sabadell looks more likely to appreciate the drop back to this trip, following a below-par run in the Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m. He was found to be not striding out that day and is worth another chance here on his best form.   Killua Castle came from well back to finish third in both the Dingaans and Ready To Run Cup but was very disappointing over 1450m on the Vaal sand last time out. He’s given the distinct impression that he’s looking for more ground and, promising though he undoubtedly is, one gets the sense that he is going to find this course and distance too sharp for his liking.  

Gitiano likes this course and distance and bounced back to his best here last time out, following two disappointing feature race efforts on the standside track. He lasted just long enough to hold off Fantastic Mr Fox that day but it was a good win nevertheless against some smart opposition. As mentioned, he should struggle to confirm the form on 1.5 worse terms, but he should be considered for the placings here.  

Zestful could be best of the rest. He has run two decent races behind The Hangman, most recently when fifth in The Dingaans, and could make the frame if not undone by a bad draw.   Later in the day the Gr 3 Three Troikas Stakes, also over 1450m, offers a stage for the 3-year-old fillies to stake their claims and the ultra-promising Espumanti looks impossible to oppose at the weights. A facile winner of all three starts to date, she is clearly headed for bigger things and it would be a major shock if she were to be upstaged here.   Cherry On The Top is a very smart filly in her own right and she looks the obvious threat. However, the Fillies Mile winner has to concede 6kg to Espumanti and, classy though she is, that looks a tall order.   Former Fillies Nursery Winner King’s Temptress is officially best in at the weights but she tends to blow hot and cold and has let her supporters down a few times now. She should be thereabouts, though, if she decides to put it together on the day.