Celebration time for Marcus, again

As has become a depressingly familiar scenario for the other jockeys in recent weeks, Anton Marcus once again partners the best bet on the card in Race 1 today at Scottsville.

Celebration Rock started 15-10 favourite on debut over this same 1000m, and was only beaten by in-experience as he got going just too late and went down to far more seasoned Wild Rendezvous by a diminishing short head.

Obviously rated by Paul Lafferty, he was thrown straight into the Grade 3 Umkhomazi Stakes a few weeks later.

Drawn wide at Greyville he never got into it, but back down the straight in maiden company will be a different proposition altogether.

While likely to be a warm order at the top of bookmaker’s boards, this Ex celebration colt looks too smart for the opposition here, and is worth a decent punt. Marcus has every chance of another top day, with a second Australian import Roy’s Magic in Race 7 his other standout ride.

Only given a three-point penalty by the handicappers he should prove too good again at this lowly MR 64 level.

Marcus also has a great chance in Race 6 where he partners Pata Pata over 1000m for Brett Crawford, but this one faces far sterner opposition.

In fact Louis Goosen’s Di Mazzio would be a narrow first choice.

He is ultra-consistent at this track, and is 1,5kg be er off with Pata Pata after finishing a neck adrift of him in July.

Bottom weight Gratuity and top weight Neala also have genuine winning prospects in a competitive MR 88 event.