Know your runners: The inside track on the Cape Town Met

It’s the Cape Town Met at Kenilworth on Saturday and here’s everything you need to know about the horses that will be in action.

1 DO IT AGAIN

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Jockey: Bernard Fayd’Herbe

Draw: 11

The Met has not been a happy hunting ground for this ageing champion who has twice won the Durban July. Ignore unplaced run last time when lame and will make them all go at best.

Lifetime: 26 Runs; 8 Wins; 13 Places.

3 Earnings: R8,980,350.

2 CIRILLO

Trainer: Sean Tarry

Jockey: Craig Zackey

Draw: 5

Front-running Joburg raider. Better over shorter distances, but did place in the 2000m Champions Challenge at Turffontein last year. Not out of it if allowed to dictate at a slow gallop.

Lifetime: 37 Runs; 5 Wins; 19 Places.

19 Earnings: R5,433,600.

3 ROCKIN’ RINGO

Trainer: Piet Botha

Jockey: Corne Orffer

Draw: 2

This six-year-old looks totally out of his depth in this contest in which weights carried are determined by age and not ability. On paper he faces a nigh impossible task at the weights.

Lifetime: 42 Runs; 9 Wins; 18 Places.

Earnings: R524,787.

4 JET DARK

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Jockey: S’manga Khumalo

Draw: 9

Top Cape trainer Justin Snaith has another champion in this four-year-old, who produced a dramatic late charge to win the recent 1600m Queen’s Plate. Further now but hard to look past him.

Lifetime: 11 Runs; 6 Wins; 3 Places.

Earnings: R2,081,600

5 KOMMETDIEDING

Trainer: Harold Crawford/Michelle Rix

Jockey: Gavin Lerena

Draw: 1

Top-class four-year-old as he showed when winning last year’s Durban July from a wide draw. No match for JET DARK in the Queen’s Plate but will prefer this 2000m distance. Be there.

Lifetime: 9 Runs; 5 Wins; 4 Places.

Earnings: R1,984,000.

6 LINEBACKER

Trainer: Vaughan Marshall

Jockey: Grant van Niekerk

Draw: 6

One of the best and a close second in last year’s Durban July. Unplaced for first time in career in recent Queen’s Plate, but safest to ignore that blip and now reunited with his usual jockey.

Lifetime: 11 Runs; 4 Wins; 6 Places.

Earnings: R1,837,750.

7 – HOEDSPRUIT

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Jockey: Luyolo Mxothwa

Draw: 4

Another budding Snaith star and landed biggest success to date when produced at right time in the recent 1800m Premier Trophy. Much tougher task now but can improve again. Consider.

Lifetime: 15 Runs; 6 Wins; 5 Places.

Earnings: R643,975.

8 SECOND BASE

Trainer: Johan Janse van Vuuren

Jockey: Warren Kennedy

Draw: 10

Joburg challenger and not much inferior to the best. Won his preparatory race for the Met so comes into this contest on a high and will stay well. Should not be far away at the business end.

Lifetime: 16 Runs; 6 Wins; 6 Places.

Earnings: R921,150.

9 PUERTO MANZANO (ARG)

Trainer: Johan Janse van Vuuren

Jockey: Keagan de Melo

Draw: 7

This smart four-year-old ran well for a long way when sixth in the Summer Cup in November. But the opposition is much stronger now and he’s likely to battle under these weight conditions.

Lifetime: 10 Runs; 4 Wins; 4 Places.

Earnings: R261,300.

10 MARINA

Trainer: Candice Bass-Robinson

Jockey: Aldo Domeyer

Draw: 8

One of the best fillies but now pitted against the best males for the first time. Likely to find a couple too good for her, but she’s still improving and will relish the distance. Don’t write off.

Lifetime: 14 Runs; 8 Wins; 4 Places.

Earnings: R458,400.

11 – DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE

Trainer: Justin Snaith

Jockey: Anton Marcus

Draw: 3

Youngest of the Snaith four and gets chucked in at the deep end here in only his sixth run. But this Guineas winner is promising and three-year-olds have a solid record in the Met. Expect a big run.

Lifetime: 5 Runs; 2 Wins; 3 Places.

Earnings: R539,600.