TWO five-year-old mares vie for favouritism in Saturday’s R2-million President’s Champions Challenge to be run over 2000m at Turffontein, as reported in Racing Express.

Currently Mike de Kock’s Europa Point (photo) tops the bookies’ boards at 3-1 for the Grade 1 race, with Sansui Summer Cup champion Dancewiththedevil at 7-2. Based on their run in the Grade 1 L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein earlier this month Dancewiththedevil has 4.50 lengths to find on the Irish-bred mare. However, Dancewiththedevil might just have been a little flat following her emphatic 3.25-length victory in the R1-million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut 10 days earlier.

She will appreciate any further rain this week but there is bad news for trainer St John Gray. According to the current weather forecast, no precipitation is predicted from tomorrow through to Saturday.

Bravura faded over the final 200m of the Horse Chestnut Stakes but that was his first run on the Highveld and he could come on a lot better. Joey Ramsden’s charge is currently on offer at 5-1.

It appears the bookmakers see the R1.5-million SA Derby over 2450m as a straight duel between SA Classic runner-up Pomodoro and third-placed Silver Flyer. Both have been priced up at 2-1 with Gavin van Zyl’s Brooks-Club next best at 8-1.

Pomodoro looked a trifle unlucky in the Classic as his heels were clipped early on but he flew up late to go down a head to Slumdogmillionaire. Silver Flyer had to overcome a wide draw and was also running on well at the end. Interestingly, they both completed the final 400m in 24 seconds.

The R1-million Computaform Sprint always attracts a lot of attention as the Turffontein 1000m often suits the genuine speedsters. Val De Ra, unbeaten over 1000m and winner of 11 of her 12 starts, has been priced up at 16-10 with What A Winter next best at 22-10. The pair finished first and second respectively in this race last year and repeated the feat earlier this year in the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship at Kenilworth.

Can they do it for a third time?

Neither of the pair has raced since the Kenilworth event so their fitness needs to be taken on trust. That could open the door for She Shea, who ran a 2.50-length third last year and has improved with gelding, and 2008 champion JJ The Jet Plane, who would be a popular winner. Both are on offer at 11-2 with three-year-old Deliver The Power at 7-1

Impressive juveniles Soft Falling Rain and Franny are at 1-1 and 8-10 respectively for the Grade 1 SA Nursery and Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery, both over 1160m

Feature-race betting for Champions Day

PRESIDENT’S CHAMPION CHALLENGE (Grade 1) 2000m

3-1 EUROPA POINT; 7-2 DANCEWITHTHEDEVIL; 5-1 BRAVURA; 6-1 GALANTHUS; 7-1 FLIRTATION; 8-1 ENGLISH GARDEN; 10-1 SEAL; 14-1 SAFWAN; 25-1 SMANJEMANJE; 33-1 SAGE THRONE; 50-1 BUY AND SELL

SA DERBY (Grade 1) 2450m

2-1 POMODORO, SILVER FLYER; 8-1 BROOKS-CLUB; 10-1 E JET; 12-1 ICE TRIGGER, ROYAL BENCHER, WAGNER; 14-1 ZAMBUCCA; 40-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

COMPUTAFORM SPRINT (Grade 1) 1000m

16-10 VAL DE RA; 22-10 WHAT A WINTER; 11-2 JJ THE JET PLANE, SHEA SHEA; 7-1 DELIVER THE POWER; 33-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

SA NURSERY (Grade 1) 1160m

1-1 SOFT FALLING RAIN; 6-1 WAR HORSE; 12-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

SA FILLIES NURSERY (Grade 2) 1160m

8-10 FRANNY; 3-1 UMNEEYATEE; 6-1 SEA SHADOW, GENUINE LEATHER; 16-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

SA OAKS (Grade 2) 2450m

12-10 ILHA BELA; 9-2 KALAMI, KATY`S LANE; 10-1 MARKOFDISTINCTION; 12-1 AVENUE OF GOLD, WINGED FOOT; 16-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

CAMELLIA STAKES (Grade 2) 1160m

28-10 JACKODORE; 5-1 CONTROL FREAK; 6-1 WELWITSCHIA; 7-1 TORRA BAY; 8-1 EXTRA ZERO, GIVE ME FIVE; 16-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

GERALD ROSENBERG STAKES (Grade 2) 2000m

2-1 ATLANTIC OAK; 5-2 BERRY BLAZE; 4-1 CHECCETTI; 8-1 HAWKER HUNTER; 12-1 AND UPWARDS OTHERS

(Betting supplied by Betting World www.bettingworld.co.za)