Ramsden's Ancestry out to take shine off Diamond

2.40 Greyville
Premiers Champion Stakes (Grade 1) | 1m | turf | 2yo

This is often the most significant two-year-old race of the season and Ancestry (Joey Ramsden/Bernard Fayd’Herbe) heads the market amid expectations that he will reverse Durban Golden Horseshoe placings of four weeks ago with Purple Diamond (Sean Tarry/Piere Strydom) over this extra furlong.

There was only a short head between the pair last time and Ramsden said after it: “Ancestry was unlucky. He lost his left-fore shoe and it hung away from him.”

Purple Diamond was a 20-1 chance that day and stable companion Captain And Master (S’Manga Khumalo), who pulled hard early, was much stronger in the market. He finished a length and a quarter further back third and Tarry said then: “He was a bit unlucky in that he got in behind horses.”

Eyes Wide Open (Glen Kotzen/Richard Fourie) also comes into the reckoning after winning the second of his two starts at Scottsville in convincing style.

Also on Sunday...

2.00 Greyville
Thekwini Stakes (Grade 1) | 1m |turf, 2yo | fillies

Desert Rhythm (Sean Tarry/S’Manga Khumalo) has won three out of six and looks the one they all have to beat after going clear over a furlong out in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over a furlong less here on Durban July day. She had stable companion Rockin Russian (Lyle Hewitson) two lengths back fourth.

Folk Dance (Paul Peter/Anton Marcus) is unbeaten in three starts, and scored by more than three lengths over a furlong less at Turffontein last time but she is badly drawn.

Frederico’s Dream (Mike Azzie/Piere Strydom) has won her last two starts at the Vaal but both were over six furlongs.