Comanche Brave looks the part and has been winning like a champion. Can you count on him? Maybe.

Amy Bronkhorst’s charge has come into his own over the 1600m trip. On July 16 he ran over this distance for the first time, beating Catnip by two lengths. On October 9, in a MR 74 Handicap, his winning margin was five lengths. Sunday’s runners, Noble Peer and Super Good, finished second and third giving Comanche Brave 2 kgs and 3.5 kgs respectively. This time Comanche Brave will be giving his former rivals 0.5 kgs, so that’s the first hurdle.

And then there is Madigan.

With 11 wins and a Zimbabwe Triple Crown under his belt, the eight-year-old gelding was set to carry 64,5 kgs here but claiming apprentice Marshal Bikausaru will lighten that load to 60.5 kgs. Comanche Brave will still receive 3.5 kgs from the son of Joshua Dancer (USA) but Madigan, who is drawn 2, next to Comanche Brave, likes 1800m.

In July, with Sherman Brown aboard and carrying 60.5 kgs, Madigan won a 1800m MR 80 Handicap beating stable companion Supa Challenge and Lava Flow – winning margin 4 lengths. A repeat of that performance would make Madigan hard to beat…but next time out he was difficult to load and disappointed his fans in the 1900m Republic Cup.

Chase Maujean has the ride on Comanche Brave and this was a successful pairing on May 22 when they won a 1200m Maiden Plate, by four lengths, beating Nemba Beach.

Gokhan Terzi is sending out The Mutineer, the Jet Master gelding, Africain, Tandava, and Juan Paul van der Merwe’s mount, Finlay. With only 52kgs on his back perhaps we should be giving some thought to Finlay.