The top race on Saturday night’s card is the final of the J B Riney MBE Anniversary Cup which is run over the marathon distance of 714 metres.

Last weekend saw 12 of the best at the distance competing in two heats with the first three in each qualifying for the big race this weekend.

The two heats had very different outcomes as far as the betting market was concerned with Short Stroll winning the first heat at an odds on price of 4-6, while the second heat went to Glittering Game at a whopping price of 12-1.

Short Stroll has only had 14 career races to date but has been showing his liking for the longer distances since early June when he started racing over 540 metres and has won in top grade S1 over that trip.

Clearly he stays the 714 metres well as his win time on Saturday of 46.15 reflects and you have to admire the manner in which his win was earned. Having missed his break at the traps, he was subsequently crowded around the fifth bend but showed determination to take up the lead to cross the line just under four lengths in front of Lordsbury Cookie and Two Times Two.

Cookie performed well at odds of 12-1 to make the final while Two Times Two was one of those having her first run over the distance and her starting price of just 5-2 shows a level of respect from the local bookmakers that should be noted.

In the other heat, Glittering Game was a major surprise giving a perfect trap to line performance to come home in a decent time of 46.24.

As a result, he will not go off in the final at such a big price and he could have a real chance here of winning the cup. If he does, I don’t think that you could now say with any conviction that it was unexpected.

The final line-up is completed by Brickfield Mandy and Mullrook Proby who followed Glittering Game home. Mandy was another debutant over the distance and did well to finish second in the heat also at odds of 12-1 while Proby was the beaten 7-4 favourite.

As usual, this will be an intriguing final and all six look to hold some sort of chance.

However, I am going to side with Glittering Game as he looks fast over the first circuit and is a strong dog in the latter stages.