The Gr 1 Champions Cup, to be run over 1800m at Greyville on Saturday, has been named this year in honour of the wonderful racemare Beach Beauty and it has been a smart move on the part of the authorities to pay homage to arguably the country's best-loved racehorse in recent seasons. The race itself has developed a somewhat curious pattern over the years: it invariably attracts horses who have participated in the Vodacom Durban July three weeks earlier and that race forms the obvious reference point in terms of form. However, horses who do well in the July have struggled to impose themselves in the Champions Cup and it may well be that, having been primed for a supreme effort in the country's premier race, they are unable to reproduce their best form three weeks down the line. The picture is further clouded this year by the fact that the July itself was run at a farcical pace and it can be argued that Wylie Hall (winner before being demoted to second), Futura (third) and Tellina (fourth) did not have the hardest of races in the July and may be able to turn it on again, come Saturday.

Whatever the ifs and buts, one has to set out ones stall, and preference is for a horse who just missed the cut for the July but whose connections may find it to their benefit here. Readytogorightnow shot to prominence when winning the first two legs of the Winter Series at Kenilworth last season. He was then sidelined for nearly a year and had turned in two fair performances since returning to the track. most recently staying on for fourth in the Cup Trial. That was an encouraging enough performance and he comes into the race fairly well-weighted, well-drawn and with Anton Marcus in the irons. He's distance-suited to boot and while he is by no means a good thing - this is too open an event - he may prove to be best value here and provide trainer Justin Snaith with a fitting end to his most successful season to date.

No Worries was another horse on the fringes of July consideration, having finished fourth in that race last year, but whose form suffered a bit of a meltdown during the time when the field was being finalised. Murphy's Law being what it is, he roared back to form with an impressive win in the KZN Breeders Million Mile a week before the July. He wasn't beaten far in this race last year and has previously placed in the Daily News 2000 and Queens Plate, so his Gr 1 credentials are not in doubt. Consistency is not his strong point but, having got his confidence back with that last win, he could be a big threat here.

Looking at the July protagonists, Wylie Hall would be a popular winner here, having attracted plenty of sympathy after losing the race under such unfortunate circumstances, and he has certainly done enough to have strong winning claims here, having run consistently well in a number of top middle distance events.

Futura, meanwhile, was the only horse to run on from off the pace in the July and finished best of all for third. He looks ideally course and distance suited here and one would make him the one to beat, especially from a good draw, were it not for the aforementioned July "hoodoo". He should be in the thick of things.

Tellina was arguably worst affected by the July crawl. He prefers to run at them from off the pace and found himself racing wide and handy from a hopeless draw. In the circumstances, fourth place was a commendable effort, and his chances will once again be determined by the pace (or lack thereof) and how well he has taken his July exertions.

Punta Arenas was not disgraced when sixth in the July from a poor draw but his connections must be reduced to tears after he once again drew widest of all here. If he can get some luck in running from there, he could make the minor placings.

King Of Pain had too much to do at the weights in the July and found himself in no-man's-land with the lack of early pace. The more compressed weight scale here will be to his liking and he is not out of it from a decent draw.

Whiteline Fever failed to do himself justice in the July but it's now generally accepted that a line can be put through that race for many of the more proven runners who flopped there. He will prefer the drop in trip and cannot be ignored on his best form.

Halve The Deficit didn't run the worst race in the July, racing up with the pace and staying on to finish within four lengths of promoted winner Legislate. He looks course and distance suited and Piere Stryom has stuck with him. He is another one with reasonable claims if not over the top following his July effort.

One Cool Dude booked his place here with a hard-fought win in the Cup Trial and followed up with a good second in the Thukela Handicap on July day. He is another one who looks ideally course and distance suited and has really come into his own this winter. He warrants plenty of respect.

Killua Castle, a horse who has looked like he had a graded win in him, finally delivered on that promise when flying up late to win the Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap. He's no slouch, but can be a bit in-and-out and his come-from-behind style of racing will be tested at this tight track with its short run-in.

Pomodoro, who won the July 2012, is weighted to win this race comfortably if he can run to his best form, but is currently under a bit of a cloud. He shaped promisingly when third to Yorker in the Champions Challenge two runs back but something was clearly amiss when downfield in the Gold Challenge and he is difficult to assess at present.

Tribal Dance is as honest as they come and may well go to the front here from a wide draw. On his day, he is capable of staying on into a minor placing in this company.

Bezanova was disappointing when third in the KZN Breeders Million Mile, a race he looked weighted to win, and he will be hard pressed to reverse the bare form of that race with No Worries. However, he may prefer the return to a right-handed track and his previous form behind Legislate means that he is not out of the mix here.

Port Elizabeth stalwart Blaze Of Fire ran the race of his life when chasing home Jackson in this race last year and merits respect on that run alone. However, his subsequent form hasn't risen to quite the same heights and he may struggle to repeat that level of form this time around.

Astro News completes the line-up and he is hard to fancy here on current form.

It's a tricky race, with no shortage of decent horses, but many of them having a question mark of one sort or another hanging over his head. Readytogorightnow is a tentative selection to see off the challenge of a rejuvenated No Worries. Futura, Wylie Hall and Tellina are all obvious threats if repeating their July efforts, but the likes of Punta Arenas, Halve The Deficit and One Cool Dude will require trifecta and quartet punters to go really wide here.