Can the fun get too much?

The word binge used to mean bad things, implying insatiable boozing or eating. But now we "binge-watch" TV series and it's a fun, homely, family weekend in. The only harm comes from ice-cream guzzling while goggling at Daenerys Targaryen.

Extreme was once also dodgy, suggesting excess and inordinate levels of something. Now it's cool - as in "extreme adventure", "extreme gaming". I get sushi and curry meals brought to my door by a cheerful Zimbo chap from Delivery Extreme - nothing wild, dangerous and ungodly about it.

Now we have extreme horse racing, allowing us to binge in happy contentment on an entire weekend of top-level galloping at Greyville racecourse in Durban. No hint of excess; OK a whiff of greed wafts about mega betting pools including two monster carryover Pick6s but, hey, it's not venal 'cos there ain't a Zupta in sight.

Operator Gold Circle has conflated two of its biggest winter season race meetings - the Champions Cup and the Gold Cup - into one giant, two-day "festival", clustering feature races to get the fans' blood pumping.

Multi-day meetings happen elsewhere - Royal Ascot and the US's Breeders' Cup, for example - so it's not a new idea. And, given the enormous betting turnover that such events can generate - famously the Cheltenham jumps meeting in the UK - it might be good for the game here.

Tomorrow's card is headlined by the Champions Cup, a Grade 1 contest with a long history of distinguished winners, supported by other black-type races.

Durban July champion Marinaresco tops the boards at 18-10, with punters still kicking themselves that they let trainer Candice Bass-Robinson's runner start at 16-1 in the big one. He has the outside draw but, as shown in the July, the little fella likes to bide his time at the back before flying at the leaders late. With only 11 other horses to pass, he should get the space to do his thing.

One of Marinaresco's targets up front will be Captain America, but whether the latter will outlast this top-class opposition over 1800m is the big question.

Also coming at Captain America in the final furlong will be popular grey filly Bela-Bela, having her final outing before going to stud. She's an exceptional gal and I'm backing her to go out with a bang.

But it's not a three-horse affair and any one of the nine other starters could rock up in the winners' circle.

Sunday's card is packed with even more glittering prizes, but most attention will be on the venerable Gold Cup - South Africa's premier marathon, which has shamefully been allowed to drift to Grade 3 status.

It's a glorious, colourful, unpredictable race. Sizeable payouts are guaranteed. Royal Badge at 7-1 will hopefully bring me extreme thrills, not to mention outlandish reward.