Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Noordhoek Flyer cleared for take-off

David Thiselton
Noordhoek Flyer, the ruling Vodacom Durban July favourite, is in good shape at Clairwood and trainer Dean Kannemeyer is happy with his preparation for Saturday’s Grade 1 Daily News 2000 to be run at Greyville.
The chestnut son of Pivotal did some strong work on Monday and followed with a light canter yesterday, both on the sand. Kannemeyer will be going for his third July win in the space of eight years and, as a master of peaking a horse at the right time, said yesterday, “We don’t want to do too much with him now, the July is still two months away.”
Kannemeyer believed Noordhoek Flyer would in any case stay the Greyville 2 000m of Saturday’s race. His last defeat was in the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2 000m at Kenilworth at the hands of the unbeaten Bravura, but Kannemeyer said, “”Noordhoek Flyer is a much improved horse.”
The colt is very suited to the tight Greyville track as he has a breathtaking turn of foot.
Mike de Kock had two strings to his Daily News bow at the beginning of this week, but that became three late Monday when Absolute Heretic was transferred to him from the Herman Brown yard. However, Absolute Heretic was then scratched yesterday. De Kock said of his Dynasty colt, Irish Flame, “I think he’s a genuine mile-and-a-half horse, so I’m worried that the Greyville 2 000m might be a bit sharp for him.” Irish Flame won the SA Derby over 2 450m at Turffontein in very soft going by 9,5 lengths from Pierre Jourdan in his last start having earlier finished a 2,25 length third to Pierre Jourdan in the SA Classic. Bold Silvano, had his first run for the yard two weeks ago and won the Grade 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville, producing a fluent finish.
He arrived at the De Kock yard with the reputation of being a poor work horse and duly showed nothing at home before his 1900 victory. However, Bold Silvano is now working well and De Kock said, “I’m not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing. But we’re happy with his preparation.”
Bold Silvano was said by previous trainer Gavin Smith to be very immature and one who would improve with age.
Charles Laird said that Conquered Dream’s preparation had gone well. This Australian-bred gelding by Commands had three easy wins in succession from 1 800-2 000m, incuding in the Listed Derby Trial over 2 000m at Turffontein, before finishing way back in the SA Derby.
One of the interesting Gauteng-trained horses is the Tyrone Zackey-trained Smanjemanje, who was unplaced but not disgraced in both the SA Classic and SA Derby. He has been training at Summerveld for the last four weeks, stabled in Binny Walker’s boxes. Zackey said, “Smanjemanje is a very nice horse but suffers from displacement of the soft palate.” The displacement occurs when a horse is put under pressure. In normal circumstances it is then unable to breath sufficiently until it slows down and swallows, thereby moving the palate back into its normal position. However, Zackey explained that a jockey can ride the horse in such a way as to prevent the displacement from occurring, but in case it did, was also able get the palate back into place through a rein technique. “S’manga (Khumalo) has been working on this technique,” continued Zackey. “We have ordered a Cornel Collar, but unfortunately we won’t be able to apply it by Saturday. So we can’t go in with too much confidence, especially in this strong field, although the breathing noise he makes at the end of his gallop has not been as bad down here as it was on the Highveld.”

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