Draws will be made for all Cape Town non-features after acceptances – instead of at the entry stage as at present – with effect from the December 12 meeting.

This is part of a three-pronged strategy aimed at increasing the average field size from the present ten to 12, the minimum considered necessary to maximise betting returns.

However the later draw method, although favoured by at least one of the top trainers, proved unpopular with many when tried previously and led to increased non-runners from those drawn wide.

However the 12-day suspension for horses scratched will in future run from the date of the race, not the scratching.

Thirdly the runners per box clause will be more closely monitored to ensure trainers produce a minimum of 90% of target.

Brett Crawford, a member of the programmes committee as well as the Cape trainers’ committee, explained: “The criteria is six runs per season per box. You have to achieve 90% of this and they will look at this quarterly rather than annually in future. We don’t yet know what the penalty will be for not achieving it.”

Crawford added: “These changes are going to have to work but whether they will I don’t know. Everybody blamed Durbanville for small fields but many of them are small at Kenilworth too.”

Both Kenilworth Racing and Phumelela warned in September that fixtures will be reduced, and/or stakes dropped in races of less than eight runners, if the 12-runner average is not achieved.

However some Cape Town trainers are concerned that the proposals they made have not been accepted, in particular for more gallops to enable them to get horses ready. At the moment gallops at Kenilworth are only allowed for horses entered for Graded races and the weekly Durbanville gallops in practice alternate between horses trained at Milnerton and Phillipi.

Eric Sands, also a member of the programmes committee, said: “Small trainers are hardly ever in a position to gallop at Kenilworth. We suggested that they should be allocated a percentage.

“We also proposed that arrangements should be made allowing us all to gallop every week at Durbanville but this also fell on deaf ears.”

By Michael Clower

Silver Mountain has been installed hot favourite at 1-2 with the sponsors for the World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday.

That might sound a prohibitive price but this race is no stranger to restrictive odds favourites. Mamju started at 30-100 when she won 12 months ago and in 2011 Princess Victoria won at 1-5.

The Mike Bass-trained Choice Carriers winner was reported on song by her stable at the weekend following a work-out over 1 400m on the course last Wednesday when she was partnered by big race rider Aldo Domeyer and went with Inara (Donavan Mansour) and Taffety Tart, third in the Choice Carriers but 20-1 for Saturday’s race. She was ridden by Corne Orffer as Grant van Niekerk was delayed.

“Silver Mountain worked well and she is very well in herself,” said Candice Robinson. “But she again has a difficult draw (11) to overcome and it could be more difficult to get across this time. Also there are a couple of fillies  who are better than those she met in the Choice Carriers. Aldo is going to have to shine.”

One of those Mrs Robinson has in mind is presumably 6-1 second favourite Bela-Bela for whom Justin Snaith has booked six times champion Piere Strydom. She also galloped at Kenilworth last Wednesday. “She is a very uncomplicated filly and she went well,” said Chris Snaith.

Anton Marcus will ride the stable’s other runner, 12-1 shot A Time To Dream who has won three of her four starts.

As expected Mike de Kock, who has won two of the last three runnings, has switched Choice Carriers runner-up Entisaar to the 1 000m Southern Cross Stakes on the same card. He relies on 7-1 shot Noor (Anthony Delpech) who has won both her starts, albeit in lesser company.

Entisaar will face the Sean Tarry-trained dual Grade 1 winner Carry On Alice (S’Manga Khumalo) and last year’s Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night (Domeyer) who also won this 12 months ago.

World Sports Betting prices: 1-2 Silver Mountain, 6-1 Bela-Bela, 7-1 Noor, 12-1 A Time To Dream, 14-1 Well In Flight, 16-1 Flying Ice, 20-1 Taffety Tart, Icy Fire, 25-1 Anglet, 33-1 Our Destiny, Valediction, 50-1 Ocean’s Swell, Miss Marker.

By Michael Clower
Picture (Liesl King): Silver Mountain

Mambo Mime’s Cape Guineas prospects took a serious knock when he was beaten into fourth behind Big Cat in the Wynberg Cricket Club Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

There were legitimate excuses for the 2-1 favourite – he appeared to be striding short going to the start and Grant Behr reported afterwards: “There was something not right behind and he felt uncomfortable” – but time is not on the colt’s side with the Grand Parade-sponsored classic only 19 days away.

The Vasco Premier Trophy is on Saturday week but Dennis Drier is having doubts about asking Big Cat to run even though the six-year-old answered Sean Veale’s every call to shade Henry Of York.

Drier said: “This was a very courageous win in a tough field. The horse is as honest as the day is long and always gives of his best but, while I have nominated him, I don’t think the Premier is the right race. I will discuss it with the chaps but I think it’s too strong for him.”

The chaps include James Drew and Mike Fullard who also won the Haak Fourie & Snyman Handicap with another ex-Stan Elley horse, My World. Elley recalled the gelding’s R110 000 purchase as if it was yesterday.

He said: “I bought him at the Natal sale when nobody knew much about the sire Ideal World but I thought I had to have the yearling as he is out of Sadler’s Wells mare. When they brought him out of the box I was most disappointed because he was a real ugly duckling.

“The only reason I didn’t tell the groom to put him straight back was because I didn’t want to offend the breeder (Maine Chance). Then I saw him walk and I had to have him once more.”

This was the middle leg of a treble for Mike Bass and Grant van Niekerk but the latter made it clear that he will be glad to see the return of the summer course on Saturday. He said: “The winter track is very unfair at the moment. With the going on top the horses in front are not stopping and those behind are not making up the leeway.”

Punters were left flabbergasted when Gull Rock came home at 50-1 under Corne Orffer in the Iron Lady Maiden but Brett Crawford deflected any credit to Malan du Toit, saying: “He has put a lot of time and work into this horse. The last time Gull Rock came out of the pens he left the jockey (S’Manga Khumalo) behind.”

But some inspired punters more than made up for this when stable companion Speedy Chestnut was backed from 16-1 to 15-4 to land the Lady Natasia Handicap.

Not many horses win three times inside a month but Dixie Express completed this particular treble in the Rockets Classic Handicap to delight Brandon May and surprise the stable – “She has astounded us,” declared Chris Snaith.

By Michael Clower
Picture (Liesl King): My World (right) fends off A Time To Kill

Geoff Woodruff dominated the SANSUI Summer Cup for the third year in succession as he not only saddled the winner but repeated his one-two of last year after having sent out the first three the year before.

The six-year-old Jet Master gelding Master Sabina, second two years ago and having his second run after a year’s layoff, won the day after surviving an objection from stablemate Deo Juvente, beaten 0,2 lengths. The Sean Tarry-trained favourite French Navy ran a magnificent race, running on from near the back to finish a 0,6 length third, and was a touch unlucky as he had to be switched inward at a crucial stage. Deo Juvente could also be counted unlucky as he was caught wide throughout from a high draw.

Master Sabina was backed into 13-2 second favourite, while French Navy drifted out to 6-1. Deo Juvente, who won the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes to book his place in the race, also drifted and started 15-1. Judicial, third last year, was once again presented in fine condition by Tyrone Zackey and came from a long way back for fourth despite odds of 100-1. The Weiho Marwing-trained Mac De Lago was fifth ahead of the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Vodacom Durban July winner Power King.

Master Sabina is owned and was bred by Michael de Broglio and after a largely luckless career this was only his second stakes victory. He won the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 on July day last year.

Master Sabina came from about seven lengths off the pace which was expectedly set by Diesel Jet.

Earlier, there was bitter disappointment for swimming icon Chad le Clos when the horse he part-owns, Unbelievable Chad, was scratched from the Investec Dingaans after bolting to the start. Later the Mike de Kock-trained Tiger Ridge gelding Noah From Goa, who started favourite and was handy throughout under Anthony Delpech, just got up to deny the Johan Janse Van Vuuren-trained New Predator after a thrilling ding-dong tussle down the straight. The long-striding Mike Azzie-trained Abashiri showed smart turn of foot from last place and held on for third from Lineker. Abashiri looks to have a particularly bright future. Jubilee Line was 6,5 lengths behind the winner in fifth place.

Later, the Alec Laird-trained-trained Ideal World filly made light of a Gr 1 penalty to win the Gr 2 Bradlows/Morkels Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m, wearing down Bichette to win by 0,75 lengths under regular pilot Weichong Marwing. The Paul Peter-trained London finished third ahead of a disappointing Trophy Wife with Pennington Sands next best.

Earlier, the Gr 3 Joshua Doore/Russels Fillies Mile didn’t have a strong pace and Weichong Marwing dictated on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Fort Wood filly Negroamaro, who was backed into favourite. She stole a length or two early in the straight and never looked like being caught, winning by 4,25 lengths. Sean Tarry’s 16-1 shot Heaps Of Fun ran on for second, just pipping the Stanley Ferreira-trained Juxtapose. Persian Rug ran a better race to clinch fourth ahead of Ntoma.

Joey Ramsden won the Gr 2 Merchants, now sponsored by AmTote, for the third time, on this occasion with the huge four-year-old Western Winter gelding Brutal Force, who looked well weighted on his excellent previous run. He has come into his own since being gelded and Anton Marcus hit the front 200m out and kept early leader, the Alec Laird-trained Dollar Dazzler, at bay to win by 0,4 lengths. Yvette Bremner completed a fine raid from Port Elizabeth with just three runners when eight-year-old long shot Copper Parade flew up for third and Al Don Cumarco got a cheque for fifth.

The Gr 3 Magnolia Handicap was won by the classy four-year-old Stanley Ferreira-trained Kahal filly Kwinta under Marco van Rensburg. She  just touched off the luckless Janse van Vuuren-trained Silver Class, who has been knocking on the door since being dropped to sprints. The Bremner-trained Eros’s Girl was always rated by the Justin Snaith yard and she showed, despite having won up to 2000m, that she still has plenty of speed by just getting up for third at huge odds of 75-1. Lumya and Easy Street were next best.

The Gr 3 Gauteng Racing Association Handicap over 3200m was won by the Tarry-trained Australian-bred Supertube under S’Manga Khumalo. He caught the Weiho Marwing-trained Cool Chardonnay in the run in and drew away bravely in a hard fought finish. The Dominic Zaki-trained topweight Storm Warning stayed on for third.
– David Thiselton
– Picture (The Citizen): Master Sabina (centre) holds off stable companion Deo Juvente and French Navy (farside) to win the 2015 Sansui Summer Cup

Sean Tarry has given Saturday’s Sansui Summer Cup favourite French Navy a vote of confidence despite the horse’s 60kg burden.

The champion trainer said at the weekend: “French Navy is doing well. Yes, he’s got a lot of weight  but he has won two Grade 1s and I think he deserves it.”

The highest weight carried to victory in the great Turffontein race in the last ten years was Louis The King’s 59kg 12 months ago and he was the first favourite to score since Rudra in 2008. Tarry won with Aslan in 2009.

French Navy heads the market at 7-2 and Betting World go 11-2 Power King, 7-1 St Tropez, 9-1 Deo Juvente, 10-1 Master Sabina, Ultimate Dollar, 12-1 ML Jet, 14-1 Mac De Lago, Easy Lover, 16-1 Diesel Jet, 25-1 and upwards others.
– Michael Clower

Next year’s Lanzerac Green Point will be run on the new course if the trainers get their way. Justin Snaith has even volunteered to provide staff to help move the rails!

He said: “This is now a very big meeting and, as such, it should be run on our premier track.”

The longer straight is the most significant difference between the so-called new course and the winter one and over it Futura would almost certainly have collared Captain America instead of being beaten a rapidly-dwindling half length.

But Corne Orffer made it a never-to-be-forgotten 35^th birthday by stealing the race. He swept Captain America straight to the front and, as he turned into the straight, he kicked into what proved an unassailable lead.

Brett Crawford said: “This horse likes to use his action so we decided to go on if nobody else did. It’s the Queen’s Plate next.”

It will be for Futura too with Snaith saying: “There is nothing else for him in the meantime but I am over the moon at the way he ran here.”

Paterfamilas, at 50-1 the rank outsider of the field, was only another half length back third but there were some complaints from the riders in the stands that the leader was given too much rope. Joey Ramsden called for the stipes to adopt the Australian approach of questioning jockeys about their tactics.

His Act Of War was deliberately ridden with patience (Derek Brugman: “From that bad draw we didn’t want to let him go and teach him bad habits”). He made up six lengths in the straight and he remains very much in the spotlight for the L’Ormarins January 9 showpiece.

Vaughan Marshall will run both Kenilworth Cup winner Gothic and fourth-placed Desert Swirl in the J & B Jet Stayers but Greg Cheyne would fancy his chances of beating them on the front-running Parachute Man if that race was run on Kenilworth Cup terms.

He said: “Aldo Domeyer only got it because Gothic’s nose was down as we crossed the line. My horse would not lie down and even in another furlong and a half Gothic would never have passed me.”

Marshall’s Exelero was reported striding short when a heavily backed joint favourite for the Cape Merchants but the Milnerton trainer said: “He hit his head on the pens but I had him checked out by my own vet and he was OK. He did have a slight discharge afterwards and he is not yet back in full work.”

The Lanzerac City Of Oaks Handicap was a landmark for Money Surger. It was her 75^th race – more than twice as many as the rest of the field combined – and the eight-year-old got up on the line to thrill Piet Steyn.

– Michael Clower
– Picture (Liesl King): Gothic (farside) edges out Parachute Man in the Kenilworth Cup

The Cape Guineas looks the most open for years after the Selangor threw up more hard luck stories than a soup kitchen.

This mile test is traditionally the key to the Grand Parade-sponsored classic – it has produced five winners and four seconds in the last ten years – but last Saturday the first seven were covered by little more than a length.

Hard Day’s Night, a 6-1 chance here, would be entitled to start favourite. Markus Jooste’s Monarch-bred son of Warm White Night won on merit, doing it the hard way out in front after overcoming a bad draw, to give Joey Ramsden his third Selangor in four years.

Anton Marcus said: “He had every opportunity to spit the dummy – and the second horse went past him – but instead he dug down deep. He’s got heart and he is not short of ability either.”

Ramsden, who will also train Friday’s R1.5 million Ready To Run sale-topper for Jooste, was just as impressed and added: “I eased him up before his last run and he wasn’t ready for it but today I fancied him to kill.”

Victorious Jay went under by less than a neck to boost his classic credentials (Vaughan Marshall: “He ran very well. I think we’ll go for the Guineas”) while the less experienced Nassa and Illuminator both finished like trains.

Andrew Fortune, confirming that the latter would have been even closer had he had more experience, said: “I would love to ride him in the Guineas and I have already asked for the mount.”

Eighth Wonder faded to finish where his name suggested. However Greg Ennion said: “He got the trip but he was taken out by the winner and the jock said he was never travelling after that.”

Anthony Delpech’s initial reaction was to blame the winter course for the eclipse of Muwaary (tenth) but the 12-10 favourite was found to be coughing, in respiratory distress and suffering from a nasal discharge.

Budapest (Liesl King)

Budapest looks like joining the party on December 19 after making every metre under Delpech in the Lanzerac Ready To Run. The 33-1 shock really stretched in the final furlong to score by more than four lengths.

Gavin van Zyl insisted that no decision will be made until after discussions with son Gareth, who apparently does most of the work, and owner Brian Burnard.  But the Ballito businessman, who collected a whopping R1.25 million for his R160 000 outlay, is already booking his pre-Christmas flights.

Malan du Toit is also on standby. The famed horse whisperer went to Durban to try to get the gelding over his pens’ anxieties and was again on hand on Saturday when the horse was so troublesome that his stalls cert was cancelled.

Seventh Plain, who made light of his 16 draw, weakened into fourth in the closing stages in a manner that cast doubts about his stamina.

Marcus said: “He overcame the draw economically, he had every chance and I have no excuses. It was just a disappointing run.”

Anglet bounced back into the Fillies Guineas picture by running on into second after turning for home plum last. “They take her off the bridle in a fast run race. She wants at least a mile,” summed up Paddy Kruyer.
– Michael Clower
– Pictures (Liesl King): Hard Day’s Night (Anton Marcus up) and Budapest (Anthony Delpech)

The Brett Crawford-trained five-year-old Captain Al gelding Captain America took the bull by the horns in yesterday’s Gr 2 R400,000 Lanzerac Alta Mater Green Point Stakes, a weight for age event over 1600m, and managed to stay in front all the way under a superbly judged ride by Corne Orffer.
The Equus Horse Of The Year from the Justin Snaith yard, Futura jumped from a plum draw and was well poised on the rail when they turned for home, but the opposite was the case for the favourite Act Of War, who was left with too much to do after being dropped out from a wide draw.
Futura was a bit flat-footed at the top of the straight but the rank outsider Paterfamilias had quickened superbly and was chasing Captain America who stole a March at the top of the straight.
Futura then got going and closed rapidly but was 0,5 lengths shy at the line while Paterfamilias at odds of 50/1 was a further 0,5 lengths back in third. Act Of War ran on well but it was too little too late and he finished fourth ahead of Night Trip.

Captain America (Liesl King)

Captain America gave notice of his L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate credentials and will be hoping for the same conditions as there was a little bit of cut in the ground. However, Futura will be a hard horse to beat there as he will come on from this run and Act Of War will be a different proposition from a good draw on the more galloping New Course.
The big budget stables are largely located in the Cape and they had the bulk of the runners in the Non-Black Type R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m, but they were annihilated by the KZN raider Budapest from the yard of Gavin van Zyl. Budapest, whose thoroughly deserving owner is the enthusiastic Brian “Buffalo Bill” Burnard, was given a superbly professional ride by Anthony Delpech. The connections had decided to press the favourite, the champion colt Seventh Plain, and were determined to not allow him to get over easily into the lead from his wide draw. The plan worked as the latter had to be used up significantly to get his head in front. Delpech then “squeezed” the Lithuanian colt at the top of the straight and the response was instantaneous. He streaked clear, leaving Seventh Plain gasping for air, and in the end won by 4.25 lengths despite starting odds of 33/1. The Paddy Kruyer-trained Biarritz filly Anglet ran on strongly down the inside rail for second and the second favourite from the Ronnie Sheehan yard, Captain Chaos, was third ahead of the Dennis Drier-trained favourite Seventh Plain, who would have benefitted from the run and should be spot on for the CTS Million Dollar in January. The Justin Snaith-trained Nordic Wind finished fifth.The first three past the post all had nice draws of 5, 2 and 6. Budapest, winning for the second time in his fifth career start, became an instant millionaire, earning a cheque of R1,25 million. He was bred by Witzenberg Stud.
Anton Marcus had earlier ridden a superb race to win the Gr 2 R400,000 Selangor Cup over 1600m on the Joey Ramden-trained Warm White Night colt Hard Day’s Night. He plotted a clever course from a wide draw down the back straight which allowed him to take the lead at the turn without having exerted too much energy.
In the straight the bay bravely kept himself in front despite a blanket of closing horses on his outside. He got to the line 0,2 lengths clear of the flying Vaughan Marshall-trained Victorious Jay with the Crawford-trained Nassa a close up third and the next two Illuminator and Purple Mountain were 0,7 and 1,1 lengths behind the winner in the thrilling finish.
Hard Day’s Night, bred by Monarch Bloodstock, is likely to be a strong contender for the Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby.
The Listed R150,000 Lanzerac le General Kenilworth Cup over 3200m was marked by a slow pace and in the end those coming from behind were proved to have misjudged it as it was soon clear they were going to have no chance of catching the pair who had stolen a march, the six-year-old Silvano gelding Gothic and Parachute Man. In a thrilling finish Aldo Domeyer, who had earlier looped them when deciding the pace was too slow, managed to get Gothic’s nose down on the line. The 33/10 favorite Ovidio was running on but it was too late and had to settle for third. This was only the third career win for the perennial bridesmaid Gothic, who finished runner up to Wylie Hall in the Gr 1 SA Derby as a three-year-old, and his first for over two years.
– David Thiselton
– Picture (Liesl King): Captain America is driven out by Corne Offer to land the 2015 Green Point Stakes

In The Fast Lane, winner of the 2013 Cape Fillies Guineas and last year’s Woolavington for Justin Snaith, comes up for auction at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale at Newmarket.

The Jet Master five-year-old proved most disappointing in her three starts for William Haggas in England. After taking fifth in a minor conditions race on the all-weather at Chelmsford, she finished second-last in Listed races at Newmarket and Kempton.

By Michael Clower

Anthony Delpech, fresh from winning Victor Ludorum in this weekend’s Jockeys International, carried through to Greyville on Sunday as he wrapped up the first two races although  he did have to share honours in the first.

He was aboard favourite Black Agate in the opener for Dean Kannemeyer but after pinching an early lead in the straight he had to work hard to keep his mount going as Delirious Nomad and Sean Cormack cut into his lead with every stride.

The judges were unable to separate them at the wire, declaring a dead-heat. Delirious Nomad was a touch unlucky as he appeared to falter for a stride at the furlong marker but he regathered smartly and was a winner both sides of the line.

Delpech had no problems in the second as Arabian National bowled out of the gate and was never in danger of defeat. The son of National Emblem simply pounds the ground with his heavy action and he is likely to add to his tally of wins if Sean Tarry can keep him sound.

“I know that he is a horse with problems,” said Delpech. “But he felt really good gong to the start today. It was just a case of jump and run. Just the way he likes it.”

Punters have been having a tough time of things on the poly of late and they took another body blow in the third where outsider Ginger Biscuit got up late to catch Black Velvet on the line.

Muzi Yeni, who last week rode the 1000^th winner of his career, was a late replacement in the International Jockeys team after S’Manga Khumalo was injured before the first at Turffontein yesterday, was back in the winner’s box as he drove the Duncan Howells-trained The Gingerman to victory in the fourth.

He was at the son of Brave Tin Soldier from a long way out and the gelding kept finding to hold off the challenge from a slightly unlucky favourite Saarikh who battled to find a run early in the straight.

The absence of ante-post favourite Spanish Captain left the fifth wide open and the Frank Robinson-trained Second Lieutenant, a surprise winner of his maiden last time out, took advantage and kept running strongly to beat Aware and Strategic’s Pride.

Warren Kennedy scored a double on the day as he kept the Tarry-trained Strategic News going in a driving finish to deny Off Ramp and Deep Down Rebel in a driving finish to the sixth.

Chennai Babe has really taken to the poly and scored her fourth win from just five starts on the surface. Rain forced the switch from turf to poly yesterday and although there were a few trainers cursing their luck, Sean Tarry will have been more than happy with the switch.

Favourite Lobelia looked to have the final race sewn up with a furlong to go but Alzerra, giving Stuart Randolph is first win back from injury, finished too strongly and the daughter of Jay Peg rattled home to win going away.

By Andrew Harrison
Picture (Nkosi Hlophe): Arabian National and Anthony Delpech