The South Africans won the Racing. It’s A Rush! International Jockeys’ Challenge for the sixth time in eight years, scoring 453 points to the Internationals’ 368.

The locals have lost the Challenge only twice since the test was introduced by Phumelela and the Racing Association in 2008 – in 2011 and 2012.

South African jockey Anthony Delpech swooped in the last Challenge race, winning on 5-1 shot Paris Princess, to claim the Victor Ludorum for the most successful jockey across the eight races with 92 points to Aurelien Lemaitre’s 89. The Frenchman, the most successful jockey at Leg 1 of the Challenge at Fairview on Friday, had led until the final race, in which he finished fourth.

Delpech had Pine Princess just off the early lead until shortly after they straightened. She led 300m out and stayed on well to beat her stable companion Matsuri, ridden by Panamanian Eduardo Pedroza, by 1.50 lengths. Scot Robert Havlin was a head further back in third on Elusive Prophecy with Lematre’s mount Alessia fourth.

That was the South Africans’ third win of the afternoon. Although the teams won two races apiece at Fairview on Friday, the local riders earned the 30 points allotted for a win in three of the Challenge races at Turffontein on Saturday.

The sole International win came courtesy of Hayley Turner in the second-last ride of her career. She teamed up with Dream Galaxy (14-1) in Race 8 and rode a vigorous race to get her mount’s head down in a three-way tussle with Greg Cheyne aboard Cassie O’Malley. Delpech finished third, 0.50 lengths further back, on 6-1 chance Withbatedbreath with Anton Marcus and Zrinski another long head behind in fourth to give South Africa the bulk of the points.

The first Challenge race went the way of Piere Strydom aboard Geoff Woodruff’s charge Close Relative, who beat Tripadvisor (Irishman) Pat Cosgrave by 3.20 lengths with Scandal (Pedroza) and Ride Of Honour (Delpech) fourth.

SA captain Gavin Lerena booted Mootahadee to victory over Majestic Bay (Delpech) in the second Challenge race of the afternoon.

Jockey S’manga Khumalo was injured in the parade ring before Race 1 when his mount, Greatfiveeight, reared turning on to the track for the canter down. Khumalo went flying and, although reported as stable, was stood down for the meeting. Muzi Yeni took his place in the International Jockeys’ Challenge.

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Black Arthur, for some time considered an Investec Derby contender, could start his classic hunt next month after making it two out of three when ridden by Keagan de Melo in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Justin Snaith said: “He will now have a nomination for the Grand Parade Cape Guineas and with a good draw he could be a serious contender.”

So could runner-up Mambo Mime who was conceding 5kg and was only beaten half a length but Dean Kannemeyer, who has won five of the last 11 Cape Guineas, sounded a little hesitant.

He said: “I’m not sure about the classics although when Anthony Delpech won on Mambo Mime last time he said ‘This horse is better than you think.’ Personally I thought the handicapper was very hard on him with a rating of 95 but he was right.”

Jo’s Bond, who made all under Shadlee Fortune to spring an 18-1 surprise in the 1 000m conditions plate, will run in the Southern Cross Stakes on December 5 before having a crack at the CTS Million Dollar (Jan 23).

Snaith, who initiated a treble with the Fayd-Herbe ridden Dixie Express in the Plumblink Handicap, said: “Her work in the week was super impressive and I thought she was my best bet on the card.”

Mike Bass went racing for the first time since his near-fatal illness struck three months ago and, considering all he has been through, he seemed in remarkably good shape.

He said: “I go to the track in the mornings and, although it’s a bit of a mission to get here, I will keep coming racing.”

Bass had the satisfaction of seeing Cavallino scoring under Robert Khathi while Tevez, despite starting almost unbacked at 20-1 and returning with a bleeding mouth (presumably from hitting the pens), came within less than half a length of winning the Cape Merchants for the third successive year.

Exelero, backed from 7-1 to 4-1 joint favourite, could manage only 12^th. MJ Byleveld came in convinced something was wrong and the vet found the gelding to be striding short.

But for Dennis Drier the race proved a triumph of planning as well as a belated first Cape winner of the season. His previous 18 runners all lost with many seeming as if they needed the run.

Drier, who last won the Merchants with Consent To Conquer in 2002, said: “I was a little worried by that but I was a bit more confident after the horse’s last gallop at Kenilworth ten days ago. When he got beaten on July day I’d said to Braam van Huyssteen that he could be our Merchants winner so this race was the mission.”

Sean Veale, riding his first Kenilworth winner for seven seasons, added: “I thought I had the measure of Tevez in the last 200m but he stuck to me like glue.”

Brandon Morgenrood, having sprung a 66-1 shock on the Paul Reeves-trained Rising Sunset in the Comwezi Security Maiden, was unlucky on favourite Silicone Valley in the Chattels Handicap. He was repeatedly denied an opening and was beaten a length and a half by 25-1 shot Albarakah. Corne Orffer, who rode the Glen Kotzen winner, also struck in the last on Speedy Chestnut for boss Brett Crawford.

By Michael Clower

Picture (Liesl King): Triptique (Sean Veale) winning the Cape Merchants at Kenilworth on Saturday 

S’Manga Khumalo earlier today pronounced himself no worse than bruised after Saturday’s nasty fall at Turffontein.

The former champion was dislodged from the Sean Tarry-trained newcomer Greatfiveeight on the way to the start of the opening Racing.It’s A Rush Maiden. Concern was high as he lay motionless for a lengthy period before being stretchered off and taken to hospital.

He said on Sunday morning: “I don’t recall too much of what happened but it’s just bruising of the muscles and I should be OK by Thursday.”
By Michael Clower

Diminutive apprentice Callan Murray (pictured) has been making a name for himself since his move to the Highveld and he had a red letter day at Turffontein yesterday scoring on all three of his rides including the biggest win of his career, the Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes.

He sent 11-2 shot Deo Juvente for home shortly after hitting the home stretch and he piloted Geoff Woodruff’s runner to a comfortable victory to book the gelding’s place in the Sansui Summer Cup. Easy Lover made a belated effort to peg back the winner but was never going to get there. However, he finished ahead of emergency acceptor Platinum Jet and long-time leader Ahlaam who ran a cracking race from a deep draw.

Murray had earlier warmed-up winning the first two races on the card and he gave Deo Juvente the perfect ride. Mid-field from a wide draw he had the gelded son of Trippi poised to strike at the top of the straight.

With plenty of horse under him he went for home early and once in front was never in danger of defeat. The balance of the field were labouring a long way out and just how the form for the Summer Cup stacks up will be interesting.

Old salts will tell you that you judge a jockey’s talent by the races he shouldn’t have won but did. Apprentice Craig Zackey, along with Murray, comes out of his time at the end of January but he has already established himself as a rider with a cool head and heaps of talent. Yesterday he took a calculated gamble on the speedy Little Genie in the Gardenia Stakes (Listed) and won a race that had ‘cheek’ written all over it.

Although coming off a break, Carry On Alice looked to have more in her favour than against and in the final analysis it was Zackey’s enterprise that carried the day as only a head separated the two at the line.

Zackey took the field on from the break and was clear in a matter of strides. Over two furlongs out his mount was seemingly under pressure but the young apprentice kept her nose down and drove for the wire.

Anthony Delpech, replacement for S’Manga Khumalo who was injured in the preliminaries before the first race and replaced by Muzi Yeni in the International Challenge, looked to have timed his challenge on Carry On Alice to perfection as his filly pulled up along sides his rival but Little Genie fought resolutely and Carry On Alice never looked like getting past.

Since Dominic Zaki fitted the daughter of Judpot with blinkers and teamed her up with Zackey she is unbeaten in five starts although yesterday’s triumph could come at a price. She was rated 15 pounds inferior to Carry On Alice and is likely to be shunted up the handicap.

Dennis Drier broke his Cape drought when bottom weight Triptique defied the handicapper with a game win in the Cape Merchants to deny a game Tevez his third straight win in the Gr2 race.

Under sufferance in the handicap, first call lightweight rider for the Drier stable, Sean Veale, produced the gelding out of a packed field with a telling run to deny a charging Tevez the hat-trick.

Haley Turner, the UK’s most successful female jockey ever, rounded off her career with a final victory in the Racing. It’s A Rush Jockey’s International Challenge at Turffontein when getting up in the tightest of finishes to deny Grey Cheyne and Cassie O’Malley on the line in the second last race of the challenge. Turner announced her retirement from the saddle earlier this month and this was her last victory as a professional jockey.

Her win was in vain as the local riders had the luck of the draw as far as mounts went and ran out easy winners of the Challenge.
By Andrew Harrison

Silver Mountain looks like starting hot favourite for the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas after the way she made light of her supposedly impossible 16 draw to power home in the Choice Carriers Championship at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Aldo Domeyer, winning this Grade 2 for the first time, said: “She has improved with every run and in the straight it was unbelievable. I had some very good horses in front of me yet it seemed as if they were standing still.”

This was the first Choice Carriers win for the Mike Bass stable since Joshua’s Princess 11 years ago and for good measure they also had the third, Taffety Tart, who will also take her chance on the first Saturday in December.

Bass’s wife Carol said: “Mike thinks Silver Mountain is amazing. We have four really stunning fillies (Sublime Lady and Miss Marker are the other two) but this one is in a league of her own.”

Daughter Candice added: “Silver Mountain is a super filly. She has impressed from day one and she has always been that much better than anything else.”

Approaching the furlong marker it looked as if the only danger to Entisaar was the riderless Star Express who had unshipped Craig du Plooy in the pens and was afterwards declared a non-runner. But the 2-1 favourite was left standing by the winner and was beaten a length and a half. She was promptly ruled out of the Fillies Guineas.

Anthony Delpech said: “She didn’t quite get the trip – she’s got too much speed  – and I think she is a sprinter.”

Mike de Kock added: “Second was not bad after five months off but I am convinced we were beaten by a better filly. Ours would have no chance with the winner over a mile and she is probably better over six furlongs.  I will carry on sprinting with her.”

Flying Ice (33-1) was beaten less than three lengths into fourth but Neil Bruss was unhappy about the choice of course, saying: “This is the Cape season with Group races. Why are we still running on the winter course with its short run-in?”

Grant van Niekerk, who partnered the other two legs of a Bass treble, came in after the Harry The Horse Handicap convinced that Three Ballons is just the sort for the J & B Urban Honey Stayers on Met day.

Andre Nel puts Captain’s Flame, the Domeyer-ridden winning newcomer in the first, “in the top three of our fillies.”

Keagan de Melo rode his first Kenilworth winner when the Brett Crawford-trained 40-1 shot Accountability dead-heated with Greg Cheyne on Glen Kotzen’s Kiss Me Now (20-1) in a shock blanket finish to the Spring Valley Stud Maiden.

Sean Cormack picked up a week’s suspension for causing interference to fifth-placed Sava Sunset when scoring a most convincing win on 11-10 favourite Qing for Justin Snaith in the Drakenstein Veterinary Clinic Maiden.

– Michael Clower
– Picture (Liesl King): Silver Mountain wins the Choice Carriers Championship at Kenilworth 

Karl Neisius has decided to hang up his boots on medical advice after inflammation and osteoporosis in his back have kept him out of the saddle since his last winner on September 12.

Neisius, 58, said: “The doctors told me that if I carry on my back is going to deteriorate more and they have medically boarded me, saying I am unable to do my job.

“I am very disappointed because I thought I would be able to resume race-riding but it would be silly to ride when my insurance might not be valid.”

A few years ago the nine-time Cape champion was talking of training  – with a maximum of 40 horses – when the time came but, now that it has, he is not so sure.

He said: “Really, I’ve got no idea what I will do. I’ve got to get through the present stage first.”

Born in Wales, he moved to South Africa with his riding school-instructor mother and step-father when he was seven. He was apprenticed to Ralph Rixon and rode his first winner on his boss’s Glad Rag Doll at Kenilworth in March 1973. He rode his 3 000^th winner  on the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Cape Royal there in April 2012.

Some 55 of his 3 200-plus winners have been in Grade 1s, most notably the 1991 Durban July on Flaming Rock.

Looking back over his career he said: “All my Grade 1 wins were special and the Queen’s Plates were huge. Dynasty was probably the most amazing horse I rode and probably the one with the most potential.”
– Michael Clower

Legal Eagle, who was sent out favourite for this year’s Vodacom Durban July, has been nominated to make his comeback in the Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 14 November.

The Sean Tarry-trained four-year-old is one of 39 runners entered in the R400,000 race on a day that also sees the staging of the International Jockeys’ Challenge. The race is the main warm-up event for the Grade 1 SANSUI Summer Cup which will be run on Saturday 28 November.

Tarry has indicated Legal Eagle (pictured – JC Photos) would either be aimed at the Summer Cup or the J&B Met at Kenilworth early next year. This year’s SA Derby winner is well drawn at No 10 for the Victory Moon and will come in even further when the final field is announced.

Tarry has also entered Whiteline Fever, Halve The Deficit, The Hangman, Orchestrated and Stonehenge.

Muwaary, an impressive winner of Saturday’s Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m, is also among the nominations, however, Mike de Kock’s charge was landed No 36 draw so it will be interesting to see if De Kock takes a chance and runs the three-year-old.

Import Flying The Flag finished 12^th in the Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile on Saturday so with the jury still out, De Kock may decide to give him another run, something he was not keen to do.

The former champion trainer was hoping for a forward showing and could then go directly into the Summer Cup.

Alghadeer was an impressive winner of the Michaelmas Handicap at Greyville but might need to do more to book a Summer Cup berth so De Kock might decide to have a crack at this event, despite No 30 draw.

Last year’s winner, Judicial, is also among the entries. After leading the pack home last year in heavy going, the Tyrone Zackey-trained runner finished third behind Louis The King in the Summer Cup.

Declarations for the Victory Moon Stakes close on Thursday at 11am.

Also run on the day is the Listed Gardenia Stakes for fillies and mares over 1000m and that could see a clash between Carry On Alice and Winter Star if they both accept.

Entries, weights and draws for the R400,000 Victory Moon Stakes (Grade 2) over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday 14 November.

10 LEGAL EAGLE (S G Tarry) 62.0; 17 HOT TICKET (D Kannemeyer) 58.0; 27 JUDICIAL (T Zackey) 58.0; 16 FLYING THE FLAG (M F De Kock) 57.0; 3 HALVE THE DEFICIT (S G Tarry) 57.0; 37 KILLUA CASTLE (G V Woodruff) 57.0; 15 MASTER SABINA (G V Woodruff) 57.0; 4 RAMPANT ICE (W H Marwing) 57.0; 24 YER-MAAN (S J Gray) 57.0; 7 DISCO AL (J Ramsden) 55.0; 26 KINGSTON MINES (M F De Kock) 55.0; 18 DOUBLE CLUTCH (P V Lafferty) 54.0; 14 EASY LOVER (S T Pettigrew) 54.0; 1 HEAVY METAL (S G Tarry) 54.0; 12 JOSHUAS CROWN (A D Gordon) 54.0; 13 MAC DE LAGO (W H Marwing) 54.0; 19 THE HANGMAN (S G Tarry) 54.0; 22 WHITELINE FEVER (S G Tarry) 54.0; 35 AHLAAM (M F De Kock) 51.5; 30 ALGHADEER (M F De Kock) 51.0; 5 AS YOU LIKE (A G Laird) 51.0; 23 COOL CHARDONNAY (W H Marwing) 51.0; 38 CRIME VICTIM (D C Howells) 51.0; 25 DEO JUVENTE (G V Woodruff) 51.0; 20 EARL OF DERBY (A G Laird) 51.0; 9 FULCRUM (W H Marwing) 51.0; 39 GREEK LEGEND (M G Azzie) 51.0; 21 JOHNNY ROCKETS (S J Snaith) 51.0; 28 MASTER JAMES (D Kannemeyer) 51.0; 36 MUWAARY (M F De Kock) 51.0; 34 ORCHESTRATED (S G Tarry) 51.0; 2 PIVOTAL PURSUIT (G Alexander) 51.0; 29 PLATINUM JET (G H Van Zyl) 51.0; 6 PRINCE OF ORANGE (M G Azzie) 51.0; 31 RUSHMORE RIVER (J A Soma) 51.0; 11 SARATOGA DANCER (D C Howells) 51.0; 33 ST TROPEZ (J Ramsden) 51.0; 32 STAVINSKY (L J Erasmus) 51.0; 8 STONEHENGE (S G Tarry) 51.0

Entries for the R150,000 Listed Gardenia Stakes (F&M) over 1000m

9 CARRY ON ALICE (S G Tarry) 61.5; 6 SARVE (C Spies) 61.5; 10 WINTER STAR (J A Janse van Vuuren) 61.5; 2 CROWN OF ROSES (D Zaki) 60.0; 13 LITTLE GENIE (D Zaki) 60.0; 12 DRIFTING DUSK (M N Houdalakis) 58.5; 8 KWINTA (S M Ferreira) 58.5; 16 MISS DECEMBER (R R Magner) 58.5; 14 SEVENTH SYMPHONY (L W Goosen) 57.0; 23 TWILIGHT TIGER (R R Magner) 57.0; 20 WOLVERINA (C Spies) 57.0; 11 SEATTLE LADY (J A Janse van Vuuren) 55.5; 17 SPEEDY SUZY (C Spies) 55.5; 15 A MILLION DREAMS (L W Goosen) 54.0; 21 BOARDING CALL (C Spies) 54.0; 24 CLOSE RELATIVE (G V Woodruff) 54.0; 1 CUTE LADY (L W Goosen) 54.0; 22 EASY STREET (L W Goosen) 54.0; 7 PERFUMED LADY (M F De Kock) 54.0; 18 USISI (R R Magner) 54.0; 3 VA BENE (J A Janse van Vuuren) 54.0; 19 LADY AL (C Binda) 52.5; 4 BRIGTNUMBERFOUR (R R Magner) 50.0; 5 ROXY LADY (L W Goosen) 50.0; 5 HA LUCY (M N Houdalakis) 50.0

Mike de Kock will send his Allan Robertson winner Entisaar (Anthony Delpech) for the Choice Carriers Championship at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The filly is officially the best horse in the 16-strong field – a kilo better than the Glen Kotzen-trained Princess Royal (Andrew Fortune) who was a length second in the Allan Robertson – and a minimum 4kg better than any of the others. De Kock last won this Cape Fillies Guineas trial with Phillipa Johnson 12 years ago.

Justin Snaith, who has won half the last eight runnings, fields four but not R1.4 million purchase Bela-Bela who made such a big impression when scoring on debut in August.

Chris Snaith explained that the team were not willing to run her from a wide draw but she needs to run (and win) again to be sure of getting a run in the World Sports Betting-sponsored classic on December 5. Her engagements include two 1 400m handicaps at Kenilworth next Wednesday.

Neil Bruss is bringing down Keagan de Melo for his Thekwini Stakes fourth Flying Ice while former champion Delpech also has four rides for Dean Kannemeyer.
– Michael Clower

Arniston has over four lengths in hand in the All To Come Graduation Plate at Kenilworth today if he can be persuaded to produce his best form – and he has disappointed in his last two starts.

There were legitimate excuses when  he finished plum last on July day – he was found to be not striding out on his left fore – but the reasons for his dropping back in the closing stages of the Matchem were less obvious.

However stable confidence is higher now that he is back at Kenilworth. “He hated Durbanville,” says Chris Snaith, referring to the Matchem performance, “and he will run well here.”

The main threat, certainly on adjusted merit ratings and probably also on form, is the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Lord Marshal who was second to Ready To Attack in both the Langerman and at Durbanville last time. He opened favourite at 18-10 with Betting World yesterday and Arniston was a 2-1 chance.

Half the 16 in the opening maiden are newcomers and Twenty Four Carat, who opened 7-2 favourite,  looks the pick of those that have raced even though Auditorium didn’t do much for the selection’s last Kenilworth run when only fourth on Saturday.

Grant van Niekerk (pictured) has opted for 5-1 first timer Mr Piscato in preference to stable companion Barnstable (10-1) whose form is in the book. Significant? “Not really,” answers Candice Robinson. “Grant quite likes Mr Piscato but I think the horse is going to need it. Barnstable is not the easiest ride and Robert Khathi has ridden him twice before.”

The in-form Adam Marcus introduces Gyre (10-1) and Saint Roch (14-1) with Sean Cormack booked for the latter. “They are both nice sorts and I’ve put Sean on Saint Roch because this is a progressive sort and I’m hoping that Sean will be able to stick with him,” Marcus explains. “But I haven’t wound up either of them so I’m not expecting that much.”

One of the basic Kenilworth punting principles is not to back those drawn wide over 1 400m but Mulher De Branco (woman In white in Portuguese and big in monster movies) has shown so much promise in her two starts that she might well be able to cope with pen eight out of ten in the Place Your Bets Maiden. She is 12-10 favourite with Durbanville runner-up Kryptonite next best on 5-2.

Ma Choix was raised 2kg for her Durbanville win but, as that was her first outing for eight months, she should be able to confirm the placings with Elusive Wave despite being 1.5kg worse for just over a length.

“It’s her second run after a rest which is a concern,” cautions Andre Nel. “But she is doing well and the extra furlong this time is definitely in her favour. We are aiming her at the Victress Stakes in December.”

Aldo Domeyer’s mount is attractively priced at 9-2. The hat-trick seeking Sea Glass and Durbanville scorer Good Grace dispute favouritism on 4-1 but the latter has been raised 2.5kg for her win.

Roman Silvanus lost his Durbanville race in the boardroom but he could be hard-pushed to beat three-year-olds Nebula and Bora Bora in the concluding maiden. Preference is for the Snaith horse who ran on well from some way back over two furlongs less last time and is 5-2 second favourite.
– Michael Clower