Author Archives: Brendan Pather

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Generalissimo to take charge

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The Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting will be as exciting and intriguing as usual and picking winners in the Jackpot of Gr 1 races will have kept form studiers busy during the build up.

The R1 million Tsogo Sun Sprint is the headliner and as it is a handicap it is always the toughest of the four races to assess.

Generalissimo will attempt to make it three years in succession that a three-year-old son of Var has won this race. This Kenilworth 1200m course record holder looks to be more classy than the previous two winners Contador and Normanz and is only a couple of points higher in the merit ratings than they were. He has a fair draw of nine.

His stablemate Captain Of All possesses class in abundance and could join greats like J J The Jet Plane as a victor in this race with top weight. He loves this track and his draw of nine on a straight which usually favours low draws shouldn’t be a significant disadvantage considering he posseses both pace as well as the ability to kick late.

Willow Magic is a Gr 1 winner carrying only 54 kg and is drawn on the right side. He is 6kg better off with Captain Of All for a one length beating in the Gold Medallion two years ago and also 6kg better off with the same horse for a 2,65 length beating in last month’s Computaform Sprint. However, he didn’t get a good start in the latter race and will prefer the 1200m.

Sheik’s Brashee was unlucky last time out in the Listed In Full Flight Handicap over 1100m at Scottsville, but consequently avoided a merit rating raise and is drawn perfectly over a course and distance he loves.

Gulf Storm proved he enjoyed this tough course when impressing in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1100m, but he was given a harsh nine point raise.

Barbosa won well over course and distance after a long layoff and is a game sort running from a good draw with a good jockey aboard. Brutal Force has quite a tough draw of 12 but won well last time over 1000m in his second run after gelding and will prefer this 1200m trip.

Zambezi River is a good looking horse who is suited to this trip and although officially 1kg under sufferance the best has probably not been seen of him. Bichette won by an impressive six lengths in a Gr 2 last time, showing speed throughout, but has a tough task at the weights for a three-year-old filly.

Normanz has enjoyed a good preparation and his pace could help him overcome a wide draw. He is only three points higher in the merit ratings than last year. Kingvoldt is full of class and effective over this trip but has the toughest draw to overcome.

Ashton Park was very unlucky in the Diadem over this trip and will likely be running on strongly after possibly being dropped out from a high draw. The speedy Flyfirstclass has won three times over course and distance and jumps from the same draw that the last two winners of this race have come from.

Moofeed was given a harsh eight points or his head second in the In Full Flight Stakes, when proving he is capable of overcoming this same high draw. Chekilli has early pace but couldn’t have landed a worse draw for his style of running. Daring Dave did not enjoy his first visit to Scottsville and has it all to do.

The Gr 1 Allan Robertson Championship will be a cracker. Australian-breds have had a fine record in South Africa this season and although by jockey bookings Entisaar looks the second string from the De Kock yard, she impressed from an unfavourable draw when winning the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery and should enjoy the tough Scottsville track from a fair draw of eight.

Classy Princess Royal is a half-sister to a previous winner of this race Princess Victoria and was unlucky last time out. She has come on from that run and doesn’t have too bad a draw in nine.

Unbeaten Royal Pleasure has landed a perfect low draw for her style of racing in which she likes to dominate from the off and on pedigree she should run all the way to the line.

Shaama is another Australian-bred from the De Kock yard and finished a gallant second against the boys in the SA Nursery but faces a tougher draw here. Swift Sarah impressed on debut and could be anything but also has a tricky draw.

The Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion could be won for the fifth time in six years by Dennis Drier. He runs Seventh Rock colt Seventh Plain, who has both early pace and the class to stay all the way to the line. Muwaary won easily on debut in a good time and is a classy Australian-bred who will have a big say. Redcarpet Captain has enjoyed a much better preparation than for the SA Nursery and could bounce back. Mr Roy has also enjoyed a better preparation this time than last and could be the dark horse.

Beat The Retreat was only 1,5 lengths off Seventh Plain last time and comes from a yard that has a good record in KZN Gr 1 sprints.

Prospect Strike beat a weak field by over 12 lengths on debut and could be anything. Donny G should improve on his debut win and is well drawn. Jet Air has some pace and will stay all the way to the line from a good draw. Just Africa has fair Jo’burg form and can’t be ignored.

The Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint could see Carry On Alice getting the better of her nemesis Alboran Sea from a superior draw and over a trip she will prefer. The latter will use her early pace to overcome her tricky draw and it is likely going to be a thriller.

Jet Belle is full of class and proved last time that she relishes this tough course, so could feasibly upset the applecart. Garibondy could be next best ahead of last year’s respective second and third Fly By Night and Jet Aglow.

The horses are selected for every race in the order mentioned.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Generalissimo (Liesl King)

 

Generalissimo (Liesl King)

Drier happy with his troops

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Masterful Summerveld trainer Dennis Drier has a fine chance of adding to his phenomenal record at Scottsville’s Festival Of Speed meeting this Saturday as he sends out five contestants in Gr 1 1200m events and most of them will be in with definite chances.

Drier has won four of the last five runnings of the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, including the last three in succession, and he also won the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint, now known as the City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint, in 2011.

Drier has a fine chance of landing his fifth Medallion in six years with the ultra-classy Seventh Rock colt Seventh Plain and this rangy bay has landed a plum low draw.

Anton Marcus rode him in his final grass gallop last Tuesday and Drier was happy with what he saw. He added, “Anton didn’t say much so I hope he was happy, if he was happy I’m happy.”

Seventh Plain overcame a high draw of eight in the Gr 3 Godolphin Barb over 1100m at Scottsville on April 26 and won effortlessly. He will appreciate the extra 100m on Saturday and further. His only defeat in three starts was when giving the speedy sprinting type Buckinghampshire 3kg in the Listed 1000m race on J&B Met day and only losing by 1,25 lengths.

Drier’s former Medallion winner Captain Of All has the ability to join the like of J J The Jet Plane and Earl Of Surrey as horses that have carried topweight to victory in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m. He was very impressive indeed in his penultimate start over 1000m at Scottsville, so clearly enjoys this track, and in his last start in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein he was by no means disgraced when third, four lengths behind Alboran Sea and Carry On Alice. The latter pair of fillies put in fantastic performances that day and Captain Of All was well clear of four other Gr 1 winners in the field.

Captain Of All worked on his own in his final grass gallop under Sean Cormack at Summerveld on Friday and Drier was very happy. He said, “When they are fit they don’t need to work with other horses, the art is not to overcook them.”

Drier “couldn’t be happier” with Generalissimo, who had his final grass gallop at Summerveld last Tuesday under Keagan de Melo. De Melo was unable to commit to the ride and Warren Kennedy might be aboard. This classy sort will attempt to make it three years in succession that the Tsogo Sun Sprint has been won by three-year-old sons of the amazing stallion Var. Generalissimo broke the Kenilworth course record over 1200m last November before failing to stay the 1600m of the Selangor Cup. He then finished lame after taking a slight sideways knock over 1200m. Drier, with the support of owners Nick and Ben Jonsson, excercised caution by not running him again in Cape Town, and it paid dividends as he bounced back with an impressive win over 1200m on the Greyville poly last month.

Barbosa is another from the yard that could get into the final field after an excellent 2,25 length defeat of the useful Muscatt over the Tsogo Sun course and distance in April, despite giving the latter 5kg. He broke the class record that day despite carrying 60kg. The five-year-old Captain Al gelding was raised to a 104 merit rating and Drier said, “The way he won they can’t leave him out, especially as Muscatt won next time out in a canter. He has had a few niggles and problems but has been a real old soldier.”

Drier’s two-year-old Horse Chestnut filly Chestnuts N Pearls has landed an unfavourable draw of 17 in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over 1200m. She has just been kept ticking over since her maiden over the course and distance. The runner up in that race Durban Blues finished second on the poly on Friday night, so the form was not greatly franked, but Drier pointed out that Chestnut N Pearls “could not have won easier.”

Drier is also hoping that Jet Aglow ca repeat her third place finish of last year in the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Sprint over 1200m. She also worked on the grass last Tuesday and Cormack was very happy, although this is largely being seen as a preparation outing for races like the Tibouchina and Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes, which are over more suitable distances.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Generalissimo (Liesl King)

Kingvoldt-and-Fayd'Herbe (Liesl King)

Kingvoldt for the upset

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Justin Snaith believes that a newcomer to his yard, Kingvoldt, could cause a big surprise in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

He said that the Western Winter colt had arrived at his Summerveld barn in very good condition and that his previous trainer Joey Ramsden already had him aimed at the Tsogo Sun Sprint. He added that he had done very well in a workout on Friday morning at Summerveld under his regular pilot Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Kingvoldt’s three career wins have all been over 1200m. Another point that gives him a big form shout is that he finished a head behind Gulf Storm the last time he tried this distance, at Kenilworth in February, and is now 5kg better off.

A lot will now depend on how he draws tomorrow (Monday).

Snaith’s five-year-old Var mare Varikate has been kept ticking over since finishing a four length second to Jet Belle in the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes on April 26. The latter race is over the same 1200m course and distance as Saturday’s Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint and Snaith was hoping she could repeat her fourth place finish in the latter race, although she has unfortunately drawn high in 17 as opposed to her seven draw from last year.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Kingvoldt (Liesl King)

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Lafferty pleased with Garibondy

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The Paul Lafferty-trained Garibondy has landed a plum low draw for the Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint over 1200m on Saturday and is “very, very well” at present. And the yard are pleased to have landed Championship chasing Gavin Lerena for the ride.

The speedy four-year-old Var filly raced without cover for much of the way in her last start in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes over 1100m, so did well as the only female in the field to finish 4,1 lengths back in fourth. She much prefers to be tucked in before using the kick, that daughters of Var are known for, to its maximum effect in the latter stages.

She had her final grass gallop at Summerveld on Friday on her own and Lafferty said she had put up very good work. All six of her wins have been over 1000m, but five of them have been at Scottsville, and considering her turn of foot she should get Saturday’s 1200m trip.

Alboran Sea and Carry On Alice look to be the two best sprinters in the land and the rest of the field might be chasing their shadows. However, the former drew a high starting berth, as did another Gr 1 winner in the field Fly By Night, and it will be interesting to see whether they defect to the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint where they also hold entries.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Garibondy (Nkosi Hlophe)

 

Dynastic Power 1900

Elley rules in 1900

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Cape trainer Stan Elley arrived in KZN for the Champions Season with a string of just four horses and achieved the remarkable feat of running first and third in Friday night’s Gr 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville with the pair of 66-1 outsiders Dynastic Power and Punta Arenas, who were split by the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Power King.

This race is traditionally viewed as a Vodacom Durban July qualifier for borderline horses  and the result is unlikely to cause much of a shake up to the July betting.

Greg Cheyne was aboard Dynastic Power and felt he was fortunate to be caught wide early which meant his mount avoided the scrimmaging which happened on the first turn. Dynastic Power was able to stride freely throughout and, despite running three wide of the rail, had cover all the way until the 800m mark. Cheyne was travelling so well that he was not concerned when the cover disappeared and instead he stole a couple of lengths as they rounded the turn into the straight. The four-year-old Dynasty gelding took the lead at the 200m mark and stayed on strongly all the way to the line. Meanwhile his stablemate Punta Arenas had unwound a telling finishing effort on the outside from second last in the running and looked a possible winner. Power King was making up ground from last on the opposite side of the track and flew up late to finish within a neck of the winner. Punta Arena’s gallant effort took its toll and he tired late but still held on for third, 1,4 lengths behind the winner. Dynamic and Mountain Master stayed on well for fourth and fifth. All of the first five finishers came from double figure draws.

Local horse Bold Inspiration started favourite at 5/1, somewhat surprisingly, as the Cape horses have tended to dominate handicaps in the last couple of months in KZN.

Power King, De Kock and Jayyed started joint 6/1 second favourites. De Kock was keen on the way to the start and was handy early, but after finding little extra in the straight he was eased out of the race. Jayyed made little impression in the straight, finishing 3,9 lengths back in  ninth, and he was the latest to let down the current three-year-old males, who not being viewed as a vintage crop. Bold Inspiration was handy in the running but faded in the straight to finish 6,5 lengths back in 14th.

Solar Star and Double Clutch were prominent in the betting before drifting to 15/2 and 10/1 respectively. Solar Star was making some good late progress but now has a mountain to climb to book his place in the July as does Double Clutch, who was unable to get the easy lead he had enjoyed in his previous three starts, and finished 4,15 lengths back in 12th after turning for home in second place.

Elley said that the yard had never been able to get Dynastic Power “quite right” for the Cape Summer of Champions Season and they had been unable to put a finger on why. However, he had still managed to run some good races, so the connections were bullish of him having a good Champions Season. He has clearly thrived at Summerveld and at last followed up on the promise he had shown when winning the Gr 3 Winter Derby at the end of last June, a race in which he also got the better of Power King in a dual for the line.

Betting World 1900 winners are usually given a place in the July field, but Dynastic Power’s chances of Gr 1 glory might be greater in the eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at the end of the Champions Season. Power King and Punta Arenas both had to give the winner 4kg and enhanced their chances of being included in the July field.

Part-owner John Kinsley flew in from Cape Town and was thrilled to land his first ever Gr 2 win. Elley also owns a share and other part-owners are Braam van Huyssteen, Okkie Schoeman and Butch Watson-Smith. Dynastic Power was bred by Highlands Farms Stud.

Kannemeyer can do little wrong this season and besides finishing runner up in the night’s big race, he also landed a double on the turf with two promising three-year-olds, the Dynasty colt Dynastic and the Jet Master colt Master James, who were both ridden by Anthony Delpech.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Dynastic Power (right) wins the Gr2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville (Nkosi Hlophe)

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Strydom reaches 5000 in SA

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Piere Strydom rode his 5000th winner in South Africa aboard Allegorical at the Vaal on Thursday and the horse was fittingly from the yard of Lucky Houdalakis, who trained the horse Strydom regards as the best he has ever ridden, J J The Jet Plane.

Meanwhile, the race for the National Jockeys Championships is building into an exciting duel between incumbent champion S’Manga Khumalo and Gavin Lerena. Anthony Delpech, Greg Cheyne and Strydom are all within striking distance of the lead, but are not chasing the title all out.

At the close of play yesterday Lerena’s single winner at Turffontein had put him on 143 winners for the season and Khumalo’s treble saw him close the gap to just one.

Khumalo, at only 30 years of age, has already achieved two of his career goals, winning the Vodacom Durban July and winning the Championship.

He said, “I feel that naturally any sportsman wants to be recognised as the best in his or her chosen profession and I am no different. My goals for the last couple of months of the season will be to ride as many winners as possible and to stay away from any and all injuries”.

In 2007 Lerena broke the record for the most number of winners ridden by an apprentice while serving his indentures, 283. He entered the last day of the 2011/2012 season on top of the log, but Anton Marcus pipped him on the post with two winners at the final meeting to his blank. That was a bitter blow but Lerena said, “I intend enjoying it this time without putting any unnecessary pressure on myself.”

Lerena’s official riding weight is 57kg to Khumalo’s 52,5kg which puts the latter at an advantage.

Strydom, whose treble at the Vaal on Thursday took him to 130 winners for the season and his career tally to 5074 said, “It’s always a tremendous feeling to be in contention for the title. It’s never my intention to chase championships as such, although if I end up close enough towards the end, I will definitely put in a good effort.”

By David Thiselton 

 

Charlie could prove too strong

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Believers in the second and third-run-after-a-rest theory will be wading in on Charlie Strong in the Rugby 5 Maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow – and with good reason.

This gelding ran a cracker when he reappeared 19 months after his debut to beat all except the useful Saint Donan in a 1 200m maiden here in March. Five weeks later, though, when he was backed down to 22-10 second favourite, he proved a bitterly expensive disappointment.

“I thought it was just a question of how far,” recalls Adam Marcus (pictured) ruefully. “But what I think happened was that other horses came across towards him and he became a bit intimidated. But he is fit and well and this race looks quite winnable.”

Indeed it does and Gavin Lerena, travelling far and wide in his search for title-bringing winners, has reason to fancy his chances. He is on the 14-10 favourite and, although Betting World makes the five month-absent Baksteen second favourite at 22-10, the selection probably has most to fear from the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Last Tiger (7-2) who ran as if he found  1 200m too short last time.

S’Manga Khumalo is also hungry for winners and Greg Ennion is pleased to have the champion aboard Northern Corner in the opening maiden juvenile. This colt has arguably better form than Ready To Attack and Victorius Jay and last time’s fourth to Macduff (with subsequent winner Black Tractor third) reads well.

“He was a bit unlucky that day because he raced on his own for a while but he really ran on when he joined the others. He has done very well since,” says Ennion.

Eleven of the 17 runners are newcomers with Angkor Wat catching the eye as Joey Ramsden’s two-year-old crop is particularly strong. The morning performances of Purple Mountains (by Var) have attracted the attention of a number of rival trainers but Glen Puller says: “He and Larimar are nice types but I think they will both need the experience.  I haven’t pushed them at all.”

So maybe Northern Corner will be good enough but Ramsden’s Sugar Frosted should be able to reverse her debut running with Nordic Wind, and confirm with Khumalo’s mount Frenni, in the Soccer 13 Maiden Juvenile. Septima also has the form to win but she has been off for four months.

Roman Silvanus ran well in a sprint last time but the 18-10 favourite appeals in the 1 800m Soccer 6 Maiden. “That last race was his first run back (since December),” says Candice Robinson. “This is his type of distance and he will have a good chance.”

Bono Vox (9-2) is drawn wide but 5-1 chance Hurricane Attack is, intriguingly, fitted with blinkers for the first time after showing signs of improvement on his most recent run. “I am putting them on because he ran in snatches last time,” explains Paddy Kruyer. “But I can’t be confident.”

Perini (33-10) and Alascan Maiden (7-2) head the market for the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap but at 7-1 Khumalo’s mount Thaler Point makes considerable each way appeal.

By Michael Clower

 

Captain Of All - Nkosi Hlophe

Captain confirmed for Tsogo Sun Sprint

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The Dennis Drier yard have said that Captain Of All is on track for the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint to be run over 1200m at Scottsville on May 23. His participation will have an important effect on the weights as he is merit rated 116 and is set to carry 60kg, so without him the weights will all have to be dragged upward.

The two Gr 1-winning fillies Alboran Sea and Fly By Night are second highest in the weights, but are more likely to run in the weight for age Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint. The next horse in the weights is Gulf Storm, who was punished nine points by the handicapper for winning the Listed In Full Flight Handicap over 1100m. Gulf Storm, who appeared to relish the tough Scottsville track, is set to carry 56,5kg.

The two stand outs at the weights are the former Gr 1 SA Nursery winner Willow Magic from the yard of champion elect trainer Sean Tarry and last year’s Tsogo Sun Sprint winner Normanz from the yard of Charles Laird. Both horses are set to carry a mere 54kg, amazingly light for respective Gr 1 winners. However, Tarry said recently that Willow Magic’s participation might depend on the draw he lands and he could otherwise be rerouted to the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m on June 6.

Normanz missed what would have been a useful preparation in the recent 600m dash race at Scottsville, which had to be cancelled due to a rain affected track. However, he only has to carry 1kg more than last year, when leading throughout and producing a good kick under Athandiwe Mgudlwa. Laird is going for his fourth successive victory in this race and has won an incredible ten Gr 1 races at this festival with nine different horses. Laird’s other two recent Tsogo Sun Sprint winners, Delago Deluxe in 2012 and Contador in 2013, carried 54kg and 53,5kg respectively, so Normanz has the right looking weight again this year.

However, before Laird’s three victories the race was dominated by top class sorts who had to lug big weights. In 2007 Kildonan carrying 57,5kg touched off his three-year-old contemporary Mythical Flight, who carried topweight of 60kg. J J The Jet Plane carried topweight to victory as a three-year-old in 2008 and again carried topweight when winning in 2010. In 2009 Earl Of Surrey won with topweight and Shea Shea carried 58kg to victory in 2011. Captain Of All is already a Gr 1 winner at this track having won the Tsogo Sun Medallion as a two-year-old and the manner of his win at Scottsville in his penultimate start suggests he could well join some of those aforementioned stalwarts by triumphing with topweight on May 23.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Nkosi Hlophe

 

solid speed site

Solid Speed continues Kannemeyer onslaught

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Dean Kannemeyer’s tremendous run since arriving in KZN for the Champions Season in March continued yesterday when his four-year-old Dynasty gelding Solid Speed won the Non-black Type Highland Night Cup over 2400m at Greyville under Donovan Dillon.

However, the winner of earlier Greyville races, Mambo Mime and Maybe Yes, as well as St Tropez, who won yesterday’s Gr 3 SW Security SA East Cape Derby in Port Elizabeth, look set to have just as big an impact on the Champions Season.

Solid Speed, starting joint 4/1 favourite, sat in fifth place off a fair pace set by Jay Power and produced a sweeping run on the outside to win by a comfortable two lengths from the always handy Akii Bua and Crime Victim, who ran on well. Coltrane and Kolkata ran disappointing races beaten 3,65 and 14,65 lengths respectively considering the suppressed handicap conditions favoured them at the top of the weights.

Solid Speed has now won half of his mere eighth career starts and is unbeaten in two starts over this trip so could possibly give Kannemeyer a third career Gr 1 Gold Cup (sponsored now by eLan Property Group).

At Fairview the Joey Ramsden-trained Silvano gelding St. Tropez  also announced himself as a Gold Cup contender.

Despite a slow early pace and being near the back of the field and wide, he travelled into the straight under a double handful before finding a strong finish under Anton Marcus to win comfortably. He started at odds of 15/20 and could possibly get into the Gold Cup with a light weight. The Justin Snaith-trained Master’s Eye and the Stan Elley-trained My World were the second and third highest merit rated horses behind St Tropez and respectively helped make it a one-two-three for Cape Town based trainers.

There was plenty for Port Elizabeth trainers to cheer about at the very well attended meeting, especially when the talented Alan Greef-trained Var colt Juan Two Three won the Listed Dahlia Plate over 1200m for two-year-olds in impressive style under Greg Cheyne.

Earlier in the Greyville meeting the Brett Crawford-trained Tiger Ridge filly Maybe Yes, who won last year’s KRA Fillies Guineas, was surprisingly sent to the front in a competitive Conditions Plate over 1400m. However, this didn’t bother her as she quickened just as well as usual under S’Manga Khumalo and won easily by four lengths. She was second best in at the weights, but it was still a fine performance and a point to note is that she sweated in the preliminaries so this shouldn’t be seen as a negative for her in the future.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Mambo In Seattle colt Mambo Mime was an impressive winner of the first race, a competitive Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1600m. This good looking sort was quite headstrong in the running and came from some way back under Stuart Randolph, so looks to have plenty of improvement in him.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Solid Speed winning the Highland Night Cup (Nkosi Hlophe)

jay power site

Kochka on hydra alert for July                

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A Hydro Spa as well as an Infrared Solarium Lamps facility have been installed at Summerveld for the preventative and recuperative treatment of horses and one of the first to make use of it has been the former Equus Champion two-year-old male and Vodacom Durban July entry Kochka.

The Hydro Spa is an excellent training aid and this is the first one in KZN. Trainers have had one available to them in both Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. Showjumpers and sports horses will also be able to make use of the one at Summerveld.

Mike de Kock’s chief owner Sheikh Mohammed bin  Khalifa Al Maktoum installed a Hydro Spa at De Kock’s Dubai stables in 2011. De Kock said  about it at the time, “Trainers in the UK are raving about it and we’ve put it to the test with good results.”

After the horse has been walked into the contraption and the watertight doors on either side closed, the spa, which has a capacity of 3000 litres, is filled with water infused with Epsom Salts. The water level covers the legs of the horse. A tiny amount of bleach is also put in the water to kill bacteria. The water is aerated and has a washing machine effect.

The hydrotherapy stimulates blood circulation for the prevention of injuries and also aids in increasing mobility and reducing swelling in the limbs before and after competitive racing and training. It treats such leg parts as ligaments, tendons, joints and stifles and typical conditions which respond well to equine hydrotherapy include tendonitis, suspensory ligament desmitis, soreness, stiffness, arthritis, hoof and foot problems including laminitis, joint conditions, soft tissue damage, sore shins, cuts and bruises.

The horses appear to thoroughly enjoy the hydrotherapy, especially once they are used to it.

Kochka is quite a highly strung sort and was introduced to the Hydro Spa early last week with a ten minute session. On Thursday he had a fifteen minute session and was clearly loving it. He munched on carrots and apples and blew contentedly. In future he will be booked for normal twenty minute sessions, which is the most effective usage time period.

Kochka was off the race track for about a year-and-a-half due to a tendon injury, which was fortunately caught at just the right time, meaning he was able to recuperate through rest. He returned in February with a decent second over 1 200m at Scottsville before winning his last start in March over 1 200m at Greyville. Those were fine performances considering he is looking for a lot further.

An injured tendon will never strengthen to the exact level it once was, as there will be a small percentage of scar tissue, and trainers tend to underwork horses with such weaknesses. Kochka’s trainer Alyson Wright was therefore thrilled with the arrival of the Hydro Spa, which she said was “perfect” therapy in his case.

As well as being used as an injury preventative measure before and after exercise, equine hydrotherapy has rapidly established a reputation for resolving lameness much faster than normal. It works effectively in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, conventional treatments. The Solarium Lamps treat the neck, withers, spine, hindquarters, coxix and glutes before and after excercise. It is a system

of large red lamps that give off infrared heat and provides deep muscle therapy. The lamp positioning is designed to treat specific muscle groups and helps the horse by improving performance, increasing circulation, and reducing the chance of injury. The heat, set at a pleasant temperature, penetrates the skin, and aids in warming up prior to exercise and loosening muscles after exercise. It can draw out lactic acid and is especially useful in the case where a horse has tied up. This form of infrared therapy is a safe method of natural health care and physiotherapy for the horse.

The Summerveld Hydro Spa and Solarium Lamps are owned by a company called Equine Spa and Wellness Centre run by Juanita Baxter and Leigh-Anne Dunkley and a grand opening demonstration will be given at 17h30 on Thursday May 14. The pair said that trainers can pay a monthly fee and tailor it according to what they need, but they emphasised that booking a time was important to prevent queuing.

By David Thiselton