Olma finished 25 lengths back in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile last November and was then over ten lengths back in her last start in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas on February 28.

However, between those runs she carved out a five length win over 2000m on the Greyville polytrack to prove that she had not lost any of her ability, and Robinson said, “She just doesn’t travel well and her only two bad runs have been when she’s travelled. She coliced the first time she travelled up and fretted and sweated last time. So we left her up there at Turffontein after that last race to give her her best chance in the Oaks and this is especially the case in that Mr. Ferraris is helping with her preparation. She has done her gallops and Mr Ferraris is very happy with her. I am very lucky to have him help me as he knows what to do for these races and he is also in fine form having had four winners on Saturday.

“I think she will easily stay the trip as she is by Dynasty and won going away over 2000m on the Greyville poly. If you look at her she looks like a staying filly too and furthermore if the trainer I have her with can’t get her to stay, nobody else would be able to! I couldn’t have the horse with anyone better. She is bred in the purple as there are not many horses in South Africa that are out of Danzing mares. I hold her in high regard and I think the tougher the race, the better she is.”

Olma is merit rated 98 and has become well known for her superb polytrack performances. However, she won her maiden impressively on the turf at Clairwood over 1800m and has never really had the opportunity to prove herself on the surface since.

She could offer fine eachway value on Saturday from draw two with Ian Sturgeon, who partnered her to that last impressive victory on the poly, aboard.

Assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said at Summerveld yesterday morning that the four-year-old Captain Al colt had “definitely improved” since returning from Cape Town, where he had three runs and only just failed to add a second career Gr 1 to his record when a photo finish went against him in the Betting World Cape Flying Championships over 1000m.

Ferrie said, “He needed those first two runs in Cape Town after a year long break and was then a bit unlucky in the Gr 1. He is sound and doing very well.”

Captain Of All beat the top class Gr 1 SA Nursery victor Willow Magic when winning the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville as two-year-old. He was then caught late in the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville in soft going, losing by just 0,3 lengths, which proved that he had plenty of class to go with his speed.

After an easy win over 1200m at Kenilworth in his first run as a three-year-old, he had to be laid off for a year and Drier explained earlier this season, “He never had any major issues but had a little stifle injury and then a small joint problem. What he needed was rest and time.”

He proved in need of his comeback run in December last year over 1100m at Kenilworth when showing tremendous pace before fading late. However, in his next start he beat a top class field in the Gr 2 WFA Diadem Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth.

Alboran Sea (right) holds on from Captain Of All – Cape Flying Championship (Liesl King)

The WFA Cape Flying over 1000m was next and all and sundry believed he had caught the speedy Gr 1-winning filly Alboran Sea on the line to get up after producing a magnificent late burst of speed. However, the photo showed that the filly had got her head down at the right time.

Captain Of All was highly impressive in his recent return to the racecourse over 1000m at Scottsville, run in yielding going. A horse can often be seen to be “keen” early in a race, but Captain Of All showed blistering natural speed in the first half of the race and after building up a three length lead against some useful types was then seen to be asking for his head at about the 400m mark. He was telling his rider that he would now like to be let go! He won hands and heels by 7,5 lengths despite conceding 5,5kg to runner up Rich Girl, who was a 2,25 length runner up to Alboran Sea in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson for two-year-fillies over 1200m at Scottsville last season.

Captain Of All will exact revenge on Alboran Sea on Saturday if bookmaker predictions are correct as they have him at 3/1 favourite and the filly at 7/2.

Drier won the Computaform in 2011 with his brilliant sprinting filly Val De Ra who beat the world class What A Winter. He will use the same travel plan for Captain Of All, who will leave on Thursday after having an early morning workout at Summerveld. The colt was due to have his last bit of fast work this morning (Tuesday).

The going for the straight races at Turffontein appears to have favoured the high drawn horses lately, but tends to be variable over a period of time and Captain Of All’s draw of nine in a 14 horse field should allow him to go either way considering his blistering early pace.

The innovative idea was the brainchild of Gold Circle’s Racing and Marketing Executive Graeme Hawkins and has generally been well received by officials, riders, trainers, owners and punters.

However, there were one or two concerns from certain quarters, while others felt a slight change to the format would be of benefit.

The racemeeting on Friday will start at 17h55. In order to accommodate the short space of time between events the odd numbered races will only have jockeys riding in them and the even numbered races will only have apprentices riding.

KZN’s chief Stipendiary Steward Sean Parker welcomed the idea and said, “It is innovative, which is good for racing, and I hope it turns out to be an exciting an enjoyable meeting.” Parker was confident that unexpected events, such as objections, could be handled in the time allowed as the jockeys involved would not have to be riding in the next race, which is usually often the case.

Paddy Wynne, a top jockey is his day who won the Durban July aboard Jamaican Rumba in 1982 and is now a riding master at the South African Jockeys Academy, said, “It is a good idea when you think what 20/20 did for cricket. It is something different and will keep the apprentices on their toes and give them more opportunities.”

Apprentice Tristan Godden will be riding in the meeting and said, “It is something different and us apprentices will obviously enjoy it as we can get more chances, which we need. It will be hectic at first but I think everybody will get used to the timings.”

One of KZN’s leading jockeys Athandiwe Mgudlwa said, “It will be a challenge as there will be quite a rush between races. It will be good for the apprentices who need experience and who can get more than one ride a meeting, but I have to say that for us jockeys it will be a loss, so we hope there are not too many of these meetings.”

Legendary jockey and now Summerveld trainer Michael Roberts was in favour of the meeting and said, “I hope it is a success. It is something new and racing needs something new. Unfortunately most of the trainers will be away at the Sales.”

Cape-based trainer Dean Kannemeyer, who now has a satellite yard at Summerveld, was also positive and said, “I am looking forward to it. I have a few runners and will be there as I am only leaving for the Sales on Saturday morning. It is something new and exciting. It will be nice to not have to sit around waiting for half-an-hour. Saddle Up and let’s go. The time often drags out at normal meetings. I think the punters would have studied their form, so canter down and let’s go. 35 minutes is too long although it is obviously necessary for the big racemeetings where there are long queues.”

Trainer Mark Dixon admitted that the meeting didn’t appeal to him and said, “I am a traditionalist, I love test cricket. But I think normal meetings should have 30 minute gaps, 35 minutes is too long.”

Trainer Karen Anthony said, “There are always positives to new ideas but also aspects that don’t suit. We had to wait a long time for our horse Big King to get a good draw and when  he finally landed one he ended up in one of the apprentice races in the 20/20 meeting. He needs a strong, experienced rider and we had to scratch him again. So, I think if they mixed the apprentices with the jockeys for every race it would be better and that should still give the apprentices a lot of chances.”

Trainer Robbie Hill said, “I think it’s a good idea, although I don’t know if it will give the punters a chance to bet in time. I think the races should also be open to all riders with the condition that they can only ride every second race. The current format does give the apprentices more chances but the bottom jockeys won’t get the chances they could have had and also I had to scratch a few of my horses because I couldn’t afford to take a chance by running them from wide draws with apprentices aboard.”

Phil Georgiou, owner of the top class Harry’s Son and an enthusiastic punter, spoke on behalf of owners and the betting fraternity. His biggest concern was the length of time it is taking these days for a result to be declared all clear to pay. He said, “Punters who are collecting will be still standing in the queue waiting for the all clear and won’t have time to go down to the parade ring and then structure their bets. I know it could be said that you can collect later, but it doesn’t work like that, punters like to see what they have in hand before betting again. So hopefully the all clears will be a lot quicker. I think it will also be important for the presenters to be better prepared and be vigilant in their analysis and tipping. They will have to shorten it and not waffle on for ten minutes about every horse.”

Georgiou also felt that the information on first-time runners should be made available before the first race of the meeting and that it should be readily available, possibly via means of a screen scroll, throughout the meeting. He added that this should be the case for all meetings, because it is only in the Pick 6 where the first-timer rule applies. From an owner’s perspective Georgiou agreed with Hill that each race should be open to all riders, with the provision that no rider can take part in successive races.

The Tarry-trained Greys Inn gelding Legal Eagle was only carrying 52kg in the Listed Derby Trial over 2000m, but the manner of his comfortable 2,25 length victory under S’Manga Khumalo and the overall suspect form of the male three-year-old crop this season suggests that this relatively unexposed sort could be big runner in the Gr 1 SA Derby. Khumalo had him in midfield and the horse made up the ground quickly on the inside of runners in the straight. Khumalo was looking behind for dangers from 150m out and was easing his mount at the line.

It was Legal Eagle’s fifth career outing and it was the style of the victory that spoke loudest and the form was nothing to write home about. His stablemate Stonehenge finished runner up and this fairly exposed sort was running off a mere 74 merit rating. On the other hand Stonehenge was trying the 2000m for the first time and enjoyed it despite being by the speedy sire Seventh Rock. The race strengthened the argument that this year’s three-year-old male crop is a relatively weak one and Legal Eagle is the only one who can be taken out of it as a potential feature event contender.

Legal Eagle is out of the six-time-winning National Emblem mare Young Sensation, who was also trained by Tarry, and he was bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm. He was purchased for R425,000 at the National yearling Sale and is owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste.

The Listed Oaks Trial was run in a time 0,28 seconds quicker than the Derby Trial and the Tarry-trained 20-1 shot Epsom Downs produced a strong finish from last place under MJ Byleveld to catch the Gavin van Zyl-trained Withbatedbreath on the line. Epsom Downs was carrying only 52kg and was receiving 4kg from the runner up. However, this was only her fourth career start and she could continue to improve, so will be a runner in the Gr 1 SA Oaks over a 2450m trip that she should enjoy. She is the latest horse to prove that her ill-fated Wilgerbosdrift-based sire Tiger Ridge was not only about speed.

Van Zyl-trained charges, Rosalie and Kileigh, also filled the third and fourth places and the Tarry-trained 12-10 favourite Love Token could only manage fifth. Kileigh was carrying 7,5kg more than the winner and lost by four lengths. Being by Go Deputy she should be improving all the time and on pedigree should enjoy the Oaks trip, so she could be one of the horse to take out of Saturday’s race. Epsom Downs was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and  is a daughter the twice winning Shaamit mare Derby Strike. She was purchased for R325 000 off the National Yearling Sale and is owned by Chris van Niekerk.

Later, the Barend Botes-trained five-year-old Doowaley mare Tzigane gained black type for the first time when producing a strong finish under Piere Strydom to win the Gr 3 Sycamore Sprint over 1160m and she could be a contender for the Gr 2 Camellia Stakes on April 25 if similar tactics are employed. The Maine Chance Farms-bred horse was a mere R10,000 purchase at the Cape Vintage yearling Sale and has now won six races and earned R695,525. She is owned by SJD Mynhardt.

Picture: Legal Eagle running out an easy winner of the Derby Trial at Turffontein (JC Photos)

Dollar Dazzler went off at generous odds of 12-1, considering his wins in his previous two starts had appeared to prove that he was coming into his own. Punters must have ignored his outstanding record down the Turffontein straight. He won his maiden over Saturday’s course and distance by 10,5 lengths in March last year in just his second career outing. His next start down the Turffontein straight saw him defeated over 1100m, but that was in a Gr 3 and the horse that beat him by a mere 0,25 lengths at level weights was none other than Trip Tease, who is today one of the highest rated sprinters in the country. Dollar Dazzler’s only subsequent start at Turffontein before Saturday saw him powering home by four lengths in a MR 88 Handicap over 1000m despite carrying topweight.

He was therefore worth every inch of his 96 merit rating on Saturday and under the handicap conditions had as good a chance as any.

The Sean Tarry-trained Willow Magic was backed into even money, not surprisingly, as this horse had beaten the top class Red Ray when winning the Gr 1 SA Nursery over Saturday’s course and distance and his two recent runs suggested he was over the injury that had put him out for over a year after his Investec  Dingaans win. However, he was fractious at the start and was never travelling well before fading out to finish 11,5 lengths back. This run will put a dampener on his Gr 1 Computaform Sprint engagement, which was to be his Autumn target. However, the highly professional Tarry yard will soon identify what, if anything, went wrong on Saturday and address it, so he can’t be discounted for the Computaform just yet.

Dollar Dazzler would likely be outgunned by the like of Captain Of All in a weight for age Gr 1 like the Computaform, but he has the profile of a Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino winner, which is a handicap event. In fact he could make it three years in succession that a gelding by Var has won the Golden Horse. Last year’s Golden Horse winner was the three-year-old gelding Normanz, who carried 53kg off a merit rating of 101. The race was won in the previous year by the three-year-old gelding Contador, who carried 53,5kg off a merit rating of 100.  Dollar Dazzler is likely to be given a merit rating of around 101 after Saturday’s win.

Normanz and Contador are two of five  Vars that have won a Gr 1 at Scottsville. The strength of the Vars at this course is their ability to kick off a strong pace. They have continually been seen to have the ability to free wheel at  high speed down the hill and then nullify the effect of the uphill in the last 500m with their powerful finishes. Normanz led before kicking away from them last year. However, Dollar Dazzler is probably closer in racing style and conformation to Contador. On Saturday he was up with the pace throughout and kicked nicely. He got stronger and stronger the longer the race went and won easing up by 1,75 lengths.

The runner up Moofeed was 0,5kg under sufferance and third-placed Greasepaint is merit rated only 93, so they will battle to get into the Golden Horse field.

Dollar Dazzler is the third foal of the stakes placed four-time winning Joshua Dancer mare, Isla Bonita, who won up to 1400m. He was a R525 000 National Yearling Sale purchase and is owned by MC Gerber and JF and LMF Wernars.

Wylie Hall, an Australian-bred five-year-old Redoute’s Choice entire, had been diagnosed with a bone spur growing out of the back of a front knee joint after his last run in the Gr 1 Beach Beauty Champions Cup in July last year. It had been causing wear and tear on the tendons, but after the spur had been rounded off, the tendons have recovered.

It showed on Saturday as the former Gr 1 SA Derby winner travelled well throughout under Bernard Fayd’Herbe. Fayd’Herbe had him one wide in midfield of the nine horse field and brought him to the outside in the straight off a wide false rail. The 112 merit-rated horse quickened superbly to catch the leaders and then found another gear when it counted.

The proximity of the Paul Peter-trained 95 merit rated runner up Henry Higgins at level weights to Wylie Hall might take some gloss off the victory. However, Henry Higgins, a popular six-year-old Caesour gelding, continues to amaze as he took 15 races to win his maiden and has since won ten more times and risen from a 68 merit rating. Furthermore, Wylie Hall was eased before the line, so there was plenty left in the tank and he will have come on for this run.

The Sean Tarry-trained Cagiva looked to be a July contender last season before injury put him out for nearly a year. He ran on in encouraging style from the back on Saturday after a slow start. It was only his second run after the long layoff and he was only beaten two lengths by the winner at level weights.

His stablemate The Hangman set the pace and stayed on for a fair 3,5 length fourth considering he gave each of the three in front of him 1kg, but this five-year-old Jallad gelding still has to prove he is as effective over this trip as he is over a mile.

Tiger’s Retreat came from last for fifth and it wasn’t a bad run as his slow start put him at the back instead of the handy position he would prefer. Killua Castle moved up well but faded late in his first outing since the J&B Met. This race should have brought him on and he must not be discounted next time out.

Earl Of Derby was next best and would have preferred more testing going. Eurakilon looked outclassed and last placed Tribal Dance has become a disappointing sort. A lot of these runners will clash again in the Gr 1 President’s Champions Challenge, a race that Marwing said would be Wylie Hall’s chief mission.

Last year Wylie Hall had to run with a 2,5kg Gr 1 penalty, but his SA Derby win was more than 18 months ago, so will not apply this year and he will only carry a 1kg penalty for a Gr 2 win. This will put him right in the picture and he should improve on last year’s 4,75 length fourth to the high class Yorker.

Cagiva looks to be the other horse to take out of Saturday’s race. He should be at his peak for the Champions Challenge and he will not be carrying any penalty there. Killua Castle will not have any penalty either and it would be no surprise to see him repeat his Sansui Summer Cup runner up finish, because his undoing on Saturday only seemed to be a lack of peak fitness and little else.

However, Tiger’s Retreat will have to carry a 1kg penalty in the Champions Challenge as his Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes victory happened less than 18 months ago. He has been a touch disappointing since then, as he was so impressive on that occasion, but if things go his way he can’t be discounted. He looks to be a galloping sort who would like to be handy off a strong pace before staying on resolutely, so his backers will be hoping for a good draw, a good jump and a strong pace.

Earl Of Derby appears to grow an extra leg in soft conditions so his connections will be hoping for rain on April 25 if he is able to get into the Champions Challenge field. However, off his merit rating of just 96 he will have a harder task than he did under the handicap conditions of the Sansui Summer Cup, where he finished fifth, so the connections might look for an easier option.

Henry Higgins’ best chance of feature race glory appeared to be in the staying events before the weekend and they might still be as it should be remembered that a few of his rivals on Saturday needed their outings. However, he has such a big heart that he can never be ignored wherever he runs.

Picture: Wylie Hall winning the Colorado King Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday (JC Photos)

There will be plenty for South African fans to cheer as Tony Millard saddles Super Jockey in the Golden Shaheen and Mike de Kock sends out a total of seven runners on the night, including Pylon in the Godolphin Mile;  Al Moonqith, Star Empire and Mushreq in the Dubai Gold Cup;  Mubtaahij (pictured) in the UAE Derby;  Via Africa in the Al Quoz Sprint and Umgiyo in the Dubai Turf.

Runners and their trainers are listed below:-

$1,000,000 Gr2 Godolphin Mile – 1600m (dirt)

$1,000,000 Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup – 3200m (turf)

$2,000,000 Gr2 UAE Derby – 1900m (dirt)

$1,000,000 Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint – 1000m (turf)

$2,000,000 Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen – 1200m (dirt)

$6,000,000 Gr1 Dubai Turf – 1800m (turf)

$6,000,000 Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic – 2410m (turf)

$10,000,000 Gr1 Dubai World Cup – 2000m (dirt)

(Fields sourced from:  Thenational.ae)

Picture: Mubtaahij (Dubai Racing Club)

– Sportingpost.co.za