The Turffontein Standside nine race meeting tomorrow features the Listed Swallow Stakes over 1160m and the Mike de Kock yard might notch up another feature win. 

Their Australian-bred Bernadini filly Firdoas has a lot of natural speed as she proved when winning a juvenile plate over this course and distance by 6,60 lengths last May. In her last two starts over 1400m she hasn’t seemed to get home and it is not surprising to see her down in trip. The Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Mighty High has to give at least 5kg to the rest of the field but is up to it. Last time over this trip she was unable to catch them on fast ground which blunted her fine turn of foot. The rains have come recently and this should see her strong finish being more effective.

Cordillera showed her class in the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m and although appearing to be the Tarry yard second string the race could be run to suit her as she should be able to sit behind the speedy All At Once who is drawn one outside of her. She can then use her fine turn foot to good effect in the closing stages. Her stablemate Three Stars ran a cracker last time against the useful older sprinter Winter Watch and she has Hewitson aboard. All At Once is the best weighted horse according to official merit ratings but will have a tougher task staying in front this time in likely slower ground than she had last time. Blonde Vision has pace and is another one in with a shout. Mazari would prefer further but has class and should be staying on.

The best bet of the day comes in race two over 1160m. Tintagel had some good form up to 1250m in Cape Town and made a fine Highveld debut over this course and distance a month ago, she has a standside draw which is usually favourable and will take some beating.

The first leg of the PA over 1600m should see the hard knocking Pomodoro filly Gold Lightning winning over a step up in trip she should manage. Noble Princess has ability but has been disappointing. However, she should be able to place in this field and can be included in the PA,

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Tamarina is improving and has a plum draw over a step up in trip she should relish. High Seas Beauty stormed home last time over 1400m and should also now see out this trip. Desert Rhythm is drawn in pole and should make her presence felt as she was not striding out last time so is better than that and has done well over this course and distance twice.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Approach Control looks a promising sort and has the pole position draw over a suitable 1600m trip. SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour is effective over this trip and is the best in at the weights so can do well under Dennis Schwarz, who would have learnt something from riding him last time. Zilzaal won well last time and should be staying on again.

In the sixth race D’Arrivee is a progressive sort with a touch of class and is the one to beat. He does have a tricky draw but will enjoy the long straight and is a banker consideration. Kings Archer is drawn well and will appreciate the step down to his optimum trip. Dhabyaan has proved himself suited to this course and distance in his last two starts and has a fair draw with a nice galloping weight.

In the eight race over 1000m Wrecking Ball could provide the value bet of the day. She has a lot of natural speed but tended to not get home when being close to the pace and her recent hold up tactics have been seeing her run in strongly. She is drawn one outside of the speedy kissable so will have someone to follow until late in the race.

In the last race Princess Lomita made a fine debut and with expected improvement should despatch this field, although she does have a tricky draw and Over The Limit can also be included as one who will appreciate the step up in trip. 

By David Thiselton

M.J. Byleveld returns to the fray at Kenilworth tomorrow after four medically-ordered months on the sidelines, the consequence of old injuries that caused a disc to push into his spinal cord and threaten to leave him paralysed.

Fortunately the enforced rest has worked the oracle and he said yesterday: “A month ago I got the go-ahead from my doctor to start riding work and when I went to him on Monday he gave me a letter to say that everything is clear.”

Byleveld, 37, has six booked rides but will only partner five of them – “I’m still a bit fat so I am not going to make the weight (54.5kg) on Sean Tarry’s Jetorio in race six.”

Asked if there is anything he particularly likes, he singled out Ground Control in the first – “He is a very nice horse who has done some good work and I will be disappointed if he doesn’t run well.”

Vaughan Marshall would like nothing more than to give his stable jockey a winner on his first ride back and the colt has already been backed from 5-2 to 16-10 joint favourite. Byleveld said he had heard the reports about Ibra (also 16-10) being a sharp sort. By Var (like Ground Control and Mister Vargus), the Joey Ramsden runner is the only filly in the race and she cost Brian Finch and his partners R350 000 at the National Yearling Sale. The booking of Anton Marcus looks significant and she gets the vote.

Santa Clara, five lengths-fifth when hampered in the Cape Fillies Guineas, is hard to oppose in the Tab Telebet Handicap, even at a fraction of odds-on. There is little to choose between Brave Tiger and Captain Carlos 35 minutes later and the pair are joint favourites at 33-10.

Captain Carlos is marginally preferred even though the fact that he made a noise in a work riders race last time is a slight concern. Hopefully it was a one-off and not a warning signal.

Hurricane Silva made a strong final furlong challenge when just failing last time and looks another winner for Marcus in race three. Louisa May could be the danger.

The former champion also has good prospects on Northern Spy in the Book Your Seat SunMet Maiden but stable companion Var Express is marginally preferred.

Marcus’s most interesting ride is Mushi Sterek in the Interbet.co.za Handicap. This Australian-bred created a big impression when winning by five lengths on debut and, although the handicappers have put her in high on 84, she may be good enough to defy the ‘first time out of the maidens’ red warning light.

By Michael Clower

Anton Marcus moved to the top of the national log with a treble on the Greyville polytrack yesterday. 

He is now on 98 winners, one ahead of Muzi Yeni, and is riding to a phenomenal strikes rate of 31,82%.

Marcus started off with an easy victory in the first race over 1000m on the Paul Lafferty-trained odds-on shot Buckleberry, a hard-knocking three-year-old gelding by Crusade.

In the third he rode a peach of a race on the Dennis Drier-trained three-year-old Master Of My Fate gelding The Master. He had to get him over from a tricky draw of seven but left something in reserve and pulled away just as he looked likely to be swamped in the straight.

Marcus clinched the treble with another fine ride in the last race over 1000m on the Louis Goosen-trained five-year-old Bernadini gelding Di Mazzio, getting him handy from pole position before producing a strong finish.

Reigning national champion jockey Lyle Hewitson scored a double. He made a belated start to the season due to injury but is making up the leeway rapidly and is now in fourth place on the log on 73 winners. 

Hewitson rode the Sean Tarry-trained Speightstown filly Little Bristol to victory over 1200m and later won easily on the Greg and Karen Anthony-trained Mulllins Bay gelding Prince Charming over 1600m. 

However, the ride of the day belonged to Warren Kennedy who steered the Dennis Bosch-trained Born To Perform to his second win from as many starts.  

Kennedy’s fine hands allow him the quirky colt to do what he wants without tearing away. He once again found a handy position with relative ease from another wide draw in the 1600m handicap and then turned it on well in the straight, despite having to be switched inward from the outside rail. He won going away by 2,5 lengths. He ran off a mere 65 merit rating so it is still too early to get overly excited but the big grey is certainly going the right way and his stakes earnings in just two runs are now R115,000, a pleasing return on a R55,000 purchase by Bosch at the BSA Super Sale last year. He is providing owner R Hurchund with a lot of entertainment.

Bosch scored a double when Keagan de Melo easily won the seventh over 1200m on eight-year-old Jet Master gelding Peter Piper. That race also sealed a quick double for De Melo. He had earlier won on Garth Puller’s four-year-old Oratorio filly Tuulikki, who knocked plenty of tickets out of the exotics in the sixth race over 1400m.

By David Thiselton

Three-times SA Champion trainer Sean Tarry has never been one to dwell on defeat or offer excuses but he gave a factual analysis of Legal Eagle’s defeat in Saturday’s Grade 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and confirmed Lyle Hewitson would be riding him in the Sun Met.

Legal Eagle’s regular rider Anton Marcus has been declared to ride the Eric Sands-trained Met second favourite Rainbow Bridge.

Tarry said he normally had difficulty saddling Legal Eagle and the horse usually played up in the parade ring too. However, the seven-year-old gelding had been “quiet” in both instances on Saturday.

He said there had been nothing wrong with the way he strode out going down to the start but noticed he had not taken hold of the bit.

He added Legal Eagle had not travelled well at any stage of the race.

He concluded, “So he was not really himself on the day and then ran a flat race.”

The superstar had been attempting to equal Pocket Power’s record of four successive Queen’s Plates. He had gone into the race undefeated in ten attempts at a mile

Tarry continued, “He was a bit quiet the next day, but we have freshened him up and he is well. So it was just an off day on the wrong day, but that’s life.”

Legal Eagle is considered best at a mile but did win the SA Derby as a three-year-old and won the Grade 1 Champions Challenge over 2000m as a four-year-old. He has twice finished runner up in the Met and fourth once and he finished second once in the Champions Challenge.

Tarry raised an interesting point, “I would like to see an analysis on how he has done over 2000m when coming from off the pace and how he has done when up at the front.”

Tarry thus hinted Legal Eagle would come from off the pace in the Met although he added that was just the way he had been thinking at present and it might all change after the draw ceremony.

Tarry had gone into last year’s Met supremely confident, but unfortunately the race just did not pan out well for Legal Eagle. He was caught wide and Marcus was eventually forced to take him up further forward than had been the plan. He then found no extra in the closing stages and finished a disappointing fourth.    

In other Tarry yard news from Saturday’s Kenilworth meeting Safe Harbour has been retired to stud after sustaining a tendon injury in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes where she finished eighth. The five-year-old Elusive Fort mare failed to attain bold black type in a 27 race career but will nevertheless be valuable as her three career wins included the R2,5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes and her five Grade 1-places included runner up finishes in all of the Cape Fillies Guineas, Paddock Stakes and SA Fillies Classic.  

Tarry was delighted by Second Request’s running on fifth in the Paddock Stakes and plans to run this progressive Twice Over filly against the boys in the Grade 1 Cape Derby over 2000m on Met day.

He was also “very happy” with Trip To Heaven’s fifth place finish in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1000m at Kenilworth on 29 December.

“That should put him spot on for the Cape Flying Championships,” he said. Trip To Heaven has finished second in the last two renewals of the Cape Flying.

Tarry would have preferred to have had Chimichuri Run in the US$500,000 CTS 1200 and Cirillo in the US$500,000 CTS 1600 but might have to run them the other way round due to the draws. Chimichuri Run has drawn two in the CTS 1600 and Cirillo has drawn 28.        

Tarry was looking forward to Met day where he reckoned he would have “s small but good team and it should be fun.”

Tarry also had feature runners on Sunday at Turffontein and had a mixed day.

Last year’s Equus Champion Two-year-old Return Flight ran unplaced in the Grade 3 Three Troikas Stakes over 1400m but Tarry was not unduly disheartened. He said, “It was disappointing and I can’t pinpoint it but she was carrying a 5kg penalty and, running into a headwind over a distance too short, she led in a race which was run a second faster than the colts’ race. Furthermore, all horses up here missed three or four days work due to the weather and she might have been affected more than others as she is a big filly. She was below her best but she did go down exceptionally well and her coat looks great, so I am still upbeat about her prospects.”

In the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m Tarry was pleased with Vontreo’s running on third and the filly Celtic Sea’s fourth place carrying a 2kg Grade 2 penalty.

He mentioned Vontreo’s plan as being the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Classic.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus, with a 31% strike rate this season, rides in seven of the nine races at Kenilworth on Saturday and five of the seven have opened up favourite with World Sports Betting.

These include the Joey Ramsden newcomer Ibra in the first, five-length debut winner Mushi Sterek in the 1 200m handicap and the Sean Tarry-trained Mythical Bolt in the last.

The booking of the four-time champion for Rainbow Bridge in the Sun Met has seen the Eric Sands star cut from 9-2 to 4-1 with Betting World. Marcus, incidentally, would like to make it clear that the ride was only confirmed on Monday afternoon.

Tarry, clear favourite for the trainers championship until Justin Snaith’s dual Grade 1 payday last Saturday, now shares the market lead with the current champion at 19-20 with WSB.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal eight race meeting looks to be a good one for the exotics with most of the races having one or two stand out horses.

The first leg of the PA is the highest rated race on the card, a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m, and only five horses will go to post. Jet Start is a promising sort who won two starts over this trip last season easily. She needed her last start and is drawn in pole which is always an advantage in a small field. Fort Ember has proven class and the small field will suit her as she lacks early pace and always risks being caught wide.She has a 4kg claimer to help her cause but on the downside she has not had an easy campaign lately, having had a very tough race in the G-Bets Summer Cup and then travelling down to Durban to run a close up third in the

Flamboyant Stakes. Those two should be enough for the PA and Bipot, although Cold Cash is in good form, Guns And Roses is talented and had her third run after a layoff and Insignis is proving competitive off her current mark.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Flapjack has good form over this trip, including a close second to Owlinthetree, who went on to place in a Listed race over this trip on Sunday. Fort Carol is consistent and will give her something to think about over a trip she should enjoy. The Honey Badger was beaten only 1,25 lengths by Flapjack in his penultimate start over 2000m when well drawn and he is now drawn in pole over a step down in trip which he won’t mind. He does tend to get a bit hot, so if able to relax he could spring a surprise and is made the value each/way bet of the day.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1800m Midnight In Paris was stepped up from 1000m to 2000m second time out and ran a fine second. It usually takes a horse a run or two to get used to the turn and the step up in trip so she should come on a lot from that race. However, she does have a tough draw to overcome. Ever Fair ran well over this trip last time from a similarly wide draw. Lyle Hewitson stays aboard which is significant. Magic’s First ran a cracker when setting the pace over 2000m last time and from a good draw here should be in the mix with Strydom aboard.

In the fifth race over 2400m Wonderous Climber is chosen as the best bet on the card despite being 3,5 kg under sufferance with Sunshine Silk.He has improved continuously since being sent over staying trips and can do so again from a good draw. He won last time with a bit in hand and looks to be potentially better than his 75 merit rating. Sunshine Silk is drawn in pole and is suited to this trip, but it is never easy against the boys. Come The Day was entered for the Summer Cup so is well regarded and is a galloping sort who should enjoy this trip, so he also has a chance and can be included in the Pick 6 and Jackpot.

In the next race over 2400m Earth Sky is also a progressive stayer and can make it three wins in his last four starts. However, Highlander is also in fine form and should be running on strongly as usual from his good draw. If Earth Sky has a chance then Tapanzee has to be given a shout on the weight turnaround, especially from pole position as he is a quirky sort who needs things to go his way.

In the seventh race over 1000m Dancing Queen has own her last two starts over this distance with consummate ease and looks to be going places,However, Ilha Da Varlette also impressed last time and will give some cheek despite being 2,5kg under sufferance with the first choice. Casual Wear also has ability and with cheek pieces on could surprise so can be included in the Jackpot and Pick 6.

In the last race over 1000m Elbi has dropped to a competitive mark and is the selection to win over a suitable trip despite having to carry topweight. I Aint Trippin, will also go close here as she is an improving sort. Ilha Da Var is knocking hard and recent maiden winners Queen Rachel and Ocean City both have good pace and run off reasonable merit ratings so must all be included.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus will ride second favourite Rainbow Bridge in the Sun Met at Kenilworth on Saturday fortnight. This follows a conversation between the four-time champion and Eric Sands last month.

Surprisingly in a game where rumours, counter-rumours and gossip spread faster than the Betty’s Bay fire not a word of this conversation leaked out.

Sands and Bernard Fayd’Herbe had an unwritten agreement that Fayd’Herbe would ride Rainbow Bridge in all his races this season, or at least until after the Met. When Fayd’Herbe later informed Sands that he would be going to Dubai, primarily to partner Marinaresco on whom he won the 2017 Vodacom Durban July, the Milnerton trainer was not best pleased.

He felt Fayd’Herbe should be on hand to ride Rainbow Bridge in some of his work in the three weeks between the Queen’s Plate and the Met, and in effect he warned the jockey that he might have to end the agreement.

After the Green Point Sands spoke to Marcus, explained what had happened and offered him the ride. Marcus said he could not jump ship from Legal Eagle while he was still winning. He would come back to him after the Queen’s Plate.

When they spoke again Marcus told Sands that he wanted a commitment all the way through to the Durban July subject to Rainbow Bridge remaining sound and in good health. Sands and the gelding’s owners were happy to give that commitment. Although Sands made no mention of this yesterday, Fayd’Herbe was therefore freed to take the ride on Oh Susanna.

Marcus has won the Met twice – on Empress Club in 1993 and on Hill Fifty Four five years ago. In the last three seasons he has finished second twice and fourth on Legal Eagle. He is riding like a man inspired at the moment and the booking could well see Rainbow Bridge’s price shortening from its present 9-2.

Sands yesterday reported that Rainbow Bridge has taken his Queen’s Plate run well and that early concerns about heat in the horse’s off-fore have proved groundless.

Sands explained: “In the race he went on to his off-fore too soon for my liking and he stayed on it too long before changing to his near-fore. Only when he did that did he start accelerating again and by that stage the race was as good as over.

“Afterwards he had a little bit of heat in his off-fore joint and knee, nothing bad but suggesting he took a little bit of a jar. However by Monday morning it was almost 100% again and I am happy with the horse once more. After all, when you finish with two Group 1 winners in front of you and three more behind you, you know you have a pretty decent horse! “

By Michael Clower

Following a comprehensive discussion between the NHA Handicapping panel consisting of Messrs Lennon Maharaj, Matthew Lips and Vee Moodley, DO IT AGAIN has seen his Merit Rating increased from 120 to 125, in the wake of his victory in an exceptional renewal of the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday.  The 2018 Vodacom Durban July winner showed both his versatility and his class when collaring sole three-year-old SOQRAT in the shadows of the post to land what was widely billed as one of the highest average MR Group 1 and the Handicappers are perfectly satisfied that the four-year-old is worthy of his new status as the highest rated horse in South Africa.

The Handicappers assessed the Queen’s Plate on the basis that LEGAL EAGLE and UNDERCOVER AGENT confirmed exactly their form out of the Green Point Stakes, and that UNDERCOVER AGENT and SNOWDANCE almost exactly replicated their form out of the Rising Sun Gold Challenge which was run at Greyville last June.

There is every reason to believe that DO IT AGAIN could have improved five pounds on what he showed when beaten a short head by LEGAL EAGLE in the four-way photo finish to the Green Point Stakes.  DO IT AGAIN was making his seasonal debut on that occasion, having not raced since winning the Vodacom Durban July, whereas all three of those around him had run (and won) at least once in the current season. There seems no doubt that DO IT AGAIN stepped up on his Green Point Stakes performance to win the Queen’s Plate against arguably the best field of milers assembled for a race in South Africa in many years.

As a result of the Queen’s Plate, SOQRAT’s rating has been increased to 124.  The Cape Guineas winner came into the Queen’s Plate previously unbeaten from two starts over 1600m – both of them at Grade 1 level. The runner-up out of the Cape Guineas, TWIST OF FATE, easily won the Grade 3 BMW Politician Stakes on Queen’s Plate day to also underline the strength of the Guineas form.  SOQRAT is a progressive three-year-old who looks full value for his 124 rating after only losing the Queen’s Plate in the dying strides.

RAINBOW BRIDGE also appears to have stepped up considerably on his Green Point Stakes run and his rating has been increased to 119.  In the Queen’s Plate he met DO IT AGAIN, LEGAL EAGLE and UNDERCOVER AGENT on 2 kgs worse terms than in the Green Point, yet was able to reverse form with two of them easily.  There is every reason to believe that RAINBOW BRIDGE performed better in the Queen’s Plate than in the Green Point, where he ran to 116 despite appearing unsuited to the slow early pace and generally not having a great deal go his way.  A mark of 119 for him looks perfectly reasonable and confirms his place as a progressive and highly capable emerging force on the scene.

Other changes following from the Queen’s Plate are LEGAL EAGLE dropping from 123 to 121, HAT PUNTANO drops from 112 to 109, and INFAMOUS FOX’S rating has been cut from 103 to 101.  These drops are more indicative of the two horses’ deteriorating form in recent starts and are not directly linked to their performances in the Queen’s Plate, where HAT PUNTANO was the subject of a veterinary check after his Jockey reported that he felt something amiss with the Argentine-bred import.

Cartier Paddock Stakes (WFA) (Grade 1) – Race 6

There were fewer significant rating changes following the day’s other Grade 1 race, the Cartier Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares over 1800m.  The Handicappers feel confident that the highly consistent 3rd placed CASCAPEDIA is the correct line horse for the race and accordingly have rated the race to a level of 118.  However, the winner OH SUSANNA’S rating remains unchanged on 121.  Runner-up LADY IN BLACK’S rating has been upped from 108 to 117, while 4th placed FRESNAYE goes up from 104 to 110 and 5th placed SECOND REQUEST has seen her rating raised from 101 to 104.  SECRET REQUEST ran to a rating of 108 and was effectively given a half way increase.The rating of the runners that were reduced were HASHTAGYOLO (from 104 to 101) and ELUSIVE HEART, who drops to 100 from 103. The balance of the field remains unchanged.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe has landed the plum ride on last year’s winner Oh Susanna in the Sun Met on Saturday fortnight.

Fayd’Herbe is bidding for his fourth win in the Kenilworth highlight following success on Pocket Power in 2008 and 2009, and on Futura four years ago. As Jono Snaith pointed out yesterday, Oh Susanna was partnered by Fayd’Herbe when she won her maiden as a two-year-old by five and a half lengths in April 2017. He has not ridden her in public since.

The four-year-old has been left on an unchanged merit rating of 121 for last Saturday’s second Cartier Paddock Stakes win and most major bookmakers now have her third favourite at 7-1 .

Stable companion Do It Again, though, has been raised five points to 125 for his Queen’s Plate victory. He shortened significantly in the market yesterday and Betting World now has him at even money. Justin Snaith has already accepted with 18-1 shot Made To Conquer as well as his big two.

There are 22 left in the R5 million Kenilworth Grade 1, run this year at weight-for-age with no penalties. There were no additions at yesterday’s final supplementary stage but Mike De Kock has scratched Buffalo Bill Cody, Tony Ruffel winner Hawwaam, Paddock Stakes third Cascapedia, Takingthepeace and Like A Panther leaving him with just 40-1 shot Noble Secret.Candice Bass- Robinson has taken out Rocket Countdown and Andre Nel has scratched 200-1 outsider Love To Boogie.

The handicappers were busy yesterday with new NHA boss Vee Moodley also on the panel. They upped Queen’s Plate third Rainbow Bridge(second favourite for the Met at around 4-1) from 110 to 119 and dropped Legal Eagle (fourth) two points to 121. Legal Eagle, twice second in the Met and fourth 12 months ago, is as big as 20-1 this time. Queen’s Plate runner-up Soqrat (not entered for the Met) has been raised six points to 124.

Last Friday’s Cartier Sceptre winner Clouds Unfold is to revert to a mile in the Klawervlei Majorca despite Mrs Bass-Robinson expressing doubts about the distance after Aldo Domeyer’s mount managed only third when starting favourite for the Cape Fillies Guineas.

The Milnerton trainer explained: “I was disappointed with her run in the Fillies Guineas but she was pulling quite hard early on, she never really settled and she didn’t quite finish it off so I would like to try the mile again.”

BMW Politician winner Twist Of Fate has been installed 3-1 favourite for the Cape Derby by World Sports Betting even though he is not going to run. His target is the CTS 1600 which is worth five times as much. One of those who will be promoted up the market is 10-1 shot Bunker Hunt who left Justin Snaith feeling like a James Bond martini – shaken not stirred – in the immediate aftermath of the Politician.

Not content with ejecting Richard Fourie at the start – the horse went down on his knees as he left the pens – he treated his trainer like a battering ram after passing the post riderless.

Snaith reported: “I went to grab him but as I did so I tripped and he galloped straight into me, bowling me over.” Fortunately only his L’Ormarins-blue suit was injured.

By Michael Clower