Paul Barrett and Paul Reeves believe they just might have found the good horse they have been looking for all these years. Certainly Helen’s Ideal could hardly have been more impressive on debut at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Despite losing valuable ground at the start of the TAB Telebet Maiden Juvenile Fillies, she was three lengths clear two furlongs out and came away in the closing stages to win by almost five with Donovan Dillon declaring: “She went down like a winner and she came back even better.”
Reeves, who has an increased hand of 14 two-year-olds this term, added: “It’s wonderful to have a filly like this in my yard. She is pure quality and very special.”
Donovan Dillon
Barrett bought a half share in the Ideal World filly from breeder Peter de Beyer in a sponsor’s marquee after having a few drinks – not always the wisest preliminary – before the enormity of his mistake suddenly hit him. “I was under the impression I was buying a yearling but I then realised she was only a little foal. I thought ‘What have I done?’”
De Beyer softened the blow by insisting on naming her after Barrett’s amazing wife Helen who has bravely and repeatedly defied both cancer and medical opinion. “I’m due a good horse – I’ve had enough bad ones,” said her husband. “Now it looks as if I’ve got a real racehorse.”
What was billed, by this scribe and others, as Aldo Domeyer’s day proved expensive. He rode six favourites and was beaten on four of them including supposed certainty More Magic in the first. The 2-7 shot was one of only three to come up the stands side – according to penetrometer readings three per cent faster than the inside – and after that the jockeys avoided this part of the course as religiously as if it was infected by a plague.
Over 100mm of rain during the week made the course much softer than usual but Domeyer said: “I don’t think it made much difference to More Magic. She probably wants further but I know the winner was fancied a bit.”
That was Mr Green Street who made all at 10-1 under Craig Zackey to give Green Street Bloodstock its 50th success in three years.
“This one was led through the ring unsold at the Emperors Palace Select in April last year,” Justin Vermaak recalled. “Chris Snaith came to me and asked if I would like him to buy the horse for us. He cost R100 000 which is just below our average.”
Andre Nel declared six, scratched three (including Vase who broke through the pens and bolted) and won with the other three to add to winners at Fairview and Greyville and underline that his soul-destroying virus is finally history.
The final leg of the Kenilworth treble was East Lynne, ridden by the talented Sandile Mbhele who also scored on the well-backed Victorious Captain for Vaughan Marshall and now has only four winners to go before losing his 4kg claim.
BLOB Sadly Ronnie Sheehan’s wife Jackie died on Friday night. She had not been well for quite some time.
Surcharge and Majestic Mambo are the two big movers in the Vodacom Durban July market after events at Greyville on Saturday.
Betting World, South Africa’s biggest bookmakers, yesterday slashed Daily News winner Surcharge from 25-1 to 9-1 while runner-up Majestic Mambo was cut even more dramatically – from 35-1 to 6-1 joint second favourite. Do It Again (fourth) was only beaten just over a length by the winner but has been marked out from 4-1 to 6-1.
Pack Leader (sixth) has gone out from 10-1 to 20-1 and Dark Moon Rising from 22-1 to 33-1. Woolavington winner Oh Susanna remains a 12-1 chance and African Night Sky stays favourite at an unchanged 3.75-1.
Oh Susanna (Candiese Marnewick)
World Sports Betting has clipped African Night Sky from 5-1 to 4-1 clear favourite and eased Do It Again from 5-1 to 6-1, the same price as Majestic Mambo (from 40-1) while Surcharge has been cut from 33-1 to 8-1 with Oh Susanna unchanged on 12-1.
Not yet quoted is Made To Conquer who made it six wins from his last seven starts in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup but Jonathan Snaith said yesterday that he will be supplemented today, adding: “We have offered the ride to Jeff Lloyd. We are waiting for confirmation.”
Snaith repeated his previous advice to punters not to back Oh Susanna at the moment, explaining: “The owners have not made a decision and I would say that at this stage she is more unlikely to run than likely. There are better weighted horses in the race and 56kg is a hard ask for a three-year-old filly Also, as regards the Equus Horse of the Year award, she has won three Groups 1s so I believe she will be hard to beat in that.”
African Night Sky will be ridden by Grant van Niekerk for the second time when he tackles the Cup Trial at Greyville on Saturday and is 28-10 favourite with WSB for this 1 800m test. Van Niekerk also rides 2-1 favourite Snowdance in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge on the same card.
However the unbeaten Winter Guineas and Winter Classic winner Rainbow Bridge will not now be supplemented for the July and nor will he be stepped up to a mile and a half in the Winter Derby.
Eric Sands, explaining the change of plan on Saturday, said: “It was hard for Chris Gerber to make this decision but he and I had a long talk about things.
“I felt that running the horse in the July at this stage might cook his mind. He has had a sheltered life and had three starts in seven weeks. Although he is fine once I saddle him, he comes off the float sweating and last time he also raced like an immature horse.
“I am going to give him a working holiday – maybe even take him back to the farm – and in September I will probably put him in a sprint before going for the Matchem at Durbanville the following month. Should I decide that he doesn’t have enough pace for the Matchem I will find another route but he will be aimed at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.”
Seasoned rider Gunter Wrogemann is riding at the peak of his abilities, cracking his century of winners for the season at Greyville on Wednesday, but even he would admit that all the cards fell his way as perennial runner-up Surcharge got it all right in the in the Daily News 2000 at Greyville yesterday.
Runner-up in all three legs of the Highveld Triple Crown when he arrived at the door just after the bell rang for ‘time gentlemen please’, many pundits suggested that the short Greyville straight would find him out. It didn’t and his odds for next month’s Vodacom Durban July will be slashed by the time you read this this morning.
Paul Peter had a plan, and it nearly payed off, but it also played into the hands of Wrogemann and Surcharge as the pair sliced through the field to win smartly.
“We had a bit of luck in running. I got a clear run up the outside,” said Wrogemann.
Surcharge (Candiese Marnewick)
“He’s been a pressure horse and has not had the best of draws but I feel for Piere (Strydom who missed the ride through injury) he doesn’t help you at all.”
An emotional Stuart Pettigrew labelled him, “the best horse he has ever trained and ever will train and he will be an even better horse as a four-year-old.”
Surcharge is currently fourth place on the provisional Vodacom Durban July log.
Brandon Lerena ensured that there was no repeat of the Woolavington crawl, run earlier and will have given Hong Kong viewers a taste of South Africa racing, and set good fractions aboard Alssakhra for Majestic Mambo to chase.
“I could have been a little closer,” said Callan Murray. A bit of an understatement considering that he turned for home last. “But the pace was a good one, we just couldn’t get there.”
“Every chance,” summed up Bernard Fayde’Herbe who set favourite Do It Again alight before the field even came off the false rail.
Fourth placed Tap O’ Noth saw out the trip but will miss the July. “Champions Cup”, said Vaughan Marshall.
Do It Again loomed dangerous for a few strides but came up empty over the final furlong leading one seasoned race watcher to comment, “It was a flat run. Believe me, you have to take notice of a second run after a lay-off.”
Do It Again may have been something of a disappointment and earlier Justin Snaith and all the connections were made to sweat bullets as Oh Susanna was made to work extraordinarily hard for her victory in the Woolavington 2000, a race she was expected to doddle.
A possible lack of match practice and a clever ride from Muzi Yeni on runner-up Fiorella who turned the race into sprint for home, almost saw the favourite undone.
Yeni slowed the pace to a crawl before turning the stretch run into a sprint and although Grant van Niekerk was quick to challenge, the diminutive Fiorella refused to go away. In a neck and neck duel, Fiorella tried hard to emulate her victory in the Daisy Guineas but Oh Susanna kept finding to ward off the challenge by a half-length – not what most expected.
“She did it the hard way,” commented a relieved Snaith.
“She looked beaten 200m out and probably needed a prep run. It was a tremendous effort on her part.”
Oh Susanna’s participation in the Vodacom Durban July is still up in the air and stable spokesperson Jono Snaith again warned that it was 50/50 whether she would take her chances. “We have been careful to warn the public that she is not certain to run – we don’t want them to ‘do’ their money.
“She doesn’t have anything left to prove and a decision will be taken by Gaynor (Rupert) and Drakenstein.”
An overseas campaign is not an option. “I can’t even get her to Cape Town,” quipped Justin, referring to African Horse Sickness and quarantine.
Lady In Black was a close-up third, at one stage threatening to pass all, but could just not close the deal.
The defeat of Do It Again put a damper on what would have been a memorable day for the Snaith yard after stable companions Made To Conquer and Strathdon fought a titanic struggle in the Gr3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, the two pulling many lengths clear of the opposition. Van Niekerk on Strathdon appeared to lose his compass as he leaned on Made To Conquer all the way up the straight but Richard Fourie didn’t panic and fended him off to win well in the end.
Made To Conquer will now take his place in the July and Strathdon the Gold Cup.
“He’s done all we have asked of him,” said Jono Snaith of Made To Conquer. “He’s won his last four starts and deserves his place. Strathdon’s our Gold Cup horse.”
The Turffontein Inside track stages a low key eight race meeting on Sunday and the highest rated race is a fillies and mares 92 Handicap over 1000m in which topweight Frederico’s Dream will benefit from the 4kg claim of up and coming apprentice Luke Ferraris.
This Gimmethegreenlight filly is blessed with a lot of pace and her low draw of two should allow her to be handy or in front, although Ferraris also has the option of sitting behind the pace as he has the speedy Levi Lady on his inside and the speedy Kissable is drawn wide. She has the ability to kick so should be suited to this tight track and is made the best bet of the day on a tricky card. Kissable bounced back to her best last time and her excellent pace will also suit this tight track as long as she does not have to be used up too much to overcome a wide draw. If all of the speedsters fade in the final stages then Opera could pick up the pieces as she has been consistently close up and has a fair draw. Frederico’s Dream has been made a PA banker but those mentioned might have to be included in the Pick 6 along with Levi Lady, Memphis Belle, La Bella Mia and Image Reward.
Luke Ferraris
The other PA banker is Fariha in the first leg. This rangy type has a lot of scope for improvement and found no extra last time over this 1600m course and distance from a wide draw. She has a better draw this time and can make amends.
In the second leg of the PA and first leg of the Pick 6 Imperial Quest has been expensive to follow but in this uninspiring field should go close. First-timer Rescue is the most interesting runner here as this R400,000 Crusade gelding is a half-brother to Gold Cup winner Wild One.
The Jackpot could be the best bet of the day.
In the first leg Nawaasi should improve over this 1400m trip and Milesend and Regal Girl should be enough as back ups if he fluffs his lines.
The next leg is a stayers race. These events can produce bomb results, but Ali Bon Dubai is a progressive sort who might be eyeing feature events so connections will want him to win this to get his merit rating up. Let It Rain is the best weighted horse and relished going to the front last time in his first run for this new yard. However, he likely has bigger fish to fry, so Walter Smoothie, who ran well in the SA Derby can be included. Inn A Million, Cool Chardonnay and Girl On The Run can also be considered.
Helios and The Rising Legend can fight out the next leg as two up-and-coming sorts.
The final leg of the Pick 6 is wide open and players are advised to go as wide as possible.
Aldo Domeyer could be in for a bonanza at Kenilworth tomorrow when five of his eight mounts are favourites.
Twice last year he rode six winners at the Cape Town course and, while that would be pushing it, he could win on all five market leaders. He starts off with his best – and shortest-priced – prospect, More Magic, who had the third nearly eight lengths back when running better fancied stable companion Russet Air close a fortnight ago. None of the opposition in the Maiden Juvenile Plate has done anything like that.
Aldo Domeyer
The opposition is also short of achievement 35 minutes later but Domeyer is on a newcomer, the Trippi filly Bella Summer. “She is a nice filly but not very ready. It depends how green she is,” says Candice Bass-Robinson but, with the stable’s two-year-olds so strong this season and no Ramsden or Marshall opposition, the 5-2 chance gets preference over the Justin Snaith 15-10 favourite Valderrama whose form so far is nothing to get excited about it.
After Glow, Domeyer’s mount in race three, is 11-10 favourite with World Sports Betting and that looks too short for what she showed on her Durbanville debut. However Domeyer’s mounts for Adam Marcus often deliver and she may have come on enough.
Some shrewd punters have done well betting against Snaith two-year-olds this season but Domeyer hasn’t ridden many of them and in the 1 400m maiden (race four) 3-1 favourite Black Indy holds obvious danger Black Sail, Red Shift and Giant Flag. Seattle Kid could be a big threat.
What A Summer (9-2) looks a bit unlikely in the next where Spectra Force is taken to come out on top. Greg Cheyne’s mount has finished second in his last three starts and this is the third consecutive race in which he is running off the same mark.
Two-year-olds take on the older horses in handicaps for the first time in Cape Town this season in the Supabets Handicap and Joey Ramsden aims to strike with 22-10 shot Montego Bay. But, if things are going well for Domeyer by this stage, that relentless – seemingly unstoppable – driving may well be enough to get Dalibhunga home in front.
However Pen-Chan is only a 10-1 shot in the Interbet Handicap and the Ramsden juvenile Tarsus (3-1) may beat 5-2 favourite Bwana.
The last race, though, looks another for the jockey of the hour as 22-10 favourite Elegancia has not been raised for last time’s close second.
Do It Again, current ante-post favourite for the Vodacom Durban July (VDJ), can cement his place at the top of the boards with victory in the Daily News 2000 at Greyville tomorrow.
He takes on a high-class field but Justin Snaith is bullish about his charge’s chance in the Grade 1 event over 2000.
Speaking to David Thiselton earlier in the week, Snaith said it would be hard for the horses that Do It Again beat in the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas to reverse form as this was “his trip.” Snaith added, “He is doing well and everything has gone according to plan. He is spot on. It’s very competitive and very good horses are taking part, I will be particularly interested to see how Tap O’ Noth runs as he is a high quality horse.”
Tap O’ Noth (Liesl King)
However, if Do It Again does fluff his lines, there will be some major changes in the market and this year’s renewal looks particularly strong.
Pack Leader was strongly fancied to win the WSB 1900 but a suspected attack of colic saw him scratched at the 11th hour. He made a quick recovery however, and Glen Kotzen said he had not suffered any ill effects. Third behind stable companion Eyes Wide Open and Do It Again in the Investec Cape Derby, Pack Leader made a smart local debut when beaten a short head by the older Head Honcho in the Sledgehammer Stakes at Scottsville in what was a slow-run race and that outing should have brought him on nicely.
Snaith was particularly worried about the challenge from Top O’ Noth and Vaughan Marshall is quietly confident of his charge. Earlier in the week Marshall commented; “He is doing exceptionally well at the moment and I think he is a very big runner. You will see a vastly different performance this time.”
“In the Guineas he was drawn towards the inside, came up the worst going and got sand in his face – the next day both his eyes were closed. But I was happy with the way he finished in that race.”
That said, Do It Again came from last to first in a matter of strides and was extending at the line.
Surcharge was the ‘Alydar’ of the Highveld Triple Crown races, finishing second in all three legs, although to different horses. There is no doubting that Stuart Pettigrew’s colt is right up there with the best but he does take an extraordinary long time to wind up and the short Greyville straight could find him out.
Fiorella (Candiese Marewick)
White River and Like A Panther are both VDJ entries but do look held on current form.
Do It Again looks the right one and taken to get home ahead of Pack Leader.
Oh Susanna became the first three-year-old filly to win the Met in over a century and will be in warm order for the Woolavington 2000 where she is by far the highest rated filly in the race.
Snaith said the crack in her heel, which forced her to miss the Daisy Guineas, had grown out and he reckoned she would be at her best come Saturday. He concluded, “She is doing well and is fit and ready.”
Fresh in Snaith’s memory will be the defeat of his hot favourite Snowdance in the Daisy Fillies Guineas where Fiorella turned the screws inside the final furlong and went on to a head victory.
Fiorella is in opposition and Duncan Howells will again send out an extremely fit horse. “I don’t know if we can beat Oh Susanna,” said Howells. “But she has not been out since the Met in late January so that may be a chink in her armour.”
Howells supplemented Fiorella for the VDJ after her Fillies Guineas win and in her only previous attempt beyond a mile she finished a 1,55 length fourth in the SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein. However, Howells said she had still needed that run as a yard virus had interrupted her preparation and she had consequently been scratched from her intended build-up race. He otherwise reckoned she could have won the race.
Snaith has a strong chance of a feature race treble his two fancied runners, Made To Conquer and Strathdon, doing duty in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.
1st Buckleberry (De Gouveia/Lafferty 2 ch 57kg Draw 10) – good looking colt having his second trial. More relaxed this time around. Travelled handy throughout and quickened nicely when popped the question. This was major improvement on his first trial and he did it in good time. 59 secs
2nd Kingdom Come (Hewitson/Lafferty 2 ch c 57kg draw 1) – Smart son of Visionaire who covers a lot of ground. Has a huge stride and raced with wrapping bandages. Very green but did it easily and was allowed to run along. He looks like one to follow. 59.50 secs.
3rd Stream Ahead (Kennedy/GH Van Zyl 2 gr c 57 g Draw 12) – was stubborn at the pens and had to be bundled in even though this was his fourth visit to the track that includes a victory. He still showed signs of being green and was travelling smartly before being allowed to ease up to the line. This was a smart trial. 60.05secs)
4th At The Opera (Arries/Roberts 2 b c 57kg Draw 3) took off to the start and looks very green. Showed early pace after taking a bump out of the gate. Was allowed to run along in the hands the last bit. – 60.38 secs.
5th Saffinator (Randolph/Forbes 2 b g 57kg Draw 7) looked tuned up and progressive in the paddock but jumped awkwardly and took time for the penny to drop. Showed decent pace but still very green. – 60.47secs
6th Uncle Charlie (Mgudlwa/Puller 2 b c 57kg Draw 11) raced green on the turn and was pushed out wide to stay in touch. Not asked for much in the straight but stayed on. – 60.62 secs
7th Arrow Mark (Ngwane/Gadsby 2 b g 57kg Draw 9) looked at everything and needs to furnish. Very green and was hanging in over the final two furlongs. – 60.90secs
8th Toronto (Tarentaal/Howells 2 b g 57kg Draw 5) – slow out of the gate and green. Not asked to do much more than keep his mind on the job. 61.68secs
9th Master Of Fire (Ferraris/Roberts 2 b g 57kg Draw 8) – did nothing but run along at the back of the field. Did move up in the straight but did not appear to be striding out all that well. 61.83secs
10th Clash City Rocker (Sakayi/Wright 2 b g 57kg Draw 4) – relaxed in the parade. Always at the back of the field racing green. Didn’t show much – 62.32secs
11th Gold Galleon (Godden/Drier 2 b c 57kg Draw 6) – started off relaxed but gradually got heated up in the preliminaries. Was slow out of the gate and never really got going. – 62.37secs
12th Flying Fort (Pagel/GS Kotzen 2 ch g 57kg Draw 2) – Moved well. Looks like a nice colt but raced very green and was urged along at the back off affairs. He made no impression in the straight and could need another outing or two – 62.78secs
By Andrew Harrison
Barrier trial Greyville 1000m 30/05/2018
2yo fillies – Poly – 1000m (2nd Trial)
1st Candy Galore (Kennedy/Van Zyl Jnr 2yof 56kgs Draw 1) – Very attractive daughter of Noordhoek Flyer, clearly quite well tried at home. Jumped smartly from pole position, settling in second before taking the initiative halfway down the straight. Ran on strongly through the line under the hands and looks ready to make her presence felt on debut. 60,56 seconds.
2nd 0,25 Lewa Downs (Ngwane/Gordon 2yof 56kgs Draw 2) – A “cheapie” at R15 000 by Marchfield out of a National Assembly mare. Very nice type and appears to have inherited pace from her damsire. Has shown promise at home and reproduced that here with a very good effort. Made good headway down the lane and was not overly pressed to finish a close second. Plenty of scope for improvement. 60,61 seconds.
3rd 0,75 La Valette (De Gouveia/Howells 2yof 56kgs Draw 11) – R300 000 daughter of Var. Showed natural speed from a wide berth and was quickly in front. Headed halfway down the stretch but stayed on well under an easy ride to finish under a length back. Well liked by the stable and is certainly one for the notebook. 60,70 seconds.
4th 3,75 Anuchke’s Wings (Fourie/Kotzen 2yof 56kgs Draw 5) – Tall leggy filly by Judpot who will furnish with time. Made a complete hash of the start, losing many lengths and raced green early. Got her act together in the straight and although well beaten in fourth, she does look to have plenty of improvement to come. Showed enough in this Trial to suggest she has a future. 61,26 seconds.
5th 5,25 Mocha Rose (Sakayi/Howells 2yof 56kgs Draw 9) – Nicely made daughter of Mambo in Seattle out of a mare by Al Mufti. With that pedigree she should appreciate more ground and is clearly not as precocious as others at this stage. Despite that, she showed good early pace and stayed on to finish a fair fifth. She looked good in the parade ring and canter past and her progress should be monitored. Probably needs at least 1600m to be at her best. 61,54 seconds.
6th 8,00 Cape Bluebell (Tarentaal/Van Zyl 2yof 56kgs Draw 7) – Very well bred filly by Trippi. Classy individual although lacking a little through the girth. However, has not shown much at home and her Trial here was disappointing. Showed no signs of quickening in the straight. 62,07 seconds.
7th 8,05 Counter Fate (Veale/Drier 2yof 56kgs Draw 4) – R200 000 daughter of freshman sire Master Of My fate. Caught the eye in the parade ring and according to her trainer is a nice type. That said, she raced very green in this Trial and performed below expectations. The run will have brought her on a ton and she looks to have a lot of scope. Likely to have another gallop at home before racing so watch for any market moves on debut. 62,08 seconds.
8th 9,55 La Duchesse (Samuel/Gadsby 2yof 56kgs Draw 8) – Another daughter of Master Of My Fate out of the Fort Wood mare Grisette. Looked well in the parade ring and cantered down smoothly. However, she was very slow away and raced very green. Made some progress early in the straight from the rear before running out of steam. Needed the experience badly and likely to improve. 62,38 seconds.
9th 11,05 Grecian Laurel (Ferraris/Howells 2yof 56kgs Draw 10) – Classically bred daughter of Ideal World. Given a soft introduction here but appears to need time and distance to be most effective. Was never a factor in the running and made no headway up the straight. 62,67 seconds.
10th 12,80 Aristocracy (Arries/Gadsby 2yof 56kgs Draw 6) – Half-sister to the very useful Vision To Kill but her trainer reports that she has shown very little at home and her Trial here was uninspiring. She raced very greenly on the bend but made no progress in the straight. May improve with time and more experience. 63,02 seconds.
11th 14,55 Star System (Mohapi/N Kotzen 2yof 56kgs Draw 3) – By stamina sire Golden Sword. Was always towards the rear and dropped away quickly in the straight. Will need time and a lot more ground to be effective. Unlikely to win as a juvenile or early 3yo. 63,37 seconds.
1st Unbelievable Lad (Samuel/Moore 3yog 59kgs Draw 5) – Changed stables since winning maiden over 1400m in January. Looked extremely well in parade ring and canter past and is obviously very fit. Showed good gate speed and drew further and further clear in the straight to win this Trial impressively. Looks progressive, having only had six career starts to date, and his first official appearance for the Moore stable will be watched with interest. 59,17 seconds.
2nd 7,00 Kilmokea(Arries/Hill 4yof 59kgs Draw 7) – Rested since January, prior to which she won one of her eight starts – that was back in November over 1600m. Quite a nice type with a big stride and she may have more to come. No match for winner here but she showed pace throughout and clearly needs further to be most effective. Is looking well and could be a factor in a low grade fillies handicap. 60,46 seconds.
3rd 7,75 The Bayou (Hewitson/Lafferty 3yoc 59kgs Draw 4) – Very highly regarded, lightly raced 3yo half-brother to Grade 1 winner Orbison. Rested since winning at the second time of asking back in December and did all that was required of him in this Trial. Needs 1600m+ to be most effective and we await his official return with great interest. One to follow! 60,60 seconds.
4th 8,25 Cape Speed (De Melo/Kannemeyer 5yog 60kgs Draw 1) – Useful stayer who needs at least 2400m to be at his best. Rested since December and although a winner of five races from 18 starts, he has not won for nearly two years and appeared to lose his form completely before the break. For this Trial he looked burly in the parade ring but very well within himself. As expected he was always outpaced here but will hopefully come on plenty from this gallop and bounce back to his very best form. 60,70 seconds.
5th 17,75 Khetiwe (De Gouveia/Lafferty 5yom 59kgs Draw 2) – Rested since December and has had throat surgery in the interim. Still a maiden after 18 career starts and on this showing could battle to win a race. 62,55 seconds.
6th 20,25 Duke of Popham (Mgudlwa/Nel 3yog 59kgs Draw 6) – Absolutely no improvement since first Barrier Trial on 39 March 2018. Always languishing at the rear and despite a relatively vigorous ride, he continued to fall further behind. Trainer John Nel faces an uphill battle with him! 63,06 seconds.
7th 20,50 Pavarotti Passion (Lerena/Dixon 3yog 59kgs Draw 3) – Won a Barrier Trial in March and has obvious ability but put in an inexplicably bad run here. Nothing obvious was detected after the Trial or indeed the next day and for trainer Mark Dixon this performance is a real “head-scratcher”. Time will tell whether he was incubating a virus or something similar but this run has to be ignored. Perhaps he will Trial again before making his official debut? 63,11 seconds.
1st Legislate (Fourie/Snaith 7yoh MR117 A 60kg draw 3) The champ put in a sterling comeback gallop after being found to have fertility problems at stud. 59.49 seconds
2nd 1,75 Pinot Gris (Ferraris -4 kg/G H Van Zyl 2yoc A 57kg draw 6) This small Silvano colt was having his second barrier trial and displayed a good action. He has some natural pace as he was not asked to do a lot. 59.81 seconds
3rd 3,75 Generous Lady (Moodley -1.5 kg/Lafferty 2yof A 56kg draw 4) This unraced Philanthropist filly has some substance and did it easily throughout. 60.18 seconds
4th 9,25 Cruising Speed (Sakayi -4 kg/G H Van Zyl 2yoc A 57kg draw 5) This Pomodoro colt was having his second barrier trial and was still green. He threw his head up at the start and then had to be pushed along and given a back-hander. 61.22 seconds
5th 9,30 Solicitor General (Godden/Dittmer 2yoc A 57kg draw 2) This unraced Brave Tin Soldier colt fly-jumped and then showed some early pace but was unable to keep up with the leaders in the testing conditions despite being urged along. 61.23 seconds
6th 9,35 Don’t Look Back (Wrogemann/G H Van Zyl 2yoc A 57kg draw 1) This two-year-old Judpot colt was having his second barrier trial. He has some substance and showed fair cruising speed but tired in the closing stages in the testing conditions. 61.24 seconds
7th 9,45 Bangkok (Kennedy/G H Van Zyl 2yog AB 57kg draw 8) This two-year-old Judpot gelding was well beaten in a race against winners having earlier done quite well in an 800m barrier trial. He was soon wilting in the testing conditions but does have scope for improvement. 61.25 seconds
8th 14,70 Cruise Cruz (Veale/G H Van Zyl 2yoc S 57kg draw 7) This two-year-old Bold Silvano colt has some scope and substance and a fair action but was soon wilting in the testing conditions. Can improve. 62.28 seconds
The Duncan Howells-trained Fiorella downed the Justin Snaith-trained big gun Snowdance in the Grade 2 Daisy Fillies Guineas and she will now be attempting a giant-killing double when she takes on the Snaith-trained Sun Met winner Oh Susanna in Saturday’s Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville.
Fiorella (Candiese Marewick)
Fiorella galloped under Muzi Yeni this week and Howells said the jockey had returned saying it was an exceptional work out.
Yeni is replacing injured Anton Marcus.
Howells said the Captain Al filly had come on from the Daisy Fillies Guineas and was very well indeed at present.
She will relish the step up in trip, being out of Caesour mare Arcola, who won the SA Oaks as well as the Grade 3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m.
In her only previous attempt at beyond a mile she finished a 1,55 length fourth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein. However, Howells said she had still needed that run as a yard virus had interrupted her preparation and she had consequently been scratched from her intended build up race. He otherwise reckoned she would have won the SA Fillies Classic.
Howells mentioned Australian-bred Big Brown gelding Who Says as the best of his others on the day. He said this three-year-old would relish the step up in trip to 2000m and he gave him an each-way chance.
Vaughan Marshall is keen on the chances of Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth in the Daily News at Greyville on Saturday even though the colt has over two lengths to find with Do It Again on Daisy Guineas running and is as big as 17-2 in the betting.
Marshall said: “He is doing exceptionally well at the moment and I think he is a very big runner. You will see a vastly different performance this time.”
Tap O’Noth (Liesl King)
In the Daisy Guineas M.J. Byleveld’s mount seemed uncharacteristically sluggish in the early stages and had to be pushed along. Some observers put this down to unfamiliarity with the lights.
But Marshall said: “He was drawn towards the inside, came up the worst going and got sand in his face – the next day both his eyes were closed. But I was happy with the way he finished in that race.”
Do It Again is 5-2 favourite with World Sports Betting which goes 15-4 Surcharge, 13-2 Pack Leader, 7-1 Majestic Mambo, 15-2 White River, 17-2 Tap O’Noth, 14-1 Like A Panther, 20-1 and upwards others.
Bold Respect has been raised seven points to a new merit rating of 118 for his win in last Saturday’s Tsogo Sun Sprint. This puts him above everything else that ran in the race even though he was receiving weight from five of them.
Brett Crawford said: “He could possibly go for the Mercury Sprint on July 28 but there is nothing for him in the meantime.”
Magical Wonderland, put up a point to 111 for finishing second to Sommerlied (up six to 114) in the South African Fillies Sprint, is to stay on in KZN for the time being but may not race.
Candice Bass-Robinson explained: “I can’t bring her back to Cape Town at the moment because of the quarantine regulations. I will play it by ear but the Mercury Sprint would be a big ask for a three-year-old filly.”
By Michael Clower
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David Thiselton The all important Hollywoodbets Durban July Final Field Announcement and Draw Ceremony will happen at Hollywoodbets Greyville today....
