Top Cape trainer Justin Snaith strengthened his stable’s chances of victory in South Africa’s premier event, the Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July, when three of his big-race team put in strong performances at the World Sports Betting 1900 meeting at Greyville on Saturday, including victory in the main feature event.

With his stable already having four runners among the top 18 on the Vodacom Durban July Log, the impressive win by his Silvano gelding Elusive Silva in the R500 000, Grade 2 World Sports Betting 1900 could see this five-year-old joining them to give the exuberant and popular young conditioner what could become an exceptional and unique big race attack.

Elusive Silva (Denzil Govender)

Following up on the win by Elusive Silva, two of his other contenders already in the top 18 on the log, the Silvano mare Star Express and the Dynasty gelding African Night Sky, confirmed they deserved their ratings when they led the field home in the Solid Speed (2016) Pinnacle Stakes over 1 600m to give trainer Snaith and jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe a quick double at the meeting. To emphasise that the stable was in serious top condition, jockey Grant van Niekerk then booted the three-year-old Silvano filly Miyabi Gold home for the stable in the final event of the day giving the yard and the German-bred stallion an impressive treble.

The somewhat disappointing performances by a few of the Vodacom Durban July contenders will have left the “July picture” very open but for Snaith the scenario could improve further if his former July winner Legislate, that won well in a recent barrier trial, impressed the July Selection Committee before they make their final selection.

Also improving his chances of a big race invite is the Ideal World gelding Dark Moon Rising from the Paul Lafferty stable. He came in for strong support in the betting to start tote favourite and, as some saw it, was unlucky not to win coming from off the pace to chase down Elusive Silva and suffer a mere half length defeat. He had not featured on the First July Log but is likely to show in the next along with the Toreador gelding Matador Man from the Sean Tarry yard that found traffic problems in the straight before running on well for third place.

While the Glen Kotzen-trained Pack Leader, well fancied to win Saturday’s WSB 1900, was scratched after showing signs of a colic attack before the race, did not get a chance to prove himself, the three-year-old Philanthropist colt is likely to retain his position on the log with the earlier scratching of Silvan Star and Lady In Black pushing him higher up the log.

After Saturday’s meeting another July nominee could muscle her way onto the July Log and that is the four-year-old Australian-bred filly Ngaga from the Andre Nel stable. She made the running in the Listed East Coast Cup over 2 000m under Richard Fourie then held off a challenge from Royal Utopia. However, while the win was impressive she may need to back that performance up with another strong effort before the final field is selected.

By Richard McMillan

Brett Crawford’s patience with the infamous Cape crawl finally gave out at Kenilworth on Saturday and he gave vent to his feelings after he and Fransie Herholdt decided to take the last by the scruff of the neck and make all on Miss Smarty Pants.

The Philippi trainer said: “I don’t know what we are trying to prove by running races in times four to six seconds outside the average. That doesn’t give horses a fair chance and to me it’s not racing.”

Aldo Domeyer

For Aldo Domeyer, though, it was a significant day. Not only did he break through the 100-winner mark for just the second time in his career but he took his tally to just eight short of his best and he put two more really smart Candice Bass-Robinson two-year-olds into his bank for next season’s top races.

Mixed Signals and Russet Air both started odds-on and won with authority while second-placed stable companion More Magic looked a certain future winner when throwing down the gauntlet to the second of these two. He had the third nearly eight lengths back

Domeyer, who completed a quick-fire treble on Blue Flower for Andre Nel, said: “Mixed Signals doesn’t show a great deal at home and when I asked her for an effort I was surprised at the way she turned it on. The trip was way too short for Russet Air but he had the class to pull it off.”

Ronnie Sheehan,82, and wife Jackie – both in the Panorama Mediclinic – had a badly needed tonic when Watch Me Dad proved too strong for Domeyer’s mount Frozen Tune in the Supabets Maiden Juvenile. The well-backed winner is owned by an enthusiastic group of Mauritians.

Robert Khathi, who rode him, donned the Bryn Ressell colours to get up inside the last 100m of the Play Soccer 6 Handicap on 9-1 shot Metorite who cost just R15 000 at the CTS Two Year Old Sale.

Piet Steyn said: “Some horses cost so much that they don’t even win the VAT back! When you ask a guy to come in at the sort of price this one fetched they sometimes think there is something wrong with the horse but Bryn has been very good to me.”

Jono Snaith celebrated his 41^st birthday by naming Jailhouse Rock as the banker of the day on Under Starter’s Orders and Callan Murray did the rest on the 2-1 favourite in the 1 800m handicap.

Chatuchak, scratched from the Winter Classic, was a reluctant leader early in the Interbet.co.za Handicap but Gareth Wright made all for a half length win. Nel has supplemented Selailai for Saturday’s race.

By Michael Clower

African Night Sky is back at the head of the Vodacom Durban July market following his eye-catching return in the Pinnacle at Greyville on Saturday.

The Justin Snaith four-year-old drifted out to 8-1 in the fortnight after stable companion Do It Again won the Daisy Guineas but the pair are now 5-1 joint favourites with Betting World which has Met winner Oh Susanna next on 8-1 with Pack Leader 10-1 and WSB 1900 hero Elusive Silva on 14-1.

African Night Sky is 5-1 clear favourite with World Sports Betting which goes 6-1 Do It Again, 9-1 Oh Susanna, 12-1 Pack Leader, 15-1 Elusive Silva and 20-1 bar.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

Suggestions that Snaith Racing may call on Jeff Lloyd for one of its July runners are wide of the mark according to Jono Snaith who said on Saturday that Grant van Niekerk, Anton Marcus and Callan Murray are the stable’s booked jockeys for the race. There is also Bernard Fayd’Herbe who won last year’s July on Marinaresco and scored on both Star Express and Elusive Silva. But the stable believes that Coral Fever will run and so keep the weights of its contenders below Fayd’Herbe’s minimum.

Magical Wonderland, 7-2 favourite with WSB for the SA Fillies Sprint, is reported in good heart for Saturday’s Scottsville Grade 1.

Candice Bass-Robinson, who also runs 15-1 shot Live Life, said: “Magical Wonderland is doing well and looking good. She has come on since her last run and Aldo Domeyer was up at Summerveld last week to ride her work.”

Brett Crawford reports Tsogo Sun Sprint favourite Bold Respect in similarly good shape, saying: “He is very well in himself, in good form and spot on for the race.”

Crawford is also particularly keen on Traces in the Gold Medallion even though at 8-1 there are four above him in the market.

Joey Ramsden will declare Computaform Sprint winner Attenborough (Fayd’Herbe) for the Tsogo Sun and has booked Keagan de Melo for Speedpoint who was third in the Turffontein race but has been raised a whopping 11 points.

Significantly Richard Fourie, who won on Attenborough last time, has elected to stay in Cape Town to keep his partnership with the exciting Rainbow Bridge in the Highlands Stud Winter Classic.

Ramsden looks like having one of the biggest hands in this 1 800m Grade 3 and will run three- Ancestry, Morning Catch and the filly Fresnaye. Candice Bass-Robinson also plans to be three handed with July supplementary Rocket Countdown, Ben-hur and Pacific Chestnut. Snaith, who has won three of the last six runnings, has declared Callan Murray for Doublemint and Robert Khathi for Love Happens.

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: African Night Sky (Liesl King)

Elusive Silva has burst into the Vodacom Durban July picture after his victory in the Grade 2 World Sports Betting (WSB ) 1900 at Greyville on Saturday and WSB now make him a 15/1 chance for the country’s biggest race.

Star Express (Denzil Govender)

Last year Elusive Silva was third favourite for the big race at one stage after impressive wins in both the Listed Sledgehammer and in the Cup Trial, but he had to be scratched after straining a tendon in the July gallops.

He clearly loves Greyville, like most Silvano’s do. In fact Silvano’s won the last three races at Greyville on Saturday and in 2015 they filled the July trifecta.

Star Express by Silvano won the seventh race on Saturday, a Pinnacle event over 1600m, and has shortened into 55/1 for the July with WSB. However, the biggest eyecatcher in that race was African Night Sky who stayed on strongly from way back and he is now the outright July favourite with WSB at 5.1. Recent impressive Daisy Guineas winner Do It Again is second in the betting on 6/1.

Dark Moon Rising increased his chances of making the July field by finishing a 0,5 length second in the 1900 and is now 40/1 with WSB for the July. Matador Man was an unlucky third in the 1900 and is a 50/1 July chance.

Pack Leader was scratched from the 1900 due to a concerns that he might have been having a slight bout of colic upon arrival at the course. It was just a precautionary measure and he remains prominent in the July betting with WSB at 12/1.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith was confident of good Vodacom Durban July qualifying runs from his fancied pair Platinum Prince and Elusive Silva in tomorrow’s Grade 2 Betting World 1900, in which he has four contestants.

Snaith said, “If Platinum Prince could contend over a mile like he did last time then he will be a big runner as that was way too short and he has come on a lot from the run and has been doing very well. He needs a big run to qualify for the July but will have to be careful from that wide draw. Elusive Silva is back and if his legs don’t give him trouble he should also be in contention. He strained a tendon at the July gallops last year. However, he is as good now as he was.”

Elusive Silva

He continued, “It is a bit sharp for Strathdon and it will be a bit hit and miss as he has been off for a long time. He will either have a forward run or will need it but I am hoping for a positive run. Captain Splendid is looking for further but I am hoping for a positive run.”

Snaith runs July second favourite African Night Sky and Star Express in a Pinnacle event over 1600m and said, “He may need it a little but I am looking for a positive run into the Cup Trial and expect him to be in the money. Star Express is having her first run and is doing well but she will come on from the run.”

Snaith was thrilled with the Barrier Trial run of former July winner Legislate at Scottsville on Wednesday.

He said, “There is still a long way to go but it was nice to watch!”

He will see how he goes before entering him in a race and said about ahis chances of lining up in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge, “We will see but I feel I’m just one run short.”

July third-favourite Oh Susanna is only 50/50 to line up in the big race as Snaith feels a big weight is a very hard ask for a three-year-old filly to carry over 2200m.

However, she put up a fine gallop at Greyville yesterday, beating her stable companion Copper Force at level weights.

Snaith said, “She is now fit and ready for the Woolavington. Copper Force had to be dropped out from a wide draw in his first run in Durban in the Drill Hall, and it didn’t work out, so it was good to see him putting up a good gallop.”

By David Thiselton

After a memorable couple of days of informative business sessions, the 37^th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) came to a close in the Grand InterContinental Parnas on Thursday night in Seoul, Korea with a momentous announcement that South Africa will be hosting the 38^th Asian Racing Conference in Cape Town in 2020.

Ken Truter, Chairman of the National Horse Racing Authority was delighted to accept the ARF flag from Winfried Englebrecht-Bresges, ARF Chairman.  “As Chairman it is a great privilege for the NHA to accept South Africa as the Asian Racing Conference destination for 2020. We are proud and honoured that the Asian Racing Federation has placed such confidence in us. Together with our industry partners we will put much effort and endeavour into making the 2020 conference a resounding success.”

South African Ambassador to South Korea, HE Miss Nozuko Bam was equally delighted that the Asian Racing Conference will be returning to South Africa after an absence of 27 years.

“On behalf of the South African Government, we are delighted that the auspicious Asian Racing Conference will take place in to our beautiful country in 2020. We will give the local organizing committee all our support to ensure that the conference will be enjoyable and memorable.

We would like to extend a thank you to the Asian Racing Federation and especially to the National Horseracing Authority of South Africa and its industry partners for making it happen. We will be ready when to welcome everyone to the shores of our friendly and exciting country.”

Featured Image by Liesl King

The Turffontein Inside course meeting on Sunday is headlined by the Listed Syringa Handicap over 1600m but of equal interest is a Pinnacle Stakes event over the same trip in which a couple of Vodacom Durban July contenders line up.

The classy Cascapedia is the best weighted horse in the Pinnacle event, despite Bernard Fayd’Herbe carrying 1kg overweight. The big four-year-old daughter of High Chaparral has breathing issues but this does not seem to bother her as she has won five of seven starts from 1400m up to 1800m. She is six months younger than her contemporaries so will be improving all the time. She was fancied for the Sun Met but had to be scratched after not travelling well. She likely needed her comeback run in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes and will have come on from that effort. She is already eleventh on the July log and is unlikely be given any raise in her merit rating even if she wins here as she is best in at the weights.

Cascapedia (JC Photographics)

Greek Fire has been omitted from the log after two below par runs in the Gauteng Guineas and SA Classic. However, neither race panned out well and he is better than that. Under Piere Strydom he might be given more of a chance and dropped out from a wide draw and should be capable of a strong finish being by Dynasty.

However, She’s A Giver and Unagi are preferred to fill the trifecta. Unagi has four wins and a second from five starts over this course and distance. She’s A Giver is a handy sort who has proven lately she stays 1600m and from a plum draw should be in the shake up over a tight course which will suit her style.

Warrior’s Rest can’t be ignored is a big son of What A Winter and if Lyle Hewitson can get him into his favourite front running role from draw six he will be a big runner as he has a good kick.

The enigmatic Secret Captain can never be ignored either and will be especially interesting with blinkers tried from a fair draw.

In the Syringa Handicap over 1600m Redberry Wood will be looking to end a streak of five seconds on the trot. Hewitson will have to get her into her favourite front-running role from the widest draw of all without expending too much energy. There is not a lot of pace in the race, which will aid his cause and she is tipped to get it right.

Her stablemate Aurelia Cotta has been a touch disappointing against the best but can make her presence felt in this lesser event having dropped to a competitive mark and having to carry just 53kg. She has a plum draw of two.

Brigtnumberfive has always been well regarded and is usually slow away so her wide draw of nine should be of little concern. She turned it on last time over course and distance and has a shout carrying just 52,5kg.

However, it is wide open and the like of Heaps Of Fun, Shatoosh, Mar Del Seur, Costa Da Sol, Kilauea and Mrs. O can’t be ignored. However, on a competitive card it is hard to include too many in the exotics.

Modjaji is the last has been chosen as the best bet as she is ultra-consistent and is unbeaten in two starts over course and distance so will be hard to peg back under Piere Strydom who went close on her over 1000m at the Vaal in her penultimate start.

By David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer holds a strong hand in the World Sports Betting 1900, one of the major stepping stones to this year’s Vodacom Durban July, and both It’s My Turn and The Slade will have to put up their hands at Greyville tomorrow if they are to be considered for the final July field.

Dean Kannemeyer

With none of tomorrow’s runners in this Gr2 event assured of a July run, the race will be seriously competitive and there could be a few hard luck stories come 3.20pm tomorrow.

The Slade is relatively lightly raced and after reeling off a hat-trick of wins culminating in a close-up second to the smart three-year-old Eyes Wide Open in the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap towards the end of last season he was being touted as a possibly July winner.

However, the Peninsula was his last outing in the Cape Summer and it was nearly four months later that he stepped out in the Sledgehammer where he started favourite in the 1800m event.

But things didn’t quite go according to plan. “I expected more from him,” said Kannemeyer. “But Anton (Marcus) said they went very slow in the Sledgehammer which didn’t suit him. But he has been a little disappointing,” admitted Kannemeyer.

That race was nearly a month back and The Slade should strip a lot fitter tomorrow.

Stable companion It’s My Turn is fairly well weighted in the race and has his third outing for Kannemeyer. “It’s My Turn has had two runs for me. He’s back from injury but is doing very well. He ran a great race in the King’s Cup because he’s a better horse over 10 furlongs, possibly even a mile-and-a-half.”

Kegan de Melo has committed to ride for Kannemeyer for Champions Season so his choice of rides needs to be respected.

Investec Derby and Peninsula winner Eyes Wide Open is a glaring omission from the list of initial entries for the Vodacom Durban July but Pack Leader is from the same stable and races in the same colours. He was nearly two lengths clear of The Slade in the Sledgehammer and was not far back in the Cape Classics over the summer.

Glen Kotzen was optimistic earlier in the week as saying, “He has had a great preparation. He ran on Met day and only had one 1000m grass gallop after that before going into the Sledgehammer.

The Slade

“He was way off and ran much better than expected. He was blowing hard afterwards, but the jockey was not hard on him. Since then he has come on a helluva lot and has been working twice as well.

“If he wins on Saturday and is raised just a couple of pounds his weight will be spot on for the July. I will be disappointed if he is not in the first three and if we are happy the run has qualified him he will not have another race before the July.”

The mare Fort Ember is the best rated runner in the race according to merit ratings and she has an enviable record at Greyville where she seems to “grow and extra leg,” according to Paul Peter. Her recent poor showing in the Champion’s Challenge at Turffontein is best ignored as her previous form was solid.

Justin Snaith, speaking after Oh Susanna had galloped at Greyville yesterday morning, was also fairly confident of his runner’s chances,

“If Platinum Prince could contend over a mile like he did last time then he will be a big runner as that was way too short and he has come on a lot from the run and has been doing very well. He needs a big run to qualify for the July but will have to be careful from that wide draw. Elusive Silva is back and if his legs don’t give him trouble he should also be in contention.”

Snaith has plotted a slightly easier route for African Night Sky who lines up in a Pinnacle Stakes event a half-hour later.

“He may need it a little but I am looking for a positive run into the Cup Trial and expect him to be in the money.”

By Andrew Harrison

Candice Bass-Robinson has a favourite’s chance of winning all three two-year-old races at Kenilworth tomorrow and in two of them her principal hope is odds-on.

Aldo Domeyer, still on 99 after unexpectedly drawing a blank here on Tuesday, should not have to wait long as he rides all three and Mixed Signals stands out in the opener.

Aldo-Domeyer

This filly was a totally ignored 45-1 chance when running on well after it was all over to take second to smart stable companion Santa Clara on debut four weeks ago and should have come on enough. At World Sports Betting’s 13-20 she is short enough though because third-placed Tropical Hibiscus has since let the form down in a big way.

That said, there is no obvious danger. The Vaughan Marshall newcomer African Diamond (a R100 000 Rock Of Gibraltar filly) at 4-1 is the only other quoted at less than 10-1. Sparkling Fire at 14-1 is a big price for a Ramsden two-year-old.

Frozen Tune 40 minutes later looks the weakest link in the Bass-Robinson treble as he has been beaten four times already – admittedly second three times and third on the other occasion – but the 16-10 chance has the best form.

Watch Me Dad (6-1) ran well first time despite losing ground at the start and looks a big threat while The Suit (18-10) had Tuesday’s winner Montego Bay a place behind when fourth last time and would be an appropriate tip on Meghan Markle’s big day.

In race three Russet Air (like Mixed Signals a Winning Ways horse to follow) stands out. He lost lengths at the start on debut when third to stable companion Machiavelli, finishing in front of The Suit and Montego Bay. The problem is that he is quoted at 6-10 and is poor value at those odds. Maybe a few Rand on the Domeyer treble would be a more attractive option.

Of the opposition Dynamite Jack and Famous Orator have shown ability while, with his trainer in such blistering two-year-old form, Arrivederci’s 20-1 looks each way temptation.

In the Betting World Maiden Rocket Girl takes on older horses after two good runs over the trip. She is favourite at 16-10 and looks good enough.

Two in-form 4kg claimers give 9-2 shots Northern Corner and Al Wahed strong claims in the Play Soccer 6 Handicap but the vote goes to Fire Walker (also 9-2). He has been raised five points for last time’s win but he won easing up.

By Michael Clower