By his own admission, Dean Kannemeyer’s Champions Season string is a little thin on talent but Silva’s Bullet stamped himself as a possible Classic contender with a driving win in the Track & Ball Danma Handicap at Greyville yesterday and his filly Sugar Girl, racing in the same Khaya Stables silks, is no slouch either.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, replacing the luckless Anthony Delpech in the irons, was content to bide his time in the early exchanges on Silva’s Bullet. However, the elbows started to pump a long way before hitting the home turn. Gelded and having only his third outing, his first since August last year, Silva’s Bullet showed every sign of inexperience but Fayd’Herbe kept him hard to his task and he reeled in the opposition to win in promising fashion.

The Gr2 Daisy Guineas is an obvious target and a switch to the turf and a more galloping track should suit his lengthy stride but the Gr1 Daily News may suit even better. He is definitely a horse for the notebook.

Silva’s Bullet (Candiese Marnewick)

Marcus took the ride on Sugar Girl who had outstanding Cape form and she came through her test with flying colours. Marcus had her on the rails in a flash in spite of a soggy track and in the straight tracked through up the middle to win under hands and heels.

Sugar Girl is another name that should go into the notebook.

Wayne Badenhorst has been something of a nomad, moving from Summerveld, to a private establishment next door to Doug Campbell in Richmond before that was sold, so it was back to Summerveld.

With Des Egdes handing in his trainer’s brief at the end of January, Keith Smith send Sail The Bay to Badenhorst and the gelding came good in the first, relegating Internet Kid to another runner-up berth, his third from four starts.

Jumping horses from a sprint to a mile and further is quite often a risky decision, but it paid off handsomely twice as both Irish Marsh and Hector Heathcote defied the norm.

Irish Marsh had run his best two races over 1400m but in an inspired move, Frank Robinson stepped him up to 1800m in the Track & Ball Online Maiden to good effect.

Given a patient ride by Grant van Niekerk, Irish Marsh took the shortest way home and came with a telling run from well back to comfortably get the better of long-time maiden Palace Mystery.

In some quarters, barrier trials are still regarded as an un-necessary aggravation, but Dennis Bosch used them to good effect with Hector Heathcote who showed pace throughout in his trial to ‘beat’ home the smart filly She’s A Dream.

Bosch was bold enough to step Hector Heathcote up to 1600m for his race debut proper and there was no shortage of confidence as the gelding was backed in to favourite.

Hector Heathcote displayed a hot temperament but was well handled by top Cape Town-based jockey Richard Fourie who let his mount stride clear early and was never troubled in the straight as Dot Coza finished a distant second best.

After taking the bold decision to give his horses fortnight’s break to get over a virus, Duncan Howells has slowly brought his string back to the boil with Legend winning last Sunday and Barinois coming back strongly from her break to win smartly in the Track & Ball Savera Handicap.

Anton Marcus tracked the early pace before, as is his want, switching for a clear outside run.

Barinois responded smartly and the race was over as a contest a furlong out to the satisfaction of part owners Rick and Thora Nidd who were always keen on the progeny of Ashaawes.

Garth Puller is in good form and apprentice Craig Bantam made good use of his light weight by making all the running on Cipher with stable companion Forceful Rush battling on gamely in driving rain for second to give Puller the exacta.

This week marked the maiden voyage of the Titanic and Burfi was the iceberg on which the majority of Pick 6 tickets floundered in the last leg. Kom Naidoo’s rank outsider paid R52 on the tote as apprentice Serino Moodley got her home ahead of Sheik’s Storm and Miss Millionaire.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key eight race meeting tomorrow and it looks to be a card where Tote exotic bets could be the best way to go.

In the first race, a workriders maiden over 1000m, Finding Troy over raced last time over 1600m but three runs ago went close over 1200m. The blinkers have now been put on over 1000m and he should have enough speed to beat this uninspiring field. Ragnarok has been disappointing since showing a bit of promise in his first three runs but has a good opportunity to earn again. Casual Wear is a first-timer by the decent sire What A Winter and is a half-brother to a number of multiple winners including the like of Tomba La Bomba and Shatoosh.

Baahir

In the second race over 1200m Certifiable ran a good race over 1160m in his penultimate start from a tricky low draw by trends when showing pace and staying on. His low draw this time is favourable and he should go close in another uninspiring field. Lord Silverio is a nice looking grey with a big action and will have a big chance here on ability. He is a R1,1 million purchase by Silvano out of a Linney Head mare who won the Grade 3 Jacaranda Handicap and he has a fair draw under S’Manga Khumalo. However, he has not run since last September when backed into 18/10 before being slow away and finishing lame nearly ten lengths back. King Of Delta has run some close up places over sprints and has a chance despite a wide draw. An interesting first-timer here is Latch, who is by Pluck and is out of a half-sister to the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Heaps Of Fun. Pluck won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf and is a close relative of the top class Master Of My Fate, who has made a fine start to his stud career. Civil Disobedience is also an interesting first-timer being by Rebel King out of a Centenary mare who has produced five winners, as he should have some speed.

In the third race Silvez looks to be the best bet on the card. He was slow away over 1160m on Saturday but stayed on well to finish a 1,85 length fourth. Ensemble has fair form in sprints. Fragrant Miss is best at sprints on form despite having initially struck as one who would stay further. She would have just about been the form choice if it wasn’t for her high draw, which is unfavourable by trends on this track.

In the fourth race over 1200m Wild Curve went close to Premier Show in her penultimate start and the latter has since won once and been placed in two separate features, so he is the one to beat from the plum number one draw. Baahir is a model of consistency and he has now come down to a competitive merit rating. He also has a plum low draw. Shortstop has turned the corner since being associated with apprentice Denis Schwarz, who can extract a strong finish from him and they have reeled off a hattrick together. However, Schwarz recently rode his 60^th winner so has lost his claim and the horse has also been raised five points for his last win so it won’t be easy to win this one. Star Of Joburg is a talented sort who was a big disappointment in his first run out of the maidens. However, he was found later to not be striding out so likely needed the layoff he has been given. Aranjuez is quite a nice looking type but has disappointed over further since leaving the maidens so is interesting stepped down in trip. Master Boulder has a form chance but the draw is against him.

Waity Katie was one a well regarded sort in Cape Town and has found her feet in no uncertain terms since joining the astute trainer David Nieuwenhuizen. She won with authority last time and can make it four on the trot in the fifth race over 1800m from a fair draw over a trip she should enjoy. Sha-Boom Sha-Boom looks the main danger over a suitable course and distance.

In the 6^th over 2400m Ali Bon Dubai has struck as a decent stayer in the making. It is a Middle Stakes event and some are officially well weighted and others aren’t, but the result in these staying events often makes a fool of the weights and he can score two in a row having won well over 2850m last time. Cardiff Castle comes from the strong centre of Cape Town, where he had some decent staying form, so is the main danger unless the altitude factor stops him.

The last two races are typically tricky sprint handicaps. Shifting Shadows went close to a fair sort in Ouro the last time she ran on the Inside track and she found no extra that day over 1200m so she looks the one to beat in the seventh from a nice low draw over the minimum 1000m trip.

In the last race Just Africa has plenty of speed and the intelligent rider Ryan Munger could get the best out of him as his race will need to be finely judged. He went close the last time he ran over course and distance despite hanging in badly late from an unfavourable wide draw and he now has a slightly better draw and is effectively two points lower in the merit ratings. Supanova from a plum draw has a fine form chance too.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith named some big-priced horses when quizzed about his Vodacom Durban July possibles by James Goodman on Winning Ways on Monday evening.

Snaith, bidding for his third win in South Africa’s most famous race, spoke of 20-1 shot Platinum Prince in the same breath as 6-1 favourite African Night Sky and said: “If they come in at the right weight and crack a half-decent draw they are going to take some beating. Elusive Silva (25-1) is back again. He was my favourite last year but he injured himself. He runs next weekend.

Oh Susanna (Liesl King)

“Do It Again (16-1) galloped very well on Monday. He was second in the Cape Derby, is no slouch and might come in at the right weight. Whether he will suit Greyville with the short run-in – he likes to come from a long way back – is going to be a question mark but he could be a contender. His first race will be in the Daisy Guineas (May 6) which will be too short for him and then he will fire up in the Daily News.”

Sun Met winner Oh Susanna is a 16-1 chance and her trainer said: “I don’t want to say she won’t run in the July but if she gets a heavy weight she won’t as there is no way I’m going to take a chance with her.

“We will first see how she handles Greyville. My fillies normally don’t have a problem with the course so I am predicting that all will be good.

“We are trying to keep her and Snowdance away from each other. They are both very good and I wouldn’t like to see them up against each other. Snowdance will be pretty much aimed at the Daisy Fillies Guineas and Oh Susanna for the Woolavington on June 2.”

Among the stable’s other KZN contingent Snaith mentioned Strathdon who has been laid out for the eLan Gold Cup on July 29 – “He won four in a row in Cape Town and I think he will take a lot of beating in the staying races while Made To Conquer won four out of five He just needs to prove than he can make the step-up..”

Grant van Niekerk will ride most of them – “A top jockey, he is as good as they get.”

By Michael Clower

Anton Marcus and Bernard Fayd’Herbe look set to benefit from Anthony Delpech’s unfortunate fall at Turffontein on Saturday as they have pick up some plum rides on the Greyville poly today.

Marcus replaces Delpech on Dot Coza for Garth Puller in the opening leg of the Pick 6 and the gelding caught the eye with a strong late run behind Sand Path last time out. It appears that the penny has finally dropped and he may be the horse to beat although it may be worth backing up with the disappointing but sometimes threatening Taranaki and Lord Padmore, who although beaten by Dot Coza last time out, now sports blinkers. Of Taranaki, Dennis Drier’s assistant Stuart Ferrie said, “in this field he must have a good chance.”

Next up Marcus partners Barinois for Duncan Howells. The filly should appreciate the step up in trip after being out-paced late over 1400m. Howells said, “she is working well, is nicely drawn and has an each way chance.”

Barinois

The danger looks to be Riverboat Queen who came from a long way back to win her last start over course and distance. She does not have the best of draws but blinkers appear to have sharpened her up and she is a must inclusion in all bets.

Runners from the Drier yard appear to have found form of late so Colour Your Dreams comes into the picture after a promising sprint-up last start and was deemed good enough to be taken to the Cape for the summer. “She put in a nice comeback run and we are expecting a good effort,” said Ferrie.

Fayd’Herbe replaces Delpech on the lightly raced Silva’s Bullet in the fifth for Dean Kannemeyer. The gelding made a winning debut and followed up with third in the Bloodstock SA Million where he was running around in the finish. He was then gelded and given a seven-month break before a recent barrier trial where he was asked to do little more than stretch.

He will enjoy the step up to a mile and is possibly the one to beat.

The dangers are many but Savuti is a strong front runner and was only run out of it late last time out and should be the horse to follow. Iron Wolf is a winner over course and distance but has drawn widest of all while Sean Veale has ducked the ride on stable runner Tom Collins to partner Plymouth Rock for Doug Campbell which could prove significant.

Marcus replaces Delpech on Silvan Saint for Sean Tarry in the sixth and can turn the tables on Obvious Child although only 0.5kg better off at the weights. Forceful Rush has been knocking at the door for some time now and was running on nicely over course and distance last time out in spite of being reported lame after the race.

Marcus has also picked up the plum ride on Sugar Girl for Kannemeyer in the seventh. The lightly raced daughter of Trippi was a winner on debut and followed up with a handy second. She may just need this outing but does appear to have a touch of class.

Louis Goosen’s runner Shwanky will make them all gallop as she has some useful form over course and distance and was only caught late by Miss Varlicious early last month. From a good draw she could have them all off the bit in the first furlong.

Shwanky’s presence in the field is possibly bad news for apprentice Luke Ferraris who is looking for the first win of his career. He gets a chance on the Howells-trained Accidental Tourist who boasts some good poly form but is often a tardy starter. “She keeps missing the break but if not too far out of her ground could finish in the first three,” said Howells.

Barrier Trials can prove deceiving but they do give punters a glimpse of horses that they would otherwise not see until a race proper so one takes a chance. Internet Kid has run into the money in both outings since making a smart barrier trial and is likely to start at short odds for the card opener. However, Pavarotti Passion impressed in his trial. Mark Dixon’s charge has had his problems at the gate so one needs to be doubly cautious but he made a good impression in his trial and could make a winning debut.

By Andrew Harrison

Prolific Highveld-based owner Larry Nestadt and partners were given sweet consolation when their newly acquired colt Lobo’s Legend was a shock winner of the Grade 1 R2 million SA Classic on Saturday and he praised Joey Soma for a fine training feat.

Nestadt had been alerted in December by Jeff Shill of the Tawny Syndicate that the Trippi colt was one of the many horses on the for-sale list of Mayfair Speculators.

“He had finished a short-head second to a sprinter Mike de Kock rates, Buffalo Bill Cody, and he then won his maiden by 8,5 lengths, so we bought him with CTS 1200 in mind,” recalled Nestadt.

Imagine the disappointment of himself and the other part-owners Shill, JR van der Linden, Mark Currie and Soma when the horse’s chances were botched at the start of that lucrative US$500,000 race. He had become fractious and the handler was unable to remove the hood until after the start was effected. He lost a few lengths and was later declared a non-runner.

Muzi Yeni

“We were devastated,” said Nestadt. “He didn’t finish far off them in the end too.”

Nestadt believed he was a sprinter, so was surprised when Soma suggested he target the SA Classic over 1800m.

He said, “It was a gamble but Joey went in committed, he was not going in thinking he didn’t have a chance, so it was a good training feat.”

Lobo’s Legend must be the most unusual SA Classic winner of all time from a form point of view as he had never run beyond 1200m in five previous starts, had never gone around the turn and had never run in a black type event before. To cap it all he had won only one of those five races and had finished lame in his last start. However, Nestadt did point out that on pedigree he should stay 1800m and that was one of the reasons the connections supported Soma’s recommendation.

Nestadt was on the golf course at the time of the race on Saturday and listened in via a cellphone call to Shill.

He recalled, “Jeff shouted ‘this horse is going to win’ and he then began screaming so loudly I thought he had lost his marbles!”

It was a tremendously exciting moment for Nestadt and particularly gratifying that the connections’ faith in Soma had paid off.

They have not yet discussed the long-striding bay’s future, but Nestadt reckoned he would likely be seen in action during the SA Champions Season in KZN. However, he believed he would not go much beyond 1800m and a race like the Daily News 2000 would be his very limit.

Indeed the colt fought for his head for a moment or two right at the beginning of the race on Saturday and Muzi Yeni did a fine job settling him. It could well be that he has a fine future as a miler.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image Anthony Delpech (Liesl King)

KZN owner Eric Buhr is one of the quieter men of racing but follows his horses passionately and regretted not being at Greyville on Sunday where he had shares in two winners, Hack Green and Blaze Of Silk.

“It was such a pity, but I had decided to go to the races on Wednesday (tomorrow) instead, where I have two running. It was a bad decision!”

Corinne Bestel is one of Buhr’s chief trainers and three-year-old Twice Over gelding Blaze Of Silk got off the mark at the sixth attempt. The 1000m maiden event was weak on paper. However, he has tended to over race, as he did on Sunday, and jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe believed he would go on to win more races once he had learnt to settle, although he confirmed 1000m would likely be his optimum trip.

Hack Green

The Dennis Drier-trained Hack Green was a higher profile winner. This four-year-old Gimmethegreenlight colt was at one stage much touted and then proved it by winning the Grade 3 Umkhomazi Stakes for two-year-olds over 1200m at Greyville by three lengths in just his second career start. He followed it by winning the inaugural running of the Bloodstock SA Million Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville two weeks later. Hack Green arrived in Cape Town last season as an unbeaten winner of three, but disappointment after disappointment followed. Buhr confirmed there had even been discussions to make other arrangements for him, but the connections had decided to give it one more go. Drier said, “We sent him to Jane Trotter for three months, we brought him back and we worked him on this track, we worked him on that track, we did everything we don’t normally do with a horse, and no grass.” It didn’t appear to work as he was beaten five lengths in his comeback run in January and 5,75 lengths in his next start. Drier then decided to slap a pair of blinkers on and after Sunday’s win, of a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1100m on the turf, he said, “That was the Hack Green I know.”

Buhr said one never knew whether it was as simple as a change of equipment and related, “I once told a trainer, ‘I think that horse needs a tongue tie’, and he came out and won his next race!”

He added, “But it is always nice when a horse whom we believed should have done well comes back and wins.”

Hack Green was merit rated as high as 101 at one stage. If Sunday’s race had been a handicap he would have received 15,5kg from the narrow 123 merit-rated runner up Sergeant Hardy, instead of just 8kg, so it was a commendable performance. Drier might now be eyeing the Scottsville Festival Of Speed meeting’s Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Buhr is no stranger to success at that meeting as he part-owned the Drier-trained Potent Power, who won the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m in 2012. Drier has virtually made the Medallion his own having won six of the last eight renewals and seven overall. At this time of the year pundits are looking out for Drier’s next Medallion winner and Buhr happens to part-own the first one to put up its hand, a Master Of My Fate colt called Goliath Heron. He is an impressive, strongly built sort, who showed speed in his Barrier Trial over 1000m on the poly, and he then confirmed his promise by winning his debut over 1200m on the Greyville turf by four lengths.

Dennis Drier

Buhr’s association with racing began as a youngster and he recalled listening to the Durban July every year on the radio with his father. However, he owes his venture into ownership to a Nomad’s Golf colleague of his, bloodstock agent Andy Williams.

He said the love of horses was the most fulfilling part of ownership and elaborated, “It’s an expensive hobby, but if you can meet your commitments you can get lucky and can sell a promising horse for good money, like we sold Potent Power to Hong Kong. That’s the ideal scenario.” However, he confirmed it was “very difficult” to land in such a situation. Potent Power, who is by National Emblem, continues to race in Hong Kong as an eight-year-old under the name Rocket Let Win and has won three races over there.

Buhr also gets much enjoyment out of following stallions. In fact, Master Of My Fate is one of his favourites at present. He leaves the selecting of horses at Sales to the trainers, but has some of his own theories and believes it is important to look carefully at the first crop of any promising new stallion and then to buy them if the signs are good. Master Of My Fate is a case in point and he said, “I have been in Dennis’s yard for a while, so I know how good Master Of My Fate was as a racehorse and we now look lucky to have got one of his first crop at a reasonable price. Noble Tune is another interesting one. I hope he does well for KZN and I have sent one or two of the mares I have shares in to him.”

One of Eric’s sons Dieter used to be a regular sight in the winner’s enclosure when any of the Buhr horses won. He has grown in the sport with his father and still follows the family’s runners avidly from his current home in Germany.

The Buhrs look to have good prospects for the forthcoming SA Champions Season as Eric said he also has a share in a promising unraced filly, so the excitement will be building in the Buhr family home.

By David Thiselton

African Night Sky, the new 6-1 favourite for the Vodacom Durban July now that Glen Kotzen has taken Eyes Wide Open out of consideration, has been nominated for the Sledgehammer at Scottsville on Sunday week but will not run.

Jonathan Snaith said: “Elusive Silva will run in the Sledgehammer and African Night Sky will start in the Betting World 1900 at Greyville on May 19. He then goes for the Cup Trial (June 9) before running in the July.”

The stable has made no secret of its plan to adopt a low-key approach in the run-up to the big race with African Night Sky in order to preserve the horse’s 108 merit rating.

Stable companion Jo’s Bond (Grant van Niekerk) bids to repeat last year’s win in the Kwazulu-Natal Stakes at Scottsville on Sunday and could then go, as she did last season, for the Computaform Sprint at Turffontein on May 5.

The Candice Bass-Robinson trained Allan Robertson candidate Western Angel faces six opponents in the Juvenile Fillies Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday. Aldo Domeyer’s mount and fellow previous winners Clouds Unfold (Van Niekerk) and Racine (MJ Byleveld) have to concede 3kg to the four maidens.

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: African Night Sky (Liesl King)