A MR 96 Handicap over 1600m heads the Turffontein Standside card tomorrow and Social Order looks the one to side with wearing first-time blinkers.

Thus Count Dubois gelding is suited to a galloping track and his best run was over this course and distance when second in the Grade 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile. He has not really let himself down lately and now gets blinkers on and this could bring the best out of him. Kings Archer is not slowing down despite being a six-year-old entire and goes well for Pierre Strydom, so can do well over a suitable course and distance from draw three. Arctica always finds extra from the front and proved he is ideally course and distance suited last time. He will be dangerous in this small field as he might be able to dictate.

Secret Captain

Fareeq went close to Arctica last time but is only half-a-kilogram better off and Kings Archer has him held on their previous meeting. Chepardo is yet to win over this distance and the feeling has always been he is better over 1400m. Shukamisa was not far off Kings Archer last time when bumped late and steadied so he can’t be written off being 1,5kg better off for a 1,6 length beating. Irish Pride has been off form but has class and is now drawn well off an attractive merit rating. Secret Captain has been a frustrating horse as he is talented but often under performs. However, he is 1,5kg better off with Arctica for a 1,2 length beating so also has a chance. Royal Honour would prefer further.

The second race over 1160m is a classy Pinnacle event for fillies and mares and the classy Secret Star could be the one to beat, although her low draw of one might be a concern despite it being only a six-horse field. She has good cruising speed and a telling kick, so can do well running fresh as she is effective over further. The best weighted horse is Exquisite Touch a tall filly who also has good speed and a kick, but she has not raced since October. She did beat the talented The Thinker in that race, but that was her first run for six months and she has now had another layoff so must have her problems. Spring Wonder has excellent front-running pace and has won twice over course and distance before so has a chance. The concern is the breathing noise she made at the end of December when beaten over ten lengths behind Heaps Of Fun, but she did have a tough low draw that day and might have been sent for home too soon. Heaps Of Fun won comfortably over course and distance in her penultimate start. However, that was in a handicap off a 93 and she is now 2kg under sufferance with Exquisite Touch despite having been raised to a 99 merit rating. My Friend Lee won well last time over course and distance in soft going but has a tough task at the weights. Tahini pops up in Pinnacle races quite often but this is a touch sharp for her.

David Nieuwenhuizen is a fine trainer and Waity Katie, who runs in the sixth and was quite well regarded by the Mike Bass yard early in her career, can continue to progress. She went close first time out for this yard in December and then won her next two, over 1700m and 1500m. She has been raised four points but can defy the handicapper again off just a  four point higher 65 merit rating.

Stay With Me could represent value in the eight race over 1400m with Strydom up. This Count Du Bois gelding has caught the eye before as one who finishes strongly. However, his two starts out of the maidens have been disappointing. He now gets blinkers on and is six points lower in the merit ratings and has a good draw.

Peppermint Tea could represent value in the third race over 1160m having not got a clear passage last time over 1000m and she was finishing well. It is not the strongest race and it is her third career start so she should be thereabouts.

Ghost Town, Liberado and Psychic could fight out the first leg of the Pick 6, with the first two looking to have scope for improvement and the latter bringing some good form from Cape Town.

By David Thiselton

Rose In Bloom is hard to oppose in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting tomorrow and she should become the race’s third consecutive winning favourite.

Robert Khathi’s mount has an outstanding chance on her third in the Klawervlei Majorca and on adjusted ratings she has a minimum of 4kg (three and a half lengths over this trip) in hand over all bar Goodtime Gal.

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Three-year-olds have only won three of the last ten runnings but, significantly, all three were trained by Joey Ramsden. The obvious danger is another of the same age group, Miss Katalin, who is on a hat-trick.

The Justin Snaith filly justified favouritism in a conditions plate last month and on her previous start she won the valuable Lanzerac Ready To Run. She could well be still on the upgrade and was 15-4 second favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday.

Elusive Heart, the third three-year-old, is an 11-2 chance and it is perhaps worth noting that she was only one place behind when Rose In Bloom ran sixth in the Fillies Guineas.

Goodtime Gal, so effective earlier in the season, seemed to have lost her edge in the Paddock and Majorca so it is far from certain that she will run up to her best and she is a 17-2 shot.

Love To Boogie (7-1) is the shorter priced of the Andre Nel pair and Captain’s Flame (11-1) has to give her a kilo but it’s worth noting that the latter would have done much better last time had she not over-raced early.

Aldo Domeyer is the only jockey in the race to have won it before (or at least since 2003) but 10-1 shot Whose That Girl has it do. Also she is drawn on the outside although, as this is the smallest Prix Du Cap field in the last 14 years, that may not be such a handicap as in previous seasons.

Brett Crawford, successful with Cuvee Brut in 2016, has each way prospects with Seattle Gold (9-1) and Louisiana (15-1) who were seventh and ninth in the Majorca.

The Kepu Trading Jet Master Stakes is pretty much a handicap with just 2.5kg separating the best from the worst on adjusted merit ratings and the betting reflects this – 9-2 favourite Summer Sky and no bigger than 8-1 any of the others with the exception of Mac De Lago (25-1).

Waiting For Rain is in form, and so are his jockey and trainer. This is a step up in class but he looks reasonable each way value at 7-1.

By Michael Clower

There have been questions from many quarters about the value of Barrier Trials but there is little doubt that those punters who take the trouble to make notes will be rewarded.

A specific National Horse Racing rule is that no trainer may gallop his horse against a horse from another stable in training.

Barrier trials negate that rule and there are always horses that need the experience of a racecourse gallop and what better way than a ‘competitive’ gallop in a trial race.

Not only do the horses experience the atmosphere of a race day, but also the starting regime.

Just Rap

Just how they perform is unlikely to disguise any obvious ability but one can draw a line through many that even in the gentle introduction of a trial, will likely take time to come to hand.

The opening race at Greyville tonight sees two recent trialists, Mr Bombastic and Zagara, in the line-up. Mr Bombastic has had two outings for Gavin van Zyl while the filly Zagara put in a forward showing in her trial. Of those that have had a race proper, only Kirav’s Tune looks a likely contender and he was beaten all of eight lengths at his third outing.

Aegean Aire, given an easy introduction in a trial, found plenty of traffic in his first race and with Anthony Delpech in the irons one can expect major improvement.

There are only seven races on tonight’s card but punters will be tested. The card is headed by the 6Bar Construction Handicap where the recent addition to the Dennis Bosch yard, Duzi Moon, could be the one to side with.

He arrives with some decent Highveld form to stronger and even though he makes his poly debut she should at least be competitive.

Stable companion Subtropical, bidding for a winning hat-trick, and Fullfillyourdream are obvious contenders but a must inclusion in all bets is the Des Egdes-trained Just Rap.

Des has decided to take a break from training after over 30 years in the sport and will be looking to go out on a high as he hands in his trainer’s brief at the end of this month.

Just Rap is over his optimum course and distance.

By Andrew Harrison

Experienced Gauteng-based jockey Gunther Wrogemann has landed the ride on the unbeaten Paul Peter-trained star Majestic Mambo for the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas and former South African Champion Jockey Gavin Lerena stays aboard Peter’s star filly Folk Dance for the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

Peter is more confident of Folk Dance’s chances than Majestic Mambo’s due to the distance of the two races and the respective quality of the opposition.

Gavin Lerena (Liesl King)

He said, “Majestic Mambo would prefer further, but we have to take our chances because it’s the first leg of the Triple Crown. But, I think it will be the hardest leg for him. He is doing very, very well and the draw is not a problem because he comes from off the pace.”

He added, “The colts race has a lot of hard-knockers. There is Big Bear and Mike de Kock has a lot of good horses and Monk’s Hood is a definite danger, but please God things go our way, because he does stay well and the next two legs will be easier for him.”

The Mambo In Seattle colt cost, just R40,000 at a CTS Ready To Run Sale and has put daylight between himself and the opposition in all three of his starts, all over 1800m. He won his maiden by 5,5 lengths, his second start (in a Novice Handicap off a merit rating of 83) by 4 lengths and then the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes by 2,25 lengths. In the latter race he showed a devastating turn of foot from last place. Anthony Delpech rode Majestic Mambo in his last two starts, but is retained by the owners of Monk’s Hood, Wilgerbosdrift Stud.

Peter said of Folk Dance, “She is very well. She has a wide draw but she has a lot of gatespeed and has a quick turn of foot. She is ideally course and distance suited.”

This classy Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Tiger Ridge filly was bought for R100,000 at the National Yearling Sale. She has won four of six starts, including the Grade 3 Fillies Mile by three lengths in her last start on Sansui Summer Cup day. Lerena has ridden her in her last two starts.

Peter regards the De Kock pair, Fish River and Silver Thursday, as the chief dangers.

He runs Fort Ember in a Pinnacle Stakes event on the day and said she was very well.

He also runs the progressive Imperial Stride gelding Pera Palace in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes and thinks he will handle the step up to 1400m, so is quietly confident.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Big Bear (Candiese Marnewick)

Majorca third Rose In Bloom has been installed 2-1 favourite to extend Joey Ramsden’s strong record in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

World Sports Betting seems to think three-year-olds will dominate the race because it opened Justin Snaith’s Lanzerac Ready To Run winner Miss Katalin second favourite at 15-4 while Richard Fourie’s mount Elusive Heart is next on 5-1.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Summer Sky is 4-1 favourite for the Kepu Trading Jet Master Stakes on the same card with Milton, Mambo Mime, Perovskia and Waiting For Rain all on 6-1.

Donovan Dillon has postponed his return from injury and Corne Orffer takes his place on Milton. Orffer, who also rides Louisiana in the Prix Du Cap, is taking part in a panel discussion on the race to be shown on Tellytrack at 6.30pm today. Waiting For Rain’s trainer Piet Steyn is also on the panel.

By Michael Clower

Last year’s Sun Met winner Whisky Baron faces nine opponents on his Dubai debut under Colm O’Donoghue in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan today and the race has a strong South African flavour because the nine include the Mike de Kock trained pair Janoobi (Jim Crowley) and Noah From Goa (Christophe Soumillon).

Janoobi’s triumphs include last year’s Gauteng Guineas while Noah From Goa won the 2015 Cape Guineas. Whisky Baron runs for the first time since the Shadwell Joel Stakes at Newmarket last September and will be Brett Crawford’s first Dubai runner. The race is live on Tellytrack at 6.50pm.

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: Janoobi (JC Photographics)

Apprentice Ashton Arries is fast making a name for himself as a rider to follow. In spite of never having sat on a horse before arriving at the South African Jockey Academy, the young Arries has an all-important affinity with his mounts and a great pair of hands.

A natural light-weight rider and a man of few words in company, there is a quiet steel about him, probably the result of a tough childhood in the impoverished Western Cape community of Atlantis. Importantly, he rides his own races and is not intimidated by his seniors. That, coupled with a racing brain should see him go far ­- if he can keep it all together!

Tough Girl (Candiese Marnewick)

Arries was quickly to his 60 winners and lost his claim at Scottsville last Sunday when partnering the Michael Roberts-trained Statute. For many apprentices, the loss of their claim often heralds a time of drought as trainers look elsewhere for some relief. Not so Arries, who has already put a further three in the bag, winning at the Vaal on Tuesday and adding a double at Greyville yesterday.

Lyle Hewitson, a certainty to break Gavin Lerena’s record of winners ridden as an apprentice, arrived at the academy with a wealth of experience in work riders races, a superb feat given that he is only serving a three-year apprenticeship given his early experience and his battle with the scale.

Arries still has nearly three years of his apprenticeship to run and given that he is unlikely to have any weight problems unless he tucks into hamburgers and pizza on a regular basis, Hewitson’s impending record could already be in danger.

Arries’s two winners yesterday came in contrasting style, underlining his talent.

Mark Dixon’s runner Tough Girl lived up to her name as Arries took her to the front and kept her going strongly to hold off the attentions of the two fancied runners, Roy’s Novice and Go Thuli Go, Brandan Lerena and Anton Marcus aboard respectively.

The win was not entirely unexpected however, in spite of a dismal showing on debut, Tough Girl came in for some inspired market support and proved up to the challenge.

There is an old racing adage that says, ‘if a horse is fit and well, don’t leave it in the box,’ a saying that Sean Tarry obviously subscribes to as Kahula backed up her third in the umThombothi Stakes at Scottsville on Sunday with a comfortable win under Arries and 62.5kg in the third.

The race was run at a funerial gallop but Arries was content to sit in the dickie seat. In the straight he knew exactly what he had under him, waited for a gap and punched his filly through for a comfortable victory in another polished performance.

There is a widely held school of thought that local horses at the bottom end of the handicap, or anywhere really, are cannon fodder for out-of-town raiders but Louis Goosen, recently moved to Ashburton from the Vaal is not convinced. “It’s hard to win races here. The KZN form is a lot stronger than what many people think.”

Brian Wiid, successful on more than one occasion with his raiders, found that out as the well-backed Jackman came up short in the fifth as Toltec, under an inspired ride from Tristan Godden, made all the running on the Lezeanne Forbes-trained gelding. The petrol light was flashing red on the dashboard for Godden entering the final furlong but he kept his mount going long enough to hold Jackman who was slowly eating into this lead.

By Andrew Harrison

The unbeaten Dean Kannemeyer-trained Dynasty filly Hashtagyolo will be scratched from the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas due to a suspected virus she has contracted.

Meanwhile, Kannemeyer’s Sun Met runner up Last Winter entered quarantine last Thursday bound for overseas. Kannemeyer will remain the trainer when the Western Winter colt eventually arrives in England after going the usual arduous quarantine route via Mauritius.

Hashtagyolo

Hashtagyolo had been doing very well in Johannesburg, where she had been training for the last five to six weeks in order to acclimatise her for the Triple Tiara series.

Kannemeyer had been travelling to Johannesburg regularly to see her and had been very pleased.

Piere Strydom had been booked for the ride and was due to gallop her this week.

However, the gallop had to be cancelled due to her illness.

After consultation with the owners Kannemeyer has decided to scratch her.

Kannemeyer will bring her back to his Summerveld satellite yard and might give her a two or three week holiday on the farm.

He is not sure yet whether she will be ready in time to run in the SA Champions Season.

Meanwhile, a disappointed Strydom had been trying to secure another ride for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas but without success so far.

By David Thiselton

The highly regarded San Fermin hasn’t lived up to the hype surrounding her to date and her stablemate Frederico’s Dream is tipped to beat her in tomorrow’s headliner at the Vaal Standside track, a MR 84 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.

Lucky Houdalakis

Frederico’s Dream has plenty of pace and has taken well to blinkers. In her penultimate start over 1160m in the Listed Swallow Stakes she only just failed with the blinkers on for the first time. Last time over 1000m she put the race beyond doubt some way out due to her exceptional pace and finished 0,8 lengths clear of the decent sort Winter Watch, although she was receiving 4kg. Stepping up to the 1200m should not be a concern on paper as she won twice over this trip early in her career.

However, she was not wearing the blinkers on those two occasions, so there is a slight concern about her running out of steam late. San Fermin, who has an exceptional turn of foot, proved in her penultimate start over 1160m she is suited to this trip. However, she was beaten a head by Frederico’s Dream on that occasion and is now 2,5kg worse off. On the other hand she was a touch unlucky and was finishing the stronger of the pair, so could be a threat over this slightly longer trip. Those two should fight it out. Movie Show has been in good form but is only 1,5kg better off with Frederico’s Dream for a 2,95 length beating over 1000m. Ninjara has always struck as a decent sort and the Houdalakis yard bring them on slowly but surely, so she could continue to progress despite being given a five point raise for her win over 1200m last time. Ice Art is capable of a strong finish from the back and can place, but she does have to bounce back from a 7,3 length thrashing by Frederico’s Dream and is only 1kg better off.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a MR82 Handicap over 1600m and the three-year-olds could hold the upperhand. The selection is Gambado, who has raced in strong company lately. Last time out in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m he finished a 3,45 length fifth to the top class Majestic Mambo, despite receiving only 2kg. He did take quite a strong hold of the bit in that race and was right up there until the closing stages, so he might enjoy the step down in trip and has a plum draw. Furthermore, he races off just an 80 merit rating so should go close.

Darkest Hour ran a fine race in the Dingaans, finishing a 2,25 length sixth. However, he hasn’t raced since. On the other hand he will need a big race off an 88 merit rating if he is to make it into one of the classic races. Alssakhra is close to Gambado on their 1800m run behind Royal Crusade. He is an entry in the Betting World Gauteng Guineas, which shows how highly regarded he is, and will need to win this race off an 80 merit rating to have any chance of getting into the final field. Shogun is in hard-knocking form and is off a competitive merit rating at present so leads the older horse threat over a suitable trip. Tommy Waterdevil is an honest sort who can never be ignored, despite making respiratory noises every race.

Shogun

The second leg of the Pick 6 over 1600m looks like an upset race. Querari Viking has a touch of class so can defy topweight. Front Rank has always had ability and has plummeted to a 65 merit rating. He runs well in soft ground and there has been rain around so he could be good value. The form of No Mans Land’s last start over this trip has been franked and he should be considered,

The seventh over 1200m could see Punta Cana proving his class in his third run after a long layoff, as he is likely to appreciate the step up to 1200m. If he is not bankered Battle Creek and Premier Show can be included. Baahir and Harlan County can also be considered.

The last two races are low division sprints over 1200m and the suggestion is to go as wide as possible. The selections to win the respective races are Little Magician, who looks a nice sort and is way better than his last run, and Alex The Great, who is well regarded and has dropped to an attractive merit rating over an ideal trip.

By David Thiselton

Nightingale, who gave Candice Bass-Robinson her first Grade 1 success in last year’s Klawervlei Majorca, has been retired after running way below form in both the Paddock Stakes and the Sun Met.

Her trainer said: “She had been doing well at home before the Met but in the race she didn’t want to gallop. Her feet weren’t the greatest and maybe she was feeling the very firm ground.”

The stipes ordered a veterinary examination but nothing showed up and it was the same story after the Paddock Stakes in which she finished with only two behind her. But the Silvano mare won five of her 22 starts and was a close fourth in the Durban July. She should prove a valuable addition to the broodmare ranks for owners Mauritzfontein and Wilgerbosdrift.

By Michael Clower