The Grade 2 Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m is the second of the Cape Summer Of Champions sprint series for fillies and mares and the Dennis Drier-trained Sommerlied looks set to confirm her progressiveness, although the current overall form of the Drier Cape string is a concern.

The Var filly has flown under the radar in much the same way as the former Drier-trained champion Val De Ra did until late in her four-year-old season.

Dennis Drier said, “I wouldn’t rate her in the same class as Val De Ra, but she is a really good filly. She has come on from her last run. We have taken her to Kenilworth since then and I was very happy with her gallop and think she is the horse to beat.”

Just Sensual (Liesl King)

Sommerlied has only been defeated once in six starts and is unbeaten in two starts this season. She created a new Scottsville course record for 1000m on August 5 this year. Her next start was four months later on November 11 at Kenilworth in the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m, yet she still managed to win carrying 60kg under handicap conditions off a 101 merit rating. As Drier pointed out, a horse had to have class to be able to do that and she had come on a lot for the run too.

She is 2kg under sufferance with the best weighted horse, Jo’s Bond, but is relatively unexposed.

On the downside, a few in the Drier string have been running inexplicably badly having looked well and worked well beforehand. After the race these cases have been found to have had muck in their trachea.

Drier said some of the bloods taken of his string were fine, others not so good, but it seemed clear there was “something going around”.

Justin Snaith was unable to find a suitable race for 109 merit rated Jo’s Bond, so this is her first outing since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on May 27. Her career record suggests she is even better at 1000m and she is in fact defending her crown here. She beat last season’s Equus Champion Sprinter, Carry On Alice, last year, when receiving only 2kg. Snaith has put plenty of work into her, including two racecourse gallops at Kenilworth, although she did run on her own in both of them.

He said, “She is very well and I think ‘she’s done enough to give them a go. She’s a very good sprinting filly, is as tough as nails and will be in the firing line.”

Snaith said his other three runners had been doing very well and added, “Casual Diamond will give them a run for their money and Angel’s Trumpet has had bad luck in her races this season. Nordic Breeze would prefer a bit of cut in the ground. Jo’s Bond is the stable elect, but there is not much in it and the others could still possibly raise their game.”

Jo’s Bond

The classiest contender in the race is the Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual. Her best trip is 1400m and she finished a fine third in the SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m. Kenilworth has the toughest 1000m course in the country, which will suit her and she will be finishing strongly in her first run since July.

Live Life beat Carry On Alice in last year’s Sceptre Stakes and won the US$5 million CTS 1200. She was right up with the pace in her seasonal reappearance when giving Sommerlied 2kg, but prefers coming from off the pace.

Candice Bass-Robinson said, “Live Life choked up last time and we have put a new bit on so she can be switched off.” She said she had responded well to the bit in training and had been working well. Her stablemate Scandola has also been working well, but is officially 13kg under sufferance with Jo’s Bond.

Wrecking Ball is very quick and has class, although the toughness of this 1000m might just get to her in the last few metres. The same could be said of Queen Laurie.

Green Plains is the SA Fillies Nursery winner and should have come on from her last run, but is officially 3,5kg out with Jo’s Bond.

Bottom weight Shufoog has only had one run, an easy 1160m victory, but is superbly bred and could be anything.

The selection is Sommerlied to beat Just Sensual with Jo’s Bond, Live Life and Wrecking Ball next best.

By David Thiselton

Edict Of Nantes is now joint favourite with Legal Eagle with Betting World. South Africa’s biggest bookmaker has opened its book on the great Kenilworth race and the pair head the market at 5-2 with Durban July hero Marinaresco next on 17-2. All three are due to clash in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on 6 January.

Mike de Kock’s Empress Club winner Nother Russia is a 9-1 chance and the Justin Snaith Winter Series winner  African Night Sky on 10-1 with 14-1 and upwards the others.

Rival firm World Sports Betting has Legal Eagle clear favourite at 5-2 with Edict Of Nantes shortening all the time and now 28-10. Marinaresco is 9-1  and Nother Russia on 10-1.

By Michael Clower

Gold Circle have issued guidelines as to what steps will be taken should racemeetings be affected by adverse weather conditions, especially lightning.

Persistent lightning in and around the race course during a race meeting can result in lengthy delays and tremendous frustration for both horseracing’s stake holders and fans alike.

Clearly the safety of horse and rider is paramount and no risks will be taken with lightning in the vicinity. On the flip side of the coin, Gold Circle fully appreciates abandoning races must be a last resort and every effort must therefore be made to avoid such a situation.

An added concern with night meetings is the welfare of grooms and their charges. Racing too late results in horses getting back to their training yards at unacceptable times and Gold Circle therefore wishes to advise that it will henceforth adopt the following guidelines:-

1. Greyville night meetings will not continue past 22:30.The Company reserves the right to abandon all remaining races after this time but will make every effort to stage as many races as possible.  From time to time it may be necessary to prioritise which races are run, i.e. in the case of a feature race etc.
2. Greyville day meetings will be extended into the evening in order to give any lightning-delayed meeting every chance of being completed.
3. Decisions regarding Scottsville race meetings will be made based on sunset times.

Implementing the above could mean that a lengthy delay will be accommodated in order for as many races as possible to be completed at lightning affected race meetings, or any other unforeseen circumstances.

The switch from a soggy Scottsville to the Greyville poly yesterday was always on the cards according to the weather bureau and although the fields were thinned out by withdrawals and the need to trim to 12-horse fields, the poly held up well under persistent rain. But it was all sunshine for apprentice Denis Schwarz who booted home four winners that included all four legs of the jackpot.

Barrier trials are still a bone of contention in many quarters but whatever the merits or otherwise, Everlasting Love was the first trial winner to translate that to a race proper as Robbie Hill’s filly ran out a comfortable winner to give Schwarz the first of his four winners. Owned and bred by Bernard Kantor, the daughter of France-bred sire Lawman was always in control ahead of Victorious Diva and Silver Raisin.

Lala (Candiese Marnewick)

In a race cut to just five runners, top weight Lala scored a bloodless victory for Doug Campbell in the Pinnacle Stakes. Well weighted given the conditions of the race and beaten by the highly rated Neptune’s Rain last time out, Lala was surprisingly easy to back as the money came for Onesie. But it was all one-way traffic as Schwarz allowed Lala to tackle pacemaker Karatage early in the straight to boot home his second winner of the afternoon.

Schwarz rode two mature races on Cosmia for Garth Puller and Hey Georgie Girl in the eighth, giving Campbell his second winner, in the last two legs of the jackpot. Sitting well off the pace on both, Schwarz timed his runs to perfection to out-run the opposition.

Two-year-olds endured a baptism of water in the card opener. But rain, puddles and a stretch to an extra furlong did not deter Crimean Queen who made all the running under Warren Kennedy for Mike Miller. Miller is now two-for-two in the first KZN juvenile races of the season with Vertical Decent winning the season’s opener at Scottsville on Sunday.

Mbali, much improved at her second start after a modest debut, went one better in the second as she led all the way under apprentice Eric Ngwane for Ashburton-based Louis Goosen. Mbali, racing in earmuffs, was pushed to the line by Seattle Silva who made a smart local debut for Brett Crawford, with apprentice Ashton Arries replacing his junior Luke Ferraris who has yet to complete his qualifying rides and not yet cleared to ride the turn.

Apprentices Sandile Mbhele and Arries were involved in a thrilling finish in the opening leg of the PA. With the track running fast, Mbhele was out to make it wire-to-wire on the Paul Lafferty-trained Moon Shadow but halfway down the home straight Arries produced Great Dictator with what looked to be a winning run. However, Moon Shadow refused to give in and fought back from a length down to snatch it back on the line.

Ouzo was the first of the day to win from off the pace but Brandon Lerena still sat handy on Alyson Wright’s runner and he quickened away to win the fourth easing up. He raced in the colours of Gold Circle CEO, Michel Nairac.

By Andrew Harrison

There are ten races to look forward to on the Vaal Inside track tomorrow and there look to be some opportunities for punters.

The first race is a tricky affair, but Sweet Trial could represent good value. He went close over this trip in July when caught late. However, it was not a lack of extra which allowed him to be caught, but rather his hanging antics. Therefore, the blinkers were applied, but his next three starts with them on were all disappointing. The headgear is now off, but on the other hand, considering he hangs inwards, a draw of 17 is against him. Sharkaholic was green and outpaced on debut over 1000m but stayed on fairly well so he could improve second time out over 200m further. King Of The Delta often finds betting support and has the form to be involved too. Sean Tarry’s first-timer Cinnabon is a half-brother to 56 merit-rated Curved Ball gelding Chili Lime. The first-timer State Trooper is reportedly a huge son of Captain Al, who has talent but will likely need this outing.

The second race yields a likely winner in White Winter, who has been knocking ion the door over this trip. In her penultimate start she was close up to the highly regarded colt Alshibaa, who won next time out, and last time out she was close up behind Covered In Snow, who won next time out, and Schippers, who was a close second to a promising sort next time out. White Winter faces an uninspiring field, although she is likely to start at cramped odds.

Just Cruised In

In the first leg of the PA Carmalita also stands out. She just failed in a hot heat over 1160m at Turffontein last time out. The tall, rangy filly showed good cruising speed and looked the winner when moving into the lead close to home. However, she seemed to idle in front. This is a much weaker field, but her run will still have to be timed right. Piere Strydom up is a bonus. Dreamsaremadeof ran on well over 1000m on debut and looks the improver in the field. Chariot Of Gold is a R1 million purchase by Silvano out of the Jallad seven time-winner from 1600-2450m, Quest For Gold, who is a half-sister to the like of Pomodoro. Chariot Of Gold is a  half-sister to the like of the four-time winner from 1200-1400m October Eleventh. Brigtnumbereight is by Eightfold Path out of Windrush sprinter Glittering Temple, whose four wins included a Listed win. Fort Vodka is by What A Winter out of a four-time winning Fort Wood filly, so should have plenty of speed. However, both Brigtnumbereight and Fort Vodka are from the Lucky Houdalakis yard, where they usually come on from their first couple of runs.

Dorrie Sham’s pair, An Air Of Success and Kungfoofighting, are the immediate eye catchers in the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m. However, delving deeper into the form Gold Shades comes out better than them, provided she repeats her run over 1160m in her penultimate start. Amoretta and Burundi Bush can also be considered.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1200m, Sky High Flyer is an obvious form pick. However, Alex The Great is tipped to beat him. The latter showed good promise as a two-year-old, but needed his last start, which was his first as a gelding. He was lowered six points for that run and off a 70 merit rating will have a good chance, especially with Gavin Lerena aboard.

The sixth race over 1700m is an interesting Novice Handicap and Raydaveric could be ready to deliver his true ability. He has always struck as one with some class and over a suitable trip he has his third run after a layoff and his fourth as a gelding. Orson did well first time out the maidens over this trip, despite his jockey dropping the whip at the 250m mark, so he could be a threat from the front.

In the seventh, an apprentice handicap over 1700m, Double Mink has a nice stride and this progressive looking sort should enjoy the step up to 1700m, while 80 is a fair merit rating for his first run out the maidens. The in form Just Cruised In is the danger.

In the eighth race over 1400m, Neuf De Pape can follow up off just a three point higher merit rating as he faces an uninspiring field and is reunited with Lyle Hewitson. Swing Vote over raced over 1700m last time, so should relish the step back to this trip over which he had some decent maiden form. Time To Be Great can do well from the front and El Bombero should be running on off a competitive merit rating. Shortstop and Thewaywemaykem can also be considered.

In the last leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m, Sleepinseattle has turned the corner and can notch up his fourth win in a row. However, Blue Diamond Road has a chance on the weight turnaround and Copper Pot, who has a good turn of foot, has dropped to a competitive mark. Vulcan is also effective from the front over this trip and Tokyo Drift can’t be ignored.

In the tenth over 1400m, Bubbly Reply was a revelation when going to the front for a change over 1450m and could follow up with similar tactics even if he does have to contend with a big hike in the merit ratings.

By David Thiselton

Sand And Sea, 10-1 for Saturday week’s Cape Guineas, was yesterday reported doubtful by Dennis Drier. The Gold Medallion winner was found to be making an abnormal respiratory noise when he managed only seventh of nine when odds-on for his reappearance last month.

Sand And Sea

The handicappers have raised last Saturday’s runaway WSB Fillies Guineas winner Snowdance by five points to a new rating of 108 but there is some surprise that she has not been given a higher mark. Just Sensual has a rating one point higher yet she only just got up when she won last year’s Cape Fillies Guineas. “Any time they want a match race I’m on,” quipped Justin Snaith yesterday

Runner-up Oh Susanna has been put up seven points to 98 and Fresnaye, a short head away third, has been raised eight points to the same mark while Green Point runner-up Edict Of Nantes (reported by Brett Crawford to have come out of the race in great shape) has gone up five points to 118. But the four-year-old is still five points below his half-length conqueror Legal Eagle.

Dean Kannemeyer has already declared unbeaten 3-1 favourite Last Winter (Anthony Delpech) for the Premier Trophy on Saturday week. The early decision was prompted by a convincing workout at Kenilworth last Saturday.

Kannemeyer said: “Cape Speed, ridden by my head work-rider, led him in the 1 400m spin and MJ Byleveld rode Last Winter. He is not a horse who normally exerts himself in his work and I was very pleased with the way he went.”

By Michael Clower

Punters didn’t have things easy at Scottsville on Sunday and it doesn’t look to get any better at the same venue this afternoon. The return to turf, especially turf that has hardly seen a horse for two months, has resulted in big, competitive fields which makes for interesting racing but those punters who do their homework should be well rewarded.

The mare Lala has always had a touch of class and now that she has find form again after a spell in the wilderness, she rates the horse to beat in the Pinnacle Stakes that heads the card. She is well in at the weights, made even more favourable with 2.5kg claimer Denis Schwarz in the saddle, and she ran a cracking second to the well thought-off Neptune’s Rain at Greyville last time out.

She steps up in trip here but the addition of blinkers at her last two outings appear to have give her a new lease on her racing life and she should go close to adding a seventh victory to her CV.

Lala

It is unlikely to be straight forward however, as she faces some useful opponents of which Onesie looks to be the chief protagonist.

Onesie has had one outing for Mark Dixon and is was a smart return from a break on the Greyville poly when second to Osprey. Given that she is seldom far back and over what looks to be her optimum trip, she will be a serious threat to Doug Campbell’s mare.

The Grey Crusader has been fighting a losing battle to date, threatening but not quite able to close the deal. That could all change in the first leg of the Pick 6 where Campbell has a chance of getting one on the board ahead of Lala. Unplaced only once in six outing, The Grey Crusader sports blinkers today which may be what he needs to keep his mind on the job at hand.

One to keep an eye on is Minaloushe Venture who has his first outing for Dennis Bosch. He was eight lengths back to the Bosch ‘hottie’ Billy Silver last time out but is sure to have come on from that effort.

Barrier trials have yet to yield a winner, although Special Force ran the hot favourite Vertical Decent close at Scottsville on Sunday, but that could change in the fifth where Robbie Hill sends out the imported filly Everlasting Love for owner/breeder Bernard Kantor. She didn’t break any records in her trial but gave the impression that she could be fairly useful.

Veteran trainer James Goodman hands in his trainer’s brief mid-way through this month and will surely be looking to have a winner before he leaves Summerveld. Anton Marcus will no doubt have been the oracle after he partnered Gimme Hope Johanna into third behind the strongly fancied Meet The Logans last time out and he stays aboard as Gimme Hope Johanna stretches to seven furlongs.

But there are plenty of others in with chances including Victorious Diva from the currently in-form Michael Roberts yard, Kinglassie and Silver Raisin all fitting the bill.

Brett Crawford has had one runner and one winner out of his new Summerveld satellite yard and it could be two-from-two as assistant Peter Muscutt saddles Miss Carrera in the seventh where Girl In Gold and Minnie The Moocher strike as the most likely threats.

By Andrew Harrison

Justin Snaith will not be tempted to run Snowdance in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas on December 16, saying it would come too soon after her easy win in Saturday’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas.

The last horse to win both races was the Geoff Woodruff-trained Star Effort, who did it in 1991 on January 5 and February 2 respectively.

However, Snaith rates Snowdance up with the best fillies of the past and added, ”One of the best thing about her is she is so versatile, I could put her against the best over 1000m and she would win too. But the most incredible thing about her is she is so immature, so although she still has to prove herself against colts, she still has her whole career ahead of her.”

African Night Sky (Liesl King)

Snaith revealed when jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe had learnt that some were saying Snowdance had been flattered by her 4,25 length victory in the Western Cape Fillies Championship over 1400m, he had retorted, “Don’t worry, she will win the Guineas by further.” He was proven correct as he eased her down some way before the line and she still won by 3,25 lengths.

Snaith, comparing Snowdance to the best fillies he had trained, which includes Vodacom Durban July winner Dancer’s Daughter and a few other Grade 1 winners, said, “Ebony Flyer was a freak and if she had not had a wind problem would have been the best filly this country has ever seen. We gave her two wind ops and she still won a Group 1 after that.”

However, he was not discounting Snowdance becoming the best filly he had trained, pointing out her immaturity again. He also pointed out she was to date free of issues and was typical of a “tough daughter of Captain Al bred at home in South Africa.”

Snowdance has come out of the race well and the Grade 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes on Sun Met day will likely be her next start.

Snaith ran one-two in Saturday’s race as Street Cry filly Oh Susanna came from last with a storming finish to just get up for second, despite having to be switched from the inside to the outside.

Snaith would not be drawn into rating how good this long-striding Australian-bred was yet and said, “She has a long way to go and takes her races hard.” However, he believed she would be one of the horses to beat in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes over 1800m on January 6 if she came through her preparation well. She also has the Majorca on her program.

Snaith had five winners on Saturday and one of them, the Captain Al colt Kasimir, clinched a hattrick when winning a Graduation Plate over 1000m in which he was the highest merit rated horse on 99. Snaith said Kasimir had improved since the winter, when shin-soreness had bothered him. He is being targeted at the US$500,000 CTS 1200 on Met Day.

Snaith has a chance of doing the Guineas double as he will likely have three runners in the Cape Guineas, Do It Again, Cot Campbell and Sir Frenchie, who have all been in good form and are all doing well at home. However, he singled out Twice Over gelding Do It Again as being “very progressive”. He added, “With the long run in he will give the best in the country a go, although Tap O’ Noth is the one to beat.”

Fayd’Herbe has already chosen Do It Again as his Cape Guineas ride.

Meanwhile, it looks increasingly likely Snaith’s Winter series Triple Crown hero African Night Sky will have to go in to the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate with just one run under his belt, his 1,75 length fifth to Edict Of Nantes in a Pinnacle Stakes race on November 11 over 1400m. However, he will be given a public racecourse gallop on Cape Guineas day.

Justin Snaith has revealed that he has been adopting a different approach to getting his horses ready for their races this season.

He explains: “We now go into each race a gallop short because we want the horses to last longer into the season. We will know at the end of it whether or not it has worked.”

Jo’s Bond

He runs a quarter of the 16-strong field for the SW Security Solutions Southern Cross Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday. Last year’s winner Jo’s Bond  (Bernard FaydHerbe) is the shortest price of the Snaith Racing four at 7-1, Corne Orffer has been booked for 12-1 chance Casual Diamond while Robert Khathi rides Nordic Breeze (20-1) and Grant van Niekerk is on 25-1 shot Angel’s Trumpet.

World Sports Betting makes the Dennis Drier-trained Laisserfaire winner Sommerlied (Sean Veale) 33-10 favourite to extend her remarkable record to six wins from seven starts. Sean Tarry’s Green Plains (MJ Byleveld) is second favourite at 4-1.

WSB stood for the first time at Kenilworth last Saturday and the firm says it will continue to do so for all Cape Town meetings.

It has opened its Cape Guineas book with Cape Classic winner Tap O’Noth sharing 8-1 favouritism with runner-up Undercover Agent, Selangor third Do It Again and Bold Respect. Surprise Selangor winner Rocket Countdown is next on 9-1. In the Premier Trophy the unbeaten Last Winter heads the market on 3-1.

The Mike de Kock-trained Mujaafy, only third when starting 11-10 favourite to maintain his unbeaten record in Saturday’s graduation plate, was reported by Brandon Lerena to be hanging throughout and the vets found that the colt was not striding out behind.

Kasimir, who won the race, goes for the $500 000 CTS 1200 on Sun Met day.

By Michael Clower