The annual Air Mauritius International Jockeys Challenge is always an exciting meeting and South Africa will be looking to extend their record to eight wins in the tenth renewal of the contest.

The official eleventh race on the card allows Tote players to bet on the jockeys themselves. R12,000 has been added to both the win and place pools for this race and R6,000 to the quartet pool.

The jockeys are awarded 30 points for a win and 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 from second down to ninth respectively. Eleventh and twelfth earn 0 points and a jockey without a ride earns 7.

The six Jockeys International races comprise the six legs of the Pick 6.

The first international race is an uninspiring maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m. First-timer Flaming Hot is a four-year-old Australian-bred by Flying Spur out of a half-sister to Summer Cup winner Delta Form and Irishman Seamie Heffernan is aboard from pole position. First-timer All Abuzz is a four-year-old by Bezrin and is a half-sister to eleven-time winning Listed winner Formation. Gavin Lerena is aboard from a tricky draw of ten. Secret Potion by Elusive Fort stayed on nicely on debut over 1160m and has a good draw of five under high-flying Irishman PJ McDonald. The concern will be how the filly handles her first start around the turn, considering she was slow away and green on debut. Tigerlace has been knocking on the door and ran on in her penultimate over this course and distance. Craig Zackey rides from draw nine. Truth Of Beauty could earn under Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown.

The second international is a Maiden over 1800m. Finding Troy should be improving all the time being by Go Deputy and having gone close over 1700m last time should be right there from pole position under SA captain Anthony Delpech. Hard-kocking Flexible Fugitive’s sire Wanted is a Grade 1-winning sprinter, but her dam is by middle distance sort Giant’s Causeway and is a half-sister to a USA champion filly who won up to 2000m. However, Gavin Lerena has a tough draw of ten to overcome. Soldat has a tough draw under McDonald, but has the form to earn.

In the third International event, a MR73 handicap over 3000m, Ali Bon Dubai lost three lengths at the start last time but on his going away wins over 2000m before that makes appeal. England’s Martin Dwyer rides from draw three. Stunned finished strongly over 2400m in his penultimate and has Lyle Hewitson up. Out-and-out stayer Fortune Fella enjoys this course and has pole position under Lerena.

In the next, a MR 86 for fillies and mares over 1600m, Sabina’s Dynasty could be on a capped merit rating having won easily last time over this trip. Delpech rides from a fair draw of six. Noceur is promising and can be forgiven her last run, but Heffernan has to overcome a wide draw. Costa Da Sol should enjoy the trip and is drawn two under S’Manga Khumalo.

In the fifth of the internationals, a MR 65 for fillies and mares, Wrap It Up was due to run on Thursday but if she takes her place has a shout from a good draw under Dwyer. Monarch Air won well last time but has a six-point merit rated raise to overcome. McDonald rides. Flowing Gown can do better than her last run and has Delpech up.

In the finale over 1450m Captain Chips (Dwyer) is distance suited and jumps from pole position. Sabre Dance (Heffernan) and Private Ruler (Khumalo) make most appeal of the rest.

By David Thiselton

Out-of-Province success in this most important of Cape Guineas trials is rare but the Alec Laird colt has the form to win.

On his most recent start, in a 1 450m Progress Plate at Turffontein, he came up against a string of previous winners and had to give weight to all but two of the 12 runners. He beat Golden Horseshoe fourth Flying Free only narrowly but he was conceding 3kg. Three lengths further back third was Hakeem who was only beaten a length and a half when sixth in the Golden Horseshoe.

This line of form puts the Jo’burg horse in front of Ancestry and Captain And Master and – by extension – suggests that he should also beat Eyes Wide Open.

“It was that form which gave us the confidence to have a crack at the Cape Guineas,” says Laird, already looking ahead to the big one in four weeks’ time. “My horse came down here last week, he travelled well and had a gallop on the course last Saturday. He handled the left-hand turn and I was happy with the way he was working.”

Randall Simons’ mount opened 7-2 favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday but that is a doubtful benefit in the Selangor. Five of the last seven favourites have been beaten.

Captain And Master (9-2) didn’t help his chance in the Golden Horseshoe by over-racing early on. He did it again in the Premiers Champion when he also met with interference. If S’Manga Khumalo can settle him he will be a major threat.

Eyes Wide Open (a big price at 6-1) has to give 2kg all round and, as such, there must be a suspicion that he will find at least one too good for him. But he is the highest rated and he ran above his mark in a mile Pinnacle three weeks ago.

“He has already achieved a higher rating than Gold Standard was given after his win in last year’s Selangor,” points out Glen Kotzen. “He has had a good prep and he is ready for this.”

Joey Ramsden has won four of the last six runnings, with Anton Marcus on two of them, and 11-2 shot Ancestry’s Durban form suggests he should turn the tables on the Kotzen hope.

Undercover Agent’s second to Tap O’Noth in the Cape Classic represents a more recent guide and he is second favourite at 4-1. “The extra 200m will be in his favour,” says in-form Brett Crawford who adds: “I also give White River (12-1) a chance. He is a very progressive horse.”

The draw should, theoretically at least, be crucial in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run with the turn starting so soon after the start and the run-in so much shorter than on the summer course. But a quick start can overcome the worst of draws and Crawford’s 11-2 chance Bold Respect is taken to prove the point.

“He is a fast starter, he is a very good horse and I’m confident,” enthuses his trainer. If he and I are wrong then Sean Tarry should win for the second successive year with 28-10 favourite Wonderwall, almost certainly the pick of the stable’s quartet.

Attempting to overcome a bad draw by dropping the horse in looks suicidal in such a big field but that is what Justin Snaith intends doing with Sir Frenchie (5-1) and with unbeaten Selangor runner Do It Again. “That is the way they run,” he argues. “What I need is a strong headwind – and I might just get it.”

By Michael Clower 

Inclement weather seems to be the order of the day this summer and tomorrow’s meeting on the Greyville turf is in danger of being transferred to the poly track – but there is still hope.

By early yesterday morning Greyville had recorded 58 mm. Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik said that a pen reading would be taken late yesterday afternoon (too late for this column) and with the weather forecast taken into consideration, a decision would be made on whether to switch to the poly track sometime this morning.

“It’s a case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” said Sheik adding that during the last storm, over 100 mm of rain fell in a couple of hours but two days later – if there had been racing on the turf – it would have gone ahead. The rain is due to have cleared by yesterday afternoon so we live in hope!

“I had the Guineas Trial in mind but now I’m not so sure,” puzzled Puller after Ryker had blown away a useful field of older sprinters on the first day of this month.

“I freshened him up for this race,” confirmed Garth Puller after his 1000m triumph. “He’s a big-striding horse and I was a bit surprised.”

“But he’s a horse that will go a mile,” he added and Ryker gets to prove that assessment when he lines up in the said Guineas Trial tomorrow.

“The five (furlongs) was a little bit sharp for him,” confirmed rider Antony Delpech, who has stuck with his mount. “He’s a smart horse and going to win races.”

Mike de Kock has his sophomore contingent wound up as taut as a violin string. Sir David Baird may not be up with his stable companions who have swept most before them so far this Highveld spring so the trip to Durban may have been an easier option. Callan Murray was roundly criticised for his ride when runner-up to Darkest Hour second time out but the gelding could only manage fourth at his next outing which may have been some vindication for Murray. That could all change tomorrow.

The cleverly named Hard To Pay steps up to a mile for the first time for Wendy Whitehead after winning his first two and finishing runner-up to the speedy Di Mazzio last time out. Pedigree suggest that he should see out the trip.

The Dazzler lived up to his name when thumping a field of winners on debut in what was a thoroughly impressive performance. He has been surprisingly winless since be seldom far back.

He races in a tongue-tie tomorrow and can give James Goodman a rousing send-off as the veteran trainer hands in his brief at the end of the month.

By Andrew Harrison

The Air Mauritius International Jockeys’ Challenge starts on Friday when most of the jockeys will be making public appearances at Betting World The Buzz, Fourways.

Three of the local riders will not be there because they are riding in Port Elizabeth – Craig Zackey, Greg Cheyne and Lyle Hewitson. However, the other jockeys – Anthony Delpech (SA Captain), S’manga Khumalo and Gavin Lerena – and six visiting riders – Australian Corey Brown (who won the Melbourne Cup last week), Englishman Martin Dwyer, Frenchman Thierry Thulliez and Irish trio Seamie Heffernan, PJ Mcdonald and Pat Smullen (International Captain) – are scheduled to be at the shopping centre from 11am.

Betting World will hold competitions for their customers throughout the afternoon with prizes of betting vouchers and airtime and Tellytrack presenters Dominic Zackey and Neil Andrews will be at the shop, conducting interviews with the jockeys and adding to the excitement of the occasion.

This is the 10th year the International Jockeys’ Challenge, which is organised by Racing Association chief executive Larry Wainstein, will be staged. Home team advantage has played a huge role in the outcome most years, although the international team has won on two occasions, in 2011 and 2012.

There was a ballot for mounts in each of the Challenge races and runners were seeded beforehand in an attempt to ensure both teams have roughly the same calibre of rides overall.

Points are awarded as follows: first – 30; second – 15; third – 12; fourth – 10; fifth – 8; sixth – 7; seventh – 6; eighth – 5; ninth – 4; 10th – 3; 11th – 0; 12th – 0. If a jockey does not ride in a race, he gets seven points. The team that scores the most points wins the Challenge.

TAB and Betting World will offer betting on the actual riders in the challenge and a preliminary glance at the fields shows there will not be much separating the teams at prize giving – Delpech and Dwyer might fight it out for the Bronze saddle.

TAB will not only operate Win and Place pools on the jockeys. Punters can also take Swinger, Exacta, Trifecta and Quartet bets. – TABonline

The outstanding three-year-old filly Enable was named the Cartier Horse of the Year at the 27th annual Cartier Racing Awards, European horseracing’s equivalent of the Oscars on Tuesday night.

The 2017 Cartier Racing Awards are presented at a glittering ceremony before an invited audience of 300 at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

From the first crop of Nathaniel, Enable recorded five consecutive Gr1 victories in 2017. Owned by Khalid Abdullah, trained by John Gosden in Newmarket and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Enable was impressive against her own sex in two Classics, the Investec Oaks at Epsom Downs and the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh, winning by five lengths each time, before easily defeating all-aged, all-sex opposition in Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

After capturing a third Oaks at York in August, the Gr1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, Enable created history by becoming the first British-trained filly to win Europe’s most valuable race, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly. Her comfortable two and a half-length victory against a high-class field was an outstanding performance and the prospect of Enable staying in training in 2018 whets the appetite of all racing enthusiasts. The three other Cartier Horse of the Year nominees were Cracksman, Ribchester and Ulysses.

Enable also easily took the honours in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Award from Winter, Lady Aurelia and Roly Poly, while her stable companion Cracksman, owned by Anthony Oppenheimer, was the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt following his impressive seven-length success in the Gr1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in October. Cracksman saw off challenges from Harry Angel, Churchill and Barney Roy.

Even by his own incredibly high standards, Ireland’s champion trainer Aidan O’Brien enjoyed an outstanding 2017 as he sent out a worldwide record of 27 Gr1 winners. O’Brien is responsible for both the 2017 Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt, U S Navy Flag, and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly, Happily, while Order Of St George scoops the Cartier Stayer Award for the second year in succession.

Thrilling Harry Angel was the winner of the 2017 Cartier Sprinter Award. The Godolphin-owned three-year-old colt, trained by Clive Cox, showed tremendous versatility with victories over six furlongs on good to firm ground in Newmarket’s G1 Darley July Cup and on heavy ground in the G1 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. He finished on top from Marsha, Battaash and Lady Aurelia.

Ulysses is the Cartier Older Horse for 2017, after registering a Gr1 10-furlong double in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park and the Juddmonte International at York, though it was a close-run affair with star miler Ribchester. Highland Reel and Talismanic were the other two nominees.

– racenews@racenewsonline.com

After many months of try-outs, analyses and reviews, Brandon Bailey has earned the right to join Nico Kritsiotis and Alistair Cohen in South African commentary boxes as a junior commentator.

More than 100 people entered the competition from all over the country which was cut to a top nine from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. There were further eliminations and that came down to just three in Johannesburg. Each was then given the opportunity to commentate on live racing action.

Bailey, 24, admits that while he had thought about commentating it had not been a serious consideration until the competition was announced.  “Commentating was something I always wanted to try. It did appeal to me and I admire Alistair and Sheldon (Peters), so when the competition came out and the carrot was dangled, I decided to give it a go.”

The competition has been long and exhausting but Bailey says it has been “an enjoyable experience”. “It’s been a bit long and overwhelming. But it’s been different. I’ve been standing in the shower and going through the motions, I’ve also been learning from the other guys.”

The most important trait one needs to be successful as a commentator, believes Bailey, is passion. “Every race is different so you need to be knowledgeable about the runners and be able to keep your head. But you have to have passion for what you are doing.”

Clyde Basel, Executive – Horse Racing, Events & Hospitality for Phumelela, and a top commentator himself, added: “We welcome Brandon to the commentary box. We believe he has natural talent and wish him only the very best. May he call home many winners in favour of our patrons!”

He added, “A lot will depend on the draws. A good draw is a good draw in any man’s language.”

Woodruff will be attempting to create South African training history on November 25 at Turffontein Standside by winning one of the country’s three major races for the fifth time in succession. The three “majors” are considered to be the Vodacom Durban July, the Sun Met and the Sansui Summer Cup. Woodruff’s four Summer Cups in a row equalled the feat of trainer Fred Murray’s four successive Julys from 1910-1913 and trainer Mike Bass’s four successive Mets from 2007 to 2010.

Woodruff has not only dominated the Summer Cup’s winner’s box in the last four years, but also the placings. He sent out the first, second, third and fifth in 2013, the first and second in 2014, the first and second in 2015 and the first and third last year.

Woodruff was disappointed the filly Bi Pot didn’t make it into the final field on Tuesday, considering her good recent Graded race form.

However, he was not going to dwell on it and added, “It’s a competitive, open race and I think we have a good team.”

He continued, “All three of our runners ran good thirds in their preparation races. Master Switch’s was the most eye catching of the runs and it is nice to have Piere Strydom on him again. Pagoda is course and distance suited and has a light weight. I really liked Banner Hill’s last run. He got so close to Abashiri and will now be better off in the handicap. He has also been putting up super work at home. Of the three his work has been the best. However, Pagoda and Master Switch have never been great work horses, but they do bring it to the races.”

Woodruff knew Pagoda would come in with a light weight (52,5kg) so spoke to JP van der Merwe a “long time ago”. The lightweight rider “confirmed well ahead of time” and will be hoping to add a Summer Cup to his Met win on Smart Call last year.

Woodruff said, “JP can go in confidently as he now knows how Pagoda behaves. You have to niggle away at him in the early stages, but he produces a good finish. If he can come from midfield with that light weight he must have a shout. This is the course and distance of his best career performance, which came in the Derby Trial. He thrashed them that day. But a good draw is important for him. He might battle if he doesn’t get a good draw.”

Woodruff was also hoping for good draws for Master Switch and Banner Hill, but said it would not be as important as they both possessed good gate speed.

He said, “Master Switch came from draw 17 of 19 last year, but some use of him had to be made early and he was only caught late by Master Sabina and The Conglomerate. From a better draw …”

Master Switch races off exactly the same merit rating as last year of 101 and carries 54kg as opposed to 53,5kg. Woodruff said this horse’s poor form at Greyville could be ignored as he did not like the course and the slow pace of the races he had encountered there had not suited him. He added, “There is normally a decent pace in the Summer Cup.”

The six-year-old Jet Master gelding has finished third in all three of his starts on Turffontein Standside. Last time out he was running on powerfully in the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m.

Woodruff is also happy with Banner Hill’s jockey booking. He regards Grant van Niekerk as “a good rider in big races”.

Pagoda, a four-year-old gelding by Mogok, was the Grade 1 SA Derby runner up and races off a 99 merit rating, while five-year-old Tiger Hill gelding Banner Hill is also off a 99 and carries 53kg.

Betting World quote Pagoda at 10/1 and have both Master Switch and Banner Hill on 14/1.  

Woodruff has not spared any thought for records and said, “The odds are against us numerically.”

However, he did not feel his runners this year would be any weaker than in previous years.

“The Guv’nor” could well be rewriting the history books in two Saturdays time.

The barrier draw for the Summer Cup was screened live on Tellytrack on Wednesday evening. Unfortunately, Woodruff had little luck, although Pagoda did at least fare best. Pagoda drew eleven, Banner Hill 13 and Master Switch 16. 

by David Thiselton

This season’s Sun Met gallops have been scrapped – much to the relief of several of the trainers.

The R5 million race closes on 10 January and the published conditions contain the usual stipulation that “all runners participate in public gallops scheduled for Thursday, 18 January, failing which the horse may be declared ineligible to run.”

But Kenilworth duty manager Teresa Esplin said yesterday: “The trainers don’t want these gallops which are a bit close to the race but also we are doing this in the best interests of the horses. Every time you travel them to the racecourse you are putting them at risk and some of them can get stirred up.”

More and more trainers have been working horses on their own so that they do not over-exert themselves. And, although these gallops have become increasingly popular with the public, the performances have been more and more difficult to assess with no second horse with which to make comparisons.

Justin Snaith, one of the biggest critics of the gallops, said: “This is the best news I’ve heard all year. Apart from anything else nine days beforehand was too close to the race. Indeed if people want to see the horses gallop they can see them in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate as many of them also take part in that.

“Making the gallops mandatory was a bit like saying to everyone in the Comrades Marathon ‘we also want to see you run nine days beforehand.’”

The draws, normally done straight after the gallops, will now be done at a function later on 18 January during the Kenilworth racemeeting which has been transferred from the previous day.

The meeting on Wednesday 29 November will also be run on a Thursday. France Galop, a significant contributor to Tote turnover in South Africa, requested the switch to the 30^th and for the card to be increased in size so that French punters have something to watch and bet on early in the afternoon and in the evening. There will now be 11 races (assuming they can all be filled!) on the card.

* Snaith ended a run of 40 consecutive Cape Town losers when Richard Fourie got 13-2 chance Sassy Lady up in the last two strides of the Play Soccer Handicap at Kenilworth.

He said: “We are still high on the trainers’ log but it was all getting a bit annoying because it’s been hard finding races for a lot of our horses.

“Nothing in training horses is ever plain-sailing. There is a lot of hard work involved and you need things to go your way.”

Sassy Lady cost only R30 000 and is owned by a syndicate headed by long-term stable patron Eddie Powell. She will now be aimed at the $500 000 CTS 1200 on Met day.

By Michael Clower 

The Vaal stages a ten race meeting tomorrow and the highlight will be a Progress Plate over 1200m for three-year-olds, which has attracted some classy sorts.

Mike de Kock must have one of his most powerful ever crop of three-year-olds and this race sees the return of the exciting Dynasty colt Noble Secret. He showed an effortless turn of foot on debut over this course and distance and with Randall Simons looking over his shoulder sauntered to a 9,25 length victory. He was accorded a merit rating of 88, which he will surely rise above in time. Simons has been given the ride again and although Noble Secret has not run for 119 days his class will give him a good chance. The officially best weighted horse is the Mike Azzie-trained Down To Zero, who showed pace throughout when winning a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m by a comfortable margin in June. He had the classy Surcharge beaten in that race and will appreciate the step back to this trip, having been well beaten in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m in July.

Rebel’s Champ looks to have the beating of the top weight So Var on paper, although it could be a different story at the races. Rebel’s Champ was beaten 1,5 lengths by So Var over 1160m in June and is now 5,5kg better off. However, So Var subsequently beat the classy Alfolk, despite giving him 2kg, and was then runner up to another classy sprinter in Al Mariachi, whom he also gave 2kg. The concern is that he made a breathing noise in his comeback run last month, so Rebel’s Champ is given the nod for third. Rebel’s Champ made a fair comeback against older horses two months ago over 1160m and has subsequently been gelded. Another interesting runner having his first outing since gelding is Pinnacle Peak from the Dorrie Sham yard as he ran two decent 1000m races in his first two starts in Port Elizabeth.

The De Kock machine should also win the fourth race over 1200m with Afdeek. He was a touch unlucky on debut over this trip as the winner crossed his path at a crucial stage. He does not have a lot to beat and should have improved with that run.

The three Pick 6 legs following the Progress Plate are all fillies and mares handicaps and punters will have their work cut out getting through the exotics. However, De Kock could possibly claim a quick hattrick in the sixth race over 1200m with Rajasthani Queen. She is not an imposing sort, but ran on well to win over 1000m on debut and the horse she beat, Schippers, then went close next time out over 1160m.  Rajasthani Queen was accorded a reasonable merit rating of 76 and will appreciate the extra 200m. The topweight Momo is by Ideal World so should be coming into her own as a four-year-old. In her last two runs she was widely drawn at the Turffontein Inside track so can be forgiven those runs. She has been dropped two merit rated points and can bounce back and go close. Kungfoofighting went close on her Highveld debut and although raised four points for that run she has to be considered along with her stablemate An Air Of Success and Amoretta, who lost her jockey last time but before that won her maiden in good style and runs off a mere 61 merit rating for the in-form Paul Peter yard.

In the seventh race over 1000m the Dorrie Sham-trained Lawdy Miss Clawdy could be the one having also made a fine Highveld debut. She finished close up to two useful sprinters in Shivering Sea and Mrs. O. Sham’s regular jockey Raymond Danielson is aboard Singing In Seattle, who beat Lawdy Miss Clawdy the last time they met in Port Elizabeth and faces her on the same terms. However, she has not had the benefit of a run on the Highveld yet. Those two could be split by Twelve Oaks, whose best form appears to be over this trip and she can use her long stride to run past horses late.

The eighth over 1400m could also go to the topweight, Isolde. The Sean Tarry yard have had a rare dry spell lately, but such is his professionalism they are sure to bounce back. This mare is by Silvano so should be coming into her own as a five-year-old. Furthermore, she runs well fresh and this is her ideal trip. Promise looks promising and passed her acid test by placing first time out the maidens having won on debut. Polly Wolly Doodle made a cracking comeback over the too sharp 1200m, so should be involved. All Over The World once looked a fair sort in the making so can surprise now that her merit rating has dropped to a lowly 63. Leopard Lily has a fine turn of foot when things go her way and she has dropped to an attractive merit rating so could also be involved with Strydom up. Wrap It Up can’t be ignored.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier is confident that Miss Frankel will make a full recovery from the strained high suspensory ligament damage she suffered when odds-on for her handicap debut at Kenilworth last Thursday.

He said yesterday: “A strained suspensory is a nasty injury but I am sure that, with treatment and rest, she will be back.”

The three-year-old daughter of champion sprinter Val De Ra was found to be lame on her off-fore after finishing only fifth of seven. She will go home to Avontuur for her recuperation.

By Michael Clower