Greyville this evening is the aperitif for the three-day KZN racing festival that encompasses The Sun Met at Kenilworth tomorrow and Scottsville on Sunday.

The Kenilworth card has been boosted by a host of carry-over pools and punters can get a head start with Danish Cross in the Greyville opener tonight.

Duncan Howells is in Cape Town over seeing his two runners for tomorrow and assistant James Rich will be doing the honours in his absence. Danish Cross was a hot favourite for her last intended start at Scottsville but was kicked in the starting stalls and was scratched at the instance of her trainer.

Helderberg Blue (Liesl King)

She appears to have come out of that incident unscathed and from and inside draw she rates the one to beat in spite of making her poly debut.

Mungo Cherry, with four-claiming apprentice Sandile Mbhele aboard, has run her two best races on the poly and may be a threat while Momo has improved in blinkers and after being touched off a piece of paper at her last outing looks a more likely danger to Danish Cross.

The balance of the card is made up of maiden races and lowly handicaps which could make things tricky for punters.

Johan Janse van Vuuren will also be in Cape Town for the Met and his assistant will saddle Crowd Pleaser this evening. The colt was good enough to run the well thought off Legend to two lengths as a maiden and followed up with an easy Maiden victory over tonight’s course and distance. He has some fair Highveld form to commend him and this being his third run after a break he is in with a strong chance.

Pure Logic will have his supporters after showing much improved form since being fitted with blinkers. He was a beaten favourite when taking on weaker on his handicap debut but he stays the trip and has a plum draw which adds to his appeal.

Howells has a strong chance of a double on the night with Accidental Tourist in the seventh. The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight has shown up well in two outings since shedding her maiden and took on much stronger last time out when third behind stable companion Lunar Rush. She tries this trip for the first time but her pedigree suggest that she will see out ever yard.

Vogue Idea and Tanami fought out the finish when last they met with the former getting home with a neck to spare. Vogue Idea is still in the black as far as the weights are concerned courtesy of four-claiming apprentice Serino Moodley and she also has the better draw which could see the pair finish in the same order.

Greyville’s six-race meeting tomorrow coincides with The Sun Met that forms part of the exotics along with the Blue Label Telecoms Cape Stayers where the Snaith-trained Ovidio is a strong favourite. But Helderberg Blue can finally take his rightful place in the limelight and is taken to put one over the favourite.

Racing moves to Scottsville on Sunday where Howells again looks to have a strong contender for an exotic bet banker in the form of New Golden Age in the fifth. The gelding caught the eye when finishing strongly from a wide draw at only his second start when third on the Greyville turf last Friday. Mark Dixon’s runner Prime Suspect with Anthony Delpech aboard looks the obvious danger. He finished a good third behind the highly-regarded Howells-trained Wild Wicket on debut and is expected to improve.

By Andrew Harrison

The big question in the Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship on Saturday is whether the country’s highest rated sprinter Trip To Heaven will find the 1000m trip too sharp.

Carry on Alice (Nkosi Hlophe)

The brilliant five-year-old Trippi gelding is likely at his best between 1200m and 1400m and tends to lose a couple of lengths at the start.

He lost two lengths as usual in the Gr 2 Diadem over 1200m last time and also appeared to peck. He then moved over from the inside to the perceived better going towards the outside, so was probably a good six lengths off the lead in the initial stages. However, he hit the front just before the 200m mark, using his phenomenal turn of foot, and went on to win by 3,75 lengths. Over this trip and with the same luck in running he could mow them down again, albeit later in the race. The wind at this stage is predicted to be a gentle south westerly breeze and it might not be necessary for jockeys to seek protection from the wind on the Standside. If that is the case, Trip To Heaven’s number two draw might not be a disadvantage.

S’Manga Khumalo will not be aboard Trip To Heaven as he has been declared to ride the three time Gr 1-winning filly Carry On Alice, who is drawn seven. This would be a concern for supporters of Trip To Heaven, because it implies Carry On Alice is the stable elect. Betting World duly have her as 33/10 favourite with Trip To Heaven 7/2. Carry On Alice is the reigning Computaform Sprint champion, which is run over the quickest 1000m sprint in the country at Turffontein. She has failed twice to win the Cape Flying Championships, beaten into a close up third both times with Khumalo up both times. However, the current fast conditions at Kenilworth will aid her cause and this her third run after a layoff.

The Sean Tarry-trained pair might fight it out.

However, Rivarine is still unexposed and could be a big threat, while a number of others are capable of winning it on their day led by Red Ray, Talktothestars and Gulf Storm.

By David Thiselton

Ruling champion trainer Sean Tarry will have short-priced runners in both $500,000 races on Saturday next week when the Sun Met celebrated with Mumm headlines the programme.

Sean Tarry (Nkosi Hlophe)

The big-money races, each worth R6.74 million at yesterday’s exchange rate, are restricted to graduates of Cape Thoroughbred Sales auctions with the first over 1200m and the other over 1600m.

Tarry has four horses in the CTS Sprint, including hugely talented but volatile Cloth Of Cloud. The three-year-old daughter of Captain Al has won all three of her races to date, including beating her male counterparts in the Grade 1 SA Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein on Champions Day at the end of April last year.

On all three occasions, Tarry held his breath and crossed fingers and toes that she behaved. He subsequently tried on a couple of occasions to bring her back, but “just couldn’t get her going and couldn’t force the issue”.

He finally won the battle in time for the CTS Sprint, although he does admit, “I’d prefer another couple of weeks, but we’re very close. She’d be considered the stable elect.”

S’manga Khumalo will ride Cloth Of Cloud, while French Legend will have the services of internationally acclaimed Frankie Dettori.

“We got it a bit back to front and French Legend’s the one most ready for this race and she’s doing well. But she’s the lowest rated of my four and has to travel from Johannesburg,” said Tarry, adding she would probably arrive at the Cape the day before the race.

Feature placed Myfunnyvalentine and Exquisite Touch, the mounts of Craig Zackey and Weichong Marwing respectively, are expected to “go a lot closer” than in their last runs, but “it’s a very tough race”, said Tarry. “People have been waiting the whole year to run their horses in these two $500,000 races so nobody will be hitting anything for a six.

Safe Harbour (Liesl King)

“Myfunnyvalentine’s form is very good. She needed her last run over 1000m (when tiring to fifth) and should be ready now,” he said. “Exquisite Touch ran well to Green Pepper at Turffontein in November, giving weight and needing the run. She’ll be fitter and should run a lot closer.”

Safe Harbour finished second to Just Sensual in the Cape Fillies Guineas and to Bela-Bela in the recent Paddock Stakes and is the pick of his two runners in the CTS 1600.

Tarry thinks Cape Guineas winner William Longsword and Just Sensual are the horses to beat but says: “Safe Harbour is not without chance, given she wasn’t beaten far in either the Cape Fillies Guineas or the Paddock Stakes.

“Safe Harbour has had a lot of racing in the Cape so we’ve been trying to keep her fresh. She’s doing well, though, and is probably where we want her.”

Weichong Marwing retains the mount, while Khumalo will be on Tilbury Fort, who – like French Legend – will raid from Johannesburg.

“I’m taking a bit of a chance with Tilbury Fort because although he’s fit and well and progressive, he’s out at the weights and is not quite in this class yet.”

Nicci Garner for TABNews

The Vaal Outside track stages a competitive nine race meeting tomorrow and exotic dividends should be handsome.

The fifth, a fillies and mares MR 92 Handicap over 1200m, is the highest rated race. Bella Sonata hasn’t raced since going close in October’s Jo’burg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge over 1450m and from a plum outside draw with a 4kg claimer up she should do well over a trip she is effective over. However, the choice to beat her is Swift Sarah, whose speed should help her find a good strip of going early on. She will be fit and the champion combination of Sean Tarry and S’Manga Khumalo are in fine form. The one who could trouble these two is the progressive Captain’s Girl, who has snuck into the handicap with the minimum weight.

Piere Strydom

The second race is a Novice Plate for fillies and mares and the officially best weighted horse Secret Star looks the one to beat. She has speed and the ability to find extra in the closing stages. Water Lily Lake is second best in at the weights and she can maybe bounce back to form in her third run after a layoff. However, Khumalo is aboard the three-year-old stablemate Yellow Metal, who is by Global One and is a half-sister to VDJ winner Heavy Metal. She is officially 4,5kg under sufferance but this is only her second start so she could still be anything and will have to be included in all bets. The enigmatic Winter Al is only 1kg out at the weights and often performs above her merit rating when tried in plate or conditions races and this is her best trip. Queenie is a talented horse but will still likely need this.

If Yellow Metal does win then Aimee Sweet will have a good chance in the next race over 1000m having finished a 2,8 length third to her last time over this 1000m trip. Hard-knocking Osculation will have a good chance here too. However, there are many first-timers here and the one who makes appeal is Successfilly, who is by Var and is a half-sister to the useful Frosty Friday. She has a high draw which is advantageous by trends on this track.

Gunship and Hear The Storm could fight out the next race over 1000m.

In the sixth race, Burundi Bush is better than her last start and is now off a competitive merit rating and drawn well. The Tarry-Khumalo combination must be considered with Seeking Venus, who has her third run after a layoff and is drawn well off a reduced merit rating. However, it’s an ultra competitive race and going wide might be the best option.

In the seventh, impressive debut winner Brigtnumbersix could beat Movie Award and The Smell Of Rain, although back in form Paree must be considered and so must Pool Party.

The eighth is another tough race although Outshine and Teenage Dream make most appeal.

In the last race Just A Gigolo is well drawn over an ideal trip and goes well for Piere Strydom, although he has Maximizer to beat, the latter having impressed second time out over this trip.

By David Thiselton

South Africa is all set for probably the greatest racing day in its history on January 28 at Kenilworth and the lucrative card is headed by the Gr 1 R5 million Sun Met.

A quality field of fifteen was announced for the Met and adding spice was the declaration of legendary jockey Frankie Dettori to ride the Joey Ramsden-trained Vodacom Durban July winner The Conglomerate.

Legal Eagle (Liesl King)

The reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle is one of six horses who will be carrying a 2kg Gr 1 penalty. The five-year-old gelding is probably at his very best over a mile, but is comfortable over this 2000m trip too, so considering his good early pace, his exceptional turn of foot and ability to find another gear when challenged, he will be hard to beat.

Mac De Lago, The Conglomerate, Marinaresco, It’s My Turn and Bela-Bela are the others carrying Gr 1 penalties.

Mac De Lago was beaten 3,9 lengths by Legal Eagle in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and is now 2kg worse off.

The Conglomerate was receiving 4kg from Mac De Lago in the July and beat him by only 2,25 lengths, so he also looks held. This is confirmed by his failure to win the Gr 1 handicap, the Sansui Summer Cup,  off a merit rating of 106.

Marinaresco disappointed in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, but comes from a yard who are renowned for peaking their charges for their target races. The Met is this horse’s right trip and he has a massive chance when considering his July run where he came from an impossible position to lose by only 0,25 lengths.

Bela-Bela finished three lengths behind Smart Call in last year’s Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over 1800m and the latter went on to beat Legal Eagle by 3,5 lengths in the Met. In her only previous run against the boys she finished a 2,65 length sixth in the July and if weight for age is taken into account is now effectively 3,5kg better off with The Conglomerate.

The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)

It’s My Turn was a comfortable winner of last year’s Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby over course and distance and has enjoyed a fine preparation. He should be coming into his own being a four-year-old gelding by Dynasty and with expected further improvement from his 2,4 length third in the Gr 2 Peninsula Handicap he should make his presence felt.

However, Whisky Baron could well be the main danger to Legal Eagle. He has improved continuously since gelding and his comfortable win in the Peninsula suggested that he is still unexposed. He receives 2kg from the favourite and will be a big threat.

Captain America is an honest sort who has 4,5 lengths to make up on Legal Eagle from last year’s race. However, he will be getting a 2kg pull in his favour as his only Gr 1 win happened more than 18 months ago.

The dark horse is undoubtedly Gold Standard, who is the only three-year-old in the race. He finished 0,5 lengths behind William Longsword in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas and this big and bold pair were not 3,25 lengths clear of the rest of the field by fluke. Gold Standard should relish the 2000m trip on pedigree.

French Navy has plenty of class and, as his Gr 1 win was more than 18 months ago, he is now 2kg better off with Legal Eagle for a 2,1 length beating in the Premier’s Champions Challenge.

Brazuca was a 3,8 length fifth in the Peninsula and faces Whisky Baron on the same terms. However, he will now be having his third run after a rest and is 2kg better off with Its My Turn for a two length beating in last year’s Cape Derby.

Baritone had a curtailed SA Champions Season and the best might not yet have been seen of him.

Cape Speed, Mambo Mime and MacDuff are all decent sorts and distance suited, but they would need to step up on their form to be factors.

By David Thiselton

Kapteinspandiseile can recoup the losses he incurred for this column three weeks ago by proving too good for the opposition in the Racing Association Maiden at Kenilworth today.

Richard Fourie’s mount was cramped for galloping room (in the words of the stipes’ report) quite early on when starting 18-10 favourite and got too far back. He then took too long to get going in the straight but he fairly flew at the end and was little more than a length back at the death.

“He was well placed when another horse came in on him and turned him towards McDonald’s,” recalls Mike Robinson. “He lost three or four lengths in the process but he will like the extra 200m here.”

Richard Fourie (Nkosi Hlophe)

The obvious danger is Wildlife Safarai who was having only his second run when finishing a neck behind the Kaptein. “He belongs to the grooms at Maine Chance,” says Eric Sands. “He was very green that time but he has come on quite a bit.”

It’s worth noting that the selection had to make his move from behind Wildlife Safari and that, coupled with interference he suffered, suggests he should be able to confirm the form. He opened 12-10 favourite with World Sports Betting on Monday but the money poured on him yesterday when, sorry to relate, he was cut to 9-10. Wildlife Safari has gone from 28-10 to 33-10 with My Word My Bond next on 4-1.

There is only half an hour between each of the first five races which is good news for those on-course. Admittedly the gaps then widen  – 45 minutes and 40 minutes – but for many racegoers, particularly new ones, racing means lengthy periods when there is little happening.

Andre Nel is in blistering form. He may have some superbly bred horses to work with but the man has real talent and he should add to his 32-winner tally this term with Silk Trip in the first. She had the third over three lengths back when second on debut last month. “We thought she would run a good race and she has come on a bit,” the trainer reports.

The only snag is that her price is so short – 6-10 yesterday- but she should prove too strong for 5-1 second favourite Gin For Genius, a five-year-old maiden who has run 15 times.

Tiger Tops is 2-1 favourite for race two and the Joey Ramsden six-year-old may go in again. Two wins and a head second has seen him go up relatively little in the ratings but watch out for Big Ed whose saddle slipped in the closing stages when going close over 200m less four weeks ago. He opened at 3-1 but has since been backed to 22-10.

The Nel-trained O’Keeffe has been scratched from race four and so the vote now goes to Glen Kotzen’s twice-raced Ashafan who has come in from 3-1 on Monday to 12-10.

By Michael Clower

Jockey Aldo Domeyer’s perfect six at Kenilworth last week was not a record for number of winners ridden on a day in South Africa, although he might have been the first to ride a perfect six (six wins from six rides).

Jeff Lloyd (Supplied)

Jeff Lloyd has reportedly ridden seven winners in a day on three occasions in South Africa. He repeated this feat on November 30 last year in Australia, when having 11 rides on a 12 race card at Sunshine Coast racecourse. Lloyd at age 55 became the oldest to win the Brisbane Premiership last season. He is on his way to reclaiming this title having ridden 78 winners this season, 32 clear of second-placed Robbie Fradd. He is chasing Chris Munce’s Queensland metropolitan record of 103. Lloyd is also locked in a struggle with William Pike to be leading jockey in Australia. Both riders are currently on 98 winners in all for the season. Lloyd recovered from a mild stroke in 2013, which makes his recent achievements all the more remarkable.

South African record-breaking jockey Piere Strydom has ridden seven winners in a day twice. On one of these occasions [July 14, 1990] he famously rode the Pick 6 at Gosforth Park, the only rider to have achieved this feat. He also rode the winner of the first race that day. His Pick 6 winners were the Mike Azzie-trained 6/1 shot Boy On The Run, the Mike Azzie-trained 18/10 shot Dandy Man, the Herman Brown Snr-trained 11/10 favourite Mathematic, the Robbie Sage-trained 4/1 chance Haystack, the Spike Lerena-trained 16/10 favourite Highland Gypsy and the Spike Lerena-trained 2/1 favourite Straw Lining. His other winner on the day was the Nic Claassen-trained 6/10 favourite Golden Child. On the same day Strydom rode in a match race on the Azzie-trained Brainteaser, who was beaten by the Cliffie Otto-trained Divine Act, and also rode in two other races.

The first to achieve seven winners in a day in South Africa might well have been the legendary Harold “Tiger” Wright. In a nine race Rand Turf Club meeting held at Newmarket racecourse in Alberton on February 3 1960, Wright had eight rides and won on seven of them. Two of the winners were for George Azzie, the grandfather of current trainer Mike, two were for EJ Sparks and one each for ETC Passmore, DC Littlefield and R Ralphs.

Domeyer’s achievement does not constitute a Western Cape record either as Garth Puller rode seven winners at Kenilworth on 27 September 1980, when having a ride in all nine races. Puller, who was SA champion jockey in the 1978/1979 season and is now a trainer, rode the first five on the card and also race seven and race nine. Four of his winners were for Peter Kannemeyer and three for Bert Abercrombie.

Basil Marcus (HongKongJockeyClub)

Basil Marcus achieved seven winners in a day on 3 December 1986 at Greyville where he rode in all nine races.

His first winner that day was on a top class sort in the Herman Brown-trained Singing Boy, who won a maiden over 1200m at odds off 11/10F. The son of multiple champion sire Foveros went on to win two G1s over 1600m and 2000m respectively, both when raiding Turffontein. Marcus’ other victorious rides were on the Joe Joseph-trained Foreign Attache (2^nd race 16/10F), the Mike Miller-trained Business Liner (4^th race 14/10F), the Ormond Ferraris-trained Bold Candidate (5^th race 6/1), the Terry Ryan-trained Miss Lobkowiez (6^th race 18/10F), the Brown-trained Harry’s Champ (8^th race 13/10) and the Mike Airey-trained Hunting Queen (ninth race 6/1).

Marcus, a seven-time champion jockey in Hong Kong, also once rode six winners in a day in Cape Town while still an apprentice on 21 June 1975 where he had eight rides in an eight race card at Milnerton. Remarkably five of those winning mounts were by the great stallion Persian Wonder, who was duly crowned Champion Sire for the fourth time in succession at the end of the season. Persian Wonder won the sire’s championships two more times, but only after his great rival New South Wales had clinched the title twice.

Domeyer is currently in 15^th place on the SA national log with 41 winners achieved at a strike rate of 17,01% and he duly has seven rides at tomorrow’s Kenilworth meeting.

By David Thiselton

The Sun Met gallops at Kenilworth on Thursday will be particularly important for 15-2 fourth favourite Bela-Bela, the mount of Anthony Delpech.

Justin Snaith said: “Bela-Bela was tired after her Paddock Stakes win. It was only her second race this season, the second horse (Safe Harbour) is a very good filly and I’d skipped a gallop beforehand because of the Met gallops.

Bela-Bela (Nkosi Hlophe)

“You see you can’t gallop then race ten days later, gallop again and then race in the Met nine or ten days after that. I don’t train horses that way and so I left out the gallop before the Paddock Stakes.”

Sean Tarry reports that Legal Eagle came out of his Queen’s Plate win in good shape and he is dismissive of suggestions that the Met favourite might be better over a mile than over the 2 000m of Saturday week’s big race. These suggestions have been based on Captain America, although considered best at a mile, finishing nearly two lengths closer to Legal Eagle in last year’s Met than he had done in the Queen’s Plate three weeks earlier.

“How many times have they met [over 2 000m], two or three?” he countered. “And don’t forget Legal Eagle won the SA Derby.”

Joey Ramsden confirms that The Conglomerate came out of the Queen’s Plate fine. The Durban July winner finished only seventh of 11 and Piere Strydom asked for the vet to check the horse out at the start.

Ramsden said: “I thought he ran a good race considering the trip and that he ran out of puff.”

Talktothestars, only tenth in last Saturday’s Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes, was returned not striding out on both front legs by the course vet. Tellytrack presenter and former trainer Stan Elley said shortly before the off that the ground was riding very firm for a horse racing without shoes.

By Michael Clower

The Turffontein Inside track stages an eight race card on Tuesday and there look to be one or two potential bankers in the exotics.

The first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m yields a banker opportunity in Aerobatic, who showed good pace over 1400m last time and finished just 2,25 lengths back against some promising sorts. She has very little to beat here and jumps from a good draw with Andrew Fortune up.

S’Manga Khumalo (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the second leg over 1200m Prince Of War had his best run over 1000m at this course. He was staying on that day from a handy position, so can do well here from a good draw in his third run after a layoff. The two obvious choices are Brave Nation and Bandanna. The latter is better than his last run and is likely improving being by Silvano. Mr Rambo and Flying Russian are on top of those three on form, so also have to be considered.

The third leg is a typically competitive 1000m handicap, but the three which make most appeal are Kapitan, Magic and Captainofmyheart, who all have speed as well as fair draws and good jockeys. Rafa can’t be ignored, while Tommy Waterdevil is capable of running on from behind from a wide draw, and course and distance-suited Gun Fughter is only two points higher for his good last win. Topweight Fidelio is 1kg better off with Gun Fighter for a 0,5 length beating, but does have a tough draw.

The next leg is an E division handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m. Dancing Wall was well regarded earlier in her career and has dropped to a merit rating of 70. She over raced with blinkers on last time and they have been removed, so she is an interesting contender. Winning Sister goes well for Chase Maujean and if able to settle over a trip which is at the upper limit of her stamina range she could make a bold bid from a handy position. This looks sharper than ideal for Dawn Flight, but the strength of S’Manga Khumalo could give her a chance from pole position. However, to make sure of getting through, the whole field will have to be included.

The fifth leg is competitive, but Arlington impressed in his maiden win and with Piere Strydom up from a good draw could be a banker consideration. However, Bush Pilot, Just Cruised In, Smartifact, My Treasure and Patric could give him a lot to think about.

The last is a competitive fillies and mares handicap. Ribbonofmoonlight looks to be crying out for this trip and could score for Strydom from a good draw. Cosmo Russe Fish River Canyon, Bank The Bill, Spring Indeed, Cool Fantasy and Vogue’s Wood also warrant consideration.

By David Thiselton