The Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m at Scottsville yesterday fittingly saw a top ride by Anthony Delpech aboard the Dean Kannemeyer-trained gelding Mr Winsome.

Mr Winsome usually starts slowly, but Delpech wasn’t concerned, especially as he found himself sitting behind Anton Marcus’s mount Stormy Eclipse.

Mr Winsome (Nkosi Hlophe)

The horse showed a fine turn of foot in the straight and made up a lot of ground to convert 2/1 favouritism, getting up to beat 18/1 shot Open Heir. Run Rhino Run was third with Caribbean Day, who was 2kg under sufferance, next best and Stormy Eclipse fifth. Gr 3 Christmas Handicap winner Rikitikitana could only manage sixth.

Mr Winsome is yet another son of Silvano who is coming into his own as a four-year-old. He has also benefitted from the layoff he was given during last year’s SA Champions Season, which allowed him to overcome a few issues.

This was Delpech’s third meeting on his return from a broken collarbone and he has already had four winners in just ten rides.

In the first race yesterday, a Juvenile Maiden over 1000m, the Paddy Lunn-trained Sail From Seattle first-timer gelding Autumn Breeze won by 0,25 lengths under Athandiwe Mgudlwa from first-timer Calladdi, who was backed in to 7/20.

The second over 1000m was won by the Tony Rivalland-trained Tiger Ridge gelding La Ferrari under Anton Marcus. The horse is so named because all of his owners drive Ferrari’s and built on his good debut, even though the latter was over three months ago.

The third race over 1200m saw the favourite Danish Cross having to be scratched due to an incident at the start. The Paul Gadsby-trained Rebel King filly Sarabi, having just her second start, remained calm as the horses waited to be reloaded and won comfortably under Lyle Hewitson. Fortunately, the new favourite Fashion Quest came second to help exotic punters.

The fourth over 1200m saw a good win for the big Mark Dixon-trained filly Spiritofadventure, a homebred of Avison and Mary Carlisle’s who was ridden by Marco van Rensburg.

In the fifth over 1200m the course record holder Humidor proved in need of the run and faded late. The Chris Erasmus-trained Yellow Star Stud-homebred Panza, a five-year-old Right Approach gelding, just prevailed from the gallant Albert with Roy’s Airforce flying for third.

The small Dennis Drier-trained Toreador filly Plume del Toro showed the size of her heart to win the next over 1000m under Sean Veale.

The staying race saw the Duncan Howells-trained Golden Sword gelding Sabre Charge repeating his maiden win over this 2400m trip with Keagan de Melo up again.

Howells and De Melo made it a double by winning the last, a fillies 1600m maiden, with Mambo In Seattle filly Pippin.

By David Thiselton

The heavily backed Whisky Baron is beginning to remind Brett Crawford of his 2003 Met winner Angus.

Futura, his winner of two years ago, might seem a more logical comparison – like Whisky Baron, he was a constantly improving four-year-old – but Crawford said: “No, they are two different types of horse and Futura had already proved himself as a three-year-old when he was third in the July.

Brett Crawford (Nkosi Hlophe)

“But Whisky Baron and Angus have come much the same route even though Angus won the Premier rather than the Peninsula.”

The handicappers raised Whisky Baron seven points to 110 for his impressive two-length win in the Peninsula – ten points was the maximum permitted under the handicapping rules. Sun Met favourite Legal Eagle (123) has to concede 2.5kg of which half a kilo is weight-for-age.

“Whisky Baron started the Cape season off 96 and we still have to improve him another eight points to have a chance of beating Legal Eagle,” said the Philippi trainer. “But he is still improving and, although it’s going to be difficult, I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Whisky Baron, named after Ridgemont Stud owner Wayne Kieswetter who has substantially increased his bloodstock interests by purchasing Highlands, is the main Crawford runner but Queen’s Plate runner-up Captain America was only a length behind Legal Eagle when third in last year’s Met.

“He ran a great race that day – he never stopped,” recalled Crawford. “He has come out of the Queen’s Plate exceptionally well but his best performances have been at a mile.”

BLOB Miss Frankel, so far the only horse in training in South Africa by the undefeated wonder horse, will make her much-awaited debut at Kenilworth on Saturday.

By Michael Clower

Trip To Heaven fairly romped away with the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday but the good news for those left trailing almost four lengths and more in his wake is that he is far from certain to return for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship on Saturday week.

The 3-1 joint favourite has an alarming tendency to lose lengths at the start but S’Manga Khumalo made light of this and bided his time until inside the final furlong. His mount promptly put daylight between himself and the rest despite not even being shown the whip.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

Khumalo said: “The plan was to ride him as confidently as possible, all went well and the gaps opened when I wanted them.”

Sean Tarry, calculating that this was his 100^th winner of the season, added: “From day one Trip To Heaven has shown us blistering talent and speed but unfortunately he has issues. I don’t want to detract from the horse by going into them. We’ll see about running in the Cape Flying – it’s not definite.”

Second-placed Tevez had the heavily backed Search Party a short head back third with Red Ray (3-1), racing for the first time for six months, less than half a length away fourth. All are due to renew rivalry in the Cape Flying.

Red Ray’s trainer Joey Ramsden said: “For me it was perhaps a little disappointing but Anton Marcus (“I thought it was a grand run”) was happy and he is the man that counts. He felt he could have been second had he sat closer.”

Lord Balmoral took the Fairview Wines Sophomore Sprint in the manner of a horse that could go close in next year’s Cape Flying when completing a treble for Vaughan Marshall with the Milnerton trainer declaring: “He is a serious horse with massive cruising speed and I think he breaks the others’ hearts.”

Rider MJ Byleveld even rued the absence of Grade 1 winner Cloth Of Cloud (she waits for Met day), saying: “I would love to have taken her on with this one.”

Marcus followed up Friday evening’s Greyville treble with two more winners including the Power King Maiden for Eric Sands who was so confident that he texted the four-time champion to book him for Choir Of Angels the day the entries came out.

Geese tend to become swans when they win – at least in the eyes of those closest to them – but nobody had a good word to say about the apparently inappropriately-named Saint Janine after she came home at 4-1 in the Solid Speed Maiden.

“She’s a real cow,” declared Derek Brugman and he was polite compared with members of the Candice Bass-Robinson team. Seemingly the little madam has a mind of her own and leaves the farriers in no doubt that she won’t have shoes on her hind feet. She takes a similarly violent view about tongue ties and injections. Only assistant trainer Mel Arnold can get near her.

Bold Respect showed his rivals a more conventional pair of heels under Corne Orffer to collect R50 000 for Delma Sherrell in opening Cape Speed Maiden and on Saturday week the Brett Crawford-trained colt will compete for R1 million in the Kuda Sprint.

By Michael Clower

The remarkable Talktothestars can make it third time lucky by gaining his revenge on Turffontein rival Trip To Heaven in the Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Piere Strydom’s mount races barefoot but that didn’t stop him giving weight all round in the Tsogo Sun Sprint – when Red Ray, Gulf Storm, Captain Alfredo and Exelero – were among those behind. However on his two most recent starts he has been beaten by Trip To Heaven who opened 7-2 favourite with World Sports Betting.

Talktothestars (Nkosi Hlophe)

“Those last two runs were a disaster,” says Coenie de Beer who brought the horse down last week and settled him into the box at Harold Crawford’s yard that he occupied when he came for last year’s Cape Flying Championship. On that occasion he did wear shoes but managed only fifth. “It didn’t plan out for him,” De Beer recalls. “They came to the outside and he was bumped although he flew the final 300m.”

Trip To Heaven’s Achilles heel is his tendency to lose ground at the start – two lengths in each of his last two races and four in the Mercury Sprint before that. However on his most recent outing he quickly recovered the ground and had a trouble-free run thereafter whereas Talktothestars was squeezed out when making his move and, by the time he got going again, it was all too late. He is 1.5kg better and is a big price at 7-1.

Nine of the 13 runners are in the Cape Flying, notably Gulf Storm and 4-1 second favourite Red Ray who is running for the first time since landing the Mercury Sprint in July and who has proved his ability to run well when fresh.

“We haven’t quite the facilities that we do in Durban to sharpen him up -hills etc,” says Joey Ramsden. “But he is doing well and he looks a million dollars. He is pretty ready.”

Gulf Storm (7-1) won last year’s Betting World-sponsored Grade 1 and his disappointing run in the Southeaster on Christmas Eve is best forgiven and forgotten. Apart from anything else he was giving weight all round.

Trip to Heaven (JC Photographics)

“He didn’t get much luck in running that day even though he was only beaten just over three lengths but he is well-weighted here,” says Brett Crawford whose other runner Search Party is on a hat-trick but looks short enough at 9-2. “It’s a big task for him but he has done nothing wrong in his last two and he has room for improvement in him.”

Tevez (7-1) seldom runs a bad race and Aldo Domeyer’s confidence is sky-high after last Wednesday’s incredible six-timer. He is the oldest horse in the field but he should go close.

“It’s all about the pace with him,” says Candice Bass-Robinson whose father won three of the last five runnings. “They didn’t go hard when he won the Southeaster – he likes it faster – but he sat closer than he normally does.”

It’s hard to give any of the others a real chance and you have to go back to Thunder Key (33-1) in 2009 to find the winner starting longer than 15-2.

By Michael Clower

The Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m heads a nine race card at Scottsville on Sunday and it looks to be as competitive as ever.

Rikitikitana proved he prefers turf when winning the Gr 3 Christmas Handicap over 1600m at Greyville in fluent style. He has been seen to run on over 1800m before, so should enjoy this trip. He does have to handle a four point merit rated raise, but has a fair draw.

Rikitikitana (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mr Winsome is a typically progressive son of Silvano and from a good draw of two will be a big runner over a probably ideal trip. Caribbean Day is 2kg under sufferance on official merit ratings, but was unlucky last time in the KZN Summer Challenge 1600 final, so is the dark horse here over a trip he should enjoy.

Stormy Eclipse’s five wins have all been on the poly, but he was staying on in the Christmas Handicap and is 1,5kg better off for a three length beating by Rikitikitana. Furthermore, he is drawn in pole position.

Run Rhino Run is a talented sort, but can be headstrong so the step up in trip is a concern, especially from his tricky draw. He will need a good pace and this could perhaps be provided by Sylvester The Cat. The latter is an enigmatic sort who does possess plenty of ability and he reserves his best for Scottsville, so could be a big runner here as he is likely to be at his peak. Kitty’s Destiny returns from a seven month layoff over a trip short of his best and this talented, long strider can’t be ignored from a good draw.

Princess Varunya would prefer further, but is a classy sort and from a good draw can’t be ignored. Ashton Park showed in the Michaelmas, when running on for second, he can go further than a mile and is another interesting runner, although he has the widest draw of all to contend with like he did when staying on in the Christmas Handicap.

Double Clutch is effective over this trip and better than his last run as he did not act in the soft on that occasion. However, he has a tough draw to overcome and is high enough in the merit ratings. Open Heir sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight, but has a tough draw and is nine points higher than when winning over course and distance in September. They are selected in the order mentioned.

Double Clutch (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the fifth race over 1200m, the second leg of the Pick 6, the course record holder Humidor returns from a three-and-half month layoff and will be hard to beat under Anton Marcus as he is likely better than his 86 merit rating suggests.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a weak maiden over 1200m and Intercept and Spiritofadventure should get punters through.

The third leg of the Pick 6 is a competitive 1000m handicap for fillies and mares, but the three who stand out are Just Vogue, Mygirldownunder and Vision To Kill.

In the next leg of the Pick 6 over 2400m, Delirious Nomad is interesting despite being by the sprinter Rebel King as he was staying on well over 1950m last time, and Calabash, Dunham, Smart World, Sabre Charge and Shirley Valentine can also be included.

In the last leg of the Pick 6, a maiden for fillies and mares over 1600m, On That Note looks the one to beat, but Baobab should improve over this trip, Liberty Market has a chance, Pippin must be included and Movinglikeawinner should improve over the trip.

By David Thiselton

Anton Marcus consistently tops statistical logs and it’s no surprise that his win strike rate this season of 27,34% (or 70 wins from 256 rides) is almost identical to his overall strike rate from last season (27.30%). His numbers become even more impressive when paired with certain stables and his 100% (4 from 4) win strike rate for Alistair Gordon stands out on this list. The pair have a good chance of keeping the streak going with My Pal Al in the fifth at Greyville tonight.

Anton Marcus (Nkosi Hlophe)

My Pal Al was an easy maiden winner over 1400m on the Greyville polytrack in his second start as a gelding and impressed next time out when just touched off by the highly-rated Roy’s Magic. Both three-year-olds then made the trip up north to contest the Dingaans but My Pal Al did not appear to enjoy the soft going and faded out in the final furlong.

The Turffontein run is probably best ignored, for a number of good reasons, and closer inspection of his run to Roy’s Magic (rated 87) suggests that My Pal Al is likely better than his current mark of 80. He returns to 1400m on the polytrack tonight, jumps from an inside draw, has Marcus up and a set of blinkers have been slapped on to keep him focused. To say My Pal Al has plenty in his favour would be an understatement and he is worth chancing as a banker in smaller perms.

Anthony Delpech was a noticeable absentee around the KZN tracks over the last month after breaking his collar bone in early December. He eases his way back with four rides at Greyville on Friday night and all of them have winning chances.

Delpech has an impressive strike rate (28% winners, 50% first two) when linking up with the Dean Kannemeyer stable and the combination can improve their stats with the consistent Gusheshe in the second – a Maiden Plate (F&M) over 1400m. The drop back in trip is a slight concern for Gusheshe who tends to run on after the fact but this is negated by an inside draw which is a crucial advantage over this track and trip.

Gusheshe’s primary opponent is the Duncan Howells-trained Roy’s Kaitrina who jumps from pole position but the latter is not the most fluent out of the gates and this drop back in trip may not be ideal after running on stoutly over a mile last time out. The lightly raced A-Rod will also have his followers, with Anton Marcus in the irons, but Gusheshe has most in her favour and could be worth chancing as a Bipot banker.

Delpech teams up with Kannemeyer again with Arran Isles in the third and the lightly raced son of King’s Apostle has more scope for improvement than most of her rivals. With precious little form on offer, Arran Isles stands out in this line-up and should see you safely through exotics bets.

My Pal Al (Nkosi Hlophe)

The luckless Last Tiger gets Delpech back on board in the fourth, the first leg of the Pick 6, but this is a competitive handicap with a number of runners capable of making the frame. An inside draw will help his chances but Last Tiger, cramped for room in two of his last three starts, will need quite a bit to go his way to fend off Cutting Edge who looks well in here back on handicap terms after going close when under sufferance at the weights in a Pinnacle Stakes last timeout.

Cutting Edge does have his problems and there is no guarantee he will reproduce his improved latest effort. With this in mind, the likes of Just Ask Me, Silver Spring and Mumsy’s Jet warrant consideration.

Delpech takes a break in the fifth and it’s probably best as Marcus and My Pal Al look difficult to oppose.

The sixth looks tricky but the one to keep an eye on is Duncan Howells’ recent recruit His Legacy who is down in class and most likely better than rated. This does look a touch on the sharp side for the former Geoff Woodruff runner but His Legacy went into many notebooks after showing a good turn of foot to win his first two starts and is one to follow.

Delpech completes his night on Delicious Damowin in the seventh who ran on strongly over the minimum trip last time out and has two wins over this track and trip (1200m). He also jumps from an inside draw for a change and should be fighting out the finish. The main danger could be Russian Speed who has dropped dramatically in the ratings (87 > 55) and gets a good draw after staying on well on his poly debut from the widest gate of all.

The eighth is a minefield and recent maiden winners Patroclus and Portman Square, together with Rockefeller (rating slide), are preferred.

The younger Fit For Fun and Quality Matters will be popular choices in the last but the more experienced Disrupt may have the edge from a decent draw and with the confidence of Marcus in the saddle.

By Brendan Pather

Aldo Domeyer had a red letter day at Kenilworth yesterday riding six winners from just six rides on the eight race card.

He started off with a treble for his chief stable, Andre Nel, the private trainer to Sabine Plattner.

Aldo Domeyer (Nkosi Hlophe)

Ready Set Go (Race 2) converted favouritism at 28/10, Loadshedder (Race 3) was the bookmakers 2/1 favourite, although not Tote favourite, and Guilty Pleasure (Race 4) won at odds of 6/1.

His next winner was in the fifth aboard the Shane Humby-trained 4/1 shot Midnight Vision, who recorded his third win in succession.

Domeyer then won the seventh aboard the Mike Stewart-trained 6/1 chance Icon King.

Domeyer rode a confident race in the last over 1200m aboard the Mike Bass-trained Wake Up Maggie, who travelled well throughout before storming home to an impressive victory at odds of 9/2.

The young rider could be forgiven for standing up in the saddle in celebration at the line to mark a memorable day at the office.

Domeyer did not have rides in either race 1 or race 6 making it a perfect day at the office. The archives will have to be searched to see whether Domeyer’s perfect six broke a South African record for the number of winners from the same amount of rides on a day.

By David Thiselton

Joey Ramsden yesterday supplemented last Friday’s Jamaica Handicap winner Epona for the Klawervlei Majorca on Sun Met day together with Supercilious who won a 1 400m fillies conditions plate the following day. Both horses carry the Mayfair Speculators colours.

Craig Du Plooy (Nkosi Hlophe)

Also supplemented for the mile fillies Grade 1 were Party Crusher (Glen Kotzen) and the Justin Snaith-trained Fear Not while Snaith put last Friday’s easy Kenilworth handicap winner Copper Force into the Investec Cape Derby. Durban trainer Frank Robinson has supplemented Winter Is Coming for the Derby after the way the colt floored the odds laid on Red Chesnut Road in the Racing.It’s A Rush Progress Plate over 1 400m on the polytrack at Greyville on Monday.

Kotzen’s Cape Guineas runner-up Gold Standard has come in for further Sun Met support and has been cut from 16-1 to 12-1 with Betting World while Queen’s Plate runner-up Captain America has shortened slightly from 25-1 to 22-1.

Legal Eagle (15-10) continues to head the market with Marinaresco (33-10) and Whisky Baron (9-2). Rival firm World Sports Betting has the trio much the same at 15-10, 7-2 and 9-2.

Craig du Plooy, who broke several bones in his right hand in a racecourse fall at the beginning of November, won’t quite make it back in time for Met day but declares himself to be ready soon afterwards. However he is going to have to be patient because there is no racing in Cape Town for a fortnight after the Met.

Du Plooy has a two inch scar between his thumb and forefinger where the surgeon took out some of the damaged cartilege and anchored the bone.

Real Princess, who disappointed in last Friday’s Sceptre Stakes, was yesterday reported fine by Dean Kannemeyer who said: “She was bumped but she was already under pressure at that stage. She has come through the race well and I am seriously considering the Majorca.”

Andre Nel had the first treble of his short but highly successful training career yesterday when Ready Set Go, Loadshedder and Guilty Pleasure all obliged in successive races at Kenilworth yesterday. Aldo Domeyer, who rode all three, promptly followed up with Midnight Vision for Shane Humby.

By Michael Clower

The dual L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner and reigning Equus Horse of the Year Legal Eagle is viewed by many as unbeatable in the Gr 1 Sun Met. And so it is with some irony that 2017 marks the 50^th anniversary of the great race’s biggest ever upset.

Years ending in seven have generally produced exceptional Mets and this year’s race has already made history by carrying a R5 million stake, the highest stake for an open race in SA history.

Legal Eagle (Liesl King)

In 1967 the immortal Sea Cottage started at odds of 5/10, likely the shortest odds in Met history, but he was reportedly nearly brought down in the running and finished only fourth. He was beaten 2,5 lengths by the winner, the JW Bell-trained colt Ding Dong, to whom he gave 19 pounds. Ding Dong was ridden by the great James Maree who has done so much for workriders in Gauteng in recent times.

In 1977 the race provided the first of three successive wins for jockey great Bertie Hayden, who won five Mets in all. He won that year on Bahadur, owned by popular Durban couple Roy and Gladys Meaker. The following year was the first year of J&B’s 39 year-long sponsorship and Hayden won aboard the great Syd Laird-trained Politician. Politician and Hayden won again in 1979 in one of the most celebrated Met finishes of all time as the big chestnut was stuck in a pocket until about the 200m mark and had been written off by most of his supporters.

Thirty years ago in 1987 the race had to be staged in April due to the equine flu epidemic. The connections of the Paddy Lunn-trained favourite Model Man took the risk of paying R32,000, a vast amount in those days, to fly the horse down. He would have to finish in the first three to pay his way. He duly won the race by 0,25 lengths under Basil Marcus and the connections took home the first prize of R175,000.

Model Man is incidentally the grandam sire of Legal Eagle, who is from the family of 1968 Met winner William Penn.

In 1997 the great Alec Laird-trained London News became the first since Politician to do the Durban July-Met double. Two months later he put South African racing on the map by famously winning the Gr 1 QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

In 2007 the great Mike Bass-trained Pocket Power won the first of his three successive Mets. He remains the only horse to have won the prestigious race three times.

By David Thiselton

Jockey Keagan de Melo escaped with soft tissue bruising after a nasty fall on Kinshasa on the Greyville poly on Monday and expects to be back for Greyville’s Friday night meeting.

In the second race Kinshasa suddenly staggered sideways towards the inside rail before falling over, throwing De Melo on to the poly surface.

On course staff feared the worst for the horse and a screen was erected. However, he was found by the on course veterinarian to have suffered a pulmonary haemorrhage (bleeding), albeit a massive one.

Kinshasa has duly been suspended from racing in accordance with the rules relating to bleeding.

De Melo said he was feeling “tender” yesterday, but was due to begin a physiotherapy programme to repair the damage.

By David Thiselton