Author Archives: Nikita
Power ride for Byleveld
MJ Byleveld went within a neck of winning last year’s Gr 2 Betting World 1900 and is ironically aboard the horse which beat him, Dynastic Power, in Friday night’s renewal at Greyville.
Byleveld’s mount from last year, Power King, famously went on to win the country’s premier race, the Vodacom Durban July, albeit with Stuart Randolph aboard, while Dynastic Power found himself in the Milnerton yard of Vaughan Marshall at the beginning of this season after the retirement of his former trainer Stan Elley.
Byleveld said Dynastic Power had come on from his SA Champions Season pipe opener at Scottsville and added, “He is doing very well, we’re very happy with him.”
The defending champion was drawn a tricky 12 last year and now has to overcome the widest draw of all in the 16 horse field.
However, Byleveld said the five-year-old Dynasty gelding, who appears to thrive at Summerveld, had enough pace to find a handy position from there.
Dynastic Power (Nkosi Hlophe)
Last time out, in the Listed Sledgehammer over 1750m at Scottsville, Byleveld sent Dynastic Power to the front due to the lack of pace and after relaxing well he stayed on bravely for a 0,2 length third.
A similarly slowly paced race would possibly suit him as it would prevent him from having to use up too much energy early from the wide draw.
In last year’s race he was caught two-wide in about sixth place, but did have some cover and found a strong finish.
Last year his 98 merit rating saw him near the top of the 99 to 95 band of merit ratings and having to carry only 54kg.
This year in a slightly weaker race overall he is off a 101 merit rating, which puts him near the bottom of the 104 to 100 band, and he has to carry 58kg. He is officially 1kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses in the race, who are all of Gold Onyx (107, 60kg), Halve The Deficit (103, 58kg), Master’s Eye (103, 58kg), Solid Speed (103, 58kg) and St Tropez (99, 56kg).
Contrary to most seasons, the 1900 turned out to be last year’s best July pointer as third-placed Punta Arenas went on to finish runner up to Power King in the big one.
By David Thiselton
Van Zyl yard could surprise
Night Shadow (Nkosi Hlophe)
The Van Zyl yard have two Silvano geldings in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 tomorrow night, Night Shadow and Silver Spring, and they are conditioned by Gareth and Gavin respectively.
The four-year-old Night Shadow officially has a tougher task at the weights, but is the more progressive of the two, and stable jockey Warren Kennedy has duly chosen him ahead of Silver Spring.
Gareth said, “Night Shadow ran above his rating last time. He is an immature sort of a horse who has got ability and room for improvement.”
Night Shadow is officially the worst weighted horse in the race tomorrow night, being 4,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses in the race. However, the yard have enough confidence in his scope for improvement to have nominated him for the Vodacom Durban July (subsequently withdrawn)
In fact he is only 0,5kg worse off tomorrow night with both It Is Written and Dynastic Power from the Listed Sledgehammer over 1750m at Scottsville, despite being beaten only a head and a short-head respectively.
Night Shadow jumps from draw 8 over an ideal trip and has enjoyed a fine preparation.
Seven-year-old Silver Spring is known to be full of issues but never gives anything other than 100% and Gareth, speaking on behalf of Gavin, said he was currently in a good space. However, he is officially 1,5kg under sufferance and is drawn wide in 12, while his highest ever winning mark is a full eight points lower than his current mark of 92. He and Triple Crown-winning jockey Karl Zechner have it all to do.
By David Thiselton
Rider Cup at Scottsville
The 2016 Rider Cup Inter Provincial Jockeys’ Challenge is set to take place at Scottsville Racecourse on Sunday, 10 July 2016. The inaugural event was held last year and won by the KZN Falcons with the Highveld Hawks and Cape Eagles finishing second and third respectively.
“We have decided this year to stage this event as a standalone Scottsville Sunday racemeeting to avoid a clash of engagements amongst the leading jockeys,” says Gold Circle Marketing Executive Graeme Hawkins. “We hope to attract the best riders to represent their provinces this year and once again R100 000 will be up for grabs as prize money. In response to a suggestion from many quarters last year, we have agreed to include the leading PE domiciled rider in the Cape Eagles team, along with the top three Cape Town-based riders,” added Hawkins.
The leading riders from each province as at the 31st May 2016 will be invited to represent their respective teams and the competition will again comprise four races over varying distances.
As of today’s date, 17 May 2016, the leading jockeys are as follows:-
KZN FALCONS:
Anthony Delpech
Anton Marcus
Muzi Yeni
Keagan De Melo
HIGHVELD HAWKS:
S’Manga Khumalo
Andrew Fortune
Karl Zechner
JP van der Merwe
CAPE EAGLES:
Grant van Niekerk
Aldo Domeyer
Bernard Fayd’Herbe
Teaque Gould (PE)
Bruss holds strong hand
Neil Bruss sends out two classy fillies in the Listed East Coast Cup over 2000m on Friday night at Greyville, Deputy Ryder and Zante, and he favours the former but also gives the latter a chance because “she stays well.”
They look the pair to beat, although there are many horses with winning chances.
Bruss’s pair of horses are respectively by two of the current most talked about sires in the country, Go Deputy and Ideal World.
Go Deputy is the sire of SA Triple Crown hero Abashiri and his progeny not only stay well but show notable improvement in their four-year-old seasons.
Deputy Ryder showed her class last season in Durban by winning the Listed Queen Palm Stakes over 2400m at Greyville in eyecatching style.
However, her Cape Summer season did not pan out well for her after a bad start. An attempt to steal the slow run Listed Woolavington Handicap over 2400m, her opening race in the summer, by circling the field and sending her clear left her exhausted.
Neil Bruss
However, her three unplaced efforts and a fourth place finish overall in the summer did at least see her merit rating dropping one point to 94. Her penultimate run in the summer, when only 4,6 lengths behind Inara in the Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over the too sharp 1600m showed also she has not lost her zest.
In her SA Champions Season pipe opener she finished a 0,25 length second to the classy Joey Ramsden-trained Gallica Rose in the Listed Scarlet Lady over 1750m at Scottsville and now faces her on identical terms. Both horses will be having their second runs after respective two month layoffs and both will relish the step up in trip. However a significant point is a reversal in draw fortunes in Deputy Ryder’s favour despite her having to still jump from a tricky draw of 8.
Grant can Niekerk rides Deputy Ryder, while Anthony Delpech retains the ride on the race’s defending champion Gallica Rose.
The latter has class and will likely start favourite.
Zante had too much to do in the straight of the Scarlet Lady but was flying at the finish to be just 2,35 lengths back in fifth. She faces Gallica Rose on the same terms again and has a similar draw to the one she had in that race (9 compared to 8). An interesting point in her form is her fourth place finish in last year’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 amidst some of the best of an extraordinarily good crop. She will relish the step back up to that trip and could provide the best value in the race. Donovan Dillon replaces S’Manga Khumalo.
Gathering Fame (Nkosi Hlophe)
Ramsden also has two runners. The disappointing Grey Light attempts the trip for the first time. Her site Tapit, being a Gr 1 winner over 1800m gives her a chance of seeing it out, but on the other hand her second dam Harry’s Charm was a champion sprinter. She is officially 3,5kg under sufferance with Gallica Rose.
The Dennis Drier-trained Gathering Fame is said by the yard to be in good shape at Summerveld but she would have probably preferred this race to be at Scottsville. She finished a 1,5 length fourth to Gallica Rose last year but is now 4,5kg worse off and drawn wide.
Intergalactic (Nkosi Hlophe)
Ma Choix plugged in from last after being dropped out from a wide draw in the Scarlet Lady and was 4,7 lengths back at the line. She faces Gallica Rose on the same weight terms, so has a bit to do but is now drawn in pole and should have come on from the run.
Tonya is the dark horse. She is officially 3kg under sufferance with Gallica Rose but is a progressive three-year-old and caught the eye in her victorious pipe opener over 1950m at Scottsville considering she was quite strong in the running.
Intergalactic is also a progressive three-year-old and is officially only 1kg under sufferance with Gallica Rose. She was a staying on fifth in the Gr 2 Daisy Guineas, has proved she stays the trip and Anton Marcus is up from a fair draw of six.
Cassie O’Malley has a chance of beating Intergalactic on a line through Inaninstant. Her dour galloping style is not usually suited to the tight Greyville track, but can sometimes be effective if the jockey can time it right from the front. She is 1kg under sufferance with Gallica Rose.
The yard said they would be thrilled with a place for Kileigh, who is officially 1kg under sufferance, but achieved her current mark on the polytrack.
Speedy Chestnut is 4kg under sufferance with Gallica Rose and needs to improve on her first two KZN runs.
It is an intriguing race and Zante is chosen to cause the upset with Gallica Rose, Deputy Ryder, Intergalactic and Tonya next best.
By David Thiselton
Moving in the right direction
In a concerted effort to eliminate any possible “crowding” on the inside rail, and to ensure a fair winning opportunity for all, Gold Circle has taken the decision to limit the fields of the four Grade 1 Sprints at the Tsogo Sun Sprint Carnival Raceday to 14 runners and to bring in the far side rail by 4 metres. The famous Jackpot of Grade 1 sprints is set to take place at Scottsville Racecourse on Saturday, 4 June and entries are due this coming Friday, 20 May 2016.
Born To Rule (Nkosi Hlophe)
“There is no doubt that moving the inside rail has resulted in much fairer racing,” said Gold Circle Racing Executive Raf Sheik. “We want to do everything we can on this day to ensure the integrity of our Grade 1 races and eliminating the perceived better going on the inside goes a long way to achieving this,” he added.
While the decision to limit the fields to fourteen runners may be met with dissatisfaction in some quarters, there is no doubt that the move will be welcomed by the majority of riders. Anthony Delpech was quoted recently as saying, “with the rail moved in by four or five metres, racing down the straight is a pleasure much fairer for all concerned. Draws are no longer a major factor and interference has been minimised.”
All about the draw
Justin Snaith made the four-year-old Jet Master gelding Master’s Eye the elect of his two runners in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900, to be run at Greyville this Friday night, but that sentiment was based entirely on the draw.
Justin Snaith (Nkosi Hlophe)
Master’s Eye is drawn five with Richard Fourie up, while Grant Van Niekerk has a tough task overcoming draw 15 on Dynamic.
Master’s Eye could not find cover last time from a tricky draw over 1750m at Scottsville in the Listed Sledgehammer Stakes in his SA Champions Season pipe opener. His head was then twisted sideways throughout the straight. Snaith confirmed the horse had been looking at the stands. He didn’t expect a repeat of that antic on Friday night. Master’s Eye looks to be a big runner as he is officially joint best in at the weights and from a good draw should find cover over a step up in trip he will appreciate.
Snaith said Dynamic had come on well from his Champions Season pipe opener when caught late over 1600m at Scottsville. He added, “He would be a big runner if it weren’t for the draw.”
Dynamic will officially be 0,5kg under sufferance with the best in.
By David Thiselton
Betting World 1900 to be the decider
Joey Ramsden has an intriguing hand in the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 and how his four runners, The Conglomerate, King Of Pain, St Tropez and Disco Al, do will likely decide their routes through the remainder of the SA Champions Season.
The Conglomerate (Nkosi Hlophe)
The Conglomerate ran in the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m last time and stayed on quite well from a handy position over a trip short of his best to finish a 5,65 length sixth, which was not a bad effort considering it was his first run since January 9 and he was caught wide early from a tricky draw of nine.
Anton Marcus said, “It was a fair run.”
He should have benefitted from the run, but Marcus added, “He doesn’t give much away at work.”
This Australian-bred son of Lonhro won last season’s KRA Guineas, where he relished the strong pace. He then had no excuses when finishing a decent third in the Daily News 2000. Then in the Vodacom Durban July he had nowhere to go on the outside rail and the jockey understandably switched him inward, although in retrospect he would have got a lot closer than five lengths had he remained patient.
The Conglomerate ran unplaced in all three of his runs in the Cape summer. His merit rating has duly dropped from a high of 108 down to 101, but unfortunately his rating is near the bottom of the 100 to 104 band pertaining to the conditions of Friday’s race, so he is officially 1kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses.
He should relish the course and distance and Marcus has retained the ride, despite facing another tricky draw of 14.
Assistant trainer Alson Ndzilana is happy with The Conglomerate, but said all three of the other runners would need their runs.
However, all of them stay further so they can’t be written off.
King Of Pain (Nkosi Hlophe)
King Of Pain beat a top class field in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge two years ago, but is not an easy horse to train and his only win since was last time out in the Gr 3 CTS Chairman’s Cup over 3200m in February. That win has opened up new doors, as he could now be an eLan Property Group Gold Cup contender, especially coming from a yard who has an excellent record with stayers. However, his Gold Challenge win followed a similar layoff to the one he is coming off now so he could be a contender on Friday night off a reasonable merit rating of 106, which means he is only 0,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted horses in the race. He also has a tricky draw of 12 and Brandon Lerena rides.
St Tropez is one of the joint best weighted horses in the race having to carry 56kg off his 99 merit rating and being by Silvano should now be coming into his own as a four-year-old. He hasn’t run since his disappointing effort in the Sansui Summer Cup. However, he is yet to fulfill his considerable potential and his fine turn of foot makes him suited to the tight Greyville track. He won the East Cape Derby impressively last season so the staying option is open to him too. He is a dark horse on Friday from a good draw of six and the astute Keagan de Melo should suit him perfectly as a rider who usually times it right when coming from off the pace.
Six-year-old Disco Al was beaten a length by St. Tropez in October over 1800m and faces him on identical terms if the weight for age scale is taken into account. In this class he would probably prefer further but is an honest sort and won’t be far back. He is drawn nicely in seven and stable jockey Donovan Dillon is aboard.
By David Thiselton
Marinaresco on trial
Marinaresco will face 11 rivals when he goes on trial for the Vodacom Durban July in the Winter Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday. It will be the biggest Winter Classic field in 15 years.
Grant Van Niekerk (Nkosi Hlophe)
Grant van Niekerk, suspended when the three-year-old won the Winter Guineas, regains the ride from Aldo Domeyer who will be on the Mike Bass second string Brilliant Crimson.
The Brett Crawford-trained Whisky Baron and Vilakazi, second and third in the Winter Guineas, will also have different riders with stable jockey Corne Orffer taking over from Bernard Fayd’Herbe on the runner-up and Sean Veale replacing MJ Byleveld on Vilakazi. Byleveld has been claimed by Vaughan Marshall for Paladin who won a mile handicap last month and was unlucky not to follow up in a similar race nine days ago.
The in-form Donovan Dillon has been snapped up by Greg Ennion for Cape Classic winner Eighth Wonder who was found to have a nasal discharge when disappointing in the Winter Guineas.
Ennion said: “The whole yard had it. I took him out of work for a week and he was fine again.”
By Michael Clower
Working on the future
The Gr 2 Betting World 1900 to be run at Greyville this Friday night has attracted a full field of 16 plus one reserve, but they hail from only seven stables, which is perhaps a reflection of the country’s decreasing ownership base.
However, well known Maine Chance Farms racing manager Justin Vermaak is working wonders in ensuring a healthy future for the Sport Of Kings.
Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)
In the same way the Western Province Regional Racing Association have recognised Vermaak’s importance by making him a board member, KZN racing could perhaps include 3A Racing’s Wesley Bowman in the decision making process in recognition of his efforts to bring young blood to the sport.
Bowman and his friends have done a lot for the game already and have always been keen to extend their influence.
Vermaak’s Greenstreet Bloodstock, whose aim is to bring young owners to the game, has about 38 syndicated horses in training in the space of just two years.
His negotiation skills have already seen positive changes made to red tape which pertained to a different era, so syndicate members can now have their names on the race card as nominees without having to spend yet more money on colours.
He has also built potentially budget-breaking veterinarian bills into the training fees as a fixed amount per month.
By David Thiselton
