Author Archives: Nikita

power king fin

Highveld on July champ’s radar

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Dean Kannemeyer is toying with the idea of having a crack at the Sansui Summer Cup with his Vodacom Durban July hero Power King.

He said: “In weight-for-age races like the J & B Met Power King would be only about a kilo off the top weight so, with the satellite yard I now have at Summerveld, maybe we should continue to train him there and raid Johannesburg for top races like the Summer Cup (November 28).

“This is something that I have been giving thought to and I will talk to Lady Laidlaw about it and also discuss it with Jehan Malherbe.”

Kannemeyer has had success with raiding Jo’burg in the past, but from Cape Town, notably with Free My Heart in the 2002 Horse Chestnut. He sent the seven-time Grade 1 winner by plane four days before the race and he won comfortably.

Free My Heart went on to win the Champions Cup but Kannemeyer has no regrets about taking Power King out of last Saturday’s big race, saying: “The July was tough, he ran his heart out and he was tired afterwards.”

By Michael Clower

Wild One and jockey Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

Wild One gets it right

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The Mike de Kock-trained Wild One went one better than last year when winning the country’s premier staying race, the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m, at a sun-bathed Greyville yesterday under Anthony Delpech.

Later the country’s highest rated horse, the Justin Snaith-trained Futura, secured the Equus Horse Of The Year title with a stunning victory in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m under Bernard Fayd’Herbe, despite not getting the best of starts.

The Scott Brothers-bred six-year-old Mogok gelding Wild One provided a first Gr 1 win for passionate Hillcrest-based owner Sean Phillips and his yellow and red colours also flashed past the post in third place as he owns a share in the Joey Soma-trained Savage Wind.

It was a third Gold Cup win for De Kock and a first for Delpech. The latter had finished second in the race on no fewer than six occasions.

Wild One and jockey Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

Wild One and jockey Anthony Delpech (Nkosi Hlophe)

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained rank outsider Balance Sheet ran a gallant second. The Dominic Zaki-trained Gauteng raider Storm Warning ran fourth and the Geoff Woodruff-trained Wild Ash was the first female home in fifth place.

After his narrow second in last year’s Gold Cup, Wild One was given a ten month layoff due to a soft tissue injury. De Kock said that he had come back sounder than ever and his problems appeared now to be behind him. This has been shown in his recent starts, as he finished second in both the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m and the KZN Breeders Million Mile in his two comeback runs.

Kingston Mines led for the first half of the race and Savage Wind then took it up. Wild One was beautifully positioned in a handy position throughout.

Savage Wind set sail for home on the inside rail and looked full of running, but Wild One soon had his measure. Balance Sheet then appeared from nowhere and looked dangerous, but as he came alongside the blinkered Wild One the latter found another gear and surged to the line a one length winner. Balance Sheet pipped the gallant Savage Wind for second. Storm Warning stayed on well to catch Wild Ash and secure the final quartet position.

Phillips had a dispersal sale in January and expected to get a good price for Wild One, but it was not to be. However, his decision to buy him back for R200,000 has now paid dividends.

Summerveld trainer Jeff Freedman found Wild One at the KZN Yearling Sale and bought him for R95,000, before training him for Phillips for his first couple of seasons.

In the Champions Cup Futura appeared to hit the gate before they had opened and lost a little bit of ground early. He consequently had to be used up quite significantly to find a good position and this left many of his supporters a tad concerned. His stablemate and chief rival Legislate began pulling his way around horses just before they turned for home and the Charles Laird-trained Ice Machine was sitting in behind him ominously. When Ice Machine switched out it looked race over because he showed his usual magnificent acceleration to shoot past Legislate and he had Futura in his sights.  However, the incredible Futura, despite having used that early energy, clawed his way back after being overtaken and got his nose in front on the line. Legislate finished third.

The five-year-old entire Futura, owned by John Freeman, Jack Mitchell and Drakenstein Stud and bred by Guy Murdoch, will be a most deserved winner of the Horse of The Year Award as he also won the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met. However, his sire Dynasty will not be so lucky because the prize money for the Champions Cup counts towards the new season and he would otherwise likely have overtaken Captain Al and won the National Sires title.

The Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m saw one of the meeting bankers, the Mike Azzie-trained Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada, keeping his unbeaten record in impressive style under Marcus.

He was given a lead by his stablemate High Game and went for his run down the inside. Meanwhile, the Zaki-trained raider Prospect Strike and Rabada’s stablemate Abashiri were flying home on the outside.

However, Rabada held on to win by 0,75 lengths with Abashiri a shorthead further back. Mogok Master and Nephrite were next best.

It was the third time Azzie had won this race. Rabada was bred by Summerhill Stud and is owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste.

Earlier, the De Kock-trained Ideal World filly Persian Rug looked to have the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes wrapped up as she hit the front early in the straight and was beginning to stretch away from them. However, she dug her toes in when she came to the grandstand shadow and this allowed the Duncan Howells-trained Elusive Fort filly Lauderdale to take the lead and stay on to win under Muzi Yeni. The Mike Azzie-trained Querari filly Melliflora stayed on well for a 0,25 length second and Persian Rug came back in eyecatching fashion for third. The latter looks to be a class sort in the making. Flying Ice was another unlucky horse as she had to come wide into the straight and then had to be switched inward. She only finished 0,75 back in tie fourth. The favourite Chestnuts N Pearls was having her first run in the Drakenstein Stud silks as a share was sold in her after her fluent win in the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Golden Slipper Stakes over 1400m. She was lying in a handy position turning for home and ran on for tie fourth. Lauderdale is owned by Brian Burnard and was bred by Dr RJ Antrobus.

The Gr 2 Gold Bracelet saw a deserved win for the ever improving Joey Ramsden-trained Silvano filly Gallica Rose, who produced a late run to overtake the De Kock-trained Estidraaj and the Snaith-trained Acrostar was third.

The Mike Bass-trained Trippi gelding Night Trip retained his Listed Darley Arabian crown over 1600m on the poly with a flying finish under Anton Marcus, despite being eleven points higher in the merit ratings and carrying topweight.

By David Thiselton

wildonenkosihlophe

Wild One fits the bill

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All the pieces but one are in place for Wild One to complete the puzzle in today’s Gr 1 eLAN Properties Group Gold Cup. Injury, illness, bad draws and bad rides can often scupper well laid plans but Mike de Kock looks to have avoided all those pitfalls and given some luck in the running at Greyville this afternoon, Wild One will fit the final piece to the jigsaw and go one better than last year for owner Sean Phillips.

Wild One has long been the ante-post favourite after two exceptional efforts in his lead-up. Second to Wavin’ Flag last year, the gelding was not seen out until June this year where he made his seasonal debut in the Cup Trial over 1800m, a distance regarded by most pundits as way too short.

He trailed most of the field turning for home but then unleashed a powerful late run under Anthony Delpech to finish runner-up to the rejuvenated Punta Arenas. Next up was a crack at the KZN Million Mile and again he switched on the afterburners in the straight to run Gr 1 winning “miler” Bezanova to within a length.

Although racing off a six-point higher rating than last year, the handicappers have only given Wild One a single point increase for his last two showings. Given his record over ground, a plum draw at five and a handy galloping weight, only bad luck in running or an exceptional performance by one of the opposition stands in his way.

That performance could come in the form of Solid Speed. Dean Kannemeyer has had an exceptional Champions Season and while Power King provided the icing by winning the Vodacom Durban July, Solid Speed can add the cherry.

Power King carried the silks of Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables and Kannemeyer and Stuart Randolph would pull off a rare double should Solid Speed prevail for Khaya Stables.

Since arriving for Champions Season Solid Speed has landed the Highland Night Cup and the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup, both over 2400m, and then went down less than a length in the 3000m Gold Vase lumping 60kg.

He was not stopping in the Vase and with 7kg off his back and an inside draw this afternoon the extra furlong should hold no fears and he looks the biggest threat to Wild One.

Bookmakers are giving very little away with the majority of the 16-horse field quoted at 16-1 and less so they are expecting a tight finish. However, Wild One and Solid Speed have everything in their favour and can inflict some financial damage on the gentleman of the crossbar.

Highlight of the meeting and a fitting end to the season – although strictly speaking a day over into the new term – will be the clash between stable companions Futura and Legislate in the Gr 1 Champions Cup; at stake the Equus Horse of the Year crown currently held by Legislate.

It has been a tumultuous year for the connections of both horses with illness and backroom discord amongst the various owners adding some intrigue. Justin Snaith has been treading on egg shells since both horses ended up in his yard and it has been a difficult juggling act trying to keep all happy and picking the right races.

After his move from Brett Crawford, Futura won his opener for Snaith rather more easily than the winning margin would suggest, but there were a few raised eyebrows when the stable companions met in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. Legislate, dictating from the jump, kept finding while Futura, trailing for much of the race, got going too late to affect the result.

Since then the two have taken opposite routes into today’s race with Futura finishing a very creditable fourth in the VDJ under top weight while Legislate was caught for finishing speed in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint won by Captain Of All.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe is back aboard Futura and with the two drawn alongside each other and over what looks to be the optimum trip for both, we will hopefully be in for a fascinating tactical battle.

Of the balance, although Punta Arenas had two lengths to spare over Futura in the July he is now 3.5kg worse off and looks held, particularly if judged on the J&B Met form, while Ice Machine’s stamina limitations were exposed in the July and he will be much more at home over today’s trip and he is fully capable of an upset.

Best bets

Greyville

Race 2: (6) In Other Words

Greyville

Race 6: (12) Rabada

Greyville

Race 8: (1) Futura

By Andrew Harrison

Wild One (Nkosi Hlophe)

Wild to go one better

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The Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup is always one of the most exciting races of the year and Saturday’s running at Greyville will be no different.

Wild One (Nkosi Hlophe)

Wild One (Nkosi Hlophe)

Ruling favourite Wild One finished second last year and appears to have improved since being given a long rest. He has landed a good draw of five and has a nice galloping weight.

Storm Warning has benefitted from a breathing operation and bounced back to his best last time out over 3000m at Turffontein. He won’t mind a wide draw because he likes to be dropped out and has the necessary turn of foot to do well at Greyville.

Coltrane has a reasonable weight for a horse of his class and stamina capacity and has been working well since being freshened up.

Kingston Mines could set the fractions and comes in with a fair galloping weight. He didn’t appear to go on with it the last time he tried this trip on the Highveld but on the coast it could be a different story.

In form Solid Speed loves Greyville and is well drawn and nicely weighted. He gives the impression he will stay this trip and has enjoyed a similar preparation to Kannemeyer’s 2012 Gold Cup winner In Writing.

Vino Veritas appears to love her racing and gives the impression she could gallop all day, but she is quite high in the weights for a female.

Hot Ticket is the reigning Equus Champion Stayer and will be a tough nut to crack off a lowered merit rating, but the slight concern is that this is the first time he has tried this trip since a wind operation.

Gold Onyx loves Greyville and gets on well with jockey Grant Behr, but is six points higher in the merit ratings than when finishing third in this race last year.

Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

Wild Ash was staying on when runner up in the Gr 2 SABC Gold Vase over 3000m, but will now be 3kg worse off with Solid Speed for a neck beating, although she will now be cherry ripe.

Disco Al was only accorded a one point merit rated raise for winning the Gr 2 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville last time out and is 1kg better off with Solid Speed for a 1,25 length beating over 2400m at Greyville before that. However, he is not a certainty to stay the full two miles.

Ash Cloud fought back to win the Gold Circle Oaks and has little to lose as this is her final start before going to stud. However, she has a big weight for a filly and is eight points higher in the merit ratings than last year when finishing sixth.

J’s Outsider won the Gold Bowl over this trip at Turffontein and should be cherry ripe. He has a light weight, but his wide draw makes it tough.

Balance Sheet was running on well in the Gr 3 tabGold 2200 and on pedigree has a good chance of staying the trip.

Kolkata is well handicapped on his second place finish in this race in 2011, but has not been in the same form this season.

Gone Baby Gone was found to be a bit anaemic after staying on fairly well in the Gold Vase for fifth and with treatment is expected to be in better shape. He went close in the Gr 3 Chairman’s Cup over 3200m at Kenilworth, but faces the winner Coltrane on 3,5kg worse terms.

Savage Wind was just 0,2 lengths behind Disco Al in the Track and Ball Derby and is now 3,5kg better off. That didn’t appear to be a true run race, but his form in Johannesburg also puts him in with an outside chance.

Futura & Sean Cormack (Nkosi Hlophe)

Futura (Nkosi Hlophe)

Wild One is selected to beat Storm Warning, with Coltrane, Kingston Mines and Solid Speed next best.

Futura and Legislate are the main protagonists in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m. However, Ice Machine is full of class and is tipped to mow them down under Anton Marcus.

Chestnuts N Pearls could give Dennis Drier an amazing sixth Champions Season Gr 1 win in the Thekwini Stakes over 1600m. Flying Ice and Melliflora could follow her home and Persian Rug and Old Em make most appeal of the rest.

The Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m sees the top class Rabada facing his first true test and on his first two career performances he looks hard to beat. Prospect Strike is unfortunately widely drawn but will nevertheless be a huge runner and Abashiri, Rikitikitani, Malak Al Moolook, Captain’s Causeway and Cutting Edge are others to consider.

The classy and versatile Jet Belle could retain her Gr 2 Gold Bracelet crown from Gallica Rose and Patchit Up Baby.

The Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m on the poly could see Night Trip retaining his crown as he has recently matched it with the best milers in the country.

The Listed Umgeni Handicap could see a deserved win for Al Ciberano, who has a nice galloping weight. Brutal Force, Barbosa, Moofeed, Tiger Territory and Mod Barley make most appeal of the rest.

Cape Speed impressed last time out and will relish the 1900m trip of the third, which is always one of the most interesting races on the Super Saturday card. He could beat home the well regarded Mooghamir, who was green on debut and should improve.

By David Thiselton

Across The Ice (JC Photos)

Vaal sand to be replaced by turf

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Phumelela is to replace the problematic sand track at the Vaal with a turf surface in what is strategically the first step towards the installation of a synthetic racing surface in Johannesburg.

Turf is the best racing surface in summer, but on the Highveld during winter grass tracks become hard and divot repairs cause inconsistencies.

The need for an alternative racing surface to turf on the Highveld during winter was the reason for the introduction of the Vaal sand track in 2001. Unfortunately, the sand track has been dogged by a range of opinions and criticisms, and replacing the top layer of washed river sand with unwashed river sand a few years back at the request of horsemen has exacerbated, rather than resolved, the problems.

It’s also dubious whether the Vaal sand track is environmentally or commercially sustainable into the future. The track requires copious volumes of water that are currently freely available from the Vaal River, but that may not be the case in years to come.

Taking all factors into account, plus that replacing the entire top layer of sand on the track again would not necessarily solve the problems, Phumelela management first consulted with a cross section of trainers and then recommended to the Phumelela board that the sand be replaced with turf.

The board ratified the recommendation last week and the sand track will be closed after the last of six meetings scheduled there in October.

The sand will then be lifted and stockpiled for use elsewhere. Once the sand is lifted from the 60,000 square metre track, work will begin on creating a suitable medium for grass to grow in. The new grass has already been ordered and is scheduled to be laid in January.

The configuration of the track will remain unchanged and all going well the first race meeting on the track will be held in May next year.

It’s a similar timeframe to replacing the grass on the Turffontein standside track last year, a project that was successfully completed within three months.

“An enormous amount of energy, money and time has gone into the Vaal sand track down the years, but the complaints are endless and it’s unlikely that all stakeholders will ever be satisfied. Plus the sustainability of the track is questionable,” said Phumelela Horseracing Executive Patrick Davis.

“The best long-term solution is to replace the sand with turf and once the new turf track is proven as a racing surface, the way will then be open to replace the existing inside turf surface at Turffontein with a synthetic surface like Polytrack. Such a surface will solve winter going issues on the Highveld and lessen the pressure on the turf tracks and the number of race meetings lost to rain,” Davis added.

Replacing the sand with turf will result in race meetings that would have been run on sand during the transition period having to be switched to the two existing Vaal turf tracks and the Turffontein standside and inside tracks.

The bulk of these meetings will be held on the Turffontein inside track, which will consequently not be fully reconditioned during spring this year in order to be ready for racing earlier than normal.

“It’s a real challenge but my team has spent days planning how best to deal with it and we are confident that the extra meetings can be accommodated on the turf tracks without compromising the going. And we have a bit of flexibility that the new Vaal turf track may be ready before next May if the weather is favourable,” Davis said.

Released by: Phumulela Gaming

Picture: Across The Ice (JC Photos) running on the Vaal Sand track.

Mike Bass (Nkosi Hlophe)

Bass still with a chance

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Mike Bass has not enjoyed the best of Champions Seasons by his high standards but still has a chance of going home to Cape Town with a Gr 1 trophy as he contests a couple of big races at Greyville’s Super Saturday meeting this weekend.

He runs Helderberg Blue and Ashton Park in the Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m.

He said perhaps a bit too much use had been made of Helderberg Blue early in the Vodacom Durban July, but the Jet Master gelding has come out of the race well and is now well drawn. However, he does face a tough task at the weights with the like of Futura, Legislate, Ice Machine and Punta Arenas in the race, at least according to official merit ratings. Donovan Dillon rides.

The Champions Cup often sees the relatively fresh horses who have not run in the July doing well and Ashton Park fits into this category. He has not been seen out since the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m on June 6. Bass admitted there was a question mark about him staying this 1800m trip, but he could be an interesting contender if finding cover behind a slow pace, because he has a fine turn of foot and is suited to the tight Greyville circuit. His draw of seven will make it tricky to find the cover he needs. However, veteran jockey Karl Neisius rides and as a good reader of a race will give him every chance of doing so.

Bass runs the Visionaire colt Jet Air in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m. The yard rate him although Bass admitted Rabada looked hard to beat. Jet Air was stepped up to 1600m for the first time at Scottsville last time out and won well, beating the well regarded Mike de Kock-trained first-timer Mooghamir by 2,5 lengths. The colt unfortunately has a tough draw of eleven to overcome. Nevertheless, he looks be an interesting contender with Bernard Fayd’Herbe up.

The yard run the Count Dubois mare Counting Angels in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m. She has a tough task on paper in this weight for age race plus penalties as she is only off a merit rating of 87. Furthermore, she is drawn wide in 14. However, she did over race a bit last time out in the Listed Queen Palm Stakes over 2400m and still managed to finish second, so she should love this trip. Furthermore, she should be cherry ripe. Donovan Dillon rides.

Bass’ classy Trippi gelding Night Trip defends his crown in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1600m and has a plum draw of three with Anton Marcus up. Marcus was booked off his last three rides at Scottsville yesterday (Wednesday) when not feeling well, but is likely to be rearing to go again for Saturday’s big meeting. Night Trip, like most Trippi’s, loves the poly.  He is off a 106 merit rating in this handicap event compared to a 95 last year, but has recently shown his class against the best over a mile so looks to have improved. He finished 0,2 lengths behind Futura over 1600m at Greyville when receiving only 1,5kg and then finished just 1,4 lengths behind Legislate in the weight for age Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m, a race in which Futura beat him by just a-quarter-of-a-length. Bass added Night Trip had been doing well and he expected him to run well.

He also runs the Jet Master gelding Mountain Master in the Darley Arabian and sounded quite bullish about his chances. Since his Champions Season pipe opener in the IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m the yard have tried him over trips from 1900m to 2400m. He is interesting coming back to this trip off a lowered merit rating, considering he won a good race on the Greyville turf over 1400m in May last year. Jet Master’s progeny seem to love the poly too. He could be in with a shout here with just 53kg on his back from a good draw with Richard Fourie up.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Mike Bass (Nkosi Hlophe)

wildonenkosihlophe

Wild One on track

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The Mike de Kock-trained Wild One put in pleasing work at Summerveld on Tuesday under big race rider Anthony Delpech and remains the favourite for the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m to be run on Super Saturday at Greyville over the weekend.

Delpech said Wild One was never one to show much at home, but both he and De Kock were very pleased with his wellbeing.

De Kock also emphasised that this horse was at present very sound.

The yard were bullish about his chances.

Owner Sean Phillips bought Wild One back for R200,000 at a January dispersal sale, which speaks volumes for the regard in which he is held, considering he will turn six on Gold Cup day. The decision could well pay dividends.

The Mogok gelding jumps from a plum draw of five and is coming off two excellent second places in the Gr 2 Cup Trial over 1800m and the KZN Breeders Million Mile respectively, which were both run at Greyville. On those two runs he looks to have improved, so looks capable of handling the overall six point merit rated raise he has been given since finishing a 0,5 length second in last year’s the Gold Cup. He has clearly benefitted from the long layoff he was given after his gallant effort in that big race.

De Kock and Delpech had an early morning start on Tuesday when leaving the Wild Coast at 4:30 a.m in order to gallop Wild One at Summerveld, before returning to the coastal resort to play in the second round of the popular Gold Circle Racing Masters golf tournament.

De Kock is no slouch at the game and finished second overall off his single figure handicap.

The coveted “Green Jacket” was won by Odyar Nelson, who fought back doggedly after starting the second day with three “black outs”. He overtook overnight leader Yogesh Chetty late on the final nine and was able to hold his nerve to deny the consistent De Kock.

The Lady’s “White Jacket” was won by Sandi Burger.

The best gross score was achieved by Dean Waterston, who plays off a handicap of two.

The tournament above all emphasises the togetherness of the racing fraternity and always provides an excellent freshener before the new season, although it does usually occur after the Gold Cup, which has been postponed this year due to the inclement weather last weekend.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Wild One (Nkosi Hlophe)

Geoff Woodruff

Woodruff looks to Wild Ash

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Geoff Woodruff will attempt to end a hoodoo when sending out the robust Australian-bred mare Wild Ash in Saturday’s Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m at the Super Saturday meeting at Greyville.

The five-time champion trainer has finished second in the country’s premier staying race no fewer than four times.

Wild Ash had a pleasing grass gallop last Friday at Summerveld, where she has been staying in the Dennis Bosch yard.

The Gold Cup will be the culmination of a carefully laid out plan.

She needed her penultimate start when fifth in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2400m at the Vaal and then showed her class over staying trips last time out when rallying back in the Gr 2 Gold Vase over 3000m at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day to finish a 0,75 length second. She beat Solid Speed by a neck in the Gold Vase and will now be 3kg worse off. However, she should now be cherry ripe and that last race proved she would stay this trip.

Woodruff also pointed out that as a relatively lightly raced horse, considering she is turning five on Gold Cup day, she would not be going in “tired”.

He was also not concerned about her Gold Cup jockey Donavan Mansour having never been aboard her in a race before as he said she was “a pretty straight forward ride”. However, he admitted that her draw of 12 was a tad tricky.

Woodruff has pointed out before that he hardly considers Wild Ash to be a filly as she is a “big, strong girl” and quite masculine in countenance. She will definitely not be intimidated by her male rivals or be pushed around.

The Dylan Thomas mare has snuck into the handicap with the minimum weigh of 52kg and as a 20/1 shot with Betting World she could offer good each-way value.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Geoff Woodruff

wildonenkosihlophe

It could be a wild one

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The Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup to be run over 3200m at Greyville on Super Saturday this weekend is quite hard to assess and picturing how the race will pan out from start to finish could be the best way to go about an analysis. Here is a predicted commentary of the prestigious staying race. “They are running in the 2015 eLan Property Group Gold Cup. Wild Ash broke well and is right up there down the centre, Coltrane and Wild One are prominent on the inside while Solid Speed and Kolkata and Kingston Mines are also handy. Ash Cloud is in the firing line, but now it’s Kingston Mines who takes it up as they go to the first turn with Wild Ash at his quarter. Wild One has now found the rail behind Kingston Mines! Coltrane is next best running between Solid Speed on the rail and Kolkata on the outside. Vino Veritas is well positioned on the rail about seven lengths off the lead and on her outside is Ash Cloud and Gone Baby Gone. Savage Wind is caught wide outside of them. Disco Al has managed to find the rail from a wide draw and Hot Ticket is alongside him. Storm Warning is in behind them with Balance Sheet on his outside. J’s Outsider and Gold Onyx are at the back.

Kingston Mines is now setting a fair gallop with Wild Ash in second and Wild One is travelling comfortably on her inside. Solid Speed is beautifully positioned on the rail and Kolkata is now alongside him. Vino Veritas and Coltrane are next best travelling within themselves and then comes Disco Al on the rail inside of Ash Cloud and Gone Baby Gone. Savage Wind is trying to slot in behind them but is being kept out by Hot Ticket and Balance Sheet. J’s Outsider is next on the rail with Gold Onyx at his quarter and Storm Warning is content to sit at the back. There’s about 15 lengths from first to last as they go past the Drill Hall.

Kingston Mines is still setting a reasonable gallop and Wild Ash has now slotted in behind him with Kolkata on her outside.

Wild One is biding his time on the rail about five lengths off the pace and Coltrane is travelling well alongside him. Solid Speed is at the panel with Ash Cloud and Gone Baby Gone on his outside. Vino Veritas is scraping paint about a dozen lengths off the leader and Hot Ticket is keeping him company and looking nice and relaxed. Savage Wind is on the outside of Hot Ticket and behind them are Balance Sheet and J’s Outsider. Gold Onyx is next best and Storm Warning is in the back seat but travelling well within himself.

They start climbing the hill with just over 800m to go and it’s still Kingston Mines out in front but Kolkata is now creeping forward on his outside. Wild Ash is behind Kolkata and is just ahead of Wild One who is on the rail no more than three lengths off the lead. Coltrane is poised to strike at Wild One’s quarter and Gone Baby Gone is moving up on the outside. Towards the inside is Solid Speed still travelling well and alongside him is Ash Cloud with Savage Wind wider out. Vino Veritas and Hot Ticket are in behind that and J’s Outsider is making a forward move. Storm Warning is in behind him and Balance Sheet is hugging the rail inside of that. Gold Onyx is at the back but is no more than ten lengths off the lead as they  begin to concertina.

They swing for home and Kingston Mines kicks for home with Kolkata trying go with him. Wild One is going down the inside and Wild Ash has switched out for a run. Coltrane is  getting a tow from Kingston Mines. Solid Speed is in with a shout towards the inside and Vino Veritas and Hot Ticket are running on.  Storm Warning is still improving towards the outside and Gold Onyx is following him.

250 to go and Wild One hits the front on the inside! But here’s Storm Warning exploding through on the outside and Kingston Mines and Coltrane are staying on strongly down the centre. Solid Speed, Vino Veritas and Hot Ticket are also making bids. But Wild One has got fire in his eyes and he’s going for glory! Storm Warning’s on the outside but he can’t go with Wild One who is still full of running on the inside.

Wild One has won the eLan Property Group Gold Cup for Mike de Kock and Sean Phillips! Storm Warning is next best and Coltrane stays on well for third ahead of a gallant Kingston Mines. Solid Speed and Vino Veritas fill the fifth and sixth positions.

By David Thiselton

r chestnuts n pearls

Drier eyes more Grade Ones

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Dennis Drier has already won an incredible five Gr 1’s this Champions Season and could add another two on Super Saturday this weekend, so racing historians could well be sifting through the archives to see whether he has broken any records in this regard.

His best chance of Gr 1 success on Saturday could be with the Horse Chestnut filly Chestnuts N Pearls, who won the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m on July day in the manner of a top class sort, and now has a plum draw of five in the Thekwini Stakes over 1600m. The postponement of the Super Saturday meeting to this weekend would have also aided her cause because  it would have given rider Sean Cormack an extra week to recover from his nasty fall on Mercury Sprint day.

Drier’s assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said, “She will have no problem with the trip and if she repeats that last run she will be the horse to beat.” She is not a big filly so the yard have been able to just keep her ticking over. She has seven horses held on form from the Golden Slipper, so the dangers could be the two unbeaten fillies  Flying Filly and Persian Rug, although on a line through Lauderdale she comes out slightly ahead of both of them.

The Miesque’s Approval gelding J’s Outsider has his third run for the yard in the Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup over 3200m, having finished fourth in the Gr 2 Gold Vase over 3000m on July day. Ferrie said, “He is getting better and better and must have a chance. The wide draw (17) is a bit of a hassle but on his last couple of runs he is on the improve.” He will have no problem with the trip having proven he stays every inch of it when winning the Gr 2 Gold Bowl over the tough Turffontein 3200m in slightly soft going. Sean Veale rides him work every day and felt he would have been “a massive runner” if better drawn. However, Veale said he would “take his chances” from this draw, meaning he would probably drop him out. J’s Outsider is 2kg worse off with Solid Speed from the Gold Vase, despite having been beaten by him by 1,75 lengths, but he is 1kg better off with Gold Vase runner-up Wild Ash for a 1,9 length beating.

The yard run the Jet Master mare Gathering Fame, who turns five on Super Saturday, in the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m. She has a tough task at the weights but is lightly raced and could surprise from a good draw of five.  However, she is 4,5 kg worse off with Gallica Rose, despite being beaten 1,5 lengths by her in the Listed East Coast Cup over course and distance, so will have to show considerable improvement. Ferrie said, “She‘s shown enough to take her chance and this is her trip.”

They run Barbosa in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the polytrack and he showed his liking for course and distance last time out when finishing a two-lengths third in a MR 104 Handicap on July day. He is 2,5kg better off with the winner Tiger Territory and 2kg better off with the runner up Mod Barley who beat him by 1,75 lengths, so he has every chance. Ferrie said, “He ran well on July day and Scottsville and he is a big strong horse so he can carry big weights. He shows plenty of pace and is drawn well so will run another honest race.” Barbosa hasn’t had a lot of racing for a now six-year-old so looks to have a bit left in the tank.

They run Space Launch over 1400m on the poly in the first race, a MR 78 Handicap and Ferrie said, “It’s his first run on the poly but we rate him. In his last two races (both at Scottsville) we thought he would win both times so he has been a little bit disappointing but he definitely has the ability.” He should enjoy the poly being by Jet Master out of a Western Winter mare and should also enjoy the step up in trip. He has drawn well in six. This is his third run since a bit of a layoff after winning twice over 1200m at Kenilworth and he should be cherry-ripe, although Ferrie said he had not needed those last two runs.

The yard run the Trippi filly Trick in the second, a MR80 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m on the poly. Ferrie said, “Trick shows good work at home but has disappointed plenty at the races.” He added that she had been doing well at home but said it was difficult to know what to expect from this slightly temperamental filly.

The yard run the Var filly Black Velvet in the eleventh, a MR 78 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1100m on the poly. Ferrie said, “She ran a cracker last time. She was given a bit of a chance (from a high draw of eleven over 1000m at Scottsville) and ran on nicely. She’s usually handy so let’s hope she gets a bit of a lead.” She is drawn well in five but faces Easy Game on the same terms at Scottsville despite being beaten 1,4 lengths.

Drier has already recaptured the KZN Trainer Championship this season, being well clear of reigning champion Duncan Howells, and his perennial rival Mike de Kock will finish third.

By David Thiselton