African Warrior can boost his Cape Guineas claims by landing the Concorde Cup at Kenilworth tomorrow although there are serious doubts about whether he is as superior to the opposition as the official ratings would suggest.

Assessments based on two-year-old running in Durban at two can sometimes fail to stand up simply because many trainers, and particularly those in Cape Town, prefer not to test their juveniles to the full as they believe a more patient approach will pay dividends in the long term.

However African Warrior, rated 112 after winning the Umkhomazi Stakes, was reassessed at 115 after his first Cape Town start when he took a 2 ¼ length fifth to One World in the Matchem from a poor draw.

“That was his best performance so far,” says Dean Kannemeyer who is bidding for his seventh win in this race. “He has to give a kilo to the whole field and it’s his first time at a mile. I think he should get it and all has gone well with him.”

Stable companion Seventh Gear is rated 7.5kg behind him but their trainer does not accept this as a true reading of their comparative ability and says: “African Warrior has earned his stripes and his rating but I think a lot of Seventh Gear.”

African Warrior is 13-10 favourite and the market leader has won four of the last ten runnings. Seventh Gear is second best at 9-2 with 6-1 about Viva Rio (who has won his last three) and Sachdev who flopped in the Cape Classic.

“I am hoping you will see a very different horse on Saturday,” says Justin Snaith. “We were disappointed with Sachdev’s run in the Cape Classic and we took his blood afterwards – I would like to have seen it better.”

Glen Kotzen, who brought off a 28-1 shock with Gold Standard three years ago, says: “I have rated Viva Rio from day one and after we gelded him he came good. He is a very smart horse.”

In the Racing Association Stakes over this trip at Fairview four weeks ago Viva Rio beat the smart Cane Lime ‘n Soda (an 8-1 chance here) by more than three lengths but part owner Robert Bloomberg reckons there were valid excuses – “They went slow and our horse was caught flat-footed. I think he can reverse the form.”

Macthief, third in the ratings, is on offer at as much as 11-1, largely because he only managed fifth in the Cape Classic but seemingly not too much notice should be taken of this. “He was giving 2kg to those who finished in front of him, he was not well drawn and he was last away. I thought he ran well,” argues Brett Crawford, “and I think he will run a big race.”

The rest are longshots but, if you fancy any of them, don’t let their price put you off. Twice in the last three years there has been a major upset with Rocket Countdown at 36-1 following on from Gold Standard.

The Cape Merchants is a difficult race to assess but it is worth noting that four-year-olds have won three of the last four runnings and that no winner has carried more than 58kg since the Stan Elley-trained Kapil humped 60kg ten years ago. A repeat of this statistic would rule out 7-2 favourite Pleasedtomeetyou.

Elusive Trader (16-1) might well get into the shake-up but the vote goes to 10-1 shot What A Winner who was beaten half a length by stable companion Russet Air (9-2) last time and is now 2.5kg better.

By Michael Clower 

TAB will operate a second Jackpot pool on one South African race meeting daily from today’s race meeting at Fairview.

The second Jackpot will start on the race after the first leg of the normal Jackpot at race meetings comprising eight or nine races.

So, at an eight-race meeting, Jackpot ONE will be on races 4 to 7 as normal and Jackpot TWO on races 5 to 8.

In the case of a nine-race meeting, Jackpot ONE will be on races 5 to 8 and Jackpot TWO on races 6 to 9.

TAB customers must note that in order to play Jackpot TWO in Phumelela regions they must mark venue oval number 9 and the first-leg race number of Jackpot TWO.

TABGOLD customers in KwaZulu-Natal totes must mark the SPQ oval.

This is in order to ensure that will pays for both Jackpot pools on a meeting can be displayed correctly. If there are two South African meetings on a day, Jackpot TWO will be offered on the race meeting likely to attract the biggest pool.

Paul Gadsby was caught off guard when the course commentator announced that La Duchesse would be ridden ‘cold’ not having given any instruction to her jockey. In any event, La Duchesse was ridden from off the pace and arrived on the scene too late, snapping a string of placed runs.

Making excuses for beaten horses is bad punting policy but Warren Kennedy is back in the irons for the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville tomorrow evening and La Duchesse may be worth another chance in spite of being labelled a bookies favourite.

Her latest defeat was particularly painful for those that had banked her in their exotics as the field looked ripe for the taking. Tonight, she faces a more competitive line-up. Masters Beauty was much improved last run but may have found the 2000m a touch too far when trying to make all. Lightly raced, she appears to have come to hand and this shorter trip should suit. Imperial Seal comes from an in form stable and has been close up at recent starts while Storm Tune has come to hand and goes well over course and distance and is a must for all bets.

Keeping up with an ever-changing programming can be a testing exercise and for the first time in KZN we have Progress and Graduation Handicaps. The first of these comes in the second, a Progress Handicap (maximum three-time winners capped at MR90) for fillies and mares. Wendy Whitehead has been amongst the winners of late and she saddles Liquid Irish in an exceptionally difficult race with all 11 runners in with some sort of chance. Liquid Irish has only once been out of the money and was a game winner of her last start beating the useful Statute. She is equally at home on the poly and the turf and should be thereabouts. The lightly raced Star Vega won well from a wide draw on her poly debut and may still have more to come. She should start at long odds as should Just One More looks held on current form, but this is her third run after a break and improvement is expected off her light weight. This trio could be the pick in a tough race.

Head Boy is the obvious choice in the third given his consistent form over the trip and the modest opposition but Paddy’s Legacy is the highest rated runner who was badly in need of his last start. He makes his poly debut and had shown some fair Highveld form early in his career. Royal Pursuit showed improvement first time out for his new stable and on the poly. He may be worth following.

Backing horses first up in handicap company is a risky business but Silva Magic finally got it right when coming from a long way back to shed her maiden and second-placed Magic Mountain has franked that form. Silva Magic does face stronger here but is lightly raced and can go in again. Zagara is on her favourite surface and found good market support last outing while Silver Prancer improved last run and her two best recent efforts have been on the poly. Chatty Cathy finally had some luck last run for a well deserved win and is definitely not out of the reckoning.

By the way, JG Guthrie is not a new trainer – Julie Dittmer married Gordon Guthrie last month. All the best Jules.

By Andrew Harrison

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an Appeal was held in Johannesburg on 15 November 2019, against the finding and the penalty relating to a contravention of Rule 72.1.11 imposed by an Inquiry Board on 8 August 2019.

BACKGROUND:

At an Inquiry held at its offices in Turffontein on 8 August 2019, Jockey M Yeni was charged with a contravention of Rule 72.1.11, in that whilst riding the horse MR GREENLIGHT, he intimidated and interfered with Jockey L Hewitson, when he took his hand off his left side rein and placed it on Jockey Hewitson’s arm, in the second race at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on 27 July 2019.

Mr Yeni pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Inquiry Board found Mr Yeni guilty of the charge.

In determining a suitable penalty, the Inquiry Board balanced Mr Yeni’s factors in mitigation with the need to protect the integrity of horseracing, the public’s perception regarding racing control and from circumstances which have the potential to cause danger to both horse and rider. Accordingly, the Inquiry Board imposed a suspension from riding in races for a period of 90 (ninety) days.

Mr Yeni was afforded the right of Appeal against the finding and the penalty imposed.

The National Horseracing Authority and Mr Yeni were legally represented at the Appeal hearing.

The Appeal Board found as follows:

The Appeal Board dismissed the Appeal in respect of the guilty finding by the Inquiry Board as well as the penalty imposed by the Inquiry Board.

The Appeal Board noted that because of the seriousness of the contravention by Mr Yeni, if appropriate evidence in respect of aggravation of penalty had been led on behalf of The National Horseracing Authority, the Appeal Board would have been prepared to consider interfering with the penalty imposed, by increasing same.  However, the Appeal Board elected not to interfere with the penalty imposed by the Inquiry Board of a suspension from riding in races for a period of 90 (ninety) days.

The Appeal Board ordered that the prescribed fee be forfeited in terms of rule 85.5.8. The decision of the Appeal Board was unanimous.

– NHA

Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets are pleased to announce that in an exciting change, beginning 1 December 2019 and on a trial basis for 3 months, the carded horse number will reflect the barrier draw of the horse for all races in KwaZulu-Natal. In a change from the traditional top-weight-down, or alphabetical order, horses will now be carded according to barrier positions, regardless of the allocated weights.

Whilst this breaks with the traditional system used to allocate card numbers in South African racing, it will serve the purpose of making it easier for newcomers and racing fans in general to follow their selections from the saddle cloth number and standardised saddle cloth colour, through to the starting stalls where the number and colour will be clearly displayed.

Reserve runners will no longer be allocated a barrier draw, but should there be a scratching, the reserve will automatically take up the barrier of the scratched horse that it replaces.

“This move aligns our racing with international standards currently used in the USA and South America, and will make our KZN product more attractive to international racing punters, which in turn will increase turnovers in commingled pools”, said Raf Sheik, Racing Executive of Gold Circle.

Brand and Communications Manager for Hollywoodbets, Devin Heffer, added “As partners with Gold Circle, this is another joint initiative to differentiate KZN Racing, to generate interest and provide something new to our current racegoers, and make racing brighter, easier to follow and more appealing to newcomers to our wonderful sport. This trial period will run in conjunction with the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge, details of which will be released soon.

The finish of the Tabonline.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth yesterday would have done credit to any of the scrums in the Rugby World Cup with horses and jockeys being dangerously bounced against each other as if they were made of rubber.

Aqua Bolt was first past the post but he continuously drifted right into the path of those trying to close on him, particularly second-placed Jephthah. What was even more surprising was that the Andre Nel-trained “winner” was hanging into the whip. Normally horses drift away from it.

One of the stipes promptly lodged an objection on behalf of both M.J. Byleveld’s mount and third-placed Brave Tiger. To nobody’s great surprise this was quickly upheld with Jephthah declared the winner, Brave Tiger promoted to second and Aqua Bolt demoted to third. His rider Anthony Andrews did the right thing by having his whip in his right hand but the stipes felt he should have done more to minimise the interference and so he faces a disciplinary hearing.

You might think that a racehorse trainer has a charmed life, paid to go out into the fresh air while the commuter faces living nightmares in the traffic as he battles his (and her) way to work, and is then treated like a celebrity on the racecourse. Mike Robinson revealed that things are very different in real life and that the worrying insecurities of the existence can take years off you.

After Bernard Fayd’Herbe had got up close home on Wendy Hartley’s Happy Wanderer in the 1 200m maiden to give the Philippi trainer his first winner since that glorious treble two months earlier, Robinson said: “The treble feels like a year ago and I was getting worried. The horses were well, their coats were shining and they were all working like bombs but I was starting to doubt myself.”

He won’t now – at least not for a few weeks – but perhaps he could take lessons from Greg Ennion who has suffered plenty worse and learnt, not only to live with it, but how to bounce back and he struck with Etienne Braun’s R75 000 buy Winter Tango in the first.

Ennion said: “The horse was unlucky in his last two starts. In the most recent one he went a furlong too soon and in the previous race he got squeezed out. But he is improving all the time.”

Racing will not switch to the summer course until next month. Nothing unusual about that you might think – it’s the same every year – but Glen Kotzen yesterday queried the established practice.

He said: “It’s summer now so why aren’t we using the summer course? What we are doing, by not using it, is throwing the punter off. Saturday’s Concorde Cup will be completely different over the longer run-in when we come to the Cape Guineas. I know it means using the course more but so be it.”

Course manager Dean Diedericks answered: “This is a question that often comes up but the fact is that the summer course does not recover as well and this is a lot do with the soil temperatures. The extra month that we have on the winter course is a huge help to the summer one.”

By Michael Clower

The European Union (EU) has agreed to an audit of South Africa’s bloodstock export protocols and has committed to announce the date of the audit in the next few weeks.

This follows South Africa’s long-standing efforts to get the restrictions on bloodstock exports lifted by the EU.

The South African Equine Health & Protocols (SAEHP) stated recently that all SA’s disease control measures were in place, that they were of a world-class standard, and in fact exceeded all of the EU’s disease control requirements.

However, an impasse occurred because of a trade dispute between the EU and South Africa over poultry, and the EU for several months held firm that no audit regarding horses will be forthcoming while poultry exports to South Africa were closed after the 2017 Avian influenza outbreak.

In a message to Adrian Todd, CEO of SAEHP, the Chief Director of Trade Negotiations, International Trade and Economic Development Division (ITED), Niki Kruger, wrote: “We had a follow-up meeting with the EU yesterday (Monday). The EU confirmed that they will come to do an audit. They will confirm the date within the next few weeks but it will definitely happen. We requested that the audit happens as soon as possible.”

Todd commented: “This is great news, we are almost there. The way everybody in South Africa came together to address the African Horse Sickness case reported near Randjesfontein last week, our movement controls, and the moving of the Ready To Run race showed how effectively we can deal with these issues and this would’ve made an impression on the EU.

“This is an example of what can be achieved by working together. We are delighted, and credit is due to the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for having worked so hard to get us to this stage. Our thanks and appreciation also to the EU for separating the poultry and equine issues.”

– Turf Talk

“Exam passed; no further action required.” Insufficient recovery time was the explanation given for Hawwaam’s scratching from tomorrow’s Racing Association Pinnacle Stakes at the Vaal but his absence clears the way for Cirillo and Sean Tarry’s contingent in the 1400m event.

Cirillo was a member of the sophomore elite last season and although mostly finding one or two to finish in front of him, Tarry’s runner boasts an exceptional record and may well have given Hawwaam a searching test had the later stood his ground.

Third behind Rainbow Bridge and Soqrat in the Gr1 Champions Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the last Saturday of the season – two high-class performers – Tarry had kept his charge on the boil for much of the early part of this year and the colt will have welcomed the three-month break.

But with the Cape Summer season on the horizon and Champions Season in the offing, it is back to business.

With Hawwaam out of the picture, Cirillo faces a field of mostly well exposed older horses who would be hard-pressed to make it at the highest level. In truth, Cirillo will have to turn in a well-below par performance to get beaten.

The one possible improver is stable companion Tierra Del Fuego. Current form suggests that he is no where in the class of Cirillo but he is still a young horse and was a more than comfortable winner of his seasonal debut. He is in receipt of 8kg from Cirillo, but even that should not be enough.

Gelding can do wonders for a colt’s behaviour and more importantly his concentration in races and Leprechaun can weave a bit of Irish magic in the second. A 7-1 chance in early exchanges, Mike and Adam Azzie’s charge showed in two starts that he is not short of pace but was reported to be making a respiratory noise. The addition of a tongue-tie could sort that problem and now that he is ‘two stones’ lighter he looks a fair price to ante-post favourite Duke Of York who has been costly to follow.

 With nine races carded, the PA kicks off in the third where backers face a tricky race. If Duke Of York does not perform, Johan Janse van Vuuren backs up with four competitive runners, best of which could be Magnificus. Like his stable companion, he has been running on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly but is showing some improvement. Lady Scarletina and Supreme Win take on males but both have light weights and are a must inclusion in all exotics. A possible upset could come in the form of Grey Power with Tony Nassif engaging log-leading rider Warren Kennedy. Current ante-post favourite is the Sean Tarry debutant Nebraas.

Single Red Rose will be a popular choice in the opening leg of the Pick 6. She has yet to finish out of the money and must have a change of fortune sooner rather than later. Pun intended. Tartan Dancer, a close-up second last Saturday, could be a threat. The blinkers may go back on – keep an eye on the changes. 

Hawwaam may be a casualty on the day but the De Kock stable is firing on all cylinders and Masaaqaat should start a short-priced favourite in the fifth. She showed up well in her seasonal debut, finishing with a rattle, and the extra furlong should count in her favour. She should dominate along with Cosmic Ray, who has put in two smart efforts and was a touch unlucky last run.  She looks the biggest threat to the favourite.

The sixth is a difficult handicap and the advice is to load up as many as possible in the exotics. Tokyo Drift is a little long in the tooth but has put in two promising recent efforts and should go well in this company while Movie Magic, Lazarus Tree and Norland appeal as likely challengers.

The last two races are also tricky affairs. In the eighth, Golden Spiral is in cracking form and although taking on stronger here she must have a decent winning chance. Scent Of Evening took on a strong field last time out and takes on a lot weaker here. She has a big weight and should at least be competitive. Zulu Dawn and recent maiden winner Land Of Rubies can also feature prominently.

Hidden Agenda is another seasoned campaigner but has not been out of the money since his last win. He stays the trip and could finally have a change of luck. Nimcha has improved in blinkers and has only been run out of it late in his last two starts while At Hand was a comfortable winner under Hailey Turner last Saturday. He does not have the best of draws here. He will get a penalty but may also be scratched. Kurt’s Approval is another to consider as he has his first run for a new stable. Muzi Yeni stays with the ride and they can go close.

By Andrew Harrison

Golden Ducat is taken to defy the general rule that you shouldn’t back horses first time out of the maidens when he contests the Tellytrack.com Handicap at Kenilworth today.

The principle makes a lot of sense because so many horses struggle when they are pitted against seasoned handicappers for the first time. Their maiden wins were achieved against fellow novices, many of whom in all probability were slow to leave the pens or spent a lot of time looking around them. Now the opposition all know they are there to race.

But this mile event is slightly different and not just because Golden Ducat is a half-brother to Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam. His two main dangers, at least according to the betting, also won a maiden on their most recent start.

Eric Sands, who said previously “I think Golden Ducat is going to be a top horse,” said: “I am confident about his ability” when asked how he thought his horse would fare in today’s race. Mind you, he did qualify that by expressing concerns about the horse’s mental approach, much as he had done when Golden Ducat won last month.

Possibly the colt’s 2-1 price does not fully take this into account but he gets the vote on the strength of the way he won and the fact that runner-up Turn It Up Harvey went close last Saturday.

Favourite at 17-10 is Pinkerton who comfortably justified a very short price to win at the fifth attempt at the beginning of the month. Richard Fourie rides him in preference to 11-2 stable companion Peaceful Day who receives a kilo and got up close home to score in his fourth and most recent race.

“They are both horses who will go through the divisions but I think Pinkerton is a bit more ready and that Peaceful Day may need another run out of the maidens,” says Justin Snaith. “Pinkerton is a big runner and he will go very close.”

Top weight Late At Night (13-2) has had two races out of the maidens and lost ground at the start last time. “I am expecting a good run here,” says the in-form Brett Crawford. “He is doing very well at home and I think he will love the mile.”

Six Degrees (8-1) is the only four-year-old in the field and Glen Kotzen says: “I ran him the other day over 1 400m and he needs further. He has a nice draw and I give him a good chance.”

Brandenburg (15-2) finished two lengths in front of Six Degrees last time and is only half a kilo worse so, in theory at least, he should confirm the placings. Jean’s Man is the outsider of the party at 12-1 but it could be significant that he is stepping up in trip.

Aldo Domeyer’s mount Congo Compaq, racing without blinkers this time, is marginally preferred to the improving August Leaves in the first and 35 minutes later Smart William may be able to reverse last time’s placings with Alpha Pappa.

By Michael Clower