Piere Strydom has been booked to ride the topweight in the eLan Gold Cup, the Frank Robinson-trained Roy Had Enough.

Robinson noticed there was a gap in the Mauritius program so contacted Strydom. The latter agreed to fly over from his current island base.

Roy Had Enough finished a fantastic 2,75 length seventh in the Vodacom Durban July. 

The winner Do It Again shoved him outward at the top of the straight but he regathered and ran on strongly from near the back.

The Australian-bred four-year-old Pierro colt remains on a merit rating of 108 but that means he has to carry topweight in the Gold Cup.

However, Robinson revealed Anton Marcus had got off Roy Had Enough after his running-on win in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m, which was run just two weeks before the July, and immediately suggested he go for the Gold Cup.

Robinson was excited to have booked Strydom for the ride.

The maestro 5000-winner-plus jockey has won the Gold Cup just once before but is known as a master tactician and judge of pace.    

Roy Had Enough has a good draw of eleven among the 26 entries still standing and is quoted at 16/1 with Track And Ball.

By David Thiselton

The smaller yards mostly find it tough going during Champions Season with out-of-province trainers raiding with their best horses. But it does pay to take them on occasionally as Captain Demonami put one over the fancied Wolfgang in the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

Dean Kannemeyer’s runner looked all over a winner inside the final furlong, but Captain Demonami, who led at the top of the straight, came right back at him to land the spoils for Lezeanne Forbes and Mark Khan.

“He’s still a big baby and this trip is still short of his best,” said Forbes. That said he is nominated for the Gr3 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m in 10 day’s time.

The won was tempered with the news that Wolfgang had pulled up lame behind which probably accounted for him not going through with his effort that last bit.

She’s A Crusade is something of a 900m specialist, having finished runner-up in her previous four starts after running out of puff inside the last 100m. But Corrine Bestel’s filly had much in her favour yesterday and Lyle Hewitson, having his third go on the filly, judged this one to perfection, asking for an effort at just the right moment and She’s A Crusade responded with a game effort to the line but winning rather comfortably in the end.

Opensea was not so lucky in the next as his followers had to be content with another placed run as the younger Knight Warrior proved far too smart. “He’s a smart horse,” commented Dennis Bosch. “He wrapped himself quite badly in his last race but I said to Des that I thought he would be too good for this field.”

And so it proved as Richard Fourie rode a super confident race, pulling wide into the straight, A la Anton Marcus, and roaring up the outside rail.

His next target is the R2.5 million CTS sales race at Kenilworth in January but there is still a lot of water to pass under that bridge. “He will now have his African Horse Sickness and then another race. He will have to win that if he is to go to Cape Town,” said Des Gonsalves, racing manager to Mario Ferreira.

Bosch was leading in another winner as Born To Perform completed the double. The grey son of the smart racemare Dancer’s Daughter has been a late starter, this only his fifth start, but the four-year-old’s only two defeats have come on the turf and is now three-from-three on the poly for Warren Kennedy.

Kennedy, one of the team members of the KZN Falcons in the New Turf Carriers Rider Cup this Saturday, was back in the limelight as he eased Gavin van Zyl’s Pantsula through on the inside rail to snaffle Eternal Words and apprentice Jason Gates.

Van Zyl used the opportunity to question the merit of the 10-point merit rating increase due for all runners come August 1, reasoning that trainers would have great difficulty placing their higher rated horses in the off season with few options open to them.

Travelling Light was widely expected to atone for her disappointing effort in the Allan Robertson Championship and she was given a forward ride by title-chasing Hewitson. But the 61kg on her back told over the last 100m as the seasoned veteran Zadora finished with a flourish. Given that Travelling Light was giving 3.5kg to her older rival, it was still an effort full of merit.

Donovan Dillon is slowly working his way into the top echelon of the KZN jockey ranks after his recent move from Cape Town. He rounded off the meeting with a double, leading all the way on Triple Fate Line for Robbie and Shannon Hill, the winner looks to have a decent future ahead of him as he met a useful field.

Lady Abigail was not that easy to find in the last. Having her first run for Doug Campbell, the filly finished down the field in her last two, but took advantage of a drop in class to hold on gamely.

By Andrew Harrison

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

The Vaal Classic track usually produces favourable results and punters can have a good day there tomorrow.

The best bet is chosen as Snorting Bull in the fifth race, a Middle Stakes event over 2400m, The fillies Western Dance, Factor Fifty and Parisienne Chic are all well weighted in this event and have to be respected. However, Snorting Bull was not at all disgraced last time when finishing six lengths behind the exciting prospect Al Mutawakel over 1600m. He should now be cherry ripe to return to his winning trip of 2400m. On that occasion he lost two lengths but won by 3,10 lengths without coming out of second gear and Gavin Lerena is an eyecatching booking. Snorting Bull is by the underrated sire Traffic Guard, whose progeny enjoy this sort of ground and continually improve. Kurt’s Approval is chose to finish second as he enjoys this course and distance and is drawn well with a 2,5kg claimer up.

The value bet is chosen to be Pink in the eighth race over 1500m. This Master Of My Fate filly has always struck as one with ability but has not enjoyed the best of luck. In her last two runs she has proven to be competitive off her current lowly mark of 62. She was unlucky in her penultimate start over this trip and has a chance to make amends here from a good draw under Craig Zackey, who is getting on well with her. Florida Quays is talented and will be a threat from pole position. However, her easy win last time was against a below par field and she now has to overcome a seven point merit rated raise. The hard-knocking Sammi Moosa is also in with a shout under Lyle Hewitson, although she does have a wide draw to overcome.

The meeting starts off with a good chance for El Patron in a 1000m Maiden Juvenile Plate. He has some pace and was not far behind a fair sort last time. Aristachus and the first-timer by Vercingetorix, Kwikstix, look to be the dangers.

Later in the first leg of the PA over 1600m Aziri Sun steps up to a more suitable trip of 1600m and if reproducing her best Cape Town form this Silvano filly should go close under Lyle Hewitson despite a wide draw. Charmz Luck is improving and is the back up from a good draw over a trip which should suit ideally.

The first leg of the Pick 6 has a banker possibility in Madida, but he does have a tough draw and beyond him Tunneloflove, Sell High, Eppagila and G I Joe have to be included.

In the second leg of the Jackpot many overlooked Lily Starlette last time and she was allowed to go off at 12/1 before winning in fine style. She had shown promise early in her career and the cornel collar worked in that last race so she can follow up despite being given a five point raise. Claremorris is off a competitive mark and should enjoy 1200m in the current fast conditions.

In the seventh race over 1500m Copenhagen goes for a hattrick having enjoyed the step up to this distance category. He is four points higher than his last win but won comfortably that day and has another good draw. The filly Promise beat the boys last time over 1450m and Warren Kennedy stays aboard so she could be a danger off a six point higher mark.

The last race is tricky. Tendre could be a value each way bet as he ran on well from last in his penultimate start and is now six points lower in the merit ratings. Chase Maujean suits horses who come from off the pace. However, the suggestion is to go as wide as possible in this race.

By David Thiselton

Greg Cheyne reached the 150-winner mark for the fourth time in his illustrious career when landing the Betting World Handicap on the Andre Nel-trained 93-20 chance Silver Dazzle at Durbanville yesterday.

The Met and July-winning jockey had his best total four seasons ago when he booted home 156 winners and finished third on the national log. The closest he has yet come to the championship was in 2016/17 when he rode 152 but his second place was 46 behind Anthony Delpech.

Cheyne, 43 last month, said: “There are still quite a few meetings left this season and the way things are going I should beat 156. But otherwise it’s unbelievable – I should end up riding more winners than I have ever done yet I will only finish fifth. It just shows how competitive it is.”

Six millimetres of rain is forecast for the Kenilworth area tomorrow and there are fears that this could be enough to rule the unbeaten Run Fox Run out of Saturday’s Champagne Stakes.

Brett Crawford said yesterday: “I will be keeping a close eye on the penetrometer and if the ground is soft I won’t run her. She has too nice an action for soft going and it’s not worth risking her just for one race.”

Anton Marcus’s mount is expected to open odds-on when the first prices are posted today. In her absence Lesedi La Rona would be the likely favourite after returning to form in a pinnacle over the 1 200m trip three weeks ago.

Deshone Steyn, assistant trainer to Sean Tarry for the past 12 years, has joined Candice Bass-Robinson in the same capacity. He is to succeed Robert Fayd’Herbe who returns to Madagascar at the end of next month.

Steyn, 52, after greeting the Keagan de Melo-ridden Elusive Rain in race two yesterday, said: “Before joining Sean I trained at the Vaal for five years and sent out 64 winners but I had to give it up for financial reasons. I was offered this new job by Candice and, as my mother-in-law had passed away, my wife Dickie and I decided to move to Cape Town.” 

Joey Ramsden yesterday confirmed that he will be keeping open his Milnerton yard – and his operations in other centres – at least until the end of the year, adding: “I want to reassure my owners that I am here working for you until I get more clarification regarding my visa application in Singapore.

“We are hopeful that export will open in that time (between now and the year end) and we want to be on the coal face to export our product to an international stage.”

By Michael Clower

Wolfgang made a promising debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville recently and can build on that efforts with a bold showing in the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville today. The form of that race has proved solid with second placed Impressive Duchess winning by eight lengths at Flamingo Park on Monday and third-placed Shango winning for Sean Tarry and is among the nominations for the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes in a fortnight’s time.

Given that form, the 33-10 on offer with Track & Ball look fairly generous about Dean Kannemeyer’s charge, especially as the stable is on hot form at present.

Nearest market rival and ante-post favourite at 3-1 is Johan Janse van Vuuren’s gelding Gladstone. A close-up third in both recent starts on the Turffontein inside track, Van Vuuren obviously feels that he has not got the best out of his charge and has declared first-time blinkers.

Both horses make their poly debut but given the depth of Wolfgang’s form and barring a ‘springer’ he is a confident selection.

She’s A Crusade in a 900m specialist, the final 100m having found her out in her last four starts. She has been beaten by some fairly progressive fillies so back on the poly from a plum draw she can finally get it right for Corrine Bestel and is worth another chance.

Opensea was another to let the side down when favourite at his last start, but the 1950m appeared to test his stamina and he was caught one-paced over the final two furlongs, but staying on for fourth.

Gavin van Zyl has dropped him back to 1400m today and with blinkers on for the first time his supporters will be looking to him to recoup some of their losses.

But it will not be easy. Knight Warrior has not been out of the money in his four starts, the last two runner-up when starting favourite. Dennis Bosch has booked Richard Fourie for the ride and these two could fight it out.

Hidden Influence is no stranger to the poly track, his last win coming over the course and distance of the fourth. He has had two starts since, both times finishing behind Via Salaria, but the addition of blinkers could see him improve enough to put one over his rivals that include recent winner Celebration Rock who found form with first-time cheek-pieces and Born To Perform who possibly found his last start over 1950m on the turf beyond his compass. Both wins have come on the poly and the drop to 1400m could see him back to form.

Nathan Kotzen saddled a double at Scottsville on Sunday and just how Hidden Influence in the previous race fares could shed some light on the chances of his charge Donnan in the fifth.

Donnan finished ahead of Hidden Influence when both were beaten by Via Salaria but the former takes a drop in class. That has pushed him to the top of the handicap and he has to concede 1kg to Pantsula who has backed up the Hidden Influence form.

Travelling Light made short work of her opposition on debut which seemingly put her in with a fair chance in the Gr1 Alan Robertson Championship. She was never travelling that day although a subsequent examination by the course vet didn’t shed any light.

She is obviously much better than that showing and could prove a cut above the opposition in the sixth where an obvious threat will be Kom Naidoo’s charge Satara who found form in blinkers at her last start behind the seasoned campaigner Winter Blues who was winning his sixth race.

Silva’s Bullet has been costly to follow and again found one too good for him in the Highveld raider American Indian last time out. Kannemeyer has dropped him down to a mile today but he faces three smart three-year-olds in Triple Fate Line, Cat Daddy and Mr Greenlight, either of who could give their older rival another stich.

Triple Fate Line was not far back to the progressive Mastagambit over course and distance last time out while Cat Daddy comes off a recent victory over GG’S Dynasty and Mr Greenlight caught the eye behind GG’S Dynasty prior to that.

Blue Flower didn’t do this column any favours when down the field last time out, but Andre Nel’s runner could be better suited to the step up in trip today although she can hardly be labelled a safe bet in a field where the form is a little thin.

By Andrew Harrison

Anton Marcus rides in Cape Town for the first time for a month at Kenilworth on Saturday when the four-time champion restricts himself to just two mounts. Both are for Brett Crawford and for his Ridgemont retainer.

He renews his partnership with the unbeaten Run Fox Run in the Champagne – he rode her in the first three of her four victories – and is also on the once-raced Yorktown in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden Juvenile Plate.

Ryan Munger, a much rarer visitor to Cape Town these days, rides in six of the eight races. His mounts in the two features – Coral Bay and Too Phat To Fly – are both for Glen Kotzen for whom he was briefly first jockey earlier in the season and he has also been booked by Joey Ramsden, Mike Robinson and Glen Puller.

By Michael Clower

This year’s Gold Cup to be run on July 27 over 3200m at Greyville will mark the 40^th anniversary of one of the most famous renewals of the country’s premier staying event.

The winner was The Basil Cooper-trained The Maltster, who was talented but also a rogue and inconsistent.

This bay provided the legendary Lester Piggott with one of the most astounding wins of his celebrated career.

That race took place at Scottsville in November 1975 and the three-year-old The Maltster lost at least 12 lengths at the start.

However, Piggott somehow managed to get him up to win the race in class record time.

In a book written by Sam Magee called My Greatest Race, Piggot nominated his win on The Malster as his greatest ever ride.

In the Gold Cup of 1979 the now seven-year-old The Malster, ridden by Freddy Macaskill, was sent off at 16/1 and carrying 53,5kg beat the 9/2 favourite, the grey five-year-old Preciptack, by 0,3 lengths.

The Malster had a pathological hatred of greys and some will say it was his refusal to be overtaken by Preciptack which won him the race.

Years ending in nine have often produced Gold Cups to remember.

In 2009 the small Cape yard of Stephen Page had their biggest ever success, scoring a one-two in the Gold Cup with 8/1 shot Mokaro and 75/1 chance Noblewood, both owned by Bridget Oppenheimer. Mokaro was ridden by Richard Fourie. The race was run on August 1 and Mokaro’s sire Manaloj was briefly leading the National Sires championship, despite having left the thoroughbred stallion ranks and being registered as a warmblood sire. Manaloj (Gone West), whose third dam was Natalma, dam of the great Northern Dancer, produced pretty horses and it was little wonder that he became sort after by dressage fans.

In 1999 Robbie Hill scored a July-Gold Cup double when winning the big staying race on the Pat Shaw-trained 8/1 shot Place Of Gold, who beat the 2/1 favourite Golden Hoard by 1,5 lengths. The race was run on August 28 and nine weeks earlier Hill had won the July on the Geoff Woodruff-trained 14/1 shot El Picha, who went on to win the July again the following year.

The 1989 Gold Cup saw a spectacular win by the Ralph Rixon-trained 9/2 shot Tropicante ridden by Paddy Wynne. He sat in last place for much of the journey and emerged out of the blue to deny the outsider Allied Party who had looked all over the winner. Tropicante was a most deserved winner because as an unconsidered outsider he had been most unlucky to not win the July, finishing a 0,25 length second to Right Prerogative despite suffering interference in the straight.

The 1969 Gold Cup was won by the 2/1 favourite Golden Jewel under top jockey Marti Schoeman. Among the beaten were the previous year’s winner Caradoc, a classy, versatile horse who later had a staying race named after him, and another previous winner Smash And Grab.

In the 1959 race the former July and Gold Cup winner Excise started favourite and ran a gallant fourth carrying 58,5kg, just 0,6 lengths behind the winner, the 14/1 chance Cumanus, who carried only 44,5kg and was ridden by Shorty de la Rey.

This year’s entry list includes some good stayers and it is sure to produce another race to remember.  

By David Thiselton

Dean Kannemeyer has more winners with his Durban string than with the yard at Milnerton these days but Joseph Jagger should make the winner’s box in the opening mile maiden at Durbanville today, particularly with Keagan de Melo flying down to ride him.

The Ideal World colt is a well bred sort and, although one of only two juveniles taking on three-year-olds, he finished well in good to soft last time (only his second start) in a manner that suggests he can beat the older horses. His current price of around 8-10 is pretty miserly but he just might start at slightly more generous odds when the on-course punters cast around for better-priced alternatives..

The obvious danger is the Justin Snaith runner Peter Paul Rubens, the 2-1 second favourite. Forget his last run – he stumbled shortly after the start and was returning not striding out behind. He went close in a reasonable maiden on his previous start.

First time out of the maidens is a traditional no-no for punters but it could be worth making an exception with Silver Dazzle in the Betting World Handicap (race four)- particularly as odds of 11-2 look particularly attractive.

The Andre Nel runner was having her fifth start when she tackled a mile fillies maiden at Kenilworth just over five weeks ago and she led a furlong out to win every bit as comfortably as the three-length verdict would suggest. She was rated 63 going into the race and the handicappers have assessed her only three points higher for this race.

What is more, the going last time was good to soft – the sort of underfoot conditions that she may well encounter here – and Andre Nel is having a tremendous season with 74 winners so far and ninth on the national log while 149-winner Greg Cheyne has only four above him in the jockeys’ lists. You could argue that Kawakami (7-2) and 5-1 shots Indian Song and Blush Scarlet have stronger claims but I don’t think so.

The Play Soccer 6 Maiden 35 minutes later looks a toss-up between It’s My Life and Duntoche with the verdict going to the former for the sole (and rather unsatisfactory) reason that Duntoche is a four-year-old who has already run 16 times without winning. She is rated 3.5kg behind the Brett Crawford runner but her recent form looks just as good and Fayd’Herbe rides.

Deposition had Winter Shadow four lengths behind over 1 800m on good to soft at Kenilworth last time, he stays 2 500m and so should confirm the form in the 2 400m Tabonline.co.za Maiden. But don’t completely ignore Nel’s Head Boy.

By Michael Clower

The various national championships have become clearer over the last couple of weeks and it will be a surprise if there is an upheaval in any of the major ones.

In the jockeys championship both Lyle Hewitson and his nearest rival Muzi Yeni rode at every meeting in the past week. Hewitson accumulated eleven winners, including a treble at Fairview on Friday, while Yeni only rode five winners. Anton Marcus only had four rides during the week and had one winner. Hewitson is consequently on 211 winners, 12 clear of Yeni on 199 and 28 clear of Marcus, who is on 183. WSB were 1/11 on Hewitson, 9/2 on Yeni and 25/1 on Marcus yesterday morning.

In the trainer’s champions Sean Tarry increased his lead during the week. The log was last updated at 16h38 on Saturday and Tarry was on R24,830,200, Justin Snaith was on R22,579,463 and Mike de Kock was on R22,354,563. Snaith has to make up a leeway of 2,250,737 according to those figures and De Kock has to make up a leeway of 2,475,637. There is only one big meeting left, Gold Cup day, where there are ten feature races. Snaith has eleven horses entered in the features on that day and in the unlikely event they score a perfect return they will accumulate R2,568,750.

De Kock has twelve entries, although effectively only eleven as Frosted Gold is entered in both the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes and the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint. His perfect return which would have to include Frosted Gold running in the Mercury and finishing in the top two would net him R3,198,750. So it is possible for either De Kock or Snaith to catch Tarry but unlikely especially considering Tarry has 23 entries in the features on the day and is unlikely to go home empty handed. Hollywoodbets make Tarry a 0,08/1 shot, De Kock a 5/1 chance and have defending champion Snaith at 10/1.

In the apprentice championship Luke Ferraris had two winners during the week to his nearest rival Dennis Schwarz’s one. Ferraris’s 79 winners are 18 clear of Schwarz’s 61.

The Breeders championship has been wrapped up by the Mary Slack and Jessica Jell-owned Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud breeding operation. Slack and Jell are Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer’s daughter and granddaughter respectively and by all accounts this will be the first time the Oppenheimer family have won the championship. It is long overdue as they have done an enormous amount for South African racing.

Maine Chance Farm’s stallion Silvano will be the champion sire for the fourth time. Seven-times national champion sire Jet Master will be champion damsire for the first time. The important Freshman sire title is wide open. Captain Of All (Captain Al) has had 12 winners of 14 races for R1,635,525 in stakes, Vercingetorix (Silvano) has had eleven winners of 17 races for R1,376,425 in stakes and Soft Falling Rain has had 12 winners of 14 races for R1,130,125 in stakes. The title is decided by stakes money.

Chris van Niekerk is almost R3 million clear of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the owners championships. Do It Again is likely to be crowned Equus Horse Of The Year, having won three ‘Grade 1s, the Vodacom Durban July, the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, as well as the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes. In his only other run he finished second in the Grade 1 Sun Met. However, he has not earned the most stakes for the season. Hawwaam, who also won three Grade 1s, has earned R5,628,125 to Do It Again’s R5,102,500.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith will have a strong hand in the Grade 1 eLan Gold Cup with the ruling ante-post favourite Strathdon as well as Doublemint and Made To Conquer.

Snaith quipped, “Strathdon is going for world record of days without a win (588)!”

He continued, “This was the best my horses have pulled up out of the Vodacom Durban July day for years and they are well, although I wasn’t happy with all of their runs.”

Made To Conquer was one of the horses he was unhappy with and felt his July preparation had been affected by a couple of hiccups at the July gallops.

He said, “Things didn’t go his way in his July gallop.”

Snaith said there was a delay caused by the trainers not galloping in the specified order and Made To Conquer began sweating in the parade ring while ringing around waiting.

He said, “By the time he had finished he was dripping sweat and was not the same after that in my opinion. I thought I had him right but he wasn’t. So I thought the gallops affected him but when I saw it happening there was nothing much I could do.”

He was also disappointed with Doublemint’s July run and said, “Unfortunately he got caught three wide without cover. You can run three wide in the July but you must have something in front of you. He never settled, so a little bit of a wide draw, bad luck and that was his chances all gone.”

Snaith said about Doublemint staying the Gold Cup trip of 3200m, “To be honest in South Africa staying races are not strong, so he does not need to stay, if he is a 2400m horse that’s good enough for the Gold Cup. You don’t have to be any stronger than that. What does always worry me is the Jo’burg horses carrying 52kg and being full of oxygen from the high altitude training. That is more my worry. It has been a disappointing season for Doublemint and Made To Conquer so why not give them a chance in the Gold Cup and see how they go and then decide their futures from there. Doublemint will be gelded after the Gold Cup.”

Snaith has the favourite in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m, Kasimir, and said he had been doing very well. He also has Snowdance entered in the Mercury.

He said, “Kasimir just needed his last run. They denied him a gallop at Greyville so we had to use that last race as a prep. He will have come on a lot from that. Snowdance might also take her place. We are going to decide also whether she will still race again next year.”

Snaith will not be contesting any of the two-year-old events on Gold Cup day but will have a strong hand in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m with July fifth-placed Miyabi Gold, Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 winner Silvano’s Pride and Listed East Cape Oaks winner Madonna.

By David Thiselton