Racing all rounder Justin Vermaak’s chief occupations these days are Bloodstock Agent and syndicate manager and in his opinion horseracing in South Africa is still in good shape “considering.”

Vermaak flies between bases in Singapore and South Africa and made headlines at April’s BSA National Yearling Sale, where he bought 19 horses.

Fifteen were for prolific Gauteng-based owner Laurence Wernars, two were for his Green Street Bloodstock syndicate and two were for Paul Matchett and his clients.

Vermaak’s sales partner, trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren, was out of action at the Nationals after a back operation, so Vermaak was left alone to do initial selections and specimens, although he had help from Wernars and Janse van Vuuren on pedigrees and evaluations.

He said. “We buy whatever drops in what we think is the right price. I am more worried about the performance of the mare than stallions. Obviously, you try and get good stallions where you can, but generally then you have to pay a lot more. We’ve done very well with horses who are by good stallions but not by those top two or three. We don’t follow fashion because it just effects the money. This year we bought Gimmethegreenlights and they cost us barely anything. We got two really nice Gimmethegreenlight colts, both for R225,000, and a filly for R325,000.”

Vermaak added, “We are not scared of first season sires, definitely not.”

Consequently, he has some unraced two-year-olds in his camp by Silvano’s son, Vercingetorix, who has quickly proved himself to be an exciting sire prospect. He picked up another Vercingetorix at the Nationals and said, “The surprise is that Vercingetorix has been throwing all of these two-year-olds. He is a horse who went 2000m and he never ran at two, so they should improve and improve and improve, which is big.”

One of Vermaak’s unraced Vercingetorix colts, Prince Of Venice, caught the eye in a Greyville poly barrier trial recently, doing it effortlessly with a nice big action. He is one to look out for.

Wernars also has a big breeding operation.

Vermaak said, “Johan and I work with all of his mares and the stallion we supported heavily was William Longsword. He was expensive for a first season sire, but he was a brilliant racehorse and I think he is the best Captain Al to have gone to stud. Johan and Laurence have a good working relationship with Anton Marcus and Anton speaks the world of that horse. Then there is a new stallion at Maine Chance called Erupt. He is a Group 1-winning Dubawi, so we supported him as well.”

Speaking of the equine export protocols, Vermaak said, “I know the guys are doing as well as they can but we have been hearing for years and years that in a few months it is going to open up and it just never does. For my personal career and the management of my clients, we’re carrying on with the expectation that it is not going to open. If it does it will be an added bonus, because we are racing in Singapore too, so we would then be able to send our own horses to Singapore and I wouldn’t have to fly to all of those places halfway across the world to buy horses.”

There is no breeding in Singapore and no sales, so Vermaak buys mainly out of Argentina, “where the value is so strong”, and also out of Australia.

He has also bought out of Argentina for Wernars in the last couple of years.

Vermaak races in Singapore through his Green Street International syndicate. The initial members were the like of Marsh and Guy Shirtliff, Bryn Ressell, Lindsay and Kathryn Ralphs, Wehann Smith, and a bunch of his Green Street owners.

“We now have a lot of local Singaporeans involved and some English guys, one guy from Qatar and some Aussies. In Singapore half the people are ex-pats so it’s a big mix.”

Vermaak tries to attract a young crowd and continued, “Of our 20 owners in Singapore, at least half of them are what you would call young. We had a horse in the Singapore Guineas, he ran poorly, but he cost Aus$25,000 and he has earned Aus$100,000. It is a place where the prize money is brilliant, a maiden win pays for ten months keep, unlike here where it’s only three-and-a-half months, so you need a horse to win once a year and some places and you also get an appearance fee. You get about a third of your training fees back as a rebate everytime you run so financially if you crack a half decent horse you can do alright there, you can pay for the slow ones with some change.”

Part of the package Vermaak sells to SA-based clients are the fun weekends to be had in Singapore, a remarkable city in many respects.

Racing is a great leveller and Vermaak said some of the new clients take to it like a duck to water, while others battle to understand the difference between class and divisions. He said, “I find you have to be strong with the guys, either they will stay or they will run and the ones who stay are the ones who want to.”

He continued, “Our best horse at the moment is Herodotus, who finished third in the Grade 1 Cape Derby. He is a smart horse but he needs gelding. We are targeting him at his four-year-old season.”

Vermaak spoke of a downward trend in racing worldwide at present, even in Hong Kong, where illegal bookmakers have become a big problem.

However, he concluded, “But the prices here are still strong. There have been a lot of dispersal sales recently and mares were not easy to buy, weanlings were not easy to buy either, so there is still money around and I think the industry is still in good shape considering.”

By David Thiselton

Joe Soma, annoyed that his pre-race comment about Left Hook was omitted from the list of trainers’ comments published by Computaform last week, has urged his fellow-trainers to help punters by providing sensible pre-race information.

Soma said: “I have not been giving comments myself, but I decided recently to give punters access to as much info as possible. Punters are getting bored, they are losing interest and we need to do everything we can to keep them in the game.”

Soma had said about Left Hook: “Not today boys. But watch this horse, he can get us out of it in the future!” A comment that somehow didn’t find its way into Computaform.

“I gave it to the Racing Bureau and I thought I’d been censored for some reason.” Danie Toerien, Editor-in-Chief at Phumelela, who publishes Computaform, said that Soma’s comment must have gone missing somewhere along the line. “I am not sure what happened but there was nothing wrong with Joe’s comment. We encourage comments by trainers and if they happen to offer something extra, in an unusual note like this, even better.

“We will accept any comments within all reasonable publishing limits, because punters thrive on information. The more they have, the better. Punters hate going in ‘blind’. If there are five first-timers in a race with no comments available, what must they do? They may as well play the Lotto. We’d like trainers to type in their comments themselves on the Bureau system to prevent info from getting lost.”

Soma added: “We need to speak to the punter in his language, to spruce up our presentation of information on television and in print. You know, punters get tired of the same old, same old, same old. We need to find new angles in our written copy and our television presentations to keep the betting public interested. “I said, for example, ‘Left Hook can get us out of it in the future’. I think this is something the punter understands better than the standard comment, ‘will need the run’, which is something that makes them pull their hair out!

“Left Hook is a horse with nice form, many may fancy him on paper, but he’s had a colic operation and he’s recovered from injury, so he’s an unlikely winner. If he sticks his head into the frame for fourth, fantastic, but I’ve given he punter the info I believe to be as true and valuable as possible.

“I think trainers are wary of being proved wrong, or putting their owners in the middle, but there is a way of commenting that will keep everyone happy. We see too many ‘will need the run’ horses that fly up to win and nothing annoys a punter more than thinking he has been lied to. Worse still is ‘no comment’, of which I was guilty of but I look at things in a different way now.”

“When you’ve had any horse in your stable for a while, you have a fair idea of what it’s worth, what its ability is. I’m suggesting that trainers add just a bit extra, like saying, ‘needs the run but not without place prospects in a weak field’… that says so much more and gives the bettor a chance. If you’re wrong, you’re wrong, stiff. Try again next time. Punters appreciate honesty more than shots in the dark or nonsensical drivel.”

Soma concluded: “The days of the big coup are gone. The market establishes the runners in race fairly, reflects what’s going on. You can maybe get R10,000 of a horse, or a bit more, but the big money is no longer there to pull off massive betting coups. We must look after the punters we have left, give them the info to win. It will benefit all of us.”

– turf talk

Candice Bass-Robinson is to try again with her three fillies who failed to run up to form in the Allan Robertson at Scottsville and step them up to 1 400m in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July day.

Roll In The Hay fared best of the trio in sixth but Vandah’s Spirit started joint second favourite and finished with only four behind her – she was reported by the course vet to be not striding out on her right fore – and Miss Honey finished last of 16, coming back with abrasions on her left fore.

Their trainer said: “It was a very rough race and Roll In The Hay suffered traffic problems four times over – she would have gone close otherwise. Vandah’s Spirit was hampered against the fence and didn’t enjoy the race at all while Miss Honey reared up in the pens, put her leg over the gate and got a cut on her knee.”

Little went right for the stable that day. Freedom Charter (tenth in the SA Fillies Sprint) suffered an epistaxis and was suspended for 60 days while Dutch Philip finished last but one in the Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Mrs Bass-Robinson said: “It was a disastrous day and very frustrating. Freedom Charter might run again at the end of the season, otherwise she will go to stud, while Dutch Philip has rather lost his way. He didn’t enjoy Scottsville and he will probably go and race in Port Elizabeth.”

The Milnerton trainer has her own yard adjoining Summerveld and with Marinaresco three years ago she went down in racing history as the first woman to train a July winner and, in all probability, the first to win the country’s greatest race in her first season. This term she has had more Cape Town two-year-old wins (13) than any trainer with the exception of Justin Snaith (14).

By Michael Clower

The Vaal stages a low key nine race card tomorrow but there look to be opportunities for both on the nose and exotic punters.

In the eighth race, an Assessment Plate over 1400m, Running Brave looks to be a ready made banker. She is well in at the weights here and this is an ideal trip. The only concern is she might just need the run having likely been freshened up after a busy campaign. Cordillera, who has two wins and a narrow second to her name over this trip, is one of the dangers. Afrostar could also be a big danger as a scopey horse who is having her third run after a layoff over a step up in trip she will relish. She is a good looking filly and will likely be going places. However, a chance is taken and the nuggety Running Brave is made a banker in all bets.  

In the first leg of the PA over 1800m Moroccan Flame is a typically big and rangy daughter of Ideal World who failed on the head bob over 1450m on debut. She should relish the step up to this trip and can make amends from a good draw of two. It might be worth including Vijeta, who is drawn well and flew from last when stepped up to 1700m last time and being by Duke Of Marmalade she should also be improving continuously.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is an Assessment Plate over 1000m and Gimme A Wave has plenty of substance and struck as a nice type from day one. Last time out over 1200m he moved up well to hit the front against a decent field but was then run out of it. He was not disgraced finishing just 5,50 lengths in third behind the well regarded former Cape horse Crown Guardian. He should relish the step down to 1000m on the evidence of that race and is the one to beat. Big Blue Marble is well regarded and little went right in his Highveld comeback run last time out after a Cape Summer campaign. He must be respected and so must the well regarded Royal Cavalier, who has always struck as one who is better than his current mid-sixties merit rating suggests. He did well in first time blinkers last time and could be a threat to the two aforementioned three-year-olds. 

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Romi’s Boy has a record of one win and two seconds over this 1200m course and distance.  He has been competitive off a 106 mark and now drops one point to 105 so should be in the shake up in his third run after a layoff. Angel’s Power has a fine record over this course and distance and off a mark three points higher than his last win he is also a contender. The classy Monopolize returned from a rest to win over the sharper than ideal 1000m last time and he can follow up over this more suitable trip. Billy Silver is talented and is coming to hand. Danza disappointed last time but should go close if repeating his penultimate start where he was a touch unlucky.

In the sixth race over 1200m, an apprentice handicap, the talented Bockscar bounced back to his best last time and can continue fulfilling his potential off a three point higher mark. Casual Wear is a quick filly who might find this further than ideal but in the prevailing fast conditions she could be a threat. The in form Moon Warrior has to be included, especially as 4kg claiming apprentice Juglall knows him well. Written In Stone disappointed first time out the maidens but is much better than that and could be an outsider to consider here. Mount Keith has been back in form and Brigtnumberten is another quick 1000m type who could be dangerous in the fast going.

In the seventh race over 1200m What A Poet had been selected as the value bet of the day. Last time out he caught the eye taking a strong hold over 1400m and just found no extra late. He could well appreciate the step down to 1200m and he has Gavin Lerena up. However, it a lot will depend on whether the number one draw is disadvantageous on the day, as it can sometimes be. The suggestion is to go as wide as possible in this race.

The last race over 1500m is an apprentice handicap and the topweight Florida Quays makes most appeal as a hard-knocking sort running over a suitable trip. Tsitsikamma Bush can go close if repeating his penultimate start over 1400m.  Shortstop stayed on well last time over this trip. Manhattan Cocktail, Supa Mufti and Visigoth are other to consider for the Pick 6.

By David Thiselton

Track And Ball yesterday cut Do It Again from 5-1 to 3.85-1 clear second favourite for the Vodacom Durban July. Hawwaam still heads the market but he has been eased from 16-10 to 2.1-1 while Rainbow Bridge is out from 5.25-1 to 6.25-1. Other major layers have done much the same although at least one is still offering 5-1 about Do It Again

Punters are now weighing up whether to take advantage or whether to wait, and indeed whether Do It Again’s chances three weeks on Saturday have actually improved as a result of Saturday’s performance. History is all against last year’s winner and there is more to it than simply no horse succeeding in winning the country’s greatest race twice since El Picha at the turn of the century.

In truth, the Rising Sun Gold Challenge has been a poor guide to the July. Since Flaming Rock won both races back in 1991 only one horse has won the Gold Challenge and the July in the same season and that was the dead-heater Dancer’s Daughter 11 years ago.  Possibly significantly both horses were trained by a Snaith. But in addition the July winner has not even run in the Gold Challenge in nine of the last ten seasons.

Do It Again will need to overcome the dreaded second-run-after-a-rest syndrome and apparently also temperament problems that were revealed for the first time on Saturday – Justin Snaith: “I was very nervous. We had a few hiccups in the parade ring and I could see his head was starting to turn. He was getting annoyed.”  Snaith had even taken the precaution of flying in the famous horse whisperer Malan du Toit from Cape Town (“and thank goodness we did”).

And those whose price has lengthened? Well, Rainbow Bridge would surely not have been beaten anything like the official length and three-quarters had Anton Marcus not been forced to switch as he was making his run while the supremely talented shadow of Hawwaam hovers over the race like a colossus. His price will surely shorten if Mike de Kock is given the green light.

By Michael Clower

Armando may have run his last race in South Africa. When Brett Crawford trained Elusive Gold for a Tony Millard client the horse stayed here until he had won the Cape Guineas but Crawford, after watching the Lammerskraal-bred What A Winter colt put up a performance in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery that had Guineas written all over it, expressed doubts about history repeating itself.

He said: “I am waiting to hear from Tony and Mr Ng but, now that Armando has proved that he is Group winner, it’s more than likely he will get going for Hong Kong.”

Understandable – that is what he was bought for – but he won as if he could put the Cape Nursery a bit more on the classic map and Bernard Fayd’Herbe was impressed, saying: “He won a gutsy race. The horse of Vaughan Marshall’s (Fearless Warrior) is decent. I picked him up about the 300 and I thought I would have him quite easily but he went on again.”

By this stage Fayd’Herbe was in the sort of inspired form that does not countenance defeat. His five-timer embraced the last four races and he had already landed the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery on 61-20 shot Cousin Liz who also had a Marshall-M.J. Byleveld fancy as her principal victim.

“I knew it was going to be hard to hunt down Mirage (the 22-10 favourite) because M.J. had a length and a half on me,” Fayd’Herbe related. “Mine got tired in the last bit but she is a smart filly, a sprinter.”

Candice Bass-Robinson, who has now won half the six runnings of these two nurseries in the three seasons she has been training, is optimistic that the Captain Al filly will get further. “I am sure she will try a mile and I hope she will get it but she does have a lot of speed.”

The situation is complicated – and clouded – by soundness issues. “She has a knee problem. It was tough getting her here today and I couldn’t get a run into her.”

Marshall and his jockey might have suffered Group reverses but they unleashed a good’un in the first In Silver Operator who had the bookies running for cover – he was backed from 9-1 to 11-10 – and came away from a furlong out to score by three and a half impressive lengths.

“You can see from the betting that we did fancy him,” confirmed Marshall’s assistant Adele Alsop. “This is a super, super colt.”

Byleveld added: “His work was magnificent and I thought it would take a very good horse to come and fetch him. It’s early days yet but he is something to look forward to.”

Greg Cheyne was the only other jockey to get a look-in, deputising for the sidelined Donovan Dillon on the Geoff Woodruff-trained last gasp winner Retro Effect and following up on Sacred Arrow who initiated a Bass-Robinson double in the Tellytrack.com Handicap.

By Michael Clower

The Mike de Kock-trained Gimmethegreenlight colt Barahin booked his place in the Vodacom Durban July yesterday when storming home under Anton Marcus to win the Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein Standside.

The classy and laid back three-year-old was coming off a rest and “a bit of an injury” and seemed to be battling to find extra at the 400m having made some ground up from second last in the running. 

However, Marcus continued to ride him and he steadily built up a head of steam until it was clear he was going to get there after all.

He charged into the lead with about 100m to go and held off Shenenigans, who also ran on well from behind, to win by a length. Captain And Master was third followed by The Dazzler and Soldier On.

The De Kock yard had a fantastic day, notching up a four-time, three of them ridden by Marcus. 

The first race was a competitive event over 1400m with some decent types involved and the Ashley Fortune-trained two-year-old Twice Over colt Invidia might be on his way to run in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day after an impressive win under Muzi Yeni.

By David Thiselton

The Grade 3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein Standside on Sunday is a traditional pointer to the Vodacom Durban July and there will be a few horses involved either having preparation runs or trying to impress the selection panellists.

Barahin, who finished second to Hawwaam in the Grade 1 SA Classic over this course and distance, was 15th on the second July log but will want a good run here to cement his place. De Kock thinks highly of this Gimmethegreenlight colt who defeated Soqrat in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville as a two-year-old. He jumps from a wide draw, eleven out of 12, but he has Anton Marcus aboard and a wide draw did not stop him finishing third behind National Park and Hawwaam in the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas. This is a less inspiring field and he looks capable of rising above his current 108 merit rating so should do well in this handicap.     

Hero’s Honour won the Grade 1 SA Derby last year and ran a good third over this trip last time. He was drawn widest of all in that race and ran on strongly from off the pace for a decent third. He now has draw seven of 12, which should make it slightly easier, and he is 2kg better off with Infamous Fox for a 3,30 length beating. He was 14th on the last July log so will also be looking to cement his place.

Infamous Fox has some class and goes well for MJ Byleveld. The Cape Town-based jockey flies up for the ride again. Last time the Australian-bred by Foxwedge relished the step up to this trip and stormed home from a handy position to win easily. He has a tricky draw of eight now and has a four point merit rating raise to contend with but having possibly found his right distance he could follow up.

The Dazzler will be trying to get into the July as he was on the outside looking in on the last log. He was running on last time to be beaten just 0,70 lengths by Hero’s Honour, but he did not have much room and could have done better. He is half-a-kilogram better off with Hero’s Honour and is drawn well so has a shout. 

Soldier On has talent and won going away over 1600m last time, so could get this trip, although he does have a three point raise to contend with. 

Shenanigans was running on well in the aforementioned race won by Infamous Fox and he should relish the switch to the Standside course.

Sean Tarry regarded him as the best of his three runners here, although he is 2kg under sufferance.

Tarry will be trying new hold up tactics with Captain And Master, who could possibly need gelding as he has been disappointing. 

Banner Hill has talent and just needed his last start following a long break. He is still among the July entries so will be going all out. He is a big horse so that last run would have bought him on plenty and as a rangy horse he will relish the switch to the Standside track.

Flying Fable is another talented horse and she can rise above her current merit rating of 91. She should also enjoy the course and distance as she has been seen to run on over a mile. However, it is never easy against the boys.

Being Fabulous is 2kg under sufferance so it won’t be easy, but she did find a form return last time with second time blinkers and a tongue tie on, so could now begin to fulfil the potential she always had.   

Arctica was just 2,10 lengths back in the Summer Cup. He is two points lower in the merit ratings now, so has a shout, although this is his second run after a layoff.  

Royal Italian was finding no extra last time over this trip but did not have a great trip, so from pole position he could find cover and possibly stay the distance this time. However, he is 5kg under sufferance so it won’t be easy.    

The selection is Barahin to beat Hero’s Honour with Infamous Fox, The Dazzler and Soldier On next best. 

An earlier Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m will be interesting as a number of July horses warm up for the big one, including Legal Eagle.  

By David Thiselton

Armando can stretch his unbeaten run to three by confirming Somerset form with Captain Tatters, Ground Control and Fearless Warrior in the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery at Kenilworth tomorrow.

Brett Crawford considered his colt good enough to go to Scottsville for the Gold Medallion and it was only the horse’s long term future – he is to race in Hong Kong – that kept him at home.

True, he only has a length to spare on the book but he would have won by further five weeks ago had he not hung fire for a few seconds when pulled out to go and win his race.  Corne Orffer said at the time that this was because he had never been to Kenilworth before and was having a look at what was in front of him. When he did accelerate he quickened like a good’un and he opened favourite at 12-10 with Track And Ball yesterday morning.

Fearless Warrior (13-2) was well beaten that day but he has won well since and Vaughan Marshall said that the reason for the below-par run was because the race did not go according to plan. It would be unwise to underestimate M.J. Byleveld’s mount, not least because Marshall has won three of the last 13 runnings.

Candice Bass-Robinson, bidding for her third consecutive Cape Nursery following Dutch Philip and the filly Clouds Unfold, runs the wide margin Durbanville winners Snow Report (11-2) and Three Two Charlie (8-1). Durbanville form is not Kenilworth but either could make the frame.

However stable companion Cousin Liz can gallop straight into the winner’s box in the Kenilworth Fillies Nursery despite not having raced for four months. When she won at odds-on on debut, beating four subsequent winners, Aldo Domeyer described her as “the real deal” and her trainer said she would put her away as she didn’t want to risk her getting too hot.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe takes over and his mount is joint favourite at 2.65-1. Also heading the market is Marshall’s Mirage who was well supported when winning on debut in mid-April. In the Perfect Promise Amy Johnson (third to Mirage) just got up to pip Drama Queen who had been beaten nearly three lengths when fourth to Cousin Liz.

But beware. This race has more often than not produced a major upset in recent years. Although the favourite has won half the past ten runnings, only once has she been successful in the last four and two of the three most recent winners started at 45-1 and 28-1.

If you are looking for a longshot you could do worse than 15-1 chance Queen Of Quiet who finished like a certain future winner on debut.

By Michael Clower

There were a lot of locals miffed at Mike de Kock referring to Greyville as a ‘go-cart’ track after Soqrat finished up fourth in the KRA Guineas but it was a performance way below what the Australian import is capable off and he did have excuses. A wide draw over the Greyville 1600m is always a concern but Santa Clara had shown in the KRA Fillies Guineas, a half-hour before, that it is not an unsurmountable obstacle.

However, one does need the cards to fall in your favour in a competitive race and Randal Simons’ decision to slot in behind and ending up way out of his ground instead of pushing forward from the draw may have cost him.

Whatever; you commit early and take your medicine.

Soqrat has a plum draw of four in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over the same course and distance tomorrow and victory will almost certainly see him garner an Equus award come season’s end.

Soqrat showed tremendous courage when fighting off the challenge of Cirillo in the Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and the Gr1 Cape Guineas winner was less than a length back to Do It Again in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queens Plate, both races against older opposition.

He faces a similar task tomorrow in the face of what has stacked up into the strongest Rising Sun Gold Challenge field seen in the past decade.

Do It Again is again in opposition but this will be his first outing back since finishing second in the Sun Met at the end of January and although Justin Snaith has expressed confidence that his charge is close to his best, he will need to be sharp to win a race of this nature off a break.

Rainbow Bridge had to bend his knee to Do It Again in the Queens Plate but the favour was returned in the Sun Met, although Richard Fourie copped a fair amount of criticism for his handling of Do It Again.

This time around Rainbow Bridge has had a superb blow-out in the Drill Hall Stakes when under a length back to class act Undercover Agent and over the extra furlong, Eric Sands will be looking to turn the tables, or at least a sharp showing in the gelding’s build-up to the Vodacom Durban July.

Anton Marcus will be in the saddle for Rainbow Bridge and he was also aboard the gelding’s half-brother, and ruling VDJ ante-post favourite, Hawwaam, in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 last week.

Quizzed on who is likely to ride Hawwaam in the July, Mike de Kock was non-committal. “Speak to the king,” he shrugged. “He has a few balls in the air.”

The picture might be clearer come tomorrow evening.

But of the eight runners, New Caledonia can be regarded as the least likely winner with Cirillo, Lady In Black and course and distance specialist Matador Man all in the mix.

It should be a cracking race, possibly more a tactical battle than an out-and-out slog.

What could develop into a slog is the Gr3 Cup Trial, the traditional ‘last chance saloon’ for those hoping to make the July field. The last Vodacom Durban July log has pretty much cemented places for Eyes Wide Open (10) and  Made To Conquer (11) on the list but Doublemint (17) is marginal and will be up against Roy Had Enough, Dark Moon Rising and Run Red, all still in the hunt for a place in the big race.

So, taking desperation into account, Doublemint may prove to be the safest bet but the trio of VDJ outsiders will be pressing hard.

Also, on the outside and looking in is Camphoratus, who takes on Oh Susanna in the Gr3 Tibouchina Stakes a half-hour later. First reserve on the VDJ log, she beat Oh Susanna in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes in what was a major upset, but she followed up with a smart effort in the WSB 1900, finishing a length back to Eyes Wide Open. The seven-furlong Tibouchina is arguably on the short side but the 2200m of the VDJ may also prove beyond her compass which could sway the VDJ selection panel.

So it boils down to victory or bust for Robbie and Shannon Hill’s filly where Oh Susanna is rated some 6.5kg superior.

The three KZN Winter Series races, all long handicaps, will keep punters on their toes and with a number of exotic bet carryovers in the offing, there will be some tempting odds available.

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

By Andrew Harrison