Vaughan Marshall said yesterday One World would “definitely” not travel to KZN for the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge or any other race during the SA Champions Season, although Adam Marcus was leaving his options open and said there was a “slim chance” Vardy would be seen in Durban over the winter.

The pair fought out a thrilling duel in the first leg of the Winter Series, the Grade 3 Winter Guineas, at Kenilworth on Saturday.

One World prevailed by a head under Anton Marcus.

An objection was lodged by Adam Marcus but the head on replay showed Vardy initiating the continual bumping in the final stages when hanging inward on to One World, so it never looked likely to be upheld.

Vardy was receiving 2kg from One World but on official merit ratings was still 6,5kg under sufferance with the 117 merit rated favourite.

Adam Marcus was thrilled with the improvement Vardy showed and said, “He is very immature and has a lot to learn so my initially feeling was to not take him to Durban as they have to go the opposite way around there and it is also a different style of racing, but the improvement he has shown has been really incredible, so we will keep our options open and take it race by race. But there is only a slim chance he will go to KZN and I will prepare him with the Winter Classic in mind. I think he will be much better as a four-year-old.”

Marshall said One World’s next engagement will also be in the Grade 3 Winter Classic, to be run over 1800m at Kenilworth on May 25.

So, the rivalry will be renewed and it is a race for the notebook.

One World is yet to be tried beyond a mile. However, being by Captain Al out of a Giant’s Causeway mare who placed over a-mile-and-two-furlongs in England he should get 1800m.

Marcus said about Vardy’s stamina range, “He is by Var but has classic looks and a beautiful length of rein and I’ve always been of the opinion he would be a 2000m horse.”

By David Thiselton

One World and Vardy, separated in Saturday’s Winter Guineas by only a head – as hard-fought in the boardroom as it was on the racecourse, may well meet again over a furlong further in the Winter Classic on May 25. Hopefully it won’t be quite such a rough affair.

Anton Marcus’s mount, starting a prohibitive 4-10, led after 200m but two furlongs from home main market rival Vardy began to move up travelling ominously easily. He joined the favourite and looked sure to win as he went a head up.

But One World has only been beaten once in eight starts and, as many will remember, no less a horse than the Cape Flying Championship winner Kasimir also once dared to head him only to be battled out if it. Vardy was given the same treatment and was the first to wilt.

He came off a straight line and bumped the favourite. From then on it was no holds barred, with the pair touching several times, but Craig Zackey had his whip in his right hand. Horses tend to drift away from the whip and towards the ones they are battling and Vardy did just that. True, Marcus also switched his crop to his outside hand in the heat of battle but the stipes took the view that he was doing this to stop Zackey’s mount from bumping him again.

There was only a head in it at the line and Vardy’s trainer Adam Marcus promptly lodged an objection against his uncle for interference, leaving one wit in the weighing room to quip: “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your relations!”

The objection was over-ruled and jockey Marcus commented: “I thought it was straightforward – he hit me four times.” No action was taken against Zackey – he had been given a week when Vardy caused interference winning on his previous start – but Marcus was fined R1 000 for hitting his mount more than three times in consecutive strides.

The Klawervlei-bred Captain Al winner, bought by his trainer for R425 000, has now won nearly R3.4 million for Ken and Jane Truter, Etienne Braun and Braam van Huyssteen. “He is a very good horse and a very game one,” said Vaughan Marshall.

In the Sweet Chestnut 35 minutes earlier Bernard Fayd’Herbe and Helen’s Ideal made light of their 11 draw to delight Paul Barrett and breeder Peter de Beyer and book her ticket for next month’s Olympic Duel Stakes.

“Blinkers turned the corner for this filly and there are bigger things to come,” said Paul Reeves. “Hopefully she gets a draw next month. Every time I have a runner in a feature they seem to be drawn on another planet.”

By Michael Clower

Marco van Rensburg is a journeyman jockey who seldom gets the opportunities of the higher profile riders. But give him a chance and he’s as good as any as he showed when giving the field the slip in The Sledgehammer (Listed) at Greyville yesterday.

Marco van Rensburg is a journeyman jockey who seldom gets the opportunities of the higher profile riders. But give him a chance and he’s as good as any as he showed when giving the field the slip in The Sledgehammer (Listed) at Greyville yesterday.

It was probably a plan discussed with Mike Azzie and perfectly executed by Van Rensburg as he took Orpheus to the front, extending his lead with every stride and was way out of reach come the home turn with the balance of the field bobbing like corks in his wake.

Roy Had Enough, a late entry after the race was originally abandoned because of a soggy Scottsville track last Sunday, threw out a belated challenge but Orpheus was home and hosed long before he got to the line, some seven lengths adrift.

Of the Vodacom Durban July contenders, Eyes Wide Open was admittedly underdone as Glen Kotzen alluded to before the race and I doubt if the poly track suited, while Silva’s Bullet never looked comfortable on the surface.

In the card opener, Mai Tai confirmed her barrier trial showing as Warren Kennedy drove Wayne Badenhorst’s filly home ahead of the slightly more experienced Another secret.

Anton Marcus picked up a seven-day holiday courtesy of the stipendiary stewards after being found guilty of interference last week, but he banged home a treble to keep bread on the table and himself in contention for the national jockey championship.

Master Jay was the first of his two winners for Glen Kotzen as Master Jay followed up on his recent victory, holding off a fast-finishing Knight Warrior in the second race.

The belated addition of blinkers brought out the best in favourite Spring Fling in the third to give Kotzen and Marcus a quick double. The blinkers were added on the advice of Marcus who was run out of what looked to be certain victory at Scottsville a fortnight back as Tripple Z arrived late on the scene.

Not to be outdone brother, Nathan Kotzen saddled two-year-old Kaydens Pride to a comfortable win in the fourth, celebrated by national log-leader Muzi Yeni adding to his three victories at Turffontein on Saturday. This win took him four clear of current champion Lyle Hewitson, now facing a 14-day suspension, and seven clear of Marcus who is also facing seven days on the side-lines.

By Andrew Harrison

The Turffontein Inside track stages a low key nine race meeting tomorrow and most of the races are competitive, so the exotics could be the way to go.

The first leg of the Bipot should be fought out by Keep Smiling and Flying High who both made fair debuts when staying on over this same 1200m trip. They both have scope for improvement but Keep Smiling was up against males on debut so will appreciate being against her own gender now and she has a better draw.

In the first leg of the PA Super Fine can be bankered. She made the pace from a wide draw over this 1200m course and distance last time and just failed. This time she is well drawn and being by Duke Of Marmalade would have improved. However, Jay Bomb will be a big threat as she ran on well from draw ten of ten to be beaten just 1,80 lengths by Super Fine last time and this time from a fair draw under Gavin Lerena should be closer to the pace.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Petroni Vini ran on well over 1000m last time with first time blinkers on to finish a 1,90 length third. He is a rangy type with scope and should relish the step up in trip so has a shout from pole position. The two-year-old Union Castle has plenty of scope and ran on well last time over this trip so he will be the biggest danger, despite having to face Petroni Vini on terms 5,5kg worse than weight for age. Written In Stone beat Petroni Vini easily over this trip in his penultimate start but now has a tough draw, although he can be included in the Pick 6 and PA.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Deerupt is not the most imposing but her 79 merit rating looks attractive considering her from against some good sorts in Assessment Plates. She has a plum draw of three over this 1200m trip. Topweight Casual Wear usually runs over shorter but has some class and as a handy type will be dangerous from draw two. Peppermint Tea, Mazari and Generous Notion can also be included although it is an open race and others can also be considered.

In the sixth race over 1600m Flash Burn is going the right way and makes appeal from a plum draw despite being officially out at the weights with the two fillies. Bize has class but will find this a touch sharp and Captain’s Princess was unlucky last time when stepped up to this trip for the first time. 

Trip To Troy makes appeal in the seventh over 1450m as he is distance suited, well drawn and has come down to an attractive merit rating. Shortstop and Missouri can also be included.

In the eighth over 2000m Slay The Dragon stayed on resolutely over 1600m last time and should enjoy this trip so is the one to beat. Jose Di Nero has hard-knocking form from 1200m to 1600m and tries a step up in trip and will be thereabouts if he stays, although on pedigree there is a stamina doubt. Vetri Vel, Dry Your Eyes and Mr Cuddles have to be included too.

In the last race over 2000m Jive Express and Ideal Cut will relish the step up in trip and hard knocking Jungle Jane can also be included.

By David Thiselton

One World is hard to oppose in the Winter Guineas at Kenilworth tomorrow even though there are grounds for thinking he is not such a certainty as his prohibitive 11-20 price would suggest. On the plus side he has only been beaten once in seven starts – when third in the Cape Guineas – and on ratings he has a theoretical six lengths in hand.

However more recent form book evidence puts his advantage at considerably less than this, at less than two lengths in fact. In the CTS 1600 three months ago he had Vardy three and three-quarter lengths back third and here he has to concede 2kg. Furthermore he has not raced since whereas his principal rival had a pipe-opener three weeks ago and won it.

But Vaughan Marshall, who surprisingly has not won the Winter Guineas this century, has not got where he is today by running his horses a couple of gallops short and Anton Marcus has won on three of his last four rides in this race. The stats also favour the favourite. While the last two market leaders failed to make the frame, five of the previous six came home in front.

Vardy (9-2) is on the upgrade. He was raised ten points for his CTS performance and a further two for last time’s handicap top weight success. In other words he is closer to the favourite than Met day running would suggest. “I think he has improved,” said Anton’s brother Basil yesterday as he fielded calls while son Adam was at the sales. “He is maturing, and also learning more about it, with each run. He has a tough competitor – in fact a couple of them – but his prep has gone very well and we are holding thumbs.”

Herodotus (8-1) is presumably the other one he had in mind. S’Manga Khumalo’s mount has only once finished out of the first four in seven starts, his trainer Glen Kotzen won this with Irish Assembly in 2005 but he was five lengths behind One World in the Concorde and is only 2kg better.

The Bass stable has won this race eight times in the last 21 runnings and Majestic Mozart (who has drifted from 8-1 to 12-1) probably has the strongest claims of Candice’s three. Rider Bernard Fayd’Herbe is bidding for his fourth Winter Guineas and, although over six lengths behind One World in the CTS, his mount was only two and a half lengths behind him in the Cape Guineas – and he is 2kg better.

Helen’s Ideal has a favourite’s chance in the Sweet Chestnut Stakes and looks a decent bet at 33-10 despite her 11 draw. “That is a concern,” acknowledged Paul Reeves yesterday. “Obviously we have to try and get her over as quickly as possible but Bernard is more than capable of getting her in the right place. As long as he can have her relatively handy I will be pleased.

“This 1 400 is not a problem although she will be even better over 1 600m. We dropped her to 1 200m last time to sharpen her up but she has natural gate speed and she can turn it on. She has come on heaps since that last run, she is in top form and I don’t think I could have got her any better.”

By Michael Clower

Dean Kannemeyer is a man for the big event, his horses have won South Africa’s premier race on three occasions, Dynasty, Eyeofthetiger and Power King who races in the silks of Lady Christine Laidlaw’s Kaya Stables silks.

The talent in his stable has been a little thin on the ground in recent season’s but Kannemeyer will have some indication on what his chances are for this year’s Vodacom Durban July when Silva’s Bullet lines up in The Sledgehammer on the Greyville poly on Sunday.

The race was abandoned last Sunday at Scottsville after persistent rain rendered the track around the turn un-raceable. It was re-scheduled for Greyville on Sunday but the switch to the poly has seen the defection of the two Snaith runners, Made To Conquer and Platinum Prince.

Entries were re-opened and Frank Robinson took advantage entering Roy Had Enough and Top Classman, as did Johan Janse van Vuuren who will saddle Doosra.

 However, the Snaith defections have left the way clear for Silva’s Bullet who gets an opportunity to enhance his prospects of a place in the VDJ. Silva’s Bullet has some smart recent Cape form and has not been out of the money in seven starts. He is an improving gelding and just how far he has come and his prospects for Champions Season should be revealed come Sunday.

Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open is the proven class in the field but he has been winless since beating Do It Again in that Grade 1 event

In his defence, he was up against the cream during the Cape summer and was only five lengths back to Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again in the Sun Met at his last outing.

He is not the greatest traveller and this his first outing in three months carrying top weight could be a bridge too far at this stage of his prep for the VDJ.

Shenanigans is a lightly raced five-year-old having his third outing after a break and was close-up last start and along with Orpheus who won his last two against weaker can finish in the money.

After a stuttering start to his training career where he switched from Summerveld, to Richmond and back, Wayne Badenhorst appears to have settled in at Summerveld and one needs to take all his runners into account.

That said, picking winners out of barrier trials is fraught with danger but Badenhorst’s filly Mai Tai

caught the eye in a smart trial at Scottsville. In a quality trial field, she struck is a big solid filly with plenty of scope, a fine example of the progeny of first season sire Vercingetorix who has tongues wagging. She finished off her gallop smartly and could be good enough to get punters off to a winning start.

Glen Kotzen’s colt Master Jay can follow up in the second. He started favourite in both starts and although fluffing his lines on debut there were no mistakes next time out as he ran out an easy winner. A son of Jay Peg, he should enjoy the extra 300m and may be the one to beat in a competitive field.

Spring Fling looked a winner at Scottsville last outing at Scottsville when starting favourite but was run out of it of late as Tripple Z arrived on the scene late. He can do better in the opening leg of the PA but in Al Jazeera, he faces a two-year-old who showed up well from a poor draw on debut. This field is not filled with stars and Gavin van Zyl’s colt could prove too good for most of this line-up. 

By Andrew Harrison

The Andre Nel-trained Head Honcho began his transformation from average handicapper into a true Grade 1 class horse last season and the turning point was some advice given by Anton “Superman” Marcus.

Nel’s Summerveld assistant trainer Byron Foster said, “He always showed a lot of speed at home but Anton Marcus got off him after a 1600m event at Scottsville and said this horse needs ground. He hasn’t put a foot wrong since we have followed that advice.”

Marcus made that suggestion on Christmas Eve 2017 and since then the rangy Querari gelding has won six times in eight starts over distances from 1800m to 2200m. His stakes wins include the Listed Sledgehammer over 1800m, the Grade 3 Betting World 2200 and a highly impressive win in the Grade 2 WSB Premier Trophy over 1800m at Kenilworth.

Then he stepped up again when running a magnificent 0,95 length third from the front in the Sun Met, thus proving himself one of the best horses in the country.

The 122 merit rated five-year-old enjoyed a “nice break” after the Met and has been at Summerveld for about a month.

His chief SA Champions Season target will be the Vodacom Durban July and his build up into it will be via a Pinnacle Stakes race and the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. 

Foster said, “He has improved beyond what we thought and must be some sort of runner in the July. If the same front-running tactics are adopted Greyville will suit him with its short run in.”

He has certainly proved his liking for Greyville before as both the Sledgehammer and the BW 2200 were on the Greyville turf.

Foster said Head Honcho was a sound and tough horse. He looks set for a good campaign. The yard are a bit thin on SA Champions Season horses besides Head Honcho.

Kampala Kampari will be aimed at the WSB 1900 and it will be taken from there.

They have some regard for three-year-old Vikram and Red Shift has been doing well. This pair may be aimed at the Listed Thukela on July day.

He mentioned Q The Music as a tough handicapper who would be targeted at a poly feature.

Silver Rose was deliberately targeted at the Highland Night Cup, which he won over 2400m at Scottsville on Sunday, as the yard realised some of the other Champions Season stayers would not be at their best for the race. However, it is now going to be harder for him with the others having come on and his merit rating having risen.

The four-year-old Var filly Evelina has been bought to KZN but Foster admitted this sprinter to 1400m sort would need to make a big step up.  The Poinsettia will be her starting point.

Foster said training at Summerveld had not been possible on Tuesday due to the rains but they had been able to use the poly yesterday (Wednesday).

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford has had magnificent returns in the last two SA Champions Seasons, landing four Grade 1 wins in 2017 and three in 2018.

This season he has a small but powerful team at Summerveld and has a chance of adding to that record.

Undercover Agent was one of his stars last year and this year will be starting off in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, then running in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m and completing his campaign in the Grade 1 WSB Champions Cup over 1800m. He ran in the same three races last year and finished second, first and second respectively. He will have come into his own this season but the opposition is going to be stronger. 

Bold Respect landed the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint for Crawford last year but had to be scratched from the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint. He started last year in the Listed In Full Flight Stakes, which he won, but will avoid that race this year and go straight into the Tsogo Sun. Brett Crawford’s assistant trainer Peter Muscutt confirmed Bold Respect thrived in KZN. He said this horse did not quite see out the “stiff Kenilworth 1200m”, so he could do better than his fourth place finish in the Diadem last time out. He ran off a 111 merit rating when winning the Tsogo Sun by a cosy 1,75 lengths last year and is currently off a 113, so has every chance of defending his crown.

Sunset Eyes finished second in the I Full Flight last year and then third in the Tsogo Sun and fourth in the Mercury. This year he starts in the In Full Flight and then goes for the Tsogo Sun and the Grade 2 Post Merchants.

The yard have had one Grade 1 winner this season, the filly Front And Centre, who won the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. Her Champions Season targets are the Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas, the Grade 2 Tibouchina over 1400m and the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m.

Princess Irene is also a useful three-year-old filly and won the Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap over 2000m in her last start in early January. Her first two Champions Season targets are the KRA Fillies Guineas and the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000. 

The yard’s talented Trippi colt Charles, who finished a narrow second in the Grade 1 GBETS Cape Derby last time out, will run in the Grade 2 KRA Guineas, the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and possibly the Vodacom Durban July.

The five-year-old Dynasty mare Sabina’s Dynasty made a fine debut for the yard on Sunday at Scottsville when running on strongly for second in the Listed Scarlet Lady over 1750m. She will be going for the Listed East Coast Cup over 2000m next and it will be taken from there. The connections were disappointed the former Paul Peter-trained mare didn’t get into the July last year as the winner of the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes and as those partners remain in the syndicate, along with new partners Ridgemont Stud, the July is still a possibility, although she was not among the first entries.

Gimme One Night runs in the Listed Sledgehammer on Sunday and will then be aimed at the staying features. He finished fifth in the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Stayers over 2800m on Sun Met day having previously landed a hattrick of wins from 2400m to 3200m, including the Grade 3 Cape Summer Stayers over 2500m and the Grade 3 Heineken Chairman’s Cup over 3200m.

The Eric Sands-trained Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge is also staying in the Crawford yard for the Champions Season.

Muscutt believed his targets would be the Drill Hall, the Gold Challenge and the July.

Muscutt concluded by saying he was happy with all of the horses.

By David Thiselton