Some top horses have raced in the colours of Mary Liley, one the springs to mind being Queen’s Plate and Champion Stakes winner Bold Monarch back in 1979. She has had some good horses since but none as good, until maybe yesterday.

The lightly raced gelding Tristful gave notice that he will be a horse to be reckoned with over the last few months of the season but as Tony Rivalland, caution, “the pressure’s on now,” after the gelding scored an eye-catching win in the Gr3 Byerley Turk at Greyville yesterday.

Sean Veale rode a faultless race as he tracked a slow early pace set by Solid Gold, but when he asked for an effort, Tristful responded with a smart turn of foot.

“You haven’t seen the best of him yet,” said Veale. “Wait until he goes 2000m, that’s his game.”

Given those words, Tristful will probably go the traditional route for three-year-old males, the KZN Guineas, Daily News 2000, and all going well, a possible tilt at the Vodacom Durban July.

The July is still 88 days away and a lot can happen in the interim, but Liley and Rivalland got proof yesterday that they are in with a shout at least.

Temple Grafin, winless since The Debutante at the end of last season, opened her seasonal account in the Gr3 Umzimkulu Stakes under another tremendous ride from Anton Marcus. Inching his way into a challenging position from his outside draw, Marcus had Temple Grafin within striking distance coming off the false rail and the filly came forward gallantly to outgun Santa Clara and Silvano’s Pride.

Richard Fourie had no hesitation taking favourite Silvano’s Pride to the lead and she set a strong pace, tracked by Santa Clara who had the run of the race. These two hooked up at the top of the straight with Santa Clara slowly wearing down her rival, but neither had an answer to the late challenge from Temple Grafin, Glen Kotzen’s filly getting up close home.

Champion jockey Lyle Hewitson is making a bold attempt in defence of his title and took the lead ahead of Muzi Yeni and Anton Marcus for the first time this season with a double at Fairview on Friday. He added to his lead by winning the first on Elnora for Wayne Badenhorst but not before having to survive an objection.

In the lead, Hewitson pulled his stick through to his right and Elnora took exception, shifting sharply onto the well-fancied Rose Dance.

Sean Veale objected on the grounds of interference in the latter stages, but although he was well within his rights, the stipendiary board ruled that Rose Dancer would not have got past the winner and the result stood.

Ishnana, bred and owned by Robert Smith, finally snapped a string of second places with a superb victory in the fourth where he took on a really smart field.

Drawn wide, apprentice Luke Ferraris was hard pressed to get the gelding to settle early on, but once in behind runners he dropped the bit nicely as Calvary set off at a blistering gallop.

Not for nothing was Garth Puller nicknamed “The Headwaiter” when he was a jockey, often pouncing late when all looked lost, and he would have been proud of Ferraris. Last into the straight, he shot through a big gap and Ishnana pulled him through to win smartly.

By Andrew Harrison

The nine race meeting at Turffontein Standside tomorrow features the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m in which a few horses will be putting up their hands for a berth in the Vodacom Durban July.

The race is run under weight for age conditions plus a 2kg penalty for a Grade 1 win and a 1kg penalty for a Grade 2.

Fort Ember is an effective front-runner who lacks early pace so a good draw is vital and she has landed one here. Last year in this race she carried a Grade 2 penalty to second place behind Coral Fever from draw nine of nine and now has no penalty, so will be a big runner. She is the third best in at the weights. 

Sylvan On Fire won well in her last start over course and distance. She has a good turn of foot so can be dropped out from a wide draw. She is 2,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted Secret Potion but is in better form than the latter. 

Cash Time is 7kg under sufferance with Secret Potion but caught the eye last time when rallying late with first time blinkers on in the Listed Drum Star Handicap over 1800m. He should relish the course and distance and is drawn well in two. Furthermore, Piere Strydom keeps the ride.

The second best weighted horse is Dawn Assault and he is ideally course and distance suited having finished second in the G-Bets Summer Cup. He has had some tough races this season and ran a lacklustre race last time in the Drum Star. However, he is courageous and had an even worse draw than this one in the Summer Cup, so is tough to ignore.

Divine Odyssey is better than his overall form suggests and proved it last time when winning the Drum Star despite having been under sufferance. He is 7,5kg under sufferance with Secret Potion here but if having another on day it would be no surprise to see him going close.

The Dazzler is well regarded but does have a tough draw over this ideal course and distance. He is 1,5kg better off with Drum Star winner Divine Odyssey for a two length beating but does have a tough draw. 

Secret Potion won last season’s Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic and is a classy, long-striding sort who is ideally course and distance suited. She likely needed her last start when downfield in the London News over 1800m on January 6, beaten eight lengths by Dawn Assault, but she might need this run too.

Liege and Social Order have shown their capabilities over this course and distance before. Liege won the Summer Cup last season and Social Order was a close third in this race last year. 

However, they both have clouds hanging over them. Liege is off form and Social Order was reported making a breathing noise when finishing last in the Drum Star.

It is a tough race to assess but the selection is Fort Ember to beat Sylvan On Fire with Cash Time, Dawn Assault and Divine Odyssey next best. 

The second feature is the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint, a handicap for fillies and mares over 1160m.

Schippers is the one to beat. She has won three times and finished second twice over course and distance and comes off a fine fourth to Mardi Gras in the Grade 2 Senor Santa over course and distance. 

Pretty Penny is coming into her own and has a favourable high draw by trends. 

Desert Rhythm is 1kg better off with Pretty Penny for a quarter of a length beating and is interesting with blinkers on. 

Dancing Queen has turned the corner and represents the flying Roy Magner yard. 

See You Tyger won well over 1000m last time and was going away at the line. She sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight so must have a shout. 

San Fermin has always been held in high regard and having won well last time she might now be coming into her own and can’t be ignored. 

In an open race Mary O’Reilly and Covered In Snow are hard to leave out.

By David Thiselton

Lasata, beaten only a neck by the potentially useful Finding Camelot four weeks ago, may just be good enough to get punters off to a winning start in the opening Juvenile Plate at Durbanville tomorrow.

The form was given a slight boost when third-placed Capkuta occupied the same placing behind Mister Vargus in a winners’ race last Saturday but not enough of one to indicate any real confidence in the selection who is 2-1 favourite with World Sports Betting.

Justin Snaith has 40% of the ten horse field and all his four are newcomers – he has won four Cape Town two-year-old races so far this season and two of his winners were making their debuts. Riding arrangements point to Savvy who is an 11-2 chance but the betting would suggest that the Eric Sands newcomer Broadside (3-1) is likely to prove a bigger threat.

Candice Bass-Robinson has won five Cape Town juvenile races (three with first-timers) and she introduces 6-1 shot Snow Report – “A lovely horse and a beautiful mover but I am not sure how he will go first time out. He is a long-striding horse and not an out-and-out speedster.”

Snaith runs another four in race two and Querari newcomer Lead Singer is already as short as 15-20 which suggests that he is hard to oppose. Tree of Wisdom (11-2) was slightly hampered on debut and would have been the selection had he not been drawn nine out of ten.

Race three, also a juvenile maiden but for fillies, has attracted the maximum 14-strong field and is wide open. The form horse is 22-10 favourite Hidden Strings who was beaten little more than half a length when third to Capacity Crowd five weeks ago but Victoria Tower went into the notebook when moving up like a future winner after losing a lot of ground at the start on debut. Admittedly she only finished fourth of six but at 4-1 she is the one that appeals most.

The Bass-Robinson newcomer Elusive Rain (by Elusive Fort out of a Spectrum mare) is a 15-1  shot  and has the advantage of both an inside draw and Aldo Domeyer. “She works quite nicely at home,” says her trainer. “She is bred to go quite a bit further but I think she will need the experience.”

Sleeping Single showed improved form last time and is 5-2 favourite for race four. She is taken to win but don’t ignore Dancing For Rain (15-2) who returned from six months off to run way below previous form three weeks ago. “I was very disappointed and I suggest you ignore that run, “says Vaughan Marshall.

By Michael Clower

If the weather forecast is to be believed, it will be wild and windy at Greyville this evening. However, the poly track has drained well in recent down-pours and the synthetic surface appears to be at its optimum with the added water.

Be that as it may, punters face a difficult card, none more so than in the sixth, a competitive fillies and mares handicap where one can make a case for almost every runner.

Louis Goosen has high hopes for his runner Yaas although he admits that she is up against it. “Look, she is out at the weights but the apprentice does take 2.5kg off her back. Also, her 400m to finish time last time out made my hair stand on end.”

Yaas came from last that day after being dropped out from a wide draw and a repeat could see her home.

Goosen believes that top weight Making Waves is the filly to beat. She had a few problems last time out behind Miss Frankel but Goosen is confident that Dennis Bosch will have sorted out any issues. “He’s a professional,” he complimented.

Tweed Valley comes of a lengthy break but put in some good work for Kom Naidoo at Ashburton on Tuesday morning and 12-1 looks fair value.

Banjo On My Knee is one of the few horses left racing in the silks of the late Chris Gerber and can add to his tally when he runs in the fifth. Dean Kannemeyer’s runner has a big weight but did well against much stronger last time out and should go close in this company. Danger could be the consistent Sea Sponge who gets all of 10kg from his rival and showed good improvement when racing in blinkers for the first time. Both are on offer at 9-2 and look better value than the 22-10 about ante-post favourite Before Noon who got a five-pound shunt up the handicap for his last win beating the luckless, The Money Man.

Anton Marcus went one behind Muzi Yeni in the race for the jockey championship last Tuesday but has some plum rides this evening including Secret Dynasty in the Pick 6 opener. All the cards appear to have fallen the way of Dennis Bosch’s runner, this being his third run after a break, over what looks to be his optimum trip from a pole position draw.

Paul Gadsby’s gelding Techno Captain has been something of a surprise package since being dropped in trip. He is not the easiest but the stable is in form and he should be right there. A possible upset could come in the form of Gibraltar Green. He improved first time up for Garth Puller and his merit rating has been dropping steadily from a recent high of 77 to his current mark of 53. At 11-1 in the market he makes some appeal.

Moon In June will have many supporters in the first leg of the jackpot after Robbie and Shannon Hill’s filly bolted home in her maiden. She does however, face some hard-knockers in the form of seven-time winner Expresso Martini and Colours Your Dreams from in in-form Dennis Drier yard.

By Andrew Harrison

Anton Marcus and the Kieswetter’s Ridgemont operation celebrated the resumption of their partnership with two devastating performances from Brett Crawford-trained Australian breds at Kenilworth yesterday.

Boomps A Daisy, such an expensive flop at Durbanville last month, got them off to the perfect start when easily justifying odds of 6-10 in the TAB Telebet Maiden. Marcus had no problem taking it up a furlong and a half out and the favourite quickly drew clear to win easing up by three and a quarter lengths.

Marcus, making a joking reference to the filly’s name, said: “Thank God there wasn’t any!” before adding: “This is what I anticipated after her first run but unfortunately she got lost that day at Durbanville. She may not have beaten much but I like the way she did it.”

Crawford, who had expressed doubts beforehand, said: “I think she appreciated being back at Kenilworth – she broke on terms, travelled well and she quickened up really nicely when Anton pressed the button. He is adamant that I must keep her down the straight for now but we have quite a bit to work on and this was encouraging.”

Craig Carey, the Kieswetter family’s racing manager, picked her out for AUS $360,000 at the 2017 Melbourne Premier Sale and said: “She was small but athletic and the sort I like – face like a beauty queen and a bum like a barmaid!”

Run Fox Run was even more impressive and, amazingly, she started odds against. She had won her only two previous starts with ease – but not as easily as she did under a seven point penalty in the Interbet.co.za Handicap.

Marcus allowed her to go clear fully two furlongs from home but in the closing stages his most vigorous movements were repeated looks back at the outclassed opposition.

He said: “That was self-explanatory but looks-wise and maturity-wise she is going the right way.”

Crawford added: “There is not a lot of her and I have never really put the hammer down and tested her. Indeed I never work her with another horse. She has the potential of getting black type which is the objective. She won’t go to Durban but we will go through the races here as we find them and the Cape season will be the main aim.”

Getting Depeche home in front in the 2 000m handicap was beyond even Marcus – third to M.J. Byleveld on Mike Robinson’s Transylvania was the best he could do and on the Joey Ramsden-trained Arabian Air in the Tellytrack.com Handicap he was only fourth. But he was lucky to return in one piece.

In the dramatic, and highly dangerous, closing stages Craig Zackey on the winner Vardy switched his whip to his outside hand and his mount promptly veered away from it and Marcus had to snatch up to avoid being brought down. At the same time Robert Khathi on third-placed Trip To The Sky switched his stick from his right hand to his left and runner-up Russet Air (Corne Orffer) was repeatedly bounced from one to the other like an overworked ping pong ball. Zackey was given seven days and Khathi looks like getting a similar suspension.

By Michael Clower

NHA CEO Vee Moodley emphasised that the handicapping guidelines are “guidelines not rules” and added a press release would be sent out whenever there had been a deviation from the guidelines.

A press release was sent out explaining the merit rated changes made after the running of the SA Derby and SA Oaks and it was clear to all who know the guidelines that the handicappers had deviated.

The NHA have risked opening a can of worms as there was no warning given at nomination stage that one particular guideline would be deviated from for the first time since its inception in 2012.

There have been three “updates” to the handicapping guidelines this decade.

In the June 2012 update one of the points stated, “Grade 1 & 2 races Upward Adjustment to first 5 finishers only.”

However, in the merit rating changes made after last weekend, the Grade 1 SA Derby 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th placed horses were all adjusted upward and the Grade 2 SA Oaks 6th placed horse was adjusted upward.

The press release wording relevant to the SA Derby stated, “In other changes, SENOR LIZARD was raised from 85 to 88, ARLINGTONS REVENGE goes up from 80 to 84, MASTER MAGIC was raised from 80 to 84, ZANAKI goes up from 78 to 83, and LAST OF THE LEGEND was upped from 78 to 81.  These horses finished from 5th place to 9th, and in doing this it is ensured that these five horses would meet one another on the correct weight terms in a handicap race.  This satisfies the definition of a handicap.  The only other change was OWLINTHETREE, whose rating was cut from 99 to 91.”

And for the SA Oaks it stated, “PRETTY BORDER (6th) goes up from 72 to 80 in order that she is not rated below last placed FARIHA, who remains unchanged on 80.” 

The reasons for the changes are made clear.

However, owners and trainers of the above horses might have been taken by surprise.

If any of these owners or trainers subsequently have a horse facing Doublemint in a handicap they will be justified in arguing that the latter horse finished just 3,50 lengths back in the Sun Met in 6th place yet remains on a lowly 104 merit rating. The five horses who finished ahead of him are now merit rated between 118 and 125 and he finished ahead of the 121 merit rated Oh Susanna.

The point is how consistently are the handicappers going to deviate from the guidelines and will owners and trainers know when to expect the deviations?

If the handicappers have carte blanche then the luxury owners and trainers have had since June 2012 of testing horses in Grade 1 and Grade 2s in the hope they are good enough might be over. From 2012 until this week they had been safe in the knowledge that failing to earn a cheque in such a race would at least ensure no upward adjustment to their horse’s merit rating.

On the other hand Moodley is one of the most respected handicappers in the country and it should be borne in mind that in its purest form the merit rating system has no restrictive guidelines. In England, for example, handicapping is done purely on the handicappers’ interpretations of the race.

With Moodley now in charge of the NHA and two equally knowledgeable stalwarts in Lennon Maharaj and Matthew Lips doing the handicapping, perhaps it is time more trust was placed in their own discretion and interpretations.

Their task at present is onerous. There is pressure on them to satisfy international committees that certain races deserve Grade 1 or Grade 2 status, but on the other hand they must pay heed to guidelines aimed at preventing horses from being unfairly punished.

However, punishment is relative and in protecting one band of horse, others must be getting punished.

Ultimately, handicapping done by the pure interpretation of handicappers who know what they are doing must surely be the best solution and Moodley, Maharaj and Lips do know what they are doing.

By David Thiselton

Leg 3 Triple Crown & Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara – Turffontein – 30 March 2019

• SA Derby (Grade 1)

After a thorough assessment and discussion between the NHA Handicappers, SAMURAI WARRIOR was given a merit rating of 105 following his front running victory under a masterful ride from Jockey Piere Strydom in the SA Derby (Grade 1) at Turffontein on Saturday 30 March 2019 over 2450m. Ironically he was the only participant in the race that had contested over this aptitude twice before and was also placed in the listed event.  The Handicappers are satisfied that the new rating is a fair reflection of SUMURAI WARRIOR’S performance and the race level is still 10 MR points below the international threshold for a Grade 1 race.

In analysing what appeared to be a race run at a slow pace, the handicappers were of the opinion that third placed MARCHINGONTOGETHER would not have run worse by finishing third at Grade 1 level than when he won a non-black type Feature at Scottsville in February.  Accordingly, it was this performance by MARCHINGONTOGETHER that was used as the line to rate the SA Derby.   This equates to MARCHINGONTOGETHER running to a rating of 102 in the Derby, and this is the rating that has been allocated to him.  Derby runner-up ZILLZAAL had his rating dropped from 106 to 105, thus making him equal to the winner.

Fourth placed ATYAAB’S rating remains unchanged on the 105 he was made after he won the Cape Derby two starts back.  As a recent Grade 1 winner who may not have been entirely suited to the pace at which the SA Derby was run, it is believed that it would be premature to drop his mark and for now we are happy to keep him on a rating higher than that of both the winner and the runner-up.

In other changes, SENOR LIZARD was raised from 85 to 88, ARLINGTONS REVENGE goes up from 80 to 84, MASTER MAGIC was raised from 80 to 84, ZANAKI goes up from 78 to 83, and LAST OF THE LEGEND was upped from 78 to 81.  These horses finished from 5^th place to 9^th, and in doing this it is ensured that these five horses would meet one another on the correct weight terms in a handicap race.  This satisfies the definition of a handicap.  The only other change was OWLINTHETREE, whose rating was cut from 99 to 91.

• H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1)

SOQRAT remains unchanged on a rating of 124 after his win in the Grade 1 Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m.  This performance confirms SOQRAT’S status as the  best three-year-old colt over 1600m presently in training, but it was felt that he by no means needed to improve on his 124 rating to win this race.   It was fourth placed TILBURY FORT who was used the line horse to rate this race.

The strength of the three-year-old crop was greatly underlined in the Horse Chestnut Stakes, with CIRILLO beaten less than one length into second and finishing well ahead of the older horses.  This looks to be an outstanding crop of three-year-old males, and in the wake of this performance CIRILLO’S rating has been upped from 111 to 114. 

The Handicappers took into consideration that UNAGI is a 5 year old that has not been able to win for almost 2 years and only adjusted him to 106 and not the 110 he achieved. In other changes, CASCAPEDIA was dropped from 110 to 109, LEGAL EAGLE had his rating cut from 120 to 118, AL DANZA drops to 104 from 106, and WILL PAYS is down from 114 to 112.

• Wilgerbosdrift S A Oaks (Grade 2)

RETURN FLIGHT was given a new rating of 106 after she comfortably won the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift  SA Oaks over 2450m under another extremely well-judged ride from Piere Strydom.  This represents a slight increase of one pound on the 105 rating she was given after she won the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic.  In rating the Oaks, it was runner-up BLOSSOM who was used as the line horse and accordingly her rating remains unchanged on 103.  Third placed SEVILLE ORANGE was raised from 91 to 99, while fourth placed BIZE was upped from 79 to 97.  These two fillies were rated relative to fifth placed CHITENGO, so that the three would meet one another on the correct terms in a handicap race.  In other changes, SECOND REQUEST was dropped from 104 to 99, while PRETTY BORDER goes up from 72 to 80 in order that she is not rated below last placed FARIHA, who remains unchanged on 80.