Mike Bass’s condition is showing slight signs of improvement although he remains in intensive care in a Cape Town Hospital.

Rodney was given an emotional reception after the Bass-trained gelding won the Place Your Bets Maiden at Kenilworth yesterday and rider Grant van Niekerk said: “I wanted to win this for Mr Bass. Everyone knows how ill he is but thank God he is coming along the right way.”

Bass’s daughter Candice said that the initial prognosis had been poor but added: “He is now stable and there is a bit of improvement. We are not out of the woods yet but the doctors are a lot more positive.”

– Michael Clower