DATE: Sunday, 21 June 2015

AGE/CONDITION: For Horses at Weight-For-Age + Penalties over 2400m

ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 5 June 2015 – Fee: R 912

SUPP ENTRIES: 11:00am Friday, 12 June 2015 – Fee R 3648

WEIGHTS: Friday, 5 June 2015
4-year-old & older 58kg
3-year-olds 55kg

PENALTIES: In addition, further penalties to accrue as follows for races won in the period 18 months prior to the date of issuing of weights.
Winner of a Grade 1 race………….2kg for each such win
Winner of a Grade 2 race………….1kg for each such win
Penalties not cumulative Sex Allowance of 2,5kg for Fillies and Mares

DECLARATIONS: 11:00am Monday, 15 June 2015 – Fee R 3648

2014 Track And Ball Derby

Horse: HOT TICKET

Jockey: Karl Neisius

Trainer: Dean Kannemeyer

Owners: Messrs D G Abery, Rick Achmat & F Dippenaar

Breeder: Digteby Stud (Mr & Mrs H Stegeman)

ABOUT: The Track And Ball Derby

Some winners of this race have gone on to greater things with the Terrance Millard-trained Right Prerogative and Ilustrador following up their success with wins in the Vodacom Durban July in 1989 and 1990 respectively. Ilustrador, who had earlier won the South African Guineas followed by the Derby and July victories, completed the “big four” with a win in the Gold Cup.

Since the date change of the Derby, Zebra Crossing, who had run second to Rabiya in the Daily News 2000 and finished 1.5 lengths behind Dunford in the Vodacom Durban July of 2005, won the Gold Circle Derby before scoring his biggest win by taking the J&B Met in 2006.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

2014

Dean Kannemeyer has his Gr 1 Gold Cup hopeful Hot Ticket in fine condition for Sunday’s running of the Gr 2 Betting World Stakes over 2500m at Clairwood, where he looks the horse to beat, and he also has hopes for Divine Jet over a suitable course and distance in Friday night’s Gr 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville.

Speaking from his Clairwood Champions Season base, the stalwart Cape trainer said, “Hot Ticket is doing well and we’re having a full go. He needed his run badly in the Greyville 1900 which was too sharp for him, but the race brought him on tremendously. Last Thursday we worked him over 1800m on the grass at Clairwood and he put up a very nice gallop. He will love the long run in of Clairwood. There is a great possibility that he will be in the Gold Vase on July day as part of his Gold Cup program, but it will depend on his run on Sunday. In Writing ran in the Gold Vase before winning the Gold Cup (2012) and Hot Ticket is really tough and is nearly a five-year-old. He is also a Silvano, so he’s improving.”

Divine Jet is a well-bred five-year-old entire by Jet Master with loads of speed and ability, but he has gained a reputation for disappointing his supporters.

However, he does have a few things in his favour on Friday night.

Kannemeyer said, “He has issues but seems to be doing fine and ran a better race over 1400m last time when he finished on top of them. I’ve been dying to run him at Greyville and at his best he is probably the best horse in the race.”

Divine Jet definitely fits into the profile of a Post Merchant winner. The last five winners of this race, Merhee, Mike’s Choice, Splash Gold, Casey Cool and Sharks Bay, have all been characterised by their ability to turn it on in the straight and produce strong finishes from off the pace.

Only time will tell whether the narrowed turf track will change the nature of this race, but Divine Jet does have a plum draw of five. On the other hand he is not favoured by the conditions and is officially 4kg under sufferance with the best in at the weights, All Is Secret.

Kannemeyer’s first call jockey Karl Neisius rides both of the yard’s feature runners over the weekend.

Kannemeyer and Neisius won the Post Merchants with Splash Gold in 2011 and were desperately unlucky not to win the Betting World Stakes last year with Hot Ticket, although at that stage it was still a race limited to three-year-olds and was called the Betting World Derby.

2013

In the Oaks, the Australian-bred filly Dylan’s Promise from the Charles Laird stable proved far too good for her opposition and under a confident ride by veteran jockey Kevin Shea, took the lead from pacemaker Red Rock Lady before entering the home straight and cruising clear to win easing up by three-and-a quarter lengths. Sky Pirate ran on for second and she in turn was comfortably clear of third-placed Priceless Jewel with Al Kindi a length further back in fourth.

2012

The Grade 2 Betting World Oaks gave the Mike de Kock stable yet another classic feature victory after Amanee had won the KRA Fillies Guineas earlier in the season when Tajmeel proved too good for her opposition. Anthony Delpech settled her in behind pacemaker Avenue Of Gold before giving her the green light entering the home straight and she kicked clear in the closing stages to win comfortably by two lengths. With Avenue Of Gold having nothing extra to offer in the finish Beloved Betty and Europe To Africa followed Tajmeel across the line.

Roll of Honour

Year Horse                   Wgt Horse           Wgt Horse                     Time

2013 DYLAN’S PROMISE 58.0 SKY PIRATE 58.o PRICELESS JEWEL   156.65