Two weeks on and 7-2 second favourite Rock My Soul’s proven stamina and ability to handle the soft still mark him out as a good bet in the Highlands Stud Winter Derby.

Rain yesterday and the forecast of more today looks like turning the ground testing once again and Donovan Dillon’s mount is the only horse in the field to have won over the distance and in the conditions.

Joey Ramsden, bidding for his fourth Winter Derby, cautions that a number of horses in his Milnerton yard have had dirty trachea washes recently but all his runners tomorrow are being tested beforehand.

Rock My Soul

He is also keen on 6-1 chance Ancestry, a horse in whom most punters have lost faith as he has repeatedly failed to cut the mustard this term. “He has been doing very well at home,” advises his trainer who, significantly, is taking the blinkers off. “Rock My Soul stays and seems to go in the wet. As Paddington’s second to African Night Sky last year proved, you don’t have to be a Grade 1 winner to run well in this race.”

Doublemint bids to become the third consecutive Winter Derby winner for Snaith Racing and, at 18-10, the third successful favourite in four years. He has not been further than 1 800m and has not won in the ground. However his stable does not expect problems on either front. “He is by Twice Over who loved the wet,” says Jono Snaith. “In fact the more rain that falls the better for us with horses like Red Ginger (Ladies Mile) running.”

Spring Man (4-1) has won twice over 2 000m and is bred to appreciate the extra here. “We are not worried about the rain and I think he has a good chance,” says Brett Crawford. “We are going to ride him a bit differently this time, more patiently.”

The Snaith second string Love Happens (13-2) was only just behind Spring Man in the Winter Classic and is by Silvano although he has still to prove he can handle the ground.

Helen’s Ideal could be the best bet of the day at 5-1 in the Irridescence. She was impressive on debut and fourth-placed Dirty Nelly boosted the form here on Tuesday.

Charles also did well to win first time but the talented One World looks a tough nut to crack in the Langerman and the Vaughan Marshall colt can prove a worthy 5-2 favourite despite giving weight all round.

Brave Move can extend her winning run to five in the Ladies Mile (but don’t forget Red Ginger, a big price at 18-1) while Fresnaye should land the odds in the Winter Oaks.

By Michael Clower

Handicaps are always tricky races but one of the pointers that can often lead to a winner is taking note of which horses have recently come down in the merit ratings. Another is when a horse drops in class. Combine the two and you have a fair chance of finding a winner, often at a decent price because at face value, the current form doesn’t look all that impressive until one drills down a little.

Racing is at Scottsville on Sunday and two horses that fall into the above categories are Rock Of Africa in the fourth and Cat’s Legacy in the sixth. Rock Of Africa has taken a rating drop while Cat’s Legacy has a rating drop and also takes a significant drop in class.

Rock Of Africa

Rock Of Africa has been competing in top company since arriving in KZN for Champions Season and has paid his way with a couple of placed efforts in useful company. Most recently he was just under five lengths back to Sniper Shot in the Post Merchants.

That form has obviously not impressed the handicappers as he has been dropped four points in the handicap, the equivalent of 2kg. On Sunday he lines up in a handicap lacking in big names and he can round of his Champions Season with a win.

The diminutive Hashtag Strat is an obvious contender but has the steadier of 64kg on her back and she has shown her best form over 1000m, so stable companion Gratuity with apprentice Khanya Sakayi claiming 4kg could be the pick of the Louis Goosen runners.

Apprentice Luke Ferraris has a foot injury so is unlikely to be ready to partner La Ferrari so it will be interesting to see who Tony Rivalland puts in as a replacement.

Cat’s Legacy lines up in the sixth, with Ferraris also scheduled to ride, but Alyson Wright is sure to looked for a similar four-claiming apprentice. Cat’s Legacy has dropped from a career high of 87 in the merit ratings to Sunday’s 73. If Wright stays with a four-claimer, that will be another 8 pounds off his back. Cat’s Legacy has been a touch disappointing after showing some promise early in his career against stronger than what he meets on Sunday so he could prove to be a solid bet on the day.

Internet Kid will be a popular banker in the opening leg of the Pick 6. The fifth race looks to be a difficult affair where punters would do well to load up in the exotics but Je Suis Silver and Geographe Bay could prove the pick.

Duncan Howells hit form at Scottsville on Wednesday with a brace of winners and his pair of Barinois and Queen’s Plain could see you through in the seventh.

Copper Pot and Stand By Me should be right there in a competitive last race but beware of Don Pierro. The gelding has a hot temperament but is talented and he looks to be over his right course and distance.

By Andrew Harrison

The Sean Tarry-trained Redberry Lane provided Lammerskraal Stud with their first Grade 1 winner since Pieter and Jolanda Graaf purchased the farm from former owner Mike Rattray in 2014 when winning the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes at the Vodacom Durban July meeting on Saturday.

Lammerskraal’s great USA-bred champion stallion Western Winter is locked in a posthumous battle with Jet Master for the title of most prolific producer of individual Grade 1 winners in South African history and he moved into the lead again as Redberry Lane provided him with a 23^rd .

Lammerskraal’s stalwart stud manager Sally Jourdan shared the Graaf’s excitement, particularly as Redberry Lane is yet another success story in a burgeoning Lammerskraal-owned family which is full of class.

Redberry Lane (Candiese Marnewick)

Tarry believed the front-running filly’s best chance of beating the brilliant Justin Snaith-trained Captain Al Filly Snowdance was to “gallop her into the ground” so his hopes were dampened when she was unable to get to the front due to the good starts by both Snowdance and Folk Dance inside of her. However, she settled well on the rail behind a keen Snowdance as Final Judgement set a steady pace out in front. It panned out well for Redberry Lane from there. She was able to take the shortest way home on the rail. Meanwhile, Snowdance was carried out in the straight while overtaking the pacemaker and she then hung inward in the latter stages. Champion Jockey elect Lyle Hewitson extracted a late surge from Redberry Lane to get up on the head bob and secure his second career Grade 1 victory.

Snowdance’s defeat was a body blow to the Snaith team, who felt for the punters. As a result they were unable to elevate the meeting to their best ever day in racing, despite having earlier landed the Vodacom Durban July one-two-three as well as fifth place.

Ironically Redberry Lane is a full-sister to the Snaith-trained Grade 1 Cape Guineas and Grade 2 KRA Guineas winner Solo Traveller, who was born in 2007.

Solo Traveller was bred by Lammerskraal Stud and was the first male progeny of broodmare Strawberry Lane. The latter won third time out over 1600m and at stud is fast-becoming a matriarch. Besides the two Grade 1 winners she has produced, her first foal Strawberry Ice, also by Western Winter and born in 2006, was four-times Graded placed and at stud she has produced Flying Ice (Go Deputy), who won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet and a Listed race and is set to make her USA debut for Barry Irwin’s Team Valor in the late Fall. Strawberry Ice has also produced five-time winner Varsity Cup (Var), two-time winner Rampant Ice (Go Deputy) and a recent winner Strawberry Fire (Silvano) from all her foals. She has a two-year-old Dynasty colt on the ground who will be trained by Singapore-based Pat Shaw. She has another Dynasty colt at foot too.

Strawberry Lane also has a Dynasty two-year-old colt on the ground and is currently in foal to Visionaire, who stands at Lammerskraal.

Redberry Lane and Solo Traveller have three other full-sisters as well as a full-brother, the four-time winner Starret City.

The three full-sisters are three-time winner Rockaberry Lane, three-time winner Strawberry Line and one-time winner Skylar Lane.

Strawberry Line has a Duke Of Marmalade two-year-old filly, a Wylie Hall yearling filly and an Act Of War weanling colt on the ground and is now owned by Summerhill Stud.

Rockaberry Lane has “a magnificent Querari filly” on the ground and is in foal to Var.

Skylar Lane has a Querari filly with the Snaiths and is in foal to Visionaire.

Strawberry Lane’s ascendants are becoming sort after and she is gaining a reputation as big as one of Lammerskraal’s other best matriarchs, Nacarat, from whom the like of Grade 1 winners Nania and Red Ray hail.

Lammerskraal’s other stallion Go Deputy, sire of Triple Crown hero Abashiri, continues to produce, despite being unfashionable. His progeny are also doing well in the Lammerskraal colours at present. Jourdan was asked by Graaf to pick two of Go Deputy’s fillies out of his 2014 crop and she plumped for Flichity By Farr and Insignis. The Alyson Wright-trained Flichity By Farr finished a flying second in the Grade 3 Gold Vase on VDJ day and should be a big runner in the Gold Cup. Insignis is doing well for Geoff Woodruff and finished fourth to Redberry Lane in the Listed Syringa Handicap.

The Stud has always been associated with red and white silks so when Rattray took his colours with him the Graaf’s together with Jourdan designed a set of silks using the same red and white colours.

Nick Jonsson, who part-owns the July one-two Do It Again and Made To Conquer, was on the podium to congratulate Redberry Lane’s connections as the CEO of Garden Province Stakes’ sponsor Jonsson Workwear.

By David Thiselton

Doublemint has been installed 18-10 favourite with World Sports Betting to give weight all round in the Highlands Stud Winter Derby at Kenilworth on Saturday with distance winner Rock My Soul on 7-2.

The Brett Crawford-trained Spring Man is next on 4-1 and Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount Ancestry on 11-2. Other prices are 7-1 Love Happens, 14-1 Ballad Of The Sea, 16-1 Power Tower, 18-1 Man About Town and 22-1 Pacific Chestnut.

For the most part the prices mirror those posted for the original Winter Derby meeting a fortnight ago but the record-priced Charles, who made a winning debut little more than three weeks ago, is a fascinating addition to the Langerman line-up. Corne Orffer’s mount is 3-1 second favourite with the unbeaten One World heading the market at 5-2.

–  Jeff Lloyd’s tip Asharani won in a common canter on debut at Ipswich yesterday. Unfortunately half Australia seemed to know about the filly and she was returned no better than 1-2.

By Michael Clower

It was a tough day in the trenches for punters at Scottsville yesterday with many a favourite falling by the wayside and to make things worse, not even hitting the boards.

Hot favourite Pearl Tiara returned some normality to proceedings in a sweaty finish but the damage had already been done in earlier exchanges in the exotics.

Warfarer (Candiese Marnewick)

Not that visiting jockey Sherman Brown would have cared as replacement riders won three of the eight races with Ashton Arries rounding off a tough day in the last. Callan Murray, (hip operation) and apprentice Luke Ferraris (injured foot) left Brown with two pick-up rides and he got them both home.

Euphotic and Podcast were the main fancies in the opening leg of the PA but both didn’t make the frame as Brown, replacing Ferraris, kept Marchingtogether going strongly to beat home Perpetual Flame and Stream Ahead for Gavin van Zyl.

Brown replaced Murray on Who Says for Duncan Howells and in spite of drifting right across the race course to the outside rail, won well enough, finishing ahead of stable companion Ninjinsky’s Son.

The Australian-bred is an exceptional specimen but has had a myriad of problems. A wind operation, gelding and lots of patience eventually paying off.

The Natal Carbineers Handicap was always going to be a tester for punters but 55-1 chance Warfarer was not at the top of many a punter’s list.

Down the field at his last two, Lezeanne Forbes had him in top condition over his favourite course and distance and he came home full of running ahead of Malinga and Ballymaine.

Linger Longer looked set for another upset in the fifth as she took a commanding lead inside the final furlong but Pearl Tiara and Palace Rose cut into her advantage with every stride to collar her on the line. There was a piece of paper separating Pearl Tiara and Palace Rose with the photo favouring the favourite.

The always consistent Ronnie Rocket finally got it all together for Pat Lunn in the sixth denying apprentice Jabu Jacobs his first winner as Roy’s Magic made a determined effort to challenge.

Falkland pulled off a one-two for Brett Crawford as Corne Orffer got his gelding’s nose in front ahead of stable companion Pata Pata, second, third and fourth over the line all racing in the silks of Mario Ferreira.

There is no substitute for experience when it comes to young horses and Wild Rendezvous, having his tenth outing, put the final nail in the Pick 6 coffin as replacement rider apprentice Ashton Arries got the best out of Mike Miller’s outsider to just hold the favourite Celebration Rock. This was the favourite’s first serious visit to the track and was carrying 2.44 tickets into the last leg of the Pick 6.

By Andrew Harrison

The Vaal stages a low key nine race card tomorrow and the exotics look the best way to play it.

In the first leg of the PA Favourite Model looked the winner last time over this distance on the Classic track when ranging up from a handy position but she then found no extra and was beaten 1,3 lengths, so there could be a slight concern that she doesn’t quite see out the trip. However, she has twice placed over this trip and is tipped to beat an uninspiring field. Oh Mercy Me ran a fair race over 1450m last time and was plugging on. She will improve and should enjoy the step up in trip so is another one to include in the PA. Pretty Border was scalped when beaten 2,8 lengths from a wide draw by Favourite Model last time but was staying on strongly and is also a must include in the PA.

Quattro (JC Photographics)

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Pidgeon Rock showed fair pace and stayed on well over 1160m second time out for a good runner up finish. At first glance he appears to be a banker consideration. However, Lazarus Tree hit the front close to home over 1200m on debut in April and was only caught late before fading into fifth. He was backed from 20/1 into 5/1 that day. He finished ten lengths back second time out over 1000m, but that was in a strong maiden field. He could be a threat despite not having raced for 77 days.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Quattro has been enjoying the winter conditions and has been showing pace and the ability to stay on. He has been knocking on the door off his current merit rating and is the one to beat. Wottahottie has won over course and distance before and drops down to this trip having been knocking on the door for a long time off this mark from 1400-1600m. Refuge put up a fair effort last time over 1400m when sitting behind the pace and staying on and off a two point lower mark is interesting over a course and distance over which he has won twice in just three attempts. Thewaywemakem was staying on well last time when beaten just half-a-length by Quattro and is now 0,5kg better off and Hewitson remains aboard. King Of The Delta had some fair maiden form and should be thereabouts despite having to carry topweight. Goa and Singaswewin also warrant consideration.

In the sixth race over 1200m Hideaway looks a fair sort and will relish the step back to a sprint. Stark caught the eye last time in his second run after an eight-and-a-half month layoff and should be a big runner here. Prince Jordan won his maiden well and off a reasonable mark should go close too.

In the seventh over 1200m Baahir is an honest sort who has been going close over his current merit rating. Huyssteen and Play The Night both have a touch of class. Huyssteen won when stepped down to 1400m and is interesting over a further step down in trip. Play The Night caught the eye last time when staying on strongly over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track in his first run after a seven month layoff and gelding.

The next race over 1600m is ultra competitive and as many horses as possible should be included. The tip to win it is Serendipity whose handy to front-running tactics are suited to the current fast going.

In the last race, a Maiden over 1600m, Supermax is a rangy sort with scope for improvement and he is tipped to win after making a fair debut over 1400m, but Camel Walk, Cinnabon, Shanghai Pierce and Belfry also have to be considered.

By David Thiselton

Vodacom Durban July hero Do It Again will skip the Champions Cup at the end of the month and have a well-deserved rest before returning next season when his first major objectives will be the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

Jono Snaith yesterday spelt out plans for other big names in the stable: Oh Susanna will be rested before coming back to be aimed at the Paddock Stakes and the Met while Snowdance will also wait until next season when her targets will be the Queen’s Plate and the Klawervlei Majorca.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

However Elusive Silva, third in the July, runs in the Champions Cup. The owners of runner-up Made To Conquer are keen to have a crack at the eLan Gold Cup for which Strathdon and Gold Vase fourth One Direction are already intended runners.

Drakenstein racing manager Kevin Sommerville reports that Legislate, the 2014 Durban July winner, is to race on despite his flop in last month’s Post Merchants, explaining:  “He blew up in that race. Seemingly he wasn’t fit enough, so we are going to give him a bit more time.”

Fertility problems put paid to the horse’s stallion career and hopes were high when he romped home in a barrier trial. He then started third favourite for the Post Merchants but was tailed off, finishing some 18 lengths behind the second-last horse.

Miss Frankel, out of action since suffering a strained high suspensory when odds-on for her handicap debut at Kenilworth in November, is now back in training.

Avontuur general manager Pippa Mickleburgh said: “She was in work with me for some four to six weeks and she has now been back with Dennis Drier for a further six weeks. She looks amazing and we are holding thumbs.”

The Final Fling Stakes, due to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday week, has been put back seven days to July 28 following the postponement of the Highlands Stud Winter Derby meeting (which includes the Ladies Mile) to this Saturday.

By Michael Cower

Andre Nel, successful with Head Honcho in the July Consolation last Saturday, steps out Sharpe’s Eagle in the opening leg of the Pick 6 at Scottsville today where the colt should take to the step up in trip. After two modest showings in barrier trials, Sharpe’s Eagle has come into his own on the track proper, finishing close-up in two sprints which should have set him up nicely for his first crack over ground.

The son of Querari was out-paced late when trying to make all on the Greyville poly last time out but should much prefer this trip and jumps from a plum draw.

His most obvious threat is Dennis Driers charge Holy Land who finished with a rattle when fancied over course and distance last time out. He runs in blinkers today so it would appear that Drier thinks Holy Land is better than that showing show Sharpe’s Eagle will have to be on his game.

Gone Baby Gone (Candiese Marnewick)

Gone Baby Gone, a winner second run back for his old stable, can follow up in a highly competitive Natal Carbineers Handicap, opening leg of the jackpot. The race is a mine field with almost every runner in with a winning chance but after a somewhat disappointing Highveld campaign Gone Baby Gone has come good again for Glen Kotzen, making all the running to win on the poly last time out.

He faces a much stiffer task this afternoon but does look capable of going to the well again.

Verdier over-raced when tried in blinkers and ran out of gas inside the last furlong in a race won by VDJ second Made To Conquer and looks a threat. Mark Dixon has removed the blinkers and Verdier can turn in a better performance this time around.

Ballymaine has recorded all three of his wins at Scottsville, the two most recent over course and distance, and he has not been out of the money since being tried in blinkers by Ivan and Darryl Moore. He was a game fourth in the recent Track & Ball Derby behind, It’s My Turn who followed up on Saturday with victory in the Gold Vase and with a drop in class he is a must inclusion in all exotic bets.

With little over a fortnight before the end of the season, two-year-olds could hold sway in the Natal Associated Agencies Maiden where current two-year-olds Pearl Tiara and Targaryen Queen could hold sway. Pearl Tiara trialled well and carrier that form into her debut, made in feature company, where she finished close-up to Firdoas in the Devon Air Stakes. She was a trifle unlucky not to have finished closer as she found traffic and can make amends here.

Targaryen Queen caught the eye on debut behind hot favourite Charge D’Affaires and she has a pedigree that suggests that she will much prefer this extra furlong.

Nauticus was deemed good enough to make the trip for the Western Cape summer but the Drier string did not enjoy the best of seasons. He has had three races since his return and showed last time out why he had earned his place on the float to Cape Town. He finished a close-up fourth and can make it home in front in the Blomeyers Electrical Handicap.

But in another tough race Royal Kaitrina is due a change of fortune and should be right there again while Ronnie Rocket takes a drop in class and is over his best trip.

Valedictorian was a reserve runner in a tough Pinnacle Stakes race on July day which was possibly an indication of how Vaughan Marshall rates the lightly raced gelding. He was a good fourth in Graduation company at only his second start at Kenilworth and trialled well in his only outing this winter. He takes on some more seasoned opposition in the Splash Distributors Handicap but could have a touch too much class.

Finally, Paul Lafferty is one of the principal proponents of barrier trials and his colt Celebration Rock turned in an eye-catching trial that is unlikely to have gone unnoticed. The Australian-bred colt is likely to start favourite for the last.

By Andrew Harrison

Dean Kannemeyer is to have a crack at the eLan Gold Cup at Greville on July 28 with It’s My Turn even though he expects last Saturday’s DStv Gold Cup winner to again be shouldered with top weight.

Dean Kannemeyer

Kannemeyer said: “There is nothing else for him in Durban this season and he has earned his stripes for the weight.”

But there was no ‘we wuz robbed’ cry from the Milnerton trainer about Fred Crabbia’s five-year-old not getting a run in the Vodacom Durban July.

Instead he said: “I thought the horse had done enough to make the cut when he won the Track And Ball Derby and we were surprised and disappointed that he didn’t. But, that said, when the referee blows the whistle for a penalty in the World Cup one side is happy and the other is unhappy.”

The Durban Golden Horseshoe winner has not gone on to take the Premiers Champion since Argonaut 11 years ago and whether Barahin or short head stable companion Soqrat run in the July 28 Grade 1 will depend on the draw.

Mike de Kock said: “I will nominate them both but I am not going to run either from a bad draw. They are two very good horses. I said beforehand that I couldn’t separate them and it almost came to that on the line.”

De Kock’s threat to turn his back on South African racing following the way he and other Johannesburg trainers were treated by the grooms and their EFF backers last month sent shock waves round the world. De Kock is still stung by what happened and said: “I am keeping my options open but I am cutting my string down.”

Sean Tarry, who was also at the centre of those negotiations, combined with S’Manga Khumalo for their third Samsung Golden Slipper victory in six seasons and said: “Celtic Sea (who was hampered early overcoming a 13 draw) is a classy filly and I will nominate her for the Thekwin and see how she draws but I am not going to put her through that again.”

By Michael Clower

Jeff Lloyd flew back to Australia yesterday and he has left a hot tip for his legion of fans in South Africa.

He said: “I ride a very good two-year-old called Asharani at Ipswich on Wednesday and I expect her to win.”

Asharani is a newcomer and she runs in the Schweppes QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap which is due off at 6.32am South African time. The race will be shown live on Tellytrack.

Jeff Lloyd (Candiese Marnewick)

Before he flew back to his adopted home the six-time South African champion relived his final Vodacom Durban July ride, saying: “Going down to the start I could hear the crowd cheering me. That was nice although I was trying to keep Made To Conquer as calm as possible because he was getting a bit stirred up and too keen.

“The delay at the start didn’t help because it was upsetting him and he was agitated. He doesn’t like having other horses around him and he tries to kick them so for the 20 minutes, or however long it was we were down there, I was trying to keep away from the others.

“When we broke the tempo wasn’t that fast. Made To Conquer is quite a lazy horse and it was only when African Night Sky came round us all that he started to concentrate and pick up well. I was going better than African Night Sky and I took it up early on purpose because my horse doesn’t quicken.

“I knew he would run to the line but at the back of my mind I always felt something would quicken quickly and catch him. Had Anton on Do It Again come at me later my horse would have found a bit more but he came to me quick and got a length up on me. He had a better turn of foot than me but mine ran his heart out. I couldn’t have asked him to run any better than he did.”

And the future?  “At the moment I am going to stop riding about the end of the season but I haven’t set a date yet. We will, though, be staying in Australia.”

By Michael Clower