The Vaal Outside Track has a lowkey nine race meeting but there look to be opportunities for exotic and on-the-nose punters alike.

In race six over 1000m the bottom weight, Sirtain, still looks to be learning so has plenty of scope for further improvement. This four-year-old Australian-bred by Not A Single Doubt started his career with two ordinary runs, but blinkers then turned him around and, after winning his maiden by 4,1 lengths, he won a handicap last time cosily. He has a middle draw on a track, which tends to favour outside draws and off only a three point higher mark has a fine chance, although he is stepping up from MR69 class to MR84 class. Delpech rides which will be a bonus. The topweight Clever Guy has been facing top class fields and has dropped to an attractive merit rating. He is drawn on the standside rail and has Strydom up in his third run after a layoff, so has a shout. Rebel’s Champ is not the most reliable, but has ability. He seems to run best when away from other horses at which point he makes an early charge for home with telling effect. He can also be a threat. However, the progressive Sirtain is selected as a banker for all exotics.

Costa Da Sol

In the last race over 1600m, No Man’s Land caught the eye last time staying on over this trip from a tricky draw at Turffontein and he now has a favourable high draw by trends. This son of Oratorio has only had five starts and now that he is going over the mile should start coming into his own. Marco van Rensburg stays aboard which is significant, as he has become a rider out of the top drawer. Tumbling Stream could be dangerous from the front, although there might be a question about him staying the trip. He led over 1400m last time and finished a decent 2,25 length second. Over this step up in trip he will be able to take it easier in front from a nice high draw, as long as he settles, and he might enjoy the trip despite being by sprinter King’s Apostle because his Western Winter dam won over 1800m. Divine Connection will relish the step up in trip as he only got going late when winning over 1400m last time. He runs off a reasonable merit rating

In the seventh race over 1400m Schippers is an interesting runner first time out the maidens. This Var filly is out of a Count Dubois three-time winning sprinter, which doesn’t augur well for the step up to 1400m. However, last time she ran on from behind over 1160m and then found another gear when challenged late, so she has a chance of seeing out this trip. If she doesn’t the pieces could be picked up by Amanika. Last time over this course and distance she seemed to hit a flat spot when it started getting serious, but she then suddenly picked up and won more cosily than the head margin suggests. She will be improving all the time being by Silvano and for the second time in succession has the favourable standside draw. Record-breaking apprentice Lyle Hewitson remains aboard.

In the second race, a workrider’s maiden over 1600m, Agent Kay would have been made the best bet of the day if he had not landed a low draw. Last time over 1800m he raced a bit keenly, which was costly in the end, so he will relish the step down in trip. He has been catching the eye lately and looks a cut above this field, so he can still win it despite the unfavourable draw by trends. He has a fair workrider aboard in Siyabonga Mthembu.

The third race will be tricky for PA punters with eight first-timers involved and little form having been shown by the raced runners. Railtrip and Coyote Girl make most appeal of the first-timers on pedigree and of the raced runners Liquid Gold has found support in both of her starts and ran two fair races.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is also tricky, but the first-timer rule could come to punters rescue. Considering draws and overall form Ancient Spirit, Bourbon Bouquet and Flying Falcon could get punters through the Pick 6.

In the first leg of the Jackpot the first-timer What A Fizz, who is by the exciting new sire What A Winter out of a Listed-placed Argentinian-bred mare, is tipped to beat the best of the raced runners, That’s Life.

By David Thiselton

Legal Eagle has -a little surprisingly perhaps – been installed favourite as short as 18-10 for the Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein on May 5.

Legal Eagle (Liesl King)

The dual Horse of the Year’s suspected vulnerability over 2 000m was confirmed when he was beaten by 25-1 shot Deo Juvente in last year’s race. He managed only fourth when tried over the distance again in the Sun Met and, although he went off favourite once more, his price was 57-20.

World Sports Betting makes Triple Crown winner Abashiri second favourite at 11-2 for the Grade 1 with last year’s third Nother Russia next on 8-1. Deo Juvente is a 45-1 shot this time while French Navy (fourth last year) is quoted at 35-1.

Glen Kotzen is going to send his Cape Derby third Pack Leader to Durban as well as Eyes Wide Open who won that race.

He said: “Both will go for the Daisy Guineas (May 6) and the Daily News (June 2) but Pack Leader could be the July horse as he is likely to have less weight while Eyes Wide Open could go for the Champions Cup.”

Both horses carry the yellow and blue checked diamond colours of Hugo Hattingh’s Chrigor Stud but Pack Leader’s breeders Bruce and Ann Nicholas are partners in the Philanthropist colt.  Kotzen famously made a clean sweep of the Guineas, Daily News and Vodacom Durban July with Big City Life in 2009.

By Michael Clower

It took a little longer than expected! Stuck on 284 winners, Lyle Hewitson needed just one more winning ride to eclipse the number of victories by an apprentice after he had equaled Gavin Lerena’s mark of 284 wins at Greyville on Sunday.

With almost a full card of rides for Sean Tarry at The Vaal yesterday, it proved a frustrating afternoon until he finally broke the ice on Shenanigans, his last mount of the afternoon for Tarry.

Lyle Hewitson

It was fitting that his record-breaking ride was for Tarry as the champion trainer has been a pillar in the 20-year-old Hewitson’s career.

Hewitson only comes out of his apprenticeship early next year and after he won on Roy Had Enough and reached the magical 284 wins on Sunday, he said: “I’ve still got nine months to run and I intend to build up as big a lead as possible during the time.”

Hewitson had extensive work riders experience and was crowned champion before being accepted at the SA Jockey Academy after matriculating at Kearsney College and his apprenticeship was cut to three years.

He had his first ride as a fully-fledged apprentice at Scottsville on March 6, 2016 and trainers were quick to capitalise on his experience and 4kg claim. In a little over three months 60 winners were in the bag and he was in with the big boys without his apprentice claim.

It was more than 10 years ago that Lerena broke the original record set up by Michael Roberts of 260.

While exact stats on Roberts’ performance are not available, we do know Lerena took 3,326 rides to reach his record while Nooresh Juglall, who rode 248 winners as an apprentice, took 3,237 rides. Hewitson has ridden his 285 winners in 2,790 rides.

By Andrew Harrison

Flying Free has toured the country in his short career and although only managing a single victory in his 11 starts he races off a hefty MR of 97 that sees him carrying top weight in the Track & Ball Stanger Handicap that heads a testing Greyville card – all races on the poly.

Flying Free was close to the top of the pile as a juvenile, finishing a close-up fourth to Purple Diamond in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on July day and was caught late in two subsequent starts.

Founding Father (Candiese Marnewick)

Gavin van Zyl then shipped him to the Highveld where he disappointed in the Graham Beck Stakes behind the then promising but now deceased Zen Arcade.

His best run to date was in the Dingaans, beaten just over a length by Monks Hood, and not having much luck in the running from his outside draw.

He makes his poly debut under a hefty burden but strikes as a horse with some potential and could prove up to the task although it will not be easy against some hard-knocking older horses.

He was firm at 11-2 with raceday sponsors Track & Ball early yesterday.

Founding Father, 5-2 ante-post favourite, has registered all four of his victories on the poly and comes off a recent demolition of the game and consistent El Ciberano for which he took an eight-point hike in the handicap. Judging by the gaps between his races he is obviously a horse with issues so Dennis Bosch ensures that he is fully tuned when making it to the track.

Stable companion Varallo has attracted the early money, in from 7-2 to 33-10. The gelding has been disappointing given his form in some useful company and he surrendered tamely when fourth behind Sunset Eyes at Scottsville. That was however, his first run for Bosch and his first since gelding, so can possibly be given another chance. Certainly, a win would not be out of turn.

Louis Goosen has enjoyed an 18.6% winning strike rate since arriving in Ashburton and one of his stable stalwarts is the giant Haddington who had one win behind his name in 21 starts before arriving in KZN. His next seven starts resulted in four wins and three in the money and another win looks possible when he lines up in the Track & Ball Shelly Beach Handicap. A mile on the poly is possibly at the bottom of his optimum range but he is a relentless galloper and barring accidents should be involved.

The Brett Crawford / Anthony Delpech combination is proving lucrative to follow and Haddington could have his hands full fighting off Border Control, favourite at 3-1 with Haddington and Subtropical bracketed at 4-1. Border Control’s last win was over course and distance beating Forceful Rush and he has been close-up at his last two.

Prosperous is the early market mover in the Track & Ball Pietermaritzburg maiden, opening leg of the Pick 6. The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained filly has been improving slowly in soft ground but the initial 22-1 on offer has been snapped up and she is now 15-1 but Dark Sienna remains 2-1 favourite although there are five horses quoted at 5-1 and shorter in a race that typifies a difficult card.

By Andrew Harrison

Defending Vodacom Durban July champion trainer Candice Bass-Robinson said she would be unlikely to have a runner in the big race this year and her chief focus of this year’s SA Champions Season will be the Scottsville Festival of Speed meeting where she will likely run Dutch Philip, Live Life and Magical Wonderland.

Her best male sprinter Dutch Phillip, who became an instant multi-millionaire when winning the US$500,000 CTS 1200 on Sun Met day, has been merit rated 115, so his task won’t be easy in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m on May 26 at Scottsville. Bass-Robinson said this three-year-old What A Winter colt was the only one of her horses who would be a possibility for the Grade 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint, although she was not yet sure what route he would be taking.

Dutch Philip (Liesl King)

Bass-Robinson also won the CTS 1200 last year with the filly Live Life and she is coming off a fine third place finish in the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship over 1000m. The Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m is her obvious target. This Trippi four-year-old has responded well to the use of a new bit after choking up on her seasonal reappearance in the Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m. However, her two best efforts in three subsequent runs were both over 1000m. In her other run over 1200m she was perhaps too handy, so settling in the running and finding cover will still be a slight issue at Scottsville. She raced twice at the Pietermaritzburg track last season, finishing a narrow third in the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m and a disappointing 5,65 length ninth in the SA Fillies Sprint.

The three-year-old What A Winter filly Magical Wonderland will also be going for the SA Fillies Sprint and will likely be the yard elect. She went into the CTS 1200 unbeaten in five sprints and had proved her class by also finishing second and fourth respectively in the Grade 2 WCF Championship over 1400m and the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. However, sprinting is her forte, and starting 11/10 favourite for the CTS 1200 she finished a good two length third, 1,65 lengths clear of the next best filly. Bass-Robinson did not mention whether Magical Wonderland would be earmarked for the Grade 2 Tibouchina over 1400m two weeks after the SA Fillies Sprint, but she would be a good candidate for that race.

She mentioned Ollivander and Leaves Of Grass as two other horses who would be among the smallest Bass yard SA Champions season string for many seasons.

The former, a four-year-old Silvano gelding, has achieved numerous stakes places from 1800m up to 2800m. In his penultimate start he finished a 2,05 length third in the Grade 2 Western Cape Stayers and in his only other attempt at a staying race, he finished third in last year’s Grade 3 Winter Derby. The 99 merit rated-gelding looks likely to be a candidate for the Gold Cup and other middle-distance and staying events.

Leaves Of Grass, an Australian-bred four-year-old filly, won the Listed Jamaica Handicap over 2000m last time out when 2kg under sufferance off a 76 merit rating. She has been raised to an 84, but minor features look to be her target.

Bass-Robinson said her hopes of having a July runner would rest on any of her three-year-olds excelling in the Cape Winter classics. However, after mentioning two candidates for that series, Selangor Cup winner Rocket Countdown and the improving Ben-Hur, she added they had some way to go to be up to July standard.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Candice Bass-Robinson (hamishNIVENPhotography)

Vodacom Durban July hero Marinaresco and Sun Met runner-up Last Winter fly out for their 90-day quarantine stint in Mauritius next Monday.

Dean Kannemeyer, who has Hong Kong ambitions in December for Last Winter, is relieved that the decision was taken for the horse to leave the country this month rather than travel after running in the Durban July.

He said: “It means that we have plenty of time for him to recover and get acclimatised. Had we waited for the July that might not have been the case.”

Cape Town racing returns to Durbanville for four consecutive meetings on Saturday with a further two in April. The course will stage its first two-year-old races since February 2016.

More use is being made of Durbanville since the racing surface was improved and there are 27 meetings scheduled there this year compared with 29 on the Kenilworth summer course and 25 on the winter course.

In 2016, Durbanville’s last full year of operation, there were 16 meetings at the country course – primarily in February and September/October but now there will be at least one meeting a month with the exception of May, November and December.

Betting turnover there used to be low relative to Kenilworth but, according to manager Dean Diedericks, it has improved significantly since the re-opening.

By Michael Clower

Two MR 84 handicaps are the highlight of a lowkey nine race card at the Vaal Inside track tomorrow.

The first of them is a competitive one for fillies and mares over 1800m. Pilgrim’s Progress has always struck as one with ability and last time out stayed on quite well from behind over the too sharp 1600m. She has a good draw here and it is her third run after a layoff. She is unbeaten in three starts from 1800-2000m.

She’s A Giver

The chief danger could be Being Fabulous. She was far from disgraced over 1600m last time when setting the pace against some useful males and now has her third run after a layoff over a trip she should get. From pole position she should be able to dictate the pace, although she does have to give the field 3kg and more. Secret Potion is a leggy sort with a fine turn of foot and she probably hit the front too soon last time when having to hold on bravely over 2000m.

She might appreciate the step down in trip and off just a three point higher mark this progressive filly can make it a hattrick. Forest Express was tried in a feature after an impressive maiden win over 1600m, so must be held in high regard and she sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight, so must have a good chance over a step up in trip she should relish.

Cold Cash wasn’t disgraced behind the like of She’s A Giver over 1600m last time in a conditions plate when way under sufferance and she has her third run after a layoff over a suitable trip. Pennington Sands could earn if repeating her last run as she has been dropped another two points in the merit ratings.

The next race is a MR 84 handicap over 1700m. Shenanigans is hard to asses. Last time, after hitting a flat spot in a 2000m event, he stormed home and just failed. He looked to need every inch of that distance, but in his previous start had shown a fine turn of foot when winning over 1600m, so he should enjoy this 1700m trip. He has been raised only two points for his last run and is well drawn. Notting Hill is a nice rangy sort and needed his last run over 1400m when fading out. He could surprise from a good draw over a more suitable trip and if he doesn’t place tomorrow, he should be followed subsequently as he has always struck as a decent sort. Diamond Dancer is a resolute galloper with a good kick and should run well fresh over a trip just a touch short of his best.

The best bet on the card could be in the last over 1100m as Inyanga put up a fine display last time from a tough draw with first-time blinkers on and Strydom remains aboard from a favourable draw.

However, the first three legs of the Pick 6 are tough and players might have to go wide.

By David Thiselton

Adam Marcus is optimistic that a deliberate pruning policy, coupled with his recent rich vein of form, will enable him to up the quality of his stable.

A first and last race double at Kenilworth on Saturday took his tally to 12 winners in the last 14 weeks but he is setting his sights more in line of those of father Basil and uncle Anton, explaining: “I am aiming to expand and hopefully these recent winners will encourage more big owners to back me – I have yet to get any of the big Cape Town ones but I am hopeful of doing so.”

He has slimmed the string down to 30 expected to pay their way, leaving room for the new intake, but one that will be staying is Red Rascal who made a winning debut under Aldo Domeyer in the opener after being backed from 9-2 to 9-10 and despite not having had a racecourse gallop.

Adam Marcus

Marcus said: “He has a long way to go to reach where we think he will get – we think very highly of him.”

Greyville is where Andre Nel is going with Silver De Lange who Anthony Andrews delivered through the racing equivalent of the eye of a needle in the TAB Telebet Handicap. The gap between the outside rail and stable companion Kampala Campari was being squeezed like an orange as he shot through it and his mount received a hefty bump in the process.

Nel said: “He will go for the staying races in Durban. He is an up-and-coming horse and I ran him here to see if he was going to be good enough to go.”

Paul Barrett recently teamed up with Ian Robinson and Francis Carruthers to buy Meliora from trainer Glen Puller (at the gelding’s R50 000 sale price plus training costs since) and they recouped R50 000 at the first time of asking when Piet Botha delivered the 6-1 chance late for a comfortable win in the Tabonline Maiden.

No surprise, though, because these owners collect winners like a philatelist collects stamps. Barrett has had 151 in 24 years and this was number 99 in ten years for Robinson including, of course, that million dollar race with Illuminator.

Ken Truter and wife Jane have had too many to keep count but the male half of the partnership was kicking himself after Domeyer completed his double on the Vaughan Marshall-trained Vincente in the Supabets Handicap, saying: “He might have won more races sooner had I not insisted on him not being gelded before!”

Greg Cheyne was also in double form – on Bendy Bullet for Eric Sands and Marcus’s Elusive Touch – while Andrews got into the same act by winning the Interbet Handicap on Samsara for his parents and Greg Ennion.

The expected Brett Crawford bonanza proved an expensive illusion – for punters as well as the trainer – and hot favourite Spring Man didn’t even make the frame behind MJ Byleveld on the Paddy Kruyer-trained Earth Hour in the Play Soccer Handicap. He was hanging from 400m out.

By Michael Clower

The Kenilworth stipes will tomorrow carry out a DNA test on All Aboard as part of their investigations into why the unraced two-year-old’s markings failed to match those in his passport when he was compulsorily scratched at Kenilworth last Tuesday.

Senior stipe Ernie Rodrigues on Saturday reiterated that it was the correct horse who appeared last week – the scanned chip matched the number in both the passport and the NHA records – and he explained: “We are doing the DNA test so that we can clear the horse to race as soon as possible.”

Hashtagyolo

Rodrigues explained that the NHA receives photographs of foals and yearlings from the studs – All Aboard was sold by Klipdrif as agent for R300 000 at last year’s CTS Premier – and the one in its records shows markings that match the original passport.

However equine passports can be re-issued and that of All Aboard has been issued three times. It is the centre page of the third passport that shows markings completely different from the two previous ones.

Rodrigues said: “We still have to ascertain how this latest centre page got into the passport.”

He and his colleagues also have to ascertain which passport was presented when the Mambo In Seattle colt was granted his stalls certificate and, if it was the third one, why the discrepancy was not spotted by officials at the time.

All Aboard is trained by Dean Kannemeyer who reported that the unbeaten Hashtagyolo, favourite for the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas before being scratched, has been back in the equine hospital in Johannesburg a second time.

She was originally sent there after suffering what Kannemeyer describes as “a wobbly” and he said: “She had recovered and was doing well when her temperature went back up again.

“She was obviously incubating a virus so I put her back into hospital for a couple of days. She is OK again now and I will probably send her down to Durban shortly.”

Kannemeyer believes it was a blessing in disguise that the wobbly happened when it did rather than at the time of the race, saying: “If you run them when they are incubating a virus it can set them back three or four months.”

By Michael Clower

Alistair Gordon has been training for 45 years but said there would have to be something wrong with you if you still not get excited about winning horse races and he experienced one of the most adrenalin-rushing moments of his career when his charge Monks Hood toyed with the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas field at Turffontein Standside on Saturday and drew away to win by an effortless 5,5 lengths under Anthony Delpech.

Summerveld-based Gordon stood alone and watched the race having been caught halfway between an interview and owner Mary Slack’s box and said, “I couldn’t believe how well he was travelling going through the 300m mark against such a high caliber field, it was almost surreal.”

Alistair Gordon

Moments earlier Gordon had wondered whether the good looking bay had gone too soon, a factor he and Delpech had discussed. However, Delpech had little choice because at the top of the straight he was travelling so much better than the horse in front of him, Greek Fire, that he had to switch outward for a run.

Gordon continued, “When he put his foot on the pedal nobody was going with him.”

Delpech pressed the button just before the 400m mark and the response was instantaneous. By the 300m mark he had hit the front and had done it effortlessly.

“Monks Hood is toying with them in the Gauteng Guineas!” boomed commentator Alistair Cohen’s voice.

The Querari gelding sauntered clear and crossed the line easing up with ears pricked having been given no more than a couple of backhanders.

Gordon was surprised by the manner of the win, but had been expecting him to run “a good race”.

He said, “I had told the media he had improved a lot since his Dingaans win.”

He then said something quite frightening for the opposition, “We will see the best of him when he runs on good ground, you could see that at Scottsville last time the way he quickened. He is maturing and getting better all the time.”

Officially the penetrometer reading was 21 yesterday, which is on the quick side of good ground, while at Scottsville the reading had been 24.

Gordon said Monks Hood had looked fine after the race. “He was chilled and eating grass at the back … he was totally relaxed.”

The horse left Turffontein at 7 o’clock yesterday morning (Sunday).

Gordon heaped praise on his staff and said, “It is like any business, you can’t achieve without the right team.”

He mentioned Monks Hood’s regular workrider Carrie Radford and all of the yard’s grooms.

Delpech gave the horse a fine ride and quickly had the horses settled with cover from a draw of seven and Gordon said, “He switches off very easily now that he has matured mentally. That is why he can show such a good turn of foot.”

Monks Hood (Candiese Marnewick)

Gordon will now discuss the next step with Delpech and Mary Slack of owners Wilgerbosdrift Stud, but warned, “I have done it often enough to know it is very difficult to travel up to Highveld twice in a month, it is not easy, it only gets harder, and if he were to run a bad race in the SA Classic it could wipe him out for the SA Champions Season.”

Gordon, asked about the Vodacom Durban July, said, “I don’t think he will get the July trip, definitely not, but it is just my opinion.”

The runner up Surcharge put in a fine performance considering he lacks gatespeed and was caught two wide in the running from a wide draw. He looks likely to relish the step up in trip to 1800m in the Grade 1 SA Classic.

Royal Crusade stayed on doggedly from the front, while Noble Secret and Vacquero both ran on well from well back in the running. All three should enjoy the SA Classic distance too.

The disappointment of the race was the favourite Majestic Mambo, who seemed to have his head in the air when asked to quicken from well back in the running and might not have enjoyed the quick going, although the penetrometer reading was officially the same as in his impressive Sea Cottage Stakes win. He is unbeaten in three starts over the SA Classic distance.

By David Thiselton