The excitement starts early at Kenilworth today when high expectations and high prices get their first real test in the first two races.

No less than 19 of the 26 runners are newcomers and, if the winners come from this group, it would fit the pattern of the Cape Town juvenile scene so far this season. There have been 13 two-year-old races and ten of them have gone to first-timers.

The highest-priced of today’s debutants is Frank Lloyd Wright who made R3.25 million at last year’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale. He was sold by Drakenstein and now races in the colours of Qatar Racing in partnership with Drakenstein. By Captain Al, he is out of a seven-time winner and opened 3-1 favourite for the Itsarush.co.za Maiden when World Sports Betting posted its prices on Saturday.

Silver Coin (Wayne Marks)

“He is the type we could see in the R5 million races next January,” says Jonathan Snaith who is wary of predicting victory as he points out that the stable has not won a two-year-old race this season. “This colt is inexperienced but he should run into the money and we will be disappointed if he doesn’t.”

But seemingly he will have to go to beat Quick Star who was backed down to 4-1 second favourite when fourth on debut in the Kuda Sprint on Met day. Admittedly he was beaten over seven lengths but seemingly the money for him had a solid foundation.

“He is a serious horse and we thought he had a big chance that day,” recalls Glen Kotzen who predicts: “He should be hard to beat.”

He has been backed from 4-1 to 22-10 joint favourite with the Vaughan Marshall-trained Var colt Deepston. Marshall has won four juvenile races this term and all four scored first time out. This one has been backed from an opening 9-2.

Candice Bass-Robinson won with a number of first-timers last season and her two juvenile winners this term were both newcomers. She runs the What A Winter colt Sacred Arrow, a R250 000 buy. “He is ready to run but I am not expecting him to win first time,” is her verdict on the 10-1 chance.

Joey Ramsden has won four juvenile races but only two were newcomers. The Var colt Carnage showed enough first time to suggest he could get into the shake-up but he has drifted from 9-1 to 14-1.

Sailor Sam (10-1) is the most experienced and was only beaten a neck last time. “”He is well and he should again run well,” says Greg Ennion.

Greg Ennion

Quick Star gets the vote and in the TAB Telebet Maiden Juvenile half an hour later the Marshall runner Canukeepitsecret looks the pick. She comes from the prolific-scoring Mystic Spring family and is a Captain Al filly out of the Sceptre and Southern Cross winner Secret Of Victoria, already the dam of All Is Secret and The Secret Is Out. “She is on the list for Durban,” says Marshall. She opened favourite at 16-10 and was 14-10 yesterday.

European Roller (4-1) has finished closest but Kotzen’s Princess Elsa (backed from 3-1 to 16-10) ran in the Listed race on Met day and, judging by the money for her, she is expected to go close.

Mrs Robinson runs four newcomers with stable jockey Aldo Domeyer on the 6-1 Judpot filly Nous Voila – “She should have run earlier but she was coughing. She is very nice and I think she will run well,” says her trainer.

Corne Orffer can bounce back from last Saturday’s sickness to win the Tabonline.co.za Maiden on 12-10 favourite Miss Smarty Pants although stable companion Capital Q is joint second favourite at 5-1 with Blue Flower.

Chatuchak has gone close in his last two and is understandably favourite at 22-10 for race four but slight preference is for Sark at 28-10.

Silver Coin, last in the Cape Derby, heads the market at 3-1 for the Play Soccer Handicap but he could be hard pressed to beat top weight Bobby Dazzler who might well have won at Durbanville last time had he got away on terms.

By Michael Clower

Last year’s Sun Met winner Whisky Baron will renew rivalry with the Mike de Kock-trained Noah From Goa in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta over 1 800m at Meydan on Saturday week after running so well in the Zabeel Mile last Thursday when he finished fourth to Janoobi with Noah From Goa third.

Noah From Goa (hamishNIVEN Photography)

Brett Crawford said yesterday: “I was over the moon with the way he ran and Colm O’Donghue was very excited with the horse. We knew he was going to need the run and I thought Janoobi was the horse to beat because he had been working exceptionally well.

“Whisky Baron has come out of the race great and the plan is next the Jebel Hatta and then, if all goes well in that, we could aim him at something on World Cup night.”

Corne Orffer, Crawford’s stable jockey in South Africa, is confident he will be fit for Kenilworth tomorrow after being taken ill on Saturday morning, being sick and suffering from diarrhoea.

He said yesterday: “I woke up 100% but I started feeling ill at work and I took myself to hospital where I was put on a drip to put back the electrodes. It was just a 24-hour bug – apparently it can take over within seconds – but I feel a lot better today and I will be fine for Tuesday.”

The very much in-form Richard Fourie will be out of action for seven days from Wednesday after being given a week’s interference suspension for his riding of runner-up Ladysmith at Kenilworth on 17 February.

By Michael Clower

Top jockey Piere Strydom regards his Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas mount Surcharge as a “special” horse, but is concerned about his wide draw.

The classy Gimmethegreenlight colt has a strong finish and has won the Listed Secretariat Stakes and the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes, both over the Turffontein Standside track, in impressive fashion in his last two starts.

Strydom said, “The way he runs he will be better over a mile.”

However, he lamented landing a draw of 14 out of 16.

Piere Strydom

He said, “He does not have a lot of speed and doesn’t jump too well. If he is slowly away, where is he going to be from that draw? He will either be caught wide or have to give them ten lengths start in the straight. It takes a special horse to do that. So the draw is not going to help.”

However, Strydom reiterated that he is indeed a special horse and added, “At the moment he is lacking gatespeed, but is still winning. He has a such a long, big stride. He is just talented and is only starting to know what he’s doing now, so has a lot of scope.”

If Surcharge is able to make up the ground, he will not be hitting the front too soon, because Strydom said the good looking bay’s acceleration was “gradual” rather than instantaneous.

He mentioned the Investec Dingaans winner Monks Hood among the opposition.

He said, “He has a fair draw and the jockey (Anthony Delpech) will be able to place him.” The Alistair Gordon-trained KZN raider had a tricky draw of nine out of 16 bin the Dingaans, but found a good position near the back. However, he only saw daylight in front of him throughout the 700m of the straight so did well to win. He also looks to be a special horse and might be handier this time from a draw of seven.

Strydom was most disappointed about the scratching of his original mount for the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the unbeaten Dean Kannemeyer-trained Hashtagyolo, although it was obviously the right decision as he confirmed the virus she had contracted had made her ill.

However, he has landed another ride, on the Sean Tarry-trained Aurelia Cotta. She is midway down the betting board at 14/1 with Betting World.

This Ashaawes filly is undoubtedly one of the dark horses of the race. The champion yard have endured a largely frustrating season, finding themselves in second place on the national log having been dominant throughout the 2016/2017 term. However, they have at last hit form and Tarry clinched a four-timer on Saturday and ran one-two-three in the highest class race of the day, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1160m.

Surcharge (JCPhotographics)

In her last start in the US$500,000 CTS Mile, Aurelia Cotta was too far back from a wide draw of 15 out of 16 on fast ground. However, her Turffontein Standside form makes good reading. On Sansui Summer Cup day she finished a three length second in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile to the Gauteng Fillies Guineas joint-favourite Folk Dance. She had the run of the race that day and ran on well. In her favour is that Folk Dance over raced a bit early in the Fillies Mile, but from a good draw of four was soon able to find cover. She has not raced since and is now drawn eleven out of 13, so Gavin Lerena might not have an easy task settling her. Aurelia Cotta on the other hand has drawn in the middle in eight and usually settles well. In her penultimate start she jumped from a wide draw of nine out of 11 in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m against the boys. She ran on well again for a far from disgraced 3,15 length fourth to the Gauteng Guineas favourite Majestic Mambo, from whom she received the weight for age allowance of 2,5kg.

Strydom rides the Gary Alexander-trained Kangaroo Jack in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m. The five-year-old Querari gelding has won over the course and distance before. However, he has drawn wide on Saturday and Strydom said once again this would leave him with a tough task against top horses. In last year’s race Kangaroo Jack was drawn nine out of nine and Andrew Fortune took him to the front where he sat on the flank of the leader New Predator. He stayed on well but found no extra late in the yielding conditions and finished a 1,85 length fourth. This horse usually settles well and has an exceptional turn of foot, so will be interesting with more conservative tactics employed in a race where there should be a good pace.

By David Thiselton

Elusive Heart, the only horse ever to beat Snowdance, added another illustrious label to her name by leading throughout the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday – and Glen Kotzen is already eyeing rich pickings at Greyville.

He said: “The course there will suit her because she can turn it on so quickly. Also she has matured – she used to race quite light but she is now a super filly.”

Glen Kotzen

Richard Fourie added: “After she beat Snowdance I thought she might win the Fillies Guineas but Snowdance killed us that day. However my filly is now very good. We went a bit fast here – she was travelling too hard – but she kept going.”

Not only that but the 6-1 Elusive Fort filly won a bit snugly at the end to fill Hugo Hattingh and Peter de Beyer with KZN hope.

Rose In Bloom, the 11-10 favourite, did best of the rest but Robert Khathi had no excuses – ”The winner was gone at the top of the straight. Even if I had sat right behind her I wouldn’t have beaten her. She was the best horse on the day and she must be very good to have beaten Snowdance.”

Miss Katalin, the third of the three three-year-olds, was only a rapidly-dwindling neck further back and she would surely have been second but for throwing away a good two lengths at the start.

The Cape Town Prawn Festival attracted a huge crowd with marketing manager Jenna Adams and the rest of the Kenilworth team convinced it was easily the biggest and most successful yet. Critics often carp that such events do little to attract people to racing but the queues at the bookmakers – six deep at times – suggested otherwise.

Perovskia’s success in the Kepu Trading Jet Master Stakes made it a red-letter day for two of Cape Town racing’s unsung heroes, Harold Crawford and Lucien Africa. Both are quiet, self-effacing individuals and so are up against it in a game where it pays to blow your own trumpet.

Crawford, though, is a shrewd punter albeit usually on a modest scale and he said: “I felt very confident because Perovskia had a bit in hand when he beat Summer Sky last time.”

But he had only a neck to spare over Mambo Mime at the line and it might well have been even closer had not the runner-up carried half a kilo overweight. “It was a gutsy performance from a horse who has gone through hell but still pays his way,” said Dean Kannemeyer.

Corne Orffer

Dan Katz was understandably delighted at third-placed Mac De Lago’s return to form, saying: “If he hadn’t been slowly away he would have challenged the winner but at least this shows I am on the right path with him.”

Corne Orffer’s sudden virus attack had trainers rushing for last-minute replacements like buyers on Black Friday and few had more reason to be pleased with their choice than Brett Crawford’s assistant Barry Donnelly.

Keagan de Melo’s talents have been known to those in KZN racing for quite some time but he is something of an unknown quantity for many in Cape Town. Not any longer. The bold front-running tactics he employed on Looking At Stars in the Hi Fi Corp Maiden – and the stylish way he executed them – impressed almost everyone who witnessed them.

Vasco put a lot into the promotion of this day and so victory for the Piet Steyn-trained Man About Town in the Bryn Ressell colours in the SAB Maiden was popular far beyond the confines of those who backed Fourie’s mount down to odds-on. But make a note of the runner-up.

Magnificent Seven had several lengths to find when the winner set sail for home but the Horse Chestnut gelding stretched his head out, lengthened his stride and set about making up the leeway like a real racehorse. He was only a short head behind at the line.   His turn will come and, on this performance, that day won’t be far away.

By Michael Clower

Anthony Delpech continued on his relentless march for the National Jockey’s Championship and extended his lead to 35 at Greyville yesterday with another ride out of the top drawer on Savuti for Brett Crawford and Summerveld assistant Peter Muscutt in the Track & Ball Savera Handicap.

The race looked wide open but Delpech had his tactics down pat as he sent Savuti around his field to lead shortly after the start. He looked well on his way to victory with a furlong to run before Sean Veale produced Agencefrancepresse with a telling late run. For a stride or two it looked as if Doug Campbell’s charge had the measure of Savuti but Delpech extracted more from his mount and went to the line with something to spare.

Savuti (Candiese Marnewick)

With the Mayfair Speculator rides drying up, some of the ill-informed on social media were calling Anton Marcus’s ability into question. He may be a veteran of the saddle but he is far from washed-up as he showed on two mounts for a past master in the saddle, Garth Puller.

Marcus delivered a knock-out punch up the inside rail on Queensbury Rules in the card opener and then made al the running on luke-warm favourite Ryker two races later.

Second, albeit a distant one, behind Sir David Baird in the KZN Guineas Trial, Ryker had been disappointing in two subsequent sprints on the turf at Scottsville.

Back over a mile, Ryker took to the poly and led from the jump to win as he liked.

Marcus added a third to round off a sound afternoon at the office as he rode a typically powerful finish on favourite Victory Trip to give Dennis Bosch his second after the afternoon after saddling Wild Hushpuppy to an upset victory in the second under Gunther Wrogemann who is now a regular visitor to these shores.

The fifth resulted in a tremendous finish with nine runners finishing within a two lengths of each other. Delpech looked set for his second victory of the afternoon as he kept Destiny Duchess hard to her task only to have Gareth Wright sneak Argenteus through on the outside rail to snatch the decision in the last stride.

Not to be out-done, Delpech got another one on the board in another desperate finish to the seventh. Moon Bird, Mbali and Gadget Man fourth a three-way battle over the final furlong with Depech extracting just that little bit extra from Gadget Man to sneak home by a neck with a short-head separating Mbali and Moon Bird who was having his first run since July last year.

By Andrew Harrison

A MR 96 Handicap over 1600m heads the Turffontein Standside card tomorrow and Social Order looks the one to side with wearing first-time blinkers.

Thus Count Dubois gelding is suited to a galloping track and his best run was over this course and distance when second in the Grade 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile. He has not really let himself down lately and now gets blinkers on and this could bring the best out of him. Kings Archer is not slowing down despite being a six-year-old entire and goes well for Pierre Strydom, so can do well over a suitable course and distance from draw three. Arctica always finds extra from the front and proved he is ideally course and distance suited last time. He will be dangerous in this small field as he might be able to dictate.

Secret Captain

Fareeq went close to Arctica last time but is only half-a-kilogram better off and Kings Archer has him held on their previous meeting. Chepardo is yet to win over this distance and the feeling has always been he is better over 1400m. Shukamisa was not far off Kings Archer last time when bumped late and steadied so he can’t be written off being 1,5kg better off for a 1,6 length beating. Irish Pride has been off form but has class and is now drawn well off an attractive merit rating. Secret Captain has been a frustrating horse as he is talented but often under performs. However, he is 1,5kg better off with Arctica for a 1,2 length beating so also has a chance. Royal Honour would prefer further.

The second race over 1160m is a classy Pinnacle event for fillies and mares and the classy Secret Star could be the one to beat, although her low draw of one might be a concern despite it being only a six-horse field. She has good cruising speed and a telling kick, so can do well running fresh as she is effective over further. The best weighted horse is Exquisite Touch a tall filly who also has good speed and a kick, but she has not raced since October. She did beat the talented The Thinker in that race, but that was her first run for six months and she has now had another layoff so must have her problems. Spring Wonder has excellent front-running pace and has won twice over course and distance before so has a chance. The concern is the breathing noise she made at the end of December when beaten over ten lengths behind Heaps Of Fun, but she did have a tough low draw that day and might have been sent for home too soon. Heaps Of Fun won comfortably over course and distance in her penultimate start. However, that was in a handicap off a 93 and she is now 2kg under sufferance with Exquisite Touch despite having been raised to a 99 merit rating. My Friend Lee won well last time over course and distance in soft going but has a tough task at the weights. Tahini pops up in Pinnacle races quite often but this is a touch sharp for her.

David Nieuwenhuizen is a fine trainer and Waity Katie, who runs in the sixth and was quite well regarded by the Mike Bass yard early in her career, can continue to progress. She went close first time out for this yard in December and then won her next two, over 1700m and 1500m. She has been raised four points but can defy the handicapper again off just a  four point higher 65 merit rating.

Stay With Me could represent value in the eight race over 1400m with Strydom up. This Count Du Bois gelding has caught the eye before as one who finishes strongly. However, his two starts out of the maidens have been disappointing. He now gets blinkers on and is six points lower in the merit ratings and has a good draw.

Peppermint Tea could represent value in the third race over 1160m having not got a clear passage last time over 1000m and she was finishing well. It is not the strongest race and it is her third career start so she should be thereabouts.

Ghost Town, Liberado and Psychic could fight out the first leg of the Pick 6, with the first two looking to have scope for improvement and the latter bringing some good form from Cape Town.

By David Thiselton

Rose In Bloom is hard to oppose in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting tomorrow and she should become the race’s third consecutive winning favourite.

Robert Khathi’s mount has an outstanding chance on her third in the Klawervlei Majorca and on adjusted ratings she has a minimum of 4kg (three and a half lengths over this trip) in hand over all bar Goodtime Gal.

Goodtime Gal (Liesl King)

Three-year-olds have only won three of the last ten runnings but, significantly, all three were trained by Joey Ramsden. The obvious danger is another of the same age group, Miss Katalin, who is on a hat-trick.

The Justin Snaith filly justified favouritism in a conditions plate last month and on her previous start she won the valuable Lanzerac Ready To Run. She could well be still on the upgrade and was 15-4 second favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday.

Elusive Heart, the third three-year-old, is an 11-2 chance and it is perhaps worth noting that she was only one place behind when Rose In Bloom ran sixth in the Fillies Guineas.

Goodtime Gal, so effective earlier in the season, seemed to have lost her edge in the Paddock and Majorca so it is far from certain that she will run up to her best and she is a 17-2 shot.

Love To Boogie (7-1) is the shorter priced of the Andre Nel pair and Captain’s Flame (11-1) has to give her a kilo but it’s worth noting that the latter would have done much better last time had she not over-raced early.

Aldo Domeyer is the only jockey in the race to have won it before (or at least since 2003) but 10-1 shot Whose That Girl has it do. Also she is drawn on the outside although, as this is the smallest Prix Du Cap field in the last 14 years, that may not be such a handicap as in previous seasons.

Brett Crawford, successful with Cuvee Brut in 2016, has each way prospects with Seattle Gold (9-1) and Louisiana (15-1) who were seventh and ninth in the Majorca.

The Kepu Trading Jet Master Stakes is pretty much a handicap with just 2.5kg separating the best from the worst on adjusted merit ratings and the betting reflects this – 9-2 favourite Summer Sky and no bigger than 8-1 any of the others with the exception of Mac De Lago (25-1).

Waiting For Rain is in form, and so are his jockey and trainer. This is a step up in class but he looks reasonable each way value at 7-1.

By Michael Clower

There have been questions from many quarters about the value of Barrier Trials but there is little doubt that those punters who take the trouble to make notes will be rewarded.

A specific National Horse Racing rule is that no trainer may gallop his horse against a horse from another stable in training.

Barrier trials negate that rule and there are always horses that need the experience of a racecourse gallop and what better way than a ‘competitive’ gallop in a trial race.

Not only do the horses experience the atmosphere of a race day, but also the starting regime.

Just Rap

Just how they perform is unlikely to disguise any obvious ability but one can draw a line through many that even in the gentle introduction of a trial, will likely take time to come to hand.

The opening race at Greyville tonight sees two recent trialists, Mr Bombastic and Zagara, in the line-up. Mr Bombastic has had two outings for Gavin van Zyl while the filly Zagara put in a forward showing in her trial. Of those that have had a race proper, only Kirav’s Tune looks a likely contender and he was beaten all of eight lengths at his third outing.

Aegean Aire, given an easy introduction in a trial, found plenty of traffic in his first race and with Anthony Delpech in the irons one can expect major improvement.

There are only seven races on tonight’s card but punters will be tested. The card is headed by the 6Bar Construction Handicap where the recent addition to the Dennis Bosch yard, Duzi Moon, could be the one to side with.

He arrives with some decent Highveld form to stronger and even though he makes his poly debut she should at least be competitive.

Stable companion Subtropical, bidding for a winning hat-trick, and Fullfillyourdream are obvious contenders but a must inclusion in all bets is the Des Egdes-trained Just Rap.

Des has decided to take a break from training after over 30 years in the sport and will be looking to go out on a high as he hands in his trainer’s brief at the end of this month.

Just Rap is over his optimum course and distance.

By Andrew Harrison

Experienced Gauteng-based jockey Gunther Wrogemann has landed the ride on the unbeaten Paul Peter-trained star Majestic Mambo for the Grade 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas and former South African Champion Jockey Gavin Lerena stays aboard Peter’s star filly Folk Dance for the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.

Peter is more confident of Folk Dance’s chances than Majestic Mambo’s due to the distance of the two races and the respective quality of the opposition.

Gavin Lerena (Liesl King)

He said, “Majestic Mambo would prefer further, but we have to take our chances because it’s the first leg of the Triple Crown. But, I think it will be the hardest leg for him. He is doing very, very well and the draw is not a problem because he comes from off the pace.”

He added, “The colts race has a lot of hard-knockers. There is Big Bear and Mike de Kock has a lot of good horses and Monk’s Hood is a definite danger, but please God things go our way, because he does stay well and the next two legs will be easier for him.”

The Mambo In Seattle colt cost, just R40,000 at a CTS Ready To Run Sale and has put daylight between himself and the opposition in all three of his starts, all over 1800m. He won his maiden by 5,5 lengths, his second start (in a Novice Handicap off a merit rating of 83) by 4 lengths and then the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes by 2,25 lengths. In the latter race he showed a devastating turn of foot from last place. Anthony Delpech rode Majestic Mambo in his last two starts, but is retained by the owners of Monk’s Hood, Wilgerbosdrift Stud.

Peter said of Folk Dance, “She is very well. She has a wide draw but she has a lot of gatespeed and has a quick turn of foot. She is ideally course and distance suited.”

This classy Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Tiger Ridge filly was bought for R100,000 at the National Yearling Sale. She has won four of six starts, including the Grade 3 Fillies Mile by three lengths in her last start on Sansui Summer Cup day. Lerena has ridden her in her last two starts.

Peter regards the De Kock pair, Fish River and Silver Thursday, as the chief dangers.

He runs Fort Ember in a Pinnacle Stakes event on the day and said she was very well.

He also runs the progressive Imperial Stride gelding Pera Palace in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes and thinks he will handle the step up to 1400m, so is quietly confident.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Big Bear (Candiese Marnewick)

Majorca third Rose In Bloom has been installed 2-1 favourite to extend Joey Ramsden’s strong record in the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth on Saturday.

World Sports Betting seems to think three-year-olds will dominate the race because it opened Justin Snaith’s Lanzerac Ready To Run winner Miss Katalin second favourite at 15-4 while Richard Fourie’s mount Elusive Heart is next on 5-1.

The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Summer Sky is 4-1 favourite for the Kepu Trading Jet Master Stakes on the same card with Milton, Mambo Mime, Perovskia and Waiting For Rain all on 6-1.

Donovan Dillon has postponed his return from injury and Corne Orffer takes his place on Milton. Orffer, who also rides Louisiana in the Prix Du Cap, is taking part in a panel discussion on the race to be shown on Tellytrack at 6.30pm today. Waiting For Rain’s trainer Piet Steyn is also on the panel.

By Michael Clower