Last year’s Sun Met winner Whisky Baron faces nine opponents on his Dubai debut under Colm O’Donoghue in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan today and the race has a strong South African flavour because the nine include the Mike de Kock trained pair Janoobi (Jim Crowley) and Noah From Goa (Christophe Soumillon).

Janoobi’s triumphs include last year’s Gauteng Guineas while Noah From Goa won the 2015 Cape Guineas. Whisky Baron runs for the first time since the Shadwell Joel Stakes at Newmarket last September and will be Brett Crawford’s first Dubai runner. The race is live on Tellytrack at 6.50pm.

By Michael Clower

Featured Image: Janoobi (JC Photographics)

Apprentice Ashton Arries is fast making a name for himself as a rider to follow. In spite of never having sat on a horse before arriving at the South African Jockey Academy, the young Arries has an all-important affinity with his mounts and a great pair of hands.

A natural light-weight rider and a man of few words in company, there is a quiet steel about him, probably the result of a tough childhood in the impoverished Western Cape community of Atlantis. Importantly, he rides his own races and is not intimidated by his seniors. That, coupled with a racing brain should see him go far ­- if he can keep it all together!

Tough Girl (Candiese Marnewick)

Arries was quickly to his 60 winners and lost his claim at Scottsville last Sunday when partnering the Michael Roberts-trained Statute. For many apprentices, the loss of their claim often heralds a time of drought as trainers look elsewhere for some relief. Not so Arries, who has already put a further three in the bag, winning at the Vaal on Tuesday and adding a double at Greyville yesterday.

Lyle Hewitson, a certainty to break Gavin Lerena’s record of winners ridden as an apprentice, arrived at the academy with a wealth of experience in work riders races, a superb feat given that he is only serving a three-year apprenticeship given his early experience and his battle with the scale.

Arries still has nearly three years of his apprenticeship to run and given that he is unlikely to have any weight problems unless he tucks into hamburgers and pizza on a regular basis, Hewitson’s impending record could already be in danger.

Arries’s two winners yesterday came in contrasting style, underlining his talent.

Mark Dixon’s runner Tough Girl lived up to her name as Arries took her to the front and kept her going strongly to hold off the attentions of the two fancied runners, Roy’s Novice and Go Thuli Go, Brandan Lerena and Anton Marcus aboard respectively.

The win was not entirely unexpected however, in spite of a dismal showing on debut, Tough Girl came in for some inspired market support and proved up to the challenge.

There is an old racing adage that says, ‘if a horse is fit and well, don’t leave it in the box,’ a saying that Sean Tarry obviously subscribes to as Kahula backed up her third in the umThombothi Stakes at Scottsville on Sunday with a comfortable win under Arries and 62.5kg in the third.

The race was run at a funerial gallop but Arries was content to sit in the dickie seat. In the straight he knew exactly what he had under him, waited for a gap and punched his filly through for a comfortable victory in another polished performance.

There is a widely held school of thought that local horses at the bottom end of the handicap, or anywhere really, are cannon fodder for out-of-town raiders but Louis Goosen, recently moved to Ashburton from the Vaal is not convinced. “It’s hard to win races here. The KZN form is a lot stronger than what many people think.”

Brian Wiid, successful on more than one occasion with his raiders, found that out as the well-backed Jackman came up short in the fifth as Toltec, under an inspired ride from Tristan Godden, made all the running on the Lezeanne Forbes-trained gelding. The petrol light was flashing red on the dashboard for Godden entering the final furlong but he kept his mount going long enough to hold Jackman who was slowly eating into this lead.

By Andrew Harrison

The unbeaten Dean Kannemeyer-trained Dynasty filly Hashtagyolo will be scratched from the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas due to a suspected virus she has contracted.

Meanwhile, Kannemeyer’s Sun Met runner up Last Winter entered quarantine last Thursday bound for overseas. Kannemeyer will remain the trainer when the Western Winter colt eventually arrives in England after going the usual arduous quarantine route via Mauritius.

Hashtagyolo

Hashtagyolo had been doing very well in Johannesburg, where she had been training for the last five to six weeks in order to acclimatise her for the Triple Tiara series.

Kannemeyer had been travelling to Johannesburg regularly to see her and had been very pleased.

Piere Strydom had been booked for the ride and was due to gallop her this week.

However, the gallop had to be cancelled due to her illness.

After consultation with the owners Kannemeyer has decided to scratch her.

Kannemeyer will bring her back to his Summerveld satellite yard and might give her a two or three week holiday on the farm.

He is not sure yet whether she will be ready in time to run in the SA Champions Season.

Meanwhile, a disappointed Strydom had been trying to secure another ride for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas but without success so far.

By David Thiselton

The highly regarded San Fermin hasn’t lived up to the hype surrounding her to date and her stablemate Frederico’s Dream is tipped to beat her in tomorrow’s headliner at the Vaal Standside track, a MR 84 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.

Lucky Houdalakis

Frederico’s Dream has plenty of pace and has taken well to blinkers. In her penultimate start over 1160m in the Listed Swallow Stakes she only just failed with the blinkers on for the first time. Last time over 1000m she put the race beyond doubt some way out due to her exceptional pace and finished 0,8 lengths clear of the decent sort Winter Watch, although she was receiving 4kg. Stepping up to the 1200m should not be a concern on paper as she won twice over this trip early in her career.

However, she was not wearing the blinkers on those two occasions, so there is a slight concern about her running out of steam late. San Fermin, who has an exceptional turn of foot, proved in her penultimate start over 1160m she is suited to this trip. However, she was beaten a head by Frederico’s Dream on that occasion and is now 2,5kg worse off. On the other hand she was a touch unlucky and was finishing the stronger of the pair, so could be a threat over this slightly longer trip. Those two should fight it out. Movie Show has been in good form but is only 1,5kg better off with Frederico’s Dream for a 2,95 length beating over 1000m. Ninjara has always struck as a decent sort and the Houdalakis yard bring them on slowly but surely, so she could continue to progress despite being given a five point raise for her win over 1200m last time. Ice Art is capable of a strong finish from the back and can place, but she does have to bounce back from a 7,3 length thrashing by Frederico’s Dream and is only 1kg better off.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is a MR82 Handicap over 1600m and the three-year-olds could hold the upperhand. The selection is Gambado, who has raced in strong company lately. Last time out in the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m he finished a 3,45 length fifth to the top class Majestic Mambo, despite receiving only 2kg. He did take quite a strong hold of the bit in that race and was right up there until the closing stages, so he might enjoy the step down in trip and has a plum draw. Furthermore, he races off just an 80 merit rating so should go close.

Darkest Hour ran a fine race in the Dingaans, finishing a 2,25 length sixth. However, he hasn’t raced since. On the other hand he will need a big race off an 88 merit rating if he is to make it into one of the classic races. Alssakhra is close to Gambado on their 1800m run behind Royal Crusade. He is an entry in the Betting World Gauteng Guineas, which shows how highly regarded he is, and will need to win this race off an 80 merit rating to have any chance of getting into the final field. Shogun is in hard-knocking form and is off a competitive merit rating at present so leads the older horse threat over a suitable trip. Tommy Waterdevil is an honest sort who can never be ignored, despite making respiratory noises every race.

Shogun

The second leg of the Pick 6 over 1600m looks like an upset race. Querari Viking has a touch of class so can defy topweight. Front Rank has always had ability and has plummeted to a 65 merit rating. He runs well in soft ground and there has been rain around so he could be good value. The form of No Mans Land’s last start over this trip has been franked and he should be considered,

The seventh over 1200m could see Punta Cana proving his class in his third run after a long layoff, as he is likely to appreciate the step up to 1200m. If he is not bankered Battle Creek and Premier Show can be included. Baahir and Harlan County can also be considered.

The last two races are low division sprints over 1200m and the suggestion is to go as wide as possible. The selections to win the respective races are Little Magician, who looks a nice sort and is way better than his last run, and Alex The Great, who is well regarded and has dropped to an attractive merit rating over an ideal trip.

By David Thiselton

Nightingale, who gave Candice Bass-Robinson her first Grade 1 success in last year’s Klawervlei Majorca, has been retired after running way below form in both the Paddock Stakes and the Sun Met.

Her trainer said: “She had been doing well at home before the Met but in the race she didn’t want to gallop. Her feet weren’t the greatest and maybe she was feeling the very firm ground.”

The stipes ordered a veterinary examination but nothing showed up and it was the same story after the Paddock Stakes in which she finished with only two behind her. But the Silvano mare won five of her 22 starts and was a close fourth in the Durban July. She should prove a valuable addition to the broodmare ranks for owners Mauritzfontein and Wilgerbosdrift.

By Michael Clower

The rejuvenated poly track gets put to the test at Greyville this afternoon. The entire poly track has undergone a major overhaul so hopefully there won’t be any complaints by jockeys or trainers who were given an opportunity to gallop horses on the track yesterday morning but there were no takers.

Turffontein-based Brian Wiid has in the past been a successful raider on the poly and he saddles a brace with Jackman lining up in the fifth and Soldat next up in the sixth.

Touch Of Magic

Jackman looks the more likely of the pair. He finished three lengths back in MR80 company last time out in his first start in blinkers and today drops to an MR64 handicap. He does have top weight but has drawn well and does not meet a particularly strong field.

Lezeanne Forbes sends out the consistent Toltec who looks the most obvious threat. Toltec has hardly been out of the money in a dozen starts and has finished close-up in both outings since shedding his maiden. He has improved in blinkers and is no stranger to the synthetic surface.

Soldat faces a more difficult task. He took 21 runs to shed his maiden and that in a work riders plate where he kept going to win over the Vaal 1500m. He also does not have the best of draws but one gets the impression that the switch of surfaces may bring out the best in him. But it is a wide-open affair and the luckless Viking Red, down in trip and back on his favourite surface, could finally nail down his second win for Frank Robinson. He over-raced and compounded over 1950m at Scottsville last time out and the shorter trip could work in his favour.

Track & Ball have Dale House up as a weak 11-2 favourite. The Michael Roberts-trained gelding found one too good for him in the front-running Master Sam last time out and can do better here.

For exotic bet punters it’s not a race to go ‘light’ in.

Timetoperfection and Touch Of Magic look the principal contenders in the seventh with the former at the top of the boards although easy to back at around 3-1. The daughter of Judpot has plenty of miles on the clock for her two wins but made a promising local debut for Brett Crawford when third behind Miss Millionaire who was responsible for a major boil-over that day.

Blinkers appear to have sharpened her up a little and the switch of surfaces could also prove a major plus.

Paul Lafferty thought enough of Touch Of Magic for her to take her place in the float for Cape Town for their summer. She only had one start before her return and she was not too far behind Nanna Anna.

Lafferty has booked poly specialist Anton Marcus for the leg up and from a good draw looks a lively contender.

Apprentice Ashton Arries piloted home the 60^th winner of his career when Statute scored at Scottsville on Sunday so Kahula will not get the benefit of his 1.5kg claim in the opening leg of the PA, that’s if she runs after she finished third behind Head Honcho on Sunday. That could leave the way open for Craig Eudey’s game mare Mark My Card. She won first time out for her new stable and has since finished close-up on two further occasions.

She is always game and honest and has the benefit of Marcus in the irons.

Via Con Dios has attracted some early market support in a tricky closing leg of the jackpot and is now a marginal favourite while rank outsider Parasailor, a half-sister to the smart Isingamoya, and with absolutely no form to recommend, has found some long-shot support.

By Andrew Harrison

The Grade 3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap over 1000m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday saw a scintillating performance by the Gary Alexander-trained Champagne Haze, who is now eyeing one or two of the big SA Champions Season sprint events.

Alexander thus achieved the rare feat of winning a race which was named in honour of a horse he trained and remarked it was very rewarding to have done so. Meanwhile, Lyle Hewitson, who rode Champagne Haze, edged closer to breaking the all-time South African record for the number of winners as an apprentice.

Champagne Haze, a five-year-old gelding by Kahal, is a half-brother to “The People’s Horse”, the Alexander-trained Pierre Jourdan. Therefore, he is not surprisingly better from 1200-1400m than 1000m.

Champagne Haze (JC Photographics)

Carrying 61,5kg on Saturday he was duly outpaced. He was near last going through the half-way mark and still had about five lengths to make up. However, as the leaders began running out of steam, he hit top gear and was soon eating up the leeway. He passed the line 1,7 lengths clear, a result which had looked impossible half-a-minute earlier.

Alexander said Champagne Haze would now defend his title in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein on March 31 and he would then have a go at the Grade 1 weight for age Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein on May 5.

The gelding’s SA Champions Season targets would likely be one or both of the two big sprints at Greyville, the Grade 2 Post Merchants over 1200m on June 15 and the Grade 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint over 1000m on July 21. Champagne Haze ran in the Mercury Sprint last year and finished a decent 2,4 length fifth from draw 14 of 14. Alexander won the Merchants two years ago with Kangaroo Jack.

Champagne Haze was bought for R280,000 at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale. To date he has won six races, including the R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup, and has earned R2,268,950 in stakes.

However, he is only halfway to the R4,598,173 earned by his half-brother Piere Jourdan. Both horses were bred by Summerhill stud and are out of the four time-winning Qui Danzig speedster Vin Fizz, who finished third in the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth.

Tommy Hotspur was the best sprinter Alexander ever trained. He won his first eight races before being defeated narrowly at odds of 6/10 in the Computaform Sprint by Shoe Shac. However, he exacted revenge in the following year’s Computaform Sprint, winning at odds of 17/10 and finished his career as a ten-time winner. The best female sprinter Alexander trained, Ruby Clipper, was also a ten time winner.

Tommy Hotspur is not the only Alexander-trained horse who has a race named after him. His dual Grade 1 winner Drum Star, who was a 1993-born foal by Hard Up out of the Equus Champion broodmare Star Drums, has a Listed race named after him.

Hewitson is only three victories away from equalling the all-time South African apprentice winners record of 284, currently held by Gavin Lerena.

However, Hewitson is currently serving a suspension from 18 to 24 February.

The now 32-year-old Lerena’s record has stood for 11 years. He ended his apprenticeship in July 2007.

“Perhaps that [the suspension] will give me the chance to break the record on Guineas Day,” said Hewitson, referring to the big race day on March 3.

Hewitson only started his apprenticeship in March 2016, whereas Lerena served the usual five-year apprenticeship. However, Hewitson had plenty of race-riding experience behind him when arriving at The Academy after completing his matric. He rode 23 winners as a workrider. Due to his previous experience, he will serve only three years as an apprentice.

By David Thiselton

Rose In Bloom, second in the Sceptre Stakes and third in the Majorca, is expected to start a warm favourite to win the Vasco Prix Du Cap at Kenilworth’s Prawn Festival meeting on Saturday. The filly’s trainer Joey Ramsden won this with Just Sensual 12 months ago and is bidding for his sixth win in the Grade 3 in 14 seasons.

Robert Khathi has the mount. His only previous ride on the filly was on her debut just over a year ago when she had the misfortune to come up against no lesser horse than Snowdance!

Callan Murray flies down for seven rides for Justin Snaith including Miss Catalin in the Prix Du Cap and Fifty Cents in the Jet Master. Donovan Dillon, out with a broken bone in his right hand, returns to the fray for four mounts including Milton in the Jet Master but, surprisingly, he rides nothing for Andre Nel.

Instead Nel has booked the in-form Keagan De Melo for four of his six runners including Love To Boogie in the Prix Du Cap.

This meeting usually attracts a Kenilworth attendance second only to the Met and this time the live entertainment has been stepped up. The draws include R70 000 worth of giveaways while the seafood now extends to a far wider range than just the prawns that started the whole crowd-pulling idea five years ago.

By Michael Clower

Horizon, who was a narrow 0,65 length sixth in last season’s Vodacom Durban July, is out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to remove a knee chip.

Horizon (Liesl King)

The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained four-year-old Dynasty colt set a sales record in South Africa when being knocked down for R5.2 million at the CTS Premier Yearling Sale of 2015, although that record has since been surpassed.

To date he has won three races, including the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m, and earned R598,525 in stakes.

Bass-Robinson has not yet finalised her team for the SA Champions Season.

Last year’s July winner Marinaresco will not be among them as he went into quarantine yesterday and will be trained by Mike de Kock overseas.

By David Thiselton

The unbeaten Hashtagyolo, 33-10 favourite for the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein on Saturday week, will work on the course on Thursday.

Dean Kannemeyer is determined to leave no stone unturned and has had her at Turffontein for the past five weeks even though the altitude acclimatisation is not as severe coming from Summerveld as it would be from Cape Town.

Hashtagyolo

He said: “I galloped her there last Thursday and she will go over 1 400m this Thursday. She hasn’t got the best of daws in the race (21 out of 24) and Piere Strydom will take over from Anthony Delpech who is committed to ride for Mike de Kock.”

De Kock has five in the Grade 2 with Fish River at 4-1 by far the shortest-priced of the quintet. The Paul Peter-trained Folk Dance is 7-2 second favourite with Alec Laird’s Cashel Palace next on 10-1.

World Sports Betting makes Peter’s Majestic Mambo 28-10 favourite for the Gauteng Guineas on the same card and goes 4-1 Surcharge, 6-1 Monks Hood, 7-1 Mustaaqeem, 8-1 Greek Fire, 10-1 and upwards others.

Glen Kotzen will send last Saturday’s Kenilworth mile handicap winner Luna Child to Port Elizabeth for the Breeders Guineas on 9 March before she joins the rest of his Durban team.

Also bound for Port Elizabeth is Brutal Force who holds the Kenilworth 1200m course record and showed he still has what it takes by finishing fourth in last month’s Cape Flying Championship. He has been sold by Mayfair Speculators to Braam van Huyysteen and Hedley McGrath and has joined Yvette Bremner. According to Van Huyysteen the plan is a Pinnacle followed by a tilt at the Computaform Sprint on 5 May.

However Joey Ramsden, who managed to hold on to Cape Flying fifth Attenborough, has his eyes on Scottsville’s Tsogo Sun Sprint (May 26) for the four-year-old.

Ramsden said: “I think he is well capable of winning a Grade 1 and I put some mates together to buy him.”

BLOB Whisky Baron is the highest-rated of the 12 entries for the Group 2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan on Thursday. He is on a mark of 118 with the locally-trained Championship next on 114 and Mike de Kock’s 2015 Cape Guineas winner Noah From Goa third-highest on 112.

By Michael Clower