Veteran trainer James Goodman has decided to call it a day. He will be handing in his trainer’s license after almost 43 years in the game. On 16 December, his horses and stable equipment will be sold lock, stock and barrel at his Summerveld stables.

Goodman was granted his license on 1 January 1975 and started training at the Vaal with just six horses. In that same year he won the equivalent of the then Grade 1 Germiston November Handicap (Charity Mile) with Profumo, a “PE chuckout” ridden by Robbie Hill.

James Goodman (Sportingpost)

He moved to Newmarket and later was one of the pioneering trainers at Randjesfontein, where the initial years were hard but where he enjoyed a high rate of success with runners like Duke Of Marmalade, All The Rage, Natural Force, Last Watch and Gold Tax. He trained over 40 Graded winners, including seven Grade 1s.

Seeking a more relaxed lifestyle, Goodman moved his operation to Durban in 2004 and decided on a “boutique yard” of 30 horses, which suited him very well and brought the peace of mind he desired, but the string dwindled down to between 15 and 20 in recent years.

Goodman said on Wednesday morning: “I can’t make a living anymore. Little stables can’t survive and I predict that more small trainers will give it up soon. You have to run a big stable these days to make a decent living. Costs are high and if you haven’t got a good horse or two in the stable it’s impossible to keep going.

“I’ve thrown money at it to keep going. My partner Sandra and her parents have also helped, but there are no more funds left and this is where it’s at now. Our TV show ‘Winning Ways’ lost a few sponsors and that was money that plugged a few gaps.

“For the last two years I haven’t been able to find a single new owner for my yard. Earlier this year I bought five horses at a sale and I tried to syndicate them, but I couldn’t secure even one owner to take shares, not even among existing patrons and friends. As it stands I own 55% of my own stable, so I am responsible for more than half of the feed bill to start. Nobody can keep this business afloat without financial backing.”

Goodman believes his well-publicised “caffeine” case resulted in a poor impression created in public and said: “The National Horseracing Authority’s lawyer Jonathan Witts-Hewinson went vigorously after me. They attacked me as an individual and as a trainer, making derogatory statements, accusing me of being obstructive when all I wanted to do was prove my innocence.

“While I won the case, it cost me a huge amount of money. I didn’t lie down and in the end I was vindicated, but the NHA will only be paying my costs from the High Court Application and nothing before that.

“In their commentary on the matter the NHA admits that there was a reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of Witts-Hewinson, the chairman of the inquiry board but they still put claim on the illegal substance found in one of my horses.

“The fact is, my witness Dr Tobin had not been allowed to testify in the case to refute the allegations, the judge calling it ‘manifestly unfair’! Had Tobin been allowed to speak, I believe we would have won the case on merits alone, coming up against Dr Schalk de Kock of the NHA. But we were denied. This case had a major effect on my training career.”

It’s perhaps all water under the bridge now and Goodman, a man with an extraordinary cheerful and enthusiastic approach to life, will not be lost to racing forever. He will continue in his role as anchor of ‘Winning Ways’ and said: “I will stay involved in bloodstock, become an agent. I remain a horseman. I can still put my expertise to good use for clients.”

He will be missed by his colleagues at Summerveld and by punters and fans around the land and he will miss his horses, but Goodman said: “The decision is made. On 16 December I will be selling everything, from horses to bridles to the last feed bucket.”

– Turf Talk.

Trainer Nathan Kotzen has been criticised for running my horse Cumulus, at Turffontein last Saturday, against Mujaafy, trained by his former ‘boss’ Mike De Kock. But that criticism is wide of the mark, as the decision was mine, and I would submit that it was a sound decision.

Allow me to expand. Cumulus won his first start impressively and in a good time over 1200m at Scottsville, while I was overseas. In his second run, he faded somewhat to finish fifth to Zen Arcade over 1400m on the Greyville poly, and it is worth noting that Zen Arcade was entered, and indeed won, the Graham Beck Stakes at Turffontein last Saturday. I was anxious to see just how good Cumulus is over 1200m on turf, but with Scottsville out of use until December, and with Greyville now primarily a poly track – especially if there is any rain – I began to look at the Vaal and Turffontein meetings in November. Anton Procter, who bred Cumulus, encouraged me but again the decision of when and where, and to compete in a race which included runners from the De Kock and Tarry stables, was mine. De Kock versus Kotzen was not a consideration.

Cumulus (Candiese Marnewick)

Of course, there were Doubting Thomas’s who felt that little old Cumulus would embarrass us in such good company – pick an easier race they opined. But, apart from the fact that they don’t pay the training fees, I wanted to answer a fundamental question: just how good is Cumulus? We knew he was fast, working well and racing fit. We also knew he was very quick into his stride and cruising speed over 1200m, and that he kept finding over that distance. Therefore, I was confident of a place cheque to cover the costs of racing him on the Highveld. Of course, Cumulus was up against Mujaafy, who had won his maiden impressively and could be anything, but his merit rating was 84 while Cumulus had been rated 87 after his first win. So, was Cumulus worth his merit rating, and wouldn’t the Turfffontein race answer that conclusively? Besides it seemed more sensible than running him in a local 84, in which a placed run would only see his rating increased even higher, and not tell us anything we did not already know about Cumulus.

I must admit that having been born at the Turf Club Nursing Home, which looks onto the Turffontein course, where my father had raced horses, and a stone’s throw from Wembley Stadium where he staged several world title fights, added a boyhood dream element into decision.

Although he was well beaten, Cumulus did not disappoint and was clearly second best only to a horse owned by the Crown Prince of Dubai. Even a highveld thunderstorm did not phase Cumulus, and given that Mujaafy looks to be a future champion, his run was certainly full of merit, and confirmed his rating. After the race Mike de Kock graciously said “I am sorry you had to come all the way here and bump into a champion, who may even become a stallion of note”. Anthony Delpech, who rode Mujaafy and had won on Cumulus, added “I told Craig Zackey that your little horse can really run”.

So for me it was mission accomplished, as Cumulus ran a blinder and Nathan Kotzen deserves nothing but praise on a job well done. We may well have horse will travel again, if the paucity of turf races in this province continues.

By Rob Haswell

An interesting study done by The Mirror racing correspondent in England a few years ago revealed a system, which involved an increase in distance for a young horse making its handicapping debut, to be the most consistently profitable. However, it would require a lot of patience and discipline to follow.

A letter sent by a reader was the prompt for the study.

The reader had the idea of backing every horse which was making its handicap debut having had exactly three runs.

The Mirror correspondent’s research revealed only 20.8 percent of such runners won, and it amounted to a loss of 9p for every £1 staked.

However, the system got him thinking and he posed the question: What would happen if such a horse i.e. one making its handicap debut after having had exactly three runs, made that handicap debut in a race where the distance of the race was different to that which it had campaigned over before?

He elaborated, “Just think about it. If you were a trainer or owner and the breeding of your pride and joy suggests it needs at least a mile to show its best, there is nothing in the rules of racing to say you can’t run it three times in sprints, get a handicap mark, and then run it in a handicap over what is likely to be a more suitable trip.”

He continued, “Even on a powerful computer the stats for this take some time to calculate but it was worth doing.

The rules he set were:

On the Flat, look for a horse making its handicap debut in a race that is more than a furlong and a half further than it had raced over on any occasion before.

The result was a return of £1.11 for every £1 staked – or a profit of 11 per cent.

He concluded, “Interestingly, the profit was pretty consistent each year for the last ten years.”

Unfortunately, applying it to South African racing would be impossible due to local trainers’ obstinacy in running maidens in handicaps.

Like the UK, a non-winning maiden in South Africa is allowed to run in a handicap after three runs, but unlike the UK a maiden running in a handicap in South Africa is a rare occurrence.

It makes sense to run such horses in handicaps as they will be up against horses with similar merit ratings, while in maidens the same race can include anything from future champions to battlers.

There is no certainty in racing and no replacement for form study, finding value and being disciplined in only betting on value.

However, with small money, following systems can provide a lot of fun.

Some of the popular systems regularly applied were listed by racing man Glenn O’Brien:

1) 1400m specialists: The logic is this trip produces racing’s most potent specialists, being neither a sprint nor a mile. These specialists usually have the upper hand over failed sprinters stepping up in trip or failed milers dropping in trip. To apply it take races from 1350m to 1450m and back the shortest priced horse who has recorded two or more wins over the distance.

2) Against the short prices: Logic: When there is a short-priced favourite, the true value often lies with the main danger.

3) Backing the best horse: This system identifies the highest rated horse at any meeting and backs it. Logic, true class can pull a horse through under any circumstance.

4) Beaten favourites after a rest: A beaten favourite might not have run its true race and to make amends the connections wait for an ideal opportunity to make amends. To apply this system the next race must come over the right distance at least 30 days after the defeat.

5) Beaten favourites with sights lowered: A beaten favourite next appearing over the right distance in a lower class or lesser quality race.

Glenn O’Brien lists over 50 systems on his website: www.glennobrien.net/horse-racing-systems.html

By David Thiselton

Retained riders, lucky enough to earn a contract, are a travelling band, clocking up the air miles as they flit from centre to centre without making a dent in their own wallets. The retainer does come with its share of pressure but it paid dividends for Greg Cheyne, retained by the combination of the Kieswetters of Highlands Stud and Ridgemont Racing, as Emma’s Oracle waltzed home to shed her maiden in facile fashion in the sixth at Greyville yesterday.

There were a few who in the race that fancied their chances, notably supporters of The Matador for Yadav Singh, saddling his first runner since taking out his trainer’s brief again, but Duncan Howells will have been well aware of what he was up against given that the runner-up had recently left his yard. In retrospect, Emma’s Oracle obliged at fairly generous odds of 9-10.

Emmas Oracle (Candiese Marnewick)

Age is never a factor when a horse stays sound and enjoys his racing and Crime Victim rewarded owner/breeder Barry Readon with his fourth win from 40 starts, giving Howells his second winner of the afternoon, when accelerating away from his field to win the Racing. It’s a Rush Handicap over 2400m. Crime Victim had been dropping steadily in the handicap but his poly debut last time out saw him run well below what he is capable off.

The handicappers generously dropped him a further four pounds after that race but are likely to put a cork in the gap after yesterday’s fluent victory.

Flichity By Farr franked the form of recent KZN Fillies Guineas Trial winner Hashtagyolo, when speeding to a comfortable victory in the Track & Ball Fixed Odds Handicap.

Under a polished ride from Anthony Delpech, he had Alyson’s Wright’s filly tracking the early pace before pushing the button two furlongs out and accelerating away to win as she liked with favourite Shirley Valentine chasing shadows.

Paul Lafferty got his meeting under way in good style as apprentice Diego de Gouveia took advantage of a strong tail win to lead all the way on outsider Exquisite Eight and Francesco sealed a fine afternoon in the office for Lafferty as red-hot apprentice Ashton Arries rode a confident race to steer his mount to a comfortable victory.

Outsider Air Salute saw the Pick 6 dividend rocket in the last as the Lezeanne Forbes-trained gelding belied his current form. He hooked up with strong favourite Sovereign Master at the top of the straight but keep rolling resolutely to win rather comfortably at the death.

By Andrew Harrison

Start preparing your blue and white outfits as the dates for next year’s the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival, when horseracing and high society converge at Kenilworth Racecourse, have been set for Friday 5 and Saturday 6 January.

The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting is South Africa’s oldest race day, dating back to 1861. Last year it became the country’s first multi-day racing festival in the mould of famous international racing festivals such as Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and the Kentucky Derby.

Friday will be an elegant and relaxed afternoon Garden Party, with the racing highlight being the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes – the premier sprint race for fillies in the Western Cape.

Beyond the track, the day will also see live jazz, a Summer Harvest Table under the trees, along with bottomless complimentary L’Ormarins Brut Cap Classique and Heineken on tap. Garden Party tickets will be R500, and will additionally grant guests access to the following Saturday’s Style Lounge and all-too-famous after party later that evening.

As is tradition, the running of the Gr 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate will take place on Saturday, when South Africa’s finest thoroughbreds compete for the R1.5 million purse.

Tickets for Saturday will range from the Style Lounge, priced at R350 to the Kenilworth Jazz Room at R1,500 per person, with spots such as the popular Stud Club at R1,300 and picnic style Paddock Sites at R10,000 per table.

The exclusive Garden Party, with free flowing L’Ormarins Brut, Heineken, harvest table lunch and jazz, is the perfect way to warm you up for the second day’s racing on Saturday. Limited to 500 people. At R500 your ticket will include:

• L’Ormarins Brut.
• Heineken Draft.
• Harvest Table for a light, summery lunch from 1pm to 3pm.
• A free Style Lounge ticket for racing on Saturday 6 January.
• Live jazz.
• Access to purchase from local bars & racing.

Find out more about the various hospitality options at www.lqp.co.za/tickets-hospitality/. Tickets will go on sale at Computicket on 16 November 2017.

Miss Frankel will be the centre of attention at Kenilworth tomorrow when South Africa’s only offspring of the legendary racehorse attempts to give weight all round in the Play Soccer 6 Handicap.

It’s her handicap debut, normally a red warning light for punters, but the way she won at Scottsville in August suggests that this horse is more than capable of overcoming normal difficulties.

Starting odds-on, she was in front after 100m and she stretched right away in the final furlong to win by four and a half lengths without Anton Marcus even showing her the whip. True, it was a pretty ordinary maiden but it was the way she did it that was so impressive.

Miss Frankel (Liesl King)

Her big stride, while not as long or as devouring as that of her famous sire, gave some key as to her undoubted ability while she has clearly inherited at least some of the speed of her dam, the triple Grade 1 winner Val De Ra.

A relieved and delighted Dennis Drier, who confessed to being “shell-shocked” when she flopped on her only previous start, said: “This was the Miss Frankel I know at home. Nothing went right for her first time but I think it was just stage fright.”

However training her is seemingly not straightforward and Drier told me a few days ago: “She has issues – she is not the soundest.”

MJ Byleveld – sponsored by her breeders Avontuur – is in the hot seat this time and his mount seems sure to start a warm favourite even though the TAB sheet race card originally had Honey Suite at the head of the market. The question is can she get beat?

Lack of race fitness is an obvious drawback but her trainer, asked if she would need it, replied: “Hopefully not.”

The next imponderable is whether the handicappers have put her on too high a mark. They rated her 86 for winning a maiden whose strength looks some way below that of a Kenilworth maiden. But, frankly, the way she did it suggested that this is a Graded filly in the making, one whose rating is going to climb.

Honey Suite, good enough to win first time by even further than Miss Frankel at Scottsville, looked the one real danger but she was scratched on Monday morning after going lame on her off-fore.

Of the others Public Prosecutor is a lot better than last time’s Durbanville run would suggest – her saddle slipped and she was found to be coughing after the race – while Royal Chian, on paper miles under sufferance, led her rivals a merry dance here 11 days ago.

By Michael Clower

KZN Breeders will be celebrating the result of yesterday’s Melbourne Cup as the winner Rekindling is a full-brother to the Summerhill Stud-based sire, Golden Sword.

Twenty-four-year-old Irishman Joseph O’Brien was the winning trainer in his first attempt at the “race which stops a nation” and he and his record-breaking father Aidan clinched the exacta in a finish dominated by overseas trainers.

Rekindling, ridden by 41-year-old Australian jockey Corey Brown, wore down Johannes Vermeer to win by half-a-length. The 2015 runner-up, the Dermot Weld-trained Max Dynamite, made it a one-two-three for Irish raiders.

Golden Sword (Summerhill Stud)

Rekindling, whose previous race was a strong-finishing two-length fourth in the Gr 1 St. Leger at Doncaster, always looked likely to relish the two-mile trip and was proven on left handed tracks like Flemington.

He was said in some quarters to be the first three-year-old to have won since Skipton in 1941, but in Australia he is listed as a four-year-old as he was Northern Hemisphere born.

He carried a featherweight 8 stone 2 (51,5kg) and returned odds of 14/1.

From a plum draw of four, Brown managed to get the High Chapparral colt on the rail as the barrier three drawn Johannes Vermeer went forward. From then onward Rekindling travelled beautifully and the race could not have panned out better for him. Max Dynamite, who finished runner up two years ago, surged through a gap on the rail approaching the final bend and then switched outward. This allowed Rekindling a perfect tow into the straight and he had Johannes Vermeer, who had  kicked for home, in his sights. The long-striding Max Dynamite’s momentum was effected as he got stuck behind the joint 6/1 favourite Marmelo and Tiberian turning for home. However, when he finally got a split he joined in the battle up front. The Galileo colt Johannes Vermeer, a 12/1 chance, was staying on resolutely, but Rekindling always looked likely to catch him and finally overtook him full of running in the shadow of the post. The first Australian-based horse home was the fourth-placed Irish-bred Big Duke, trained by Darren Weir. In fifth place was the Iain Jardine trained raider from Scotland, Nakeeta, a 40/1 shot ridden by ex-patriot South African Glyn Schofield. The sixth finisher was also a raider form Ireland, the Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson.

The result emphasised the contradiction that despite the Melbourne Cup being Australia’s biggest race their breeders prefer to target races like the $3,5 million Golden Slipper over six furlongs, which is the richest race for two-year-olds in the world and is probably Australia’s biggest sire-producing event.

It was 41-year-old Corey Brown’s second Melbourne Cup winner. He rode the Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking to victory in 2009. The humble Brown was “lost for words” after the win and was greeted by his wife Kylie and three daughters in the winner’s enclosure.

The race was called for the first time by 36-year-old Matt Hill, who became Australia’s youngest ever commercial racing caller as a nineteen-year-old.

Rekindling-left (Racingpost.com)

A TAB customer was selected at random to pick a Melbourne Cup winner for $1 million and instead of picking one of the favourites, Almandin or Marmelo, the punter made the genius decision to pick $15 chance Rekindling, the sixth favourite.

“I started the day working so I never could have imagined this,” said punter Dominic, who was still in a state of disbelief.

An entertaining video of the lucky punter watching the race can be viewed on the Gold Circle facebook page.

The British-bred eleven-year-old Golden Sword joined Summerhill in 2012.

He won the Gr 3 Chester Vase over a mile and four-and-half-furlongs for Aidan O’Brien and then finished fifth in the Epsom Derby and second in the Irish Derby.

In his first season with Mike de Kock in Dubai he finished third in the Gr 2 Dubai City Of Gold over 2410m and in his second season won a handicap and a Conditions race, both over 2000m on the All Weather track. He thus qualified for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, where he finished a well beaten eleventh.

Golden Sword, not surprisingly, has produced staying types and included among them is the Listed Oaks Trial winner Belle Rose, who also finished fourth in the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

By David Thiselton

Louis Goosen has made a big splash since relocating from the Vaal to Ashburton at the beginning of the season. His 13 winners have come at a strike rate of 20% and not restricted to KZN with Zen Arcade winning the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes at Turffontein last Saturday.

“When I first saw this place (Ashburton) I thought ‘this is for me’, it’s horse heaven,” he revealed when quizzed on the reason for his move.

Goosen saddles three runners at Greyville today, debutante Leisure Lady in the first and two with definite chances, Bravo Zulu in the fourth and Shifting Gears in the sixth.

Louis Goosen

Shifting Gears is a late starter, this being the four-year-old’s third start in a career that only got going three months ago. After two thirds she was stepped up to 1800m and she ran out a fluent winner of her maiden. Runner-up, Green Fairy did not do that form too many favours when only managing third last Sunday, but Shifting Gears looks capable of shifting up another notch today and she will need to, as she takes on a useful pair in Flichity By Farr and Shirley Valentine.

The latter carries top weight and Anton Marcus but it may be significant that Gunter Wrogemann has kept faith with Shifting Gears rather than Shirley Valentine who he piloted into second last time out.

Flichity By Farr took on a strong field when fifth behind the promising Hashtagyolo but prior to that was running on well behind the useful Fiorella. Alyson Wright has stepped her up to 2000 m today and given her pedigree, the extra could see her land her second win.

Bravo Zulu has been knocking at the door for some time now and can go one better for Goosen in the Track & Ball Maiden over 1400m. He has come on nicely at his last two and now looks fully primed.

The Grey Crusader looks a threat because although he comes off a four-month break, Doug Campbell’s runners are finding form.

If one sets any store by the speed ratings published in the Computaform then there look to be a host of strong contenders for the winner’s enclosure. Turf Conqueror is rates 23 and 24 points clear of The Grey Crusader and Bravo Zulu respectively while Hokanui in the fifth, Lungi in the sixth and Crime Victim in the seventh are all rated lengths clear of their rivals.

One wishes it was that easy. Hokanui has two minor placings to his credit in 10 starts but his best effort did come over course and distance last time out. But both Royal Rustler and Emerald Victory step up to what looks to be a more suitable trip for both and warrant consideration.

Lungi is a long-time battler and may have to bend the knee to Emma’s Oracle and The Matador. Greg Cheyne is the retained rider for the Kieswetter’s and Ridgemont Racing and is up from Cape Town to ride Emma’s Oracle for Duncan Howells while The Matador, formally with Howells, has her first run in blinkers and for Yadav Singh who has taken out his trainer’s brief again.

Crime Victim has been struggling for his next win but takes a further drop in the ratings and it may be worth ignoring his disappointing poly debut. His speed figure is 16 points better than next rated Magesh’s Jet but a more likely challenger could be stable companion Crystal Ball with claiming apprentice Ashton Arries aboard.

Howells has signed off in the last race of the last two meetings and that trend could continue as he has four chances in the ninth this afternoon. Of that quartet Sovereign Master with stable rider Keagan de Melo looks the pick in a field that does not boast a lot of depth.

By Andrew Harrison

The top class Mauritzfontein Stud-based stallion Ideal World scored a one-two in the classic pointer, the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein Standside on Saturday, and it looks just a matter of time before he has his second Grade 1 winner.

Louis Goosen was confident of winning the Graham Beck with Zen Arcade and the gelding finished strongly under Gunther Wrogemann to beat the Mike Azzie-trained colt Ideal Secret by 0,7 lengths with Prince Of Kahal third.

Zen Arcade (Candiese Marnewick)

The time of 84,55 seconds was slower than Big Bear’s 84,08 seconds in the earlier Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup.

The latter race looked stronger on paper, considering the next five horses behind Big Bear were rated 106, 90, 107, 96 and 94, while Zen Arcade beat 87, 90, 81, 86 and 88 rated horses.

However, the ratings are still sorting themselves out at this time of the season as is proven by S’Manga Khumalo choosing 85 merit rated Big Bear ahead of 107 merit rated Wonderwall.

It will be interesting to see how the handicapper rates the two respective races.

Zen Arcade franked the form of the unbeaten Alec Laird-trained Trippi colt Broadway Trip.

Zen Arcade was the 2,25 length runner up to Broadway Trip in the BSA August Million over 1400m at Scottsville, although in his defense he had to give Broadway Trip 2kg despite it being his debut because he was a more expensive purchase than Broadway Trip.

Zen Arcade has won all three of his subsequent starts.

The progeny of Ideal World tend to improve continuously with age and this increasingly popular sire tends to impart stamina on top of speed. Zen Arcade’s dam is a three-time winning sprinter by Var, but she is in turn out of champion Older Female Stayer Monyela, who is by Fort Wood.

On running style Zen Arcade looks likely to stay at least a mile and is an exciting prospect.

The three-year-old male crop is shaping up to be a good one at this early stage.

Ideal World’s only Grade 1 winner to date has been the brilliant three-time Grade 1-winning filly Smart Call from his first crop. He was unlucky not to win the Grade 1 Thekwini with Persian Rug two years ago and has also produced the champion stayer Hermoso Mundo.

By David Thiselton

The in-form trainer has booked Piere Strydom for his Cape Derby and Daily News winner Edict Of Nantes who was beaten less than half a length when third in the July. Corne Orffer sticks with Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Captain America and Greg Cheyne will be on Champions Cup hero Sail South.

Brett Crawford (Liesl King)

The big three will be opposed by Justin Snaith’s Winter Series winner African Night Sky (Bernard Fayd’Herbe) and stable companion Black Arthur (Richard Fourie) who was only a length off the winner when seventh in the July.

Horizon (Aldo Domeyer) finished half a length closer in the July while championship leader Lyle Hewitson has been booked by Joey Ramsden for last season’s Cape Classic winner Table Bay. For good measure, Crawford has thrown Black Cat Back (Sihle Cele) into the mix.

This seven furlong test totally overshadows the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes but the Candice Bass-Robinson CTS $500 000 Sprint winner Live Life heads the weights and will be ridden by Orffer for the first time.

Strdyom has five rides – two for Crawford and three for Snaith – while four of Hewitson’s six mounts are for Ramsden including Silver Coin in the last.

Sean Tarry is on the hunt for more rich Ready To Run pickings to add to the R1.25 million collected by Big Bear last Saturday. The champion trainer has a quarter of the 28 horses yesterday entered for Saturday week’s Kenilworth Lanzerac version including three of the four top-rated. Top, seven points clear, is Wonderwall who was fourth for Tarry at Turffontein. Tarry won last year’s race with Safe Harbour.

Entries for the Kenilworth Cup were held over from last Friday until yesterday because only ten horses were nominated. The postponement has attracted an extra three. Mike de Kock, successful with Smart Mart 12 months ago, has entered Kinaan but at this stage Snaith’s Ovidio and Strathdon stand out.

Oratorio, whose bookings were diverted elsewhere when laminitis struck, is recovering so well that he has returned to stud duties, albeit on a limited scale.

Avontuur general manager Pippa Mickleburgh said: “It’s wonderful to see him back in action. We believe that he will return to top form over time and it’s a huge relief to have the expectation of some of his quality offspring in the 2018 season.”

By Michael Clower