The Sean Tarry-trained Big Bear emphasised what a big loss his ill-fated Summerhill-based sire Await The Dawn has been when romping home in the Emperor’s Palace Ready to Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday under S’Manga Khumalo.

Big Bear is a big and strong, resolute galloper with a deceptively good turn of foot.

Sean Tarry

He was up with the pace on Saturday from a good draw and then kicked away from his stablemate, the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Wonderwall.

Big Bear then repelled the challenge of the Grade 1-winning filly Brave Mary and beat her by 2,5 lengths.

Big Bear has had the field spread out like the washing in his last two starts and this is always a sign of a good horse.

Await The Dawn succumbed to a freak accident while covering a mare in 2014.

He was a stoutly-bred horse being by five-times Group 1-winning miler-to-middle distance horse Giant’s Causeway out of Dixieland Band mare Valentine Band (Shirley Heights) who won over a middle distance and was also Listed placed in two middle distance races.

Big Bear’s dam Gamalakhe is by Northern Guest and was unplaced but is a full-sister to Mercury Rising who won three times from 1200-1400m and is Listed placed. Gamalakhe’s female line is generally quite speedy and her three winners to date have won up to 1450m. However, there is also stamina in the family, including Gold Bowl winner Winning Leap.

Await The Dawn will also impart some staying power and Big Bear’s running style suggests he will get a mile and more.

This big, well-named horse has an exciting three-year-old season ahead of him and is definitely one to follow.

Big Bear was bought at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale for R240,000 and is owned by Chris van Niekerk in partnership with the underbidder Bruce Gardner.

S’manga Khumalo

At the BSA National Two-year-old Sale this August, Dean Kannemeyer bought the half-brother to Big Bear by Visionaire, named The Solution, for R85,000.

The Solution could prove to be a bargain buy as Visionaire was so popular the owners moved him from Summerhill down to Lammerskraal Stud in the Cape, where he would get better opportunities.

In Saturday’s race the Paul Matchett-trained Brave Mary and the Mike de Kock-trained Takingthepeace made it a one-two-three for horses bred at Summerhill Stud. The Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Brave Mary proved she could be effective over trips further than sprints and moved up smartly. She had no answer to Big Bear’s response, but had some good horses behind her. She is the second Grade 1-winning progeny of Brave Tin Soldier to finish runner up in this race, following the feat of Rabada in 2015.

Takingthepeace by Visionaire was doing her best work late and pipped Querari colt Wonderwall for third. She will be a big player in the fillies classics this season.

Fifth-placed Surcharge, by Gimmethegreenlight, had to overcome a wide draw and as one who has impressed before shouldn’t be written off in forthcoming features.

By David Thiselton

The Melbourne Cup, to be run at Flemington racecourse tomorrow morning (Tuesday), has to date eluded record-breaking trainer Aidan O’Brien.

However, KZN Breeders will be hoping his son Joseph wins it this year with Rekindling, who is a full-brother to the Summerhill-based stallion Golden Sword.

The three-year-old Rekindling is currently a 10/1 shot and will be ridden by Australian jockey Corey Brown, who won the big race on Shocking in 2009.

High Chaparral colt Rekindling won second time out over a mile as a two-year-old and became an Epsom Derby hopeful when winning first time out as a three-year-old in a Group 3 over a mile and two furlongs at Leopardstown.

Golden Sword (Summerhill Stud)

He then ran a fair fourth in the Derby pointer, the Dante, over a mile and two-and-a-half furlongs at York.

However, in the Derby he was never in it and trailed in 18,25 lengths back in 16th place.

However, back on an easier, flatter course at the Curragh he won a Group 2 a month later over a mile and six furlongs. He stayed on strongly so should relish the two miles of the Melbourne Cup.

Subsequently, he has finished second in a Group 3 over a mile and six furlongs at the Curragh and he then stayed on well for a two length fourth in the Group 1 St. Leger at Doncaster on September 16.

The latter race and his earlier win at Leopardstown proved he can handle left-handed tracks like Flemington.

He has a plum draw of four and must have a big shout.

Golden Sword won the Group 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 Group 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

The Listed Java Handicap over 2400m on the Vaal Classic track is the headliner tomorrow and Save The Rhino could be the one to beat under national champion jockey Anthony Delpech.

Ormond Ferraris is an outstanding trainer of stayers and has given Save The Rhino three runs over 2600m going into this race, so he should be super fit and everything is in his favour. The six-year-old Mogok gelding, running off an 84 merit rating tomorrow, is well treated on his best form and jumps from pole position. He finished a 0,8 length second in the Listed Aquanaut Handicap over 2450m in March off an 85 merit rating and is now better drawn. He stayed on nicely last time out over the Turffontein Inside track 2600m. However, he became one-paced in the final stages of that race, so looks likely to prefer the 200m shorter trip tomorrow and should be cherry ripe.

Weiho Marwing

Weiho Marwing’s charges always have to be reckoned with in staying features and he has a chance with the second top weight Let It Rain. This Dynasty gelding stays all day and had a good pipe opener when setting the pace over 1950m on October 21, which was his first start since finishing third in the Gold Cup. His draw of 17 shouldn’t be a worry considering he jumped from draw 15 out of 16 in the Gold Cup. He has remained on the same 92 merit rating as in his Gold Cup run. However, he was beaten 0,7 lengths by Save The Rhino in the Aquanaut Handicap and is now a whopping 7,5kg worse off.

Kinaan is another who is well treated on his best form. On his day he is a resolute galloper and maestro trainer Mike de Kock is in fine form, so should have the son of Galileo ready to fire in his second run of the season.

Hyaku is a most interesting runner. In his only race over this trip he was staying on well for a close up fourth in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup  and is now off the same merit rating. He has been campaigning out of Sean Tarry’s Summerveld yard, so travelling up to altitude might be a slight concern for some. However, it should be borne in mind Summerveld is not on the coast and is actually a third of the altitude of the Highveld.

The Elmo Effect will have to defy topweight of 60kg in order to retain his crown. This six-year-old Admire Main gelding proved his class last time when beating a useful field in a MR90 Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein, although a lot of the beaten horses were unlucky due to the hanging antics of the runner up Hidden Agenda. Last year The Elmo Effect won this race, which was run over 2450m on Turffontein Standside, off a merit rating of 82 and carried only 54kg. He also has a tough task when considering March’s Listed Aquanaut Handicap, as he is 4,5kg worse off with Save The Rhino despite having lost to him by 3,3 lengths. However, the Aquanaut was run in yielding going and The Elmo Effect prefers faster ground. He also has Gavin Lerena aboard, so this long-striding six-year-old Admire Main gelding can’t be discounted.

Hyaku

Royal Honour was the winner of the Aquanaut Handicap and is 7kg worse off with Save The Rhino for a mere 0,8 length beating. However, his record over 2400-2450m is three wins, one second and a third, so he has to be a contender under in-form Gunther Wrogemann.

St. John Gray is in good form and Dawn Assault showed his liking for staying events last time when winning a Pinnacle Stakes event over 2600m. However, he was raised five points and will be 3kg worse off with Save The Rhino for a 2,8 length beating.

Like any staying event The Java Handicap is wide open and including the whole field would be the only way to ensure getting through the exotics. However, the horses mentioned above are the ones which make most appeal.

The second race, a Progress Plate over 2000m, will be full of interest as it is a potentially important qualifier for the Sansui Summer Cup. The SA Oaks winner Wind Chill is officially weighted to romp home and to show just how seriously Mayfair Speculators are taking this race Anton Marcus will fly up for just this one ride. However, Elevated, is surely better than an 88 merit rating, considering his fourth place finish in last season’s Grade 1 Cape Guineas, and with the Mike de Kock yard in flying form he is selected to beat Wind Chill.

By David Thiselton

Hat Puntano proved his class on Saturday by winning the Grade 2 Emperor’s palace Charity Mile over 1600m and Mike Azzie heaped praise on “Bomber” Nel, an expert on horse bits.

Hat Puntano

Nel was invited to spend two days in the Azzie yard to try and sort out the Argentinian-bred’s hanging antics. The thoroughbred’s mouth size is becoming smaller, according to Nel, and a new bit he recommded after assessing Hat Puntano made all the difference. Hat Puntano began running straight and the rest is history. He showed the same turn of foot and resolute finish he had in Argentina in his younger days and swept past the field under Gavin Lerena.

Confusion has reigned about the age of Hat Puntano as he won the equivalent of the 2000 Guineas in Argentina in July 2016, but was still recorded as a three-year-old when entered for this year’s Vodacom Durban July. The reason is that in South American countries the racing season begins on July 1, as opposed to August 1 in South Africa, and they run that “2000 Guineas” event in the first month of the season. Hat Puntano, born in October 2013, was in reality a two-year-old when he won that three-year-old Guineas event, but of course all birthdays change on the first day of the season and he was officially three. He is now only a four-year-old, so has a lot of racing still in him and Drakenstein Stud will hope this well-bred son of Hat Trick can add to his record of two career Grade 1s to date, as well as Saturday’s Grade 2. It has to be said Saturday’s Charity Mile was not a strong renewal, but he had to carry a welter 61kg off his merit rating of 113 and this was only his second run in South Africa. He will likely be tested in weight for age miles against the like of Legal Eagle during the season and will add a lot of flavour to those races. His sire Hat Trick is a Japanese-bred by the legendary stallion Sunday Silence and his two Grade 1 wins, both over a mile, included the prestigious international event, The Hong Kong Mile.

By David Thiselton

Dutch Philip could miss Saturday week’s Selangor Cup after being drawn 14 out of 19 in the Kenilworth Grade 2.

Candice Bass-Robinson said: “I might find something else for him as I am not keen on running him from that draw.”

The July-winning trainer has suggested that the What A Winter colt might prove best in sprints but she said: “He must run in the Cape Guineas (Dec 16) but after that he has the rest of his career ahead of him and he is going to run in the $500 000 CTS 1200 on Met day.”

Dutch Philip (Liesl King)

Cape Classic winner Tap O’Noth is a notable absentee from the Selangor entries but Vaughan Marshall previously indicated that he was far from certain to run and his assistant Adele Alsop reported on Saturday that the colt had “pulled up beautifully.”

Brett Crawford confirmed Cape Classic runner-up Undercover Agent a definite runner and Joey Ramsden did the same with Ancestry even though the colt was “slightly sore behind” after his reappearance in a sprint six days ago.

Ramsden has won four of the last six Selangors and added that he would probably also run one of his other four entries. These include the R6 million colt Silver Coin who was reported to be making a noise after his Durbanville reappearance when he tired in the closing stages after moving up promisingly early in the straight.

Ramsden said: “He was blowing hard. He came back in from his holiday a bit later than some of the others because we found a few things wrong that we had to get right. As a result he desperately needed a gallop and more work but I was excited by his run and I loved the way he moved up.”

Premiers Champion winner Eyes Wide Open has to give 2kg all round in the Selangor and Glen Kotzen reports last year’s winner Gold Standard very much on course for the WSB Green Point on 2 December, saying: “He is going really well and he is in a good place for where I want him to be. Hopefully we will be able to give him a breeze-up on the grass beforehand.”

Miss Frankel makes her eagerly awaited reappearance in the 1 000m Play Soccer Handicap at Kenilworth on Thursday. She looked something special when winning a Scottsville maiden in spectacular style in August. M.J. Byleveld takes over from Anton Marcus.

Justin Snaith has entered last year’s Southern Cross winner Jo’s Bond for the Laisserfaire Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday but has declared Nordic Breeze, Twinkle Toes and Casual Diamond. Piere Strydom flies down to partner the first-named.

But Ramsden has already ruled out last season’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual, saying: “Not at that weight (64kg). How to stop a good horse from running.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides Winter Series winner African Night Sky and Richard Fourie will be on stable companion Black Arthur in a star-studded Pinnacle whose entries include Edict Of Nantes, Captain America and Last Winter.

Grant van Niekerk, who moved several rungs up the ladder of big-race demand with the way he won Saturday’s Charity Mile on Hat Puntano for Mike Azzie, will sit out the next two Kenilworth meetings with an interference suspension.

By Michael Clower

It is aiming for as high a ratio of winners to runners as possible and this is standing at 28% following Kenilworth on Saturday when Saltire narrowly justified favouritism in the opener.

Manager Craig Carey explained: “We put the trainers under no pressure to run and we make a lot of use of chiropractors and physios [to ensure the horses are right when they do so].”

Talk Of The Town (Liesl King)

To make things simpler for all concerned, and to enable them to monitor the strike rate, all the runners now race under the joint banner of ‘C & R Kieswetter & Ridgemont Racing.’ The fillies race in the dark green, blue sleeve colours while the male horses carry the dark blue, white crosses made famous by Whisky Baron.

Aldo Domeyer, on 37 winners after a Candice Bass-Robinson double, has shorted from 28-1 to 20-1 for the championship but, at the start of yesterday, he was five behind current champion Anthony Delpech (3-1) and seven adrift of leader Lile Hewitson who is a 9-2 chance with World Sports Betting. Gavin Lerena remains favourite at 13-10.

Also in double form were Paul Reeves and wife Charmaine who celebrated their 29^th wedding anniversary a day early by winning the last two races with Saint Donan and Sunshine Lady.

The former was winner number 43 for Akshay Balloo who finishes his apprenticeship next month and faces a decision on whether to stay in South Africa or return to his native Mauritius.

Joey Ramsden, the father of three daughters with the arrival of Ruby, struck with Talk Of The Town on whom Bernard Fayd’Herbe scored convincingly in the Betting World Maiden.

Ramsden said: “His first run was smashing but I possibly ran him back a bit quick last time. I thought he did well to shrug off Risky Rambo who never left him alone.”

The stipes ordered a veterinary examination on Know The Ropes after the day’ s supposed good thing finished last but one behind 17-1 rank outsider Wedgwood in the Supabets Handicap. Nothing showed up but the filly lost valuable ground coming out of the pens and never fired.

By Michael Clower

Relying on charity when riding in a horse race is tantamount to sporting suicide as Anthony Delpech found out to his cost aboard favourite First Crusade in the Business Woman’s Association Maiden Plate at Greyville yesterday.

Anthony Delpech (Liesl King)

Social media was fired up over the ride, basically accusing Delpech of negligence, but in fairness to the champion jockey it was a case of dammed if you do and damn if you don’t.

Arch rival Anton Marcus has a grin all over his chops as he steered Lucky Veil over the line for Ivan and Darrel Moore, more because he has persuaded the grandfather and grandson combination to run the gelding rather than having put one over arch rival Delpech.

“I didn’t want to run the horse from a wide draw,” said Moore the younger post-race, “but Anton persuaded me. He’s a master at what he does.”

However, it may have all turned out differently had Muzi Yeni had let Delpech through a tight gap. It was there for the taking a furlong-and-a-half out but Yeni’s mount rolled out, shutting the door on Delpech who was sitting with the proverbial handful on the favourite.

By the time Yeni had switched his stick and rolled back on a straight course, it was a case of race-over for First Crusade who cut the deficit to a neck at the line that came four jumps too soon.

The stipendiary stewards called for a race review but First Crusade was victim of circumstance rather than any wrong doing on the part of Yeni which was how the stipes viewed the incident .

Delpech was booked off after the race and Stuart Randolph took full toll as he steered Gadget Man to a comfortable victory in the Mitras Amenities Handicap for Dean Kannemeyer whose horses have come to hand with a vengeance of late.

Meet The Logans looked the best bet on the card and duly obliged with a bloodless victory in the card opener but Liberty Market brought all back to earth as she obliged for Pat Lunn at her 42^nd time of asking in what quite frankly was a desperate maiden.

By Andrew Harrison

Argentinian Gr1 Guineas winner Hat Puntano was being written off as a lemon after fluffing his lines on his local debut but a change of bit made all the difference.

“Horse make fools of every one but today he showed his true worth,” commented an emotional Mike Azzie after the colt silenced his critics with a stunning victory in the Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile at Turffontein yesterday.

Azzie gave all the credit to Bomber Nel, who specialises in making bits for horses.

Mike Azzie

“He (Hat Puntano) was always hanging and giving us a hard time,” said Azzie. There was plenty of advice from all sides but Azzie eventually called in Nel who spent two days in his yard working with the colt. “He said we were racing him in the wrong bit and training him in the wrong bit. When we changed on Bomber’s advice, the horse settled and started running straight.”

Carrying joint top weight with race favourite New Predator and ridden by Cape jockey Grant van Niekerk, the colt got his mind on the job and gave notice that he will be a contender for the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and possibly the Gr1 Sun Met.

Earlier Via Seattle put a major spanner in the exotics.

“I’m racing here with a few of my mates and we never even put her in the Pick 6,” confessed part owner Braam van Huyssteen after Port Elizabeth raider put the skids under a high-class field of fillies in the Gr3 Princess Charlene Starling Stakes. “You hope but you don’t really believe,” he said of the 66-1 outsider who was given a copybook ride by apprentice Lyle Hewitson.

Hewitson, who has replaced Anton Marcus in the South African team for the Jockey’s International Challenge, showed just why he cracked the nod.

He sat comfortably off the pace before making his move as Folk Dance and Silver Thursday battled it out for the lead. Just as Folk Dance gained the upper hand in that duel, Hewitson slipped Via Seattle up the inside fence to win going away.

Purple Diamond

Big Bear, one of a trio saddled by Sean Tarry in the Chris van Niekerk silks in the R2.5 million Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup, underlined his credentials with a smart victory over the game filly Brave Mary.

It was possibly one of the strongest Ready To Run fields in the history of the race with Brave Mary a Gr1 winner and Purple Diamond a Gr2 winner on July day in the line-up.

Big Bear, prominent throughout as stable companion Wonderwall cut out the early fractions, kept finding to win impressively, his third victory from just four starts.

Bred by Summerhill Stud, whose boss Mick Goss pioneered the Ready To Run concept in South Africa, Big Bear has a stout pedigree that should stand him in good stead if Tarry decides to chase the Triple Crown.

By Andrew Harrison

Know The Ropes can make it four off the reel and give weight all round in the Supabets Handicap at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Andre Nel four-year-old has shrugged aside problems to go from strength to strength this season and last time she led over a furlong out to win by two and a quarter lengths quite comfortably. Indeed she won in the manner of a horse that will follow up next time even though the handicapper has raised her up six points.

Andre Nel

“I thought that was a bit harsh,” says Andre Nel. “She is unsound but she ploughs through that and I think she can win again.”

She has been installed 2-1 favourite with World Sports Betting but she has some stiff opposition to contend with, notably 4-1 chance Sequined who was only beaten three and a half lengths when seventh in a good progress plate at Durbanville last time. Those who finished immediately in front of her included Magical Wonderland, Rose In Bloom, Too Phat To Fly and Oh Susanna who occupied four of the first five places in last Saturday’s Western Cape Fillies Championship.

Then there is Still I Rise (5-2) who was good enough to win first time even though she swished her tail each time her rider touched her with his whip. She subsequently refused to load in the Durbanville handicap won by Lindleys Lane (5-1) who is weighted to confirm the placings with Rings And Things (13-2) and Double Black (7-2).

Wedgwood was beaten almost four lengths by Know The Ropes last time but is 4.5kg better so the Woodruff mare could go quite close despite her 16-1 price.

Flower Of Carmel was only just over a length behind the more experienced Saltire on debut so you would expect Aldo Domeyer’s mount to reverse the placings in race one but Brett Crawford’s horses are in great form so Saltire is taken to win.

Whatever their fortunes in the opener Domeyer and Candice Bass-Robinson should win the next with What A Winner even though the three newcomers are also from top stables and therefore command respect.

Finally Emerald Gal could be worth a few rand each way in the last, particularly if she starts anywhere near her present 8-1. She flopped at Durbanville last time and was found to be coughing but she made the frame six times on the trot before that.

“A lot of horses cough at this time of year when there is a high pollen count,” says Dan Katz. “Also she didn’t like Durbanville but this is the right race for her and I think you will see the form she showed previously.”

By Michael Clower

It is one of Turffontein Standside’s big race days on Saturday and punters will be looking to capture a slice of the big exotic pools.

The Grade 2 R1 million Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile is the headliner and New Predator could retain his crown.

New Predator

Last year he finished close up in the Jo’burg Spring Challenge in his pipe-opener and has done the same going into this year’s race. He is off a six point higher merit rating this season and has to carry topweight of 61kg, as opposed to 58,5kg last year. However, this year’s field is not nearly as star studded as it was last year and he jumps from a plum draw. He wore blinkers in his penultimate start in the Grade 1 weight for age Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville and this allowed him to be up with the pace from the off before staying on for an excellent 1,1 length third. However, he has never worn them before over this trip, so them being declared it is a slight concern. However, his regular pilot Gavin Lerena should be able to keep him settled. Bella Sonata is also full of class and can be switched on and off, so she should be able to overcome her wide draw. On a line through Bela-Bela there is very little between her and New Predator.

The officially worst weighted horse in the race is Social Order, who is 4,5kg under sufferance. However, he caught the eye flying home after encountering severe traffic problems in the Grand Heritage and was not suited to the tight Inside track last time over 1600m. He will relish the Standside track with its long straight and has a plum draw under national log-leading jockey Lyle Hewitson. Hermoso Mundo has class and can use his big action to pass horses in the straight running fresh over a trip short of his best. The joint topweight Hat Puntano won two Grade 1s over a mile as a two-year-old in Argentina in the first half of last year and nothing went right for him in his SA debut, so he can be given another chance. Classify sneaks into the handicap with bottom weight and looks likely to relish the course and distance. Go Direct is capable of a strong finish and will be coming into his own being by Go Deputy.

Mac De Lago

French Navy, Mac De Lago and Tilbury Fort have the class to be involved, but all are making their seasonal reappearances. Irish Pride also has some class and is now one point lower in the merit ratings than his last win. Tahini stayed on well for third in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes over course and distance and can’t be ignored. Finchatton looks a touch high in the merit ratings. The 2014 winner Bezanova has his third run after a layoff and has pole position. Forest Fox would prefer 1400m and Top Shot has a tough task at the weights.

They are selected in the order mentioned.

Big Bear is the selection for the R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup over 1400m. He impressed last time over 1450m on the Inside track and this big, galloping, progressive type will prefer this track and has a good draw. Surcharge has been most impressive in his last two starts over this trip at the Vaal, but is drawn 17 in his first start around the turn. Takingthepeace has shown a fine turn of foot in sprints and should enjoy the step up in trip. Wonderwall is best in at the weights on official merit ratings but will find it tough from a wide draw in fast going considering his front-running to handy style. Tammany Hall is a progressive galloper who should stay on resolutely from a draw of two. Purple Diamond has his seasonal reappearance but is a Grade 2 winner over this trip. Vicomte is an eye-catchingly long-strider and is the dark horse.

In the Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m Hakeem has caught the eye before and will relish the course and distance, although Flying Free, Galactic Warrior, Zen Arcade and Kahal’s Legacy also have the class to contest the finish and Missouri is a dark horse.

By David Thiselton