Twist Of Fate will this morning make the short journey from Joey Ramsden’s stables at Milnerton to those of Adam Marcus.

Marcus said yesterday: “Twist Of Fate’s new stable has been cleaned out and is spotless for his arrival. To get a horse of this standing is very exciting. I already have some lovely unraced horses for the River Palace Racing Syndicate and they called me a couple of days ago to let me know the great news.”

The four-year-old has only been unplaced twice in 17 starts and has won over R3 million. Last season he collected the Cape Classic, Politician and KRA Guineas. He was second in the Cape Guineas, CTS 1600 and Daily News as well as third in the Vodacom Durban July and the Concorde.

He has been supplemented for the Cape Merchants on Saturday week but he has been allotted top weight of 64.5kg and his new trainer does not expect him to run.

Marcus said: “The main aim would be the Sun Met while the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate would be an option.  Before that it could be either the Green Point or the 1 800m Premier Trophy.”

By Michael Clower

Multiple champion trainer Mike de Kock, reasonably quiet by his standards for much of the early part of the current season, opened the taps last Saturday with six winners that included Barahin’s destruction of the Emperors Palace Charity Mile field. With the Highveld spring season in full swing, De Kock will have his colleagues ducking for cover as he unleashes the talent in his yard.

Two that look to have a bright future are the fillies Mabella and California Cool who line up on the Turffontein inside track tomorrow. Both facile winners on debut and going the mile for the first time, De Kock has kept them apart with California Cool contesting a Graduation Plate and Mabella a lower division handicap.

Given a rating of 86 after shedding her maiden on debut, California Cool has the more difficult task in her set weights race. She is some 20 pounds out at the weights with top rated Snow Palace, so on paper her chances of victory look remote.

That said, California Cool boasts a pedigree to die for and the manner of her maiden win suggests that the step up to 1600m will be right up her alley.

Her dam, Hollywoodboulevard, was trained by now retired Charles Laird and was not the easiest in her racing days. But she was talented and finished second to Igugu in the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and won five races from 1200m to a mile so California Cool should not have any trouble seeing out the trip. She also showed a smart turn of foot when coming from way back in shedding her maiden so expect Callan Murray to employ similar tactics tomorrow.

Given the weights, one will need to respect the likes of Snow Palace, Green Top and Keep Smiling but California Cool could turn into something special.

Stable companion Mabella’s rating may be a little misleading as her maiden win came in a lowly workriders plate, not the type of race that De Kock would normally choose for a promising filly to make her debut.

But there was no shortage of confidence from the stable and Mabella started in the red. She duly did a demolition job on the opposition, winning unchallenged by nearly five lengths.

She faces more experienced opposition as she jumps to the mile for the first time, but if the handicappers have it right, the theory being that all have an equal chance, then she too will have her work cut out. But as mentioned, Mabella may be way under the radar and prove too strong for fellow three-year-old Celeste – Paul Peter’s filly shedding her maiden by five but also at her fifth start – and Evening Rise, with a hungry Piere Strydom riding well for Fabian Habib.

Paul Matchett and Muzi Yeni team up on the day and a brace of winners are on the cards for the combination.

I’m not sure how the risqué name of Whiskytangofoxtrot got past the keepers of the stud book but the gelding looks a fair bet in the All To Come Maiden Plate, first leg of the PA.

The gelding has come on steadily since making his debut for Dorrie Sham, and in his first outing for his new stable he came with a telling late run, making up nearly 10 lengths over the final two furlongs to be denied a neck. The mile will be right up his street and Whiskytangofoxtrot should be one of the better bets on the card with opposition trainers cursing under their breath.

Matchett and Yeni team up in the last with the well named Donderweer, the son of Soft Falling Rain primed for bigger things.

He took on a smart field first up out of the maidens and made all the running to hold off the attentions of the feature winning filly Cockney Pride.

But tactics could play a big roll and from a wide draw Yeni may have to settle his mount in behind the better drawn Promise and another recent end-to-end winner Fired Up. Paul Peter’s mare takes no prisoners, winning four of her last five starts from the front and run out of it only once with the winner in receipt of 5.5kg. Fired Up is drawn one on her outside in gate 10 with Donderweer alongside in 11.

The battle for the lead could then play into the hands of seasoned veteran Kings Archer who comes from off the gallop and promising apprentice Cole Dicken gives him 4kg relief from his set weight of 60kg. An interesting race all round.

By Andrew Harrison

A confirmed case of African Horse Sickness in Gauteng has cast an ominous shadow over the Cape Summer Season with doubts expressed about whether horses from that province will be able to travel to Cape Town.

The Sporting Post reported the outbreak on Saturday morning, saying: “This will unfortunately affect movement into the controlled area for a lot of Kyalami and Randjesfontein and it will impact on movement to the Cape area.”

Mike de Kock, after winning the Victory Moon with the Sun Met-intended Soqrat at the Vaal that afternoon, said: “Hopefully we will sort out all this Horse Sickness nonsense because, if Gauteng horses can’t race in Cape Town, then it is not a season worth talking about.”

The eight-time champion, who is also a founder director of SA Equine Health & Protocols – the company set up to re-open South Africa for direct exports, added: “In South African racing we have got our problems and we are in trouble. We need every bit of betting turnover and we need every bit of participation.

“The powers-that-be need to get their heads around things – and this has to happen. If we have no confidence to travel horses within our own country how can we give our trading partners confidence?”

By Michael Clower

One World will take on big guns Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge in next month’s WSB Green Point after justifying favouritism in the Cape Mile at Kenilworth on Saturday. But this season’s new tactics gave his jockey a few anxious moments while some of those who backed the horse thought they were going to have a heart attack.

This was very different from those smooth out-in-front performances in the likes of the CTS 1600 but maybe that defeat in the Winter Classic has been weighing on Vaughan Marshall’s mind because he explained: “I don’t think you can win big races by lugging it out in front so we have tried to teach him to settle.”

The 21-20 shot did so quite comfortably but picking up was another matter and Anton Marcus had to start riding going into the final turn. Just as he had done with M.J. Byleveld in the Matchem, One World looked in serious trouble a furlong and a half from home.

Anton Marcus, who had studied the Matchem, said: “I thought M.J. rode the most amazing race that day and here, just prior to turning for home, the horse had a tendency to lug in. I tried to get him on the rail but Corne Orffer (on Charles) kept me out – and rightly so. Early in the straight I was worried but I knew I had the ratings.”

Amazing to think that in the heat of battle, perilously perched on the back of a half-ton horse travelling at 60kph and striving to make it go even faster, he could find time to think of the handicappers’ assessments. Little wonder he is so hard to beat!

“But this horse doesn’t want to lose,” Marcus continued. “He helps you and he gets you out of it.” Sure enough he did just that, he was in front 100m out and travelling so well that his rider was able to drop his hands before the line.

It takes some doing to transform a natural front-runner into a horse that’s waited with and Marshall said: “I am proud of him. After the Green Point it’s the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. Then it’s lullah time before we go to Durban.”

Whatever about the punters, the race and the tactics took their toll on the owners with Ken Truter saying: “I was a bundle of nerves and I am so relieved it’s over” while Etienne Braun added: “I think I aged ten years at the 400m.”

Stable companion Tap O’Noth, who ran on in the final furlong after being last much of the way, will run in the Premier Trophy on December 21 while Brett Crawford is eyeing the Peninsula Handicap (Jan 11) for fourth-placed Charles. That 1 800 race could also be on  the agenda for 50-1 runner-up More Magic who is an improver worth noting as Candice Bass-Robinson said she had expected  him to run this well.

Bunker Hunt would have finished closer than fifth but for twice being hampered in the straight. “He was very unlucky. Earmark him for next time,” advised Justin Snaith.

Snaith, four winners here last Tuesday, took the other two features with Strathdon (Marcus) and Casual Diamond ridden by Robert Khathi who was suspended for a week for causing chain-reaction interference just under two furlongs out.

Strathdon, winning for the first time for almost two years, is to be aimed at the Western Cape Stayers on Met day and Marcus said: “I had made him the horse to beat in most of the staying races in Durban but clearly he holds his best form in the Cape.”

Louis Kirsten’s Casual Diamond was running for only the second time since February and Snaith explained: “We retired her and sent her to the stud farm but she wasn’t covered. I got a phone call from my uncle Jan Mantel asking what we wanted him to do with her. So I said ‘send her back.’ Now she could be worth breeding from.”

Aldo Domeyer, whose new born son Elijah is now out of hospital and in good shape, celebrated his return by winning on Mayfern and said: “The intention is to stay for the whole Cape summer season but it depends on the Hong Kong Jockey Club and what the rota looks like. I will keep in touch with them.”

By Michael Clower

Scratchings played a leading role at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday. Two defections left the way open for Blackball in a seven-horse field – reduced to five – in the second. The only surprise being Top Classman under his third trainer, Kom Naidoo, edging out The Dazzler, after being touted as the exacta for the century by television commentator Kevin Shea.

“But that’s racing,” a comment immortalised by racing writer Damon Runyon.

Olmeca Black made the expected improvement to land the opening leg of the Pick 6, holding off the attentions of Mount Anderson who showed a good turn of foot on his inside. On The Bayou continues to disappoint, with Anton Marcus riding a forward race, hitting the front in the straight but unable to hold on.

The scratching of Baby Shooz with a respiratory tract infection left the way clear for Greek Sword, narrowly beaten at his last start. Not the easiest to handle, he got himself into a muck sweat before the start, but did it all right when it counted for Dean Kannemeyer and stable rider Keagan de Melo.

Fancied runner American Princess blew her start to the fifth. Rearing just as the gates opened, the stipes deemed it a fair start but she was never in the hunt from there on as Cherry Road accelerated through to give Gavin van Zyl and Warren Kennedy their second winner of the afternoon. Arizona Sunset continues to be a soldier for her owners, running on gamely for second with Pina Colada staying on for third after hitting the front at the top of the straight.

If anyone needed the ‘office’, Blackball’s earlier win provided it. Paths Of Victory, second to Blackball in the Michaelmas Handicap, franked that form as apprentice Luke Ferraris obliged for Gareth van Zyl getting the better of White Lightning and top weight Silver Rose who plugged on for third and probably not suited to a slow early gallop.

The lightly weighted Sarabi looked to have it all sewn up approaching the final 100 m of the seventh but was swamped two jumps from the line as Queen Of Alamo and La Bella roared home on her outside to relegate her to third.

The De Melo / Kannemeyer combination rounded off a wet afternoon, as Gimme Peace steamed up the inside of the track to catch long-time leader Admiral’s Guest.

By Andrew Harrison

There is something much more appealing to races over ground than the helter-skelter of a five-furlong dash. Sprint races, and they are by far the majority, have their place and for punters where only the numbers count, the sooner the race is over the better.

Tactics and the nuances of the different tracks are more in play in staying races and if there were more races for horses blessed with stamina rather than precocious speed, racing would be the better for it.

The Track & Ball Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville Turf on Sunday is a chance for stayers to earn a decent cheque for their often, long-suffering owners.

Silver Rose has to give plenty of pudding to his seven rivals but the now seven-year-old has an exemplary staying record, having won seven races, and looks primed for this event.

Byron Forster, KZN assistant to Cape-based Andre Nel, has planned the gelding’s programme to peak in this event after finishing four lengths back to Roy Had Enough in the Track & Ball Derby at Hollywood Bets Scottsville back in June.

Two pipe openers over a mile and 1900m should have brought him close to a peak for this race over a distance that the gelding excels.

Obvious dangers are Jack Of Hearts and Paths Of Victory. The latter stays well and Gareth van Zyl will have been well pleased with his last effort behind Blackball in the Michaelmas Handicap where he finished two lengths ahead of Silver Rose behind his father’s runner.

However, this time around, Silver Rose is 4kg better off in the weights which could be the difference between the two.

Jack Of Hearts is a promising stayer who has only recently come into his own, having won three of his last five starts and placing in the other two for Garth Puller. Apprentice Jabu Jacobs rode an enterprising front-running race in his penultimate start and Thabiso Gumede took full advantage of his 4kg claim for King Of Hearts to score again at his next start. Jacobs is back aboard with his 4kg claim but will need to be as sharp this time around.

Likely to be at long odds is the nine-year-old Crime Victim. Never finishing too far back in his races, it has been a long time since Duncan Howells’s charge visited the winner’s box. Crime Victim may be hard-pressed to win here but cannot be written off lightly given the weights. He was beaten eight lengths at level weights by Jack Of Hearts last time out and is now 6 kg better off with his rival, taking apprentice allowances into account.

The Van Zyl’s, father and son, have a stranglehold on the second where between them they saddle five of the seven runners, four by Gavin and one by Gareth.

Blackball was a comfortable winner of the Michaelmas Handicap over course and distance after returning from a break. He is fairly well treated in the weights and probably rates the one to beat. However, his filly Railtrip is smart and has been tested with some distinction against the best of her generation. She has shown up well in two starts since returning from a break and with a handy weight could make things hot for her stable companion. The Dazzler is 1.5kg better off at the weights with Blackball in what was his third outing for his new stable and Gareth has engaged the wily Anton Marcus. Tactics could play a big part in the outcome.

By Andrew Harrison

One World, beaten only twice in ten starts, is the obvious choice for the Cape Mile at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Vaughan Marshall four-year-old has a theoretical 2.5kg in hand on adjusted ratings and made a winning return in the Matchem five weeks ago. Little wonder that he is favourite at around 16-10. But what also points to his chance is that Anton Marcus, an astute judge of form and successful on all but one of his five rides on the horse, asked for the mount.

Marshall also saddles his 2017 Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth (15-2) who showed his wellbeing with a fine effort on his return at Durbanville. Marshall agrees with the handicappers’ assessments of the pair’s relative merits but adds: “Tap O’Noth is going to need further now.”

That last comment was echoed by trainers of others high up in the betting with Brett Crawford saying of 33-10 second favourite Charles: “I do think he needs more ground but I have always felt that he is a good horse and I am expecting a good run.”

Stable companion Search Party (10-1) is better known as a sprinter but his trainer points out: “He did win over a mile as a three-year-old and I think he is capable over it.”

Bunker Hunt, 9-1 and joint second best with Tap O’Noth on ratings, has been off since July day and Justin Snaith cautions: “He has only had one gallop and he would probably be better over a bit further.”

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who won this 12 months ago on favourite Rainbow Bridge, this time partners 14-1 shot Majestic Mozart but if you are optimistically looking for a big price 20-1 about Priceless Ruler is generous for a Dennis Drier horse who has won his last two.

The Laisserfaire Stakes, despite its name, is a handicap and the hat-trick seeking Boomps A Daisy is favourite at 9-2 but she has been off for nearly five months. The other Ridgemont runners, Nastergal and Mushi Sterek, are both 13-2 chances as is top weight Freedom Charter who was second 12 months ago and also runner-up more recently in the Diana.

She has big chance but in what looks an open race it could pay to go for the 12-1 Drier-trained In The Stars who is on a hat-trick.

The weights in the Woolavington Stakes are calculated on merit ratings, bracketed together in bands of five, and top weight Kampala Campari (17-2) comes out best, a kilo above Elusive Silva and Man About Town. But this is his first race of the season.

“He is not the type of horse that needs a run,” says Andre Nel. “It’s more a question of whether he will get the trip.”

And will he? Nel grins and shakes his head. “I dunno – but there is only one way to find out!”

Winter Derby winner Dharma (13-2) will like the distance and is probably still on the upgrade. Strathdon is favourite at 9-2 but this is his first appearance since the Gold Cup and the vote goes to 5-1 chance Herodotus.

By Michael Clower

The Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes to be run at the Vaal over 1800m tomorrow is a good pointer to the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup and although the weights have been set for the latter race a condition of that event states that the weights may change up to the time of declarations on 19 November. 

Soqrat carries topweight but is the ultimate professional, a horse who relaxes beautifully in the running and then runs on strongly in the straight. He has a plum draw and can make it another Graded success. AL Mutakawel is a full-brother to the SA Derby winner Al Sahem and although officially out at the weights the best has not yet been seen of him and he can rise above his current rating. He has a sustained finishing run and was not suited to the tight Turffontein Inside track last time. He will relish the step up in trip on this galloping course and has a fine chance.

Shenanigans was also not suited to the Turffontein Inside track last time and should be staying on strongly down the long straight if he is able to find cover. He proved when running on well in the Jubilee Handicap that he is effective over this trip. Roy Had Enough is capable of a strong finish too although he should come on for the run being an entire whose target is the Summer Cup. Green Haze won emphatically when tried over 1800m again last time and is interesting stepped up in trip again.

Divine Odyssey is capable of a strong, sustained finish and is well drawn over a suitable trip in his second run of the season. Noble Secret often disappoints but with the blinkers now on he might start showing the class he has always possessed. Seville Orange should come into her own this season being by Duke Of Marmalade and not only is she distance suited but she is the best weighted horse according to official merit ratings. 

In the Listed Gardenia Stakes over 1000m Dancing Queen could be the one to beat over a course and distance she has had two wins and a second on in three starts. Ulla is a decent, consistent sort and steps back up to the trip of her penultimate win. Singforafa is capable of blitzing a field and will be dangerous over this quick 1000m track. Green Plains deserves topweight and can never be ignored. Dalai’s Promise has speed and class and has won twice over the course and distance. Montreal Mist ended off last season well and makes her seasonal reappearance here. 

A difficult day’s racing starts with a workrider’s maiden over 1200m where the improving Malteza has a chance and Madame Patrice should also be right there.

The next over 1000m can be fought out by two promising sorts, Capitiana and Masaaqaat. 

The third over 1400m sees the debut of the French-bred five-year-old Tzaritza, who is a half-sister to Whisky Baron. She does not have a lot to beat and Flower Of Scotland and Emerald Crest are the two raced horses who make most appeal.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Tulip Way is an improving daughter of Captain Al and is selected to beat hard-knocking Virtuosa and first-timer Intimidate, a Pomodoro filly who is a half-sister to stakes-placed speedster Leta’s Bonnet. 

In the fifth race Illusion should be fit after his first two outings and looks likely to relish the step down in trip. True To Life has plenty of class but it is her seasonal reappearance. Ikigai also has promise although it will be a touch on the sharp side. 

The sixth race is a tricky sprint handicap but Old Man Thyme, Life Is Good and Chief Of State have looked the part lately.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is also tricky and as many as possible should be included. 

By David Thiselton

South African horseracing will bid farewell to one of its great characters and leading trainers at the end of this month.

Former Cape champion trainer Joey Ramsden has decided to close down his South African operation.

Whatever his personal reasons for making this sea change in lifestyle, there is little doubt that he will go down in history as some of the collateral damage, which includes many individuals and sectors of the racing and breeding industry here, of the Joostegate scandal.

While he was a top trainer long before Markus Jooste’s arrival, Joey was one of the men most exposed when the former Steinhoff boss hit a brick wall back in December 2017.

“We’re taking a sabbatical as both Steph and I feel that this is the right decision for ourselves and our family to take a step back for a while and reassess in the future. Goodhope Racing will be closing its doors on 30 November 2019.We thank you all for your understanding in what has been an extremely testing time and an extremely hard decision we’ve had to make,” writes Joey in an email that has done the rounds of racing’s unforgiving bush telegraph in the past few hours.

He goes on to say that they need to reiterate that this is not a knee jerk reaction to any ‘news’ that’s been released – ‘we simply needed to take the time to speak with our family, friends, staff and owners before we made anything public’, he writes.

He adds that naturally the horses in their care will be looked after as per their usual high standards until new homes are found.

“Having been lucky enough to have trained many Champion racehorses it has been the staff behind me that have made it all possible and it has been heartbreaking to tell them and I can’t thank them enough for their loyalty and their understanding. It’s been a privilege and an honour to train in this beautiful country and I’m going to miss Cape Town very much,” he says in closing.

Joey obtained his trainers licence in 1995 and has been Cape Champion Trainer four times. He has trained 20 Gr1 winners of 26 Gr1 races, including Variety Club, Attenborough, Just Sensual, Winter Solstice, The Conglomerate and Red Ray.

He has three young daughters, Holly, Zara and Ruby who he once said keep him busy and broke!  His partner Stephanie Grentell worked for Inglis in Australia before meeting Joey.

– Sporting Post

Captain Tatters, only a dwindling four-tenths of a length behind Silver Operator in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth 12 days ago, will renew rivalry with the Vaughan Marshall star in the Cape Guineas on December 21.

As he was bought to race in Hong Kong there were fears that the gelding would be put into quarantine now that he has shown he is good enough but Justin Snaith has been given the go-ahead to prepare him for next month’s classic and he is understandably delighted.

He said: “Captain Tatters has to be a big runner. If you watch his races you will see that he has flown home in them and that the line has come just in time for the opposition. He will be suited by the extra 200m and by the summer course.”

Snaith has won the Cape Guineas only once with Solo Traveller nine years ago but he has taken two of the last four runnings of the Woolavington and his Strathdon is 9-2 favourite for Saturday’s 2 400m test.

Anton Marcus, who rides the gelding, is reunited with One World in the Cape Mile and the Marshall colt has opened favourite at 16-10. Marcus won four out of five on One World last season including the Concorde Cup, CTS 1600 and Winter Guineas.

MJ Byleveld, successful on the four-year-old in the Matchem last month, is this time on stable companion Tap O’Noth on whom he won the 2017 Cape Guineas. Tap O’Noth is third favourite at 15-2 with the Brett Crawford-trained Charles on 7-2.

The hat-trick seeking Boomps A Daisy (Greg Cheyne) heads the market for the Laisserfaire Stakes at 7-2.  Marcus, who cannot get anywhere near the filly’s allotted 52kg, rides fellow Ridgemont runner Nastergal who is a 13-2 shot.

Aldo Domeyer, on paternity leave from Hong Kong, has seven rides and his best chances (at least according to the opening betting) would appear to be on the Candice Bass-Robinson trained Mayfern in race three and on What A Lover for Piet Steyn in the last.

By Michael Clower