WSB Fillies Guineas winner Front And Centre was confirmed a runner in the Diana Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday after impressing in a work-out on the course last Thursday.

Brett Crawford said: “She galloped very well over 1 300m so she will run on Saturday.” The four-year-old is favourite at 15-10 ahead of this morning’s declarations with Santa Clara next on 5-1.

Crawford continued: “Undercover Agent also went well on Thursday and Search Party put up a nice gallop so both will run in the Matchem. But Charles will miss the race – I don’t think he is ready yet – and he has been gelded so I want to give him a bit more time.”

Undercover Agent is 33-10 favourite with One World and Twist Of Fate on 4-1 but Sun Met third Head Honcho, next best on 17-2, will not run.

Andre Nel said: “Head Honcho runs instead in an 1 800m pinnacle at Kenilworth on October 15. Pleasedtomeetyou (Anthony Andrews) runs in the Matchem.”

By Michael Clower

Charlie Mccreevy was the subject of an inspired punt three runs back but ran into more traffic than in a Jo’Burg rush hour, getting out too late to land the gamble.

He disappointed at his next two starts but enjoyed better fortune in the Karatbars International Maiden at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday. Short-priced ante-post favourite Al Ragnar was withdraw on the morning with a swollen joint which eliminated the one major obstacle and Mark Khan took full toll on Lezzeanne Forbes’s gelding although it was not all over until the final 50 m as Charlie Mccreevy finally shook off the attentions of Ice Baron to deny Dean Kannemeyer a quartet of wins on the day.

Perfectly Putt started Mike de Kock’s raid on a high note as the odds-on favourite landed the Baker McVeigh Maiden. The gelding missed the kick but was given a confident ride by apprentice Luke Ferraris who got the favourite home where it counted.

Matthew de Kock, saddling for his father, indicated that this would not be the first raid by the stable, De Kock having closed up his Summerveld yard some three season’s back. “There are some nice maiden races here. And with the draws and draw-bias tracks (on the Highveld), we will keep our options open.”

Arnica Montana looked a safe bet for a De Kock double, but De Kock junior’s words, “I hope he’s not a tea-leaf” after his previous interview, rang disappointingly true as the 1-3 favourite could only manage a well-beaten third. Given every chance, Arnica Montana was closing late but it was left to Dutch Alley to snatch the spoils from long-time leader Self-Mastery.

Dutch Alley was the second of the Kannemeyer winners after Williams Land made short work of the opposition in the first. Williams Land, making his local debut after two modest efforts in the Cape, finished with a flourish to put four lengths of daylight between himself and second-placed Kingston Rock.

Muzi Yeni and Warren Kennedy are trading punches at the top of the national jockey log and it was all square on the day with Kennedy scoring on Williams Land and Yeni having a tougher time on Favour for the same stable in the Colesdale Estate Handicap.

From gate 15, Yeni was forced to look for cover early and turned for home seemingly out of his ground with commentator Sheldon Peters calling for wings.

The wings didn’t sprout, but Favour did finish with a flourish for his third straight win and Kannemeyer’s fourth.

By Andrew Harrison

Crome Yellow could be the answer to a complicated-looking Settlers Trophy at Durbanville tomorrow. The Andre Nel-trained five-year-old has won his last two, is suited by the trip, was only raised 2kg for his last success and has one of the best jockeys in the business. His present 9-2 price looks attractive.

The obvious danger is early favourite Belgarion because he possesses a touch of class and just might be better than his present handicap mark. Third in the Politician in January, he was reported by his rider to have choked in the Cape Derby but he shrugged aside a seven month absence to score over a mile only three weeks ago.

The gelding was raised 4kg for that but he is favoured by many of the statistics – four-year-olds have won four of the last five runnings, Justin Snaith has won three of the last four and Richard Fourie is bidding for his fourth Settlers. As against that favourites have a shocking record – Magnificent Seven 12 months ago was the first to win for ten years.

However what has happened in the past may not prove quite so relevant this time because of the curious decision to chop two furlongs off the race’s traditional 2 400m. It’s not as if it had not been attracting enough runners – the field size averaged ten over the last five seasons and that is one more than tomorrow’s line-up.

The shorter trip is all against the Winter Derby winner Dharma (15-2) even though he has been laid out for this. He appeared to need 2 400m to bring out the best in him.

Elusive Silva, third in last year’s Durban July, has to give weight all round and no winner has carried more than 58kg since Just Like Al successfully shouldered 59kg nine years ago. Fellow Snaith-trained 9-1 shot Platinum Prince is 2kg better with Crome Yellow for nearly three lengths and it is worth noting that he lost a fair bit of ground at the start that day.

Gyre, though, could pose a real threat. The 17-2 shot was only beaten three-quarters of a length by the selection in that last race and – in theory at any rate – he should reverse the placings on a kilo and a half better terms. American Landing (6-1) was fifth of six that day but is weighted to get into the shake-up but Cape Derby third Herodotus (11-1) has been off for three months.

Computaform Sprint winner Pacific Trader is a warm favourite for the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle but this is his first race since and it won’t be easy to overcome an eight draw over such a short trip. Celestial Storm looks a better bet at 5-1.

By Michael Clower

Like a raiding Viking chief, Mike de Kock has orchestrated a ‘hit’ on Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday and by the fourth race could be headed home with a sack-full of spoils.

De Kock’s first strike comes in the second and although there are many first timers to keep an eye on Perfectly Putt makes the long trip from the Highveld to race on the poly. He has drawn well and should feature prominently in what has stacked up into a modest field. His biggest threat could come in the form of Arianos Spinner who takes on males but was much improved at her second start. With a 4kg claimer up she only has 50kg to shoulder.

Arnica Montana is the second of the De Kock raiders and should get the Pick 6 off to a solid start. The gelding has failed narrowly in his first two starts and should be a solid bet in this line-up although you are not going to get rich at likely cramped odds.

Of the balance, Rasputin’s Remedy has not been far back in two sprints and should much prefer this trip while Dutch Alley has put in one good effort so far and is re-united with Stuart Randolph. A repeat of that run should see him competitive.

Given the betting, Al Ragnar was not a typical De Kock runner, drifting from an opening call of 14-1 to 33-1 after finishing with just two behind him on debut.

But the addition of blinkers brought out the best in him and the line came a stride too soon as Gimme The Fire clung onto his lead. There should be no mistakes here. Charlie Mccreevy has been disappointing since a plunge three runs back where he was decidedly unlucky, the victim of a mid-straight traffic jam. Lezeanne Forbes’s runner has held form since and should feature in the money. Ice Baron and Querari’s Cowboy both step up in trip and could prove dangerous.

The fifth is a wide-open handicap but top weight Room At The Top was narrowly beaten in his third local start by Favour. He has the best of the draw and is 1kg better off with his rival this time around. Al Jackman comes from a very much in form stable and was a close-up second last outing and Viento is also 1kg better off with Favour and is seldom too far back of late.

The handicappers have taken the plunge and dropped Arianos Shadow five pounds since her last run on the poly and although she carries top weight in the Jonsson Workwear Handicap she looks more competitive off her new mark. Frank Robinson saddled the filly in a strong Pinnacle Stakes field last run and the extra 400m this time around should be to her benefit.

The dangers! Escape Club appeared to be badly in need of her last start after returning from a lengthy break. Her form before that was excellent and from a good draw, she will have a big chance if near her best. Petra is useful on her day and has been consistent but also gets a three-point drop in ratings and her best recent effort has been over course and distance.

By Andrew Harrison

Hollywoodbets have extended their original R10 million three-year sponsorship of Gold Circle by a further R1.5 million per year with the announcement of some innovative changes that will come into effect on October 1, 2019.

Gold Circle and Hollywood bets will be in a R1 million joint partnership, each contributing R500k towards rewarding the grooms of winning horses with R1000 for every winner at KZN race meetings.

Tokens to the value of R1000 will be presented to the winning groom of every race in KZN. This is in addition to the 1% of stake money that the grooms already receive.

“Getting involved in joint CSI projects was always high on the agenda when Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets first met regarding sponsorship initiatives,” said Gold Circle’s Senior Marketing and Events Manager, Stephen Marshall. “This additional grooms’ incentive demonstrates the commitment of both parties to all stakeholders in the horse racing industry. We recognise the critical and integral role that grooms play and we are always looking at ways to illustrate that recognition. Going forward, grooms’ names will also be included in the official race card.”

Hollywoodbets Brand and Communications Manager, Devin Heffer, added; “Hollywoodbets is proud to be partnering with Gold Circle on the grooms initiative. Rewarding the winning groom with R1000 for every race at Hollywoodbets Greyville and Hollywoodbets Scottsville is important to us as a brand, and we relish the opportunity to play a tangible part in the empowering of this important sector of horse racing in KZN.”

In a further initiative, which will add colour and make horseracing more fun and attractive to a younger audience, Hollywoodbets will sponsor colour-coded saddles cloths, each saddlecloth number corresponding to a specific colour. Recently, this only applied to the last race on the card, but from October 1, it will apply to all races in KZN, excluding certain sponsored race days.

“Horse racing is steeped in tradition. However, respect for tradition should not be a barrier to innovation and stimulation. We believe that each small innovation will refresh our product and will go some way in differentiating the KZN offering from horse racing in other parts of the country – which in turn, will hopefully increase the interest, participation and betting on our product,” said Marshall. “The Gold Circle and Hollywoodbets marketing teams will continue to collaborate and introduce new initiatives wherever we can to improve the customer experience on course and on TV.”

“This practice currently exists in the USA and South America,” said Heffer. “It is an initiative that allows people who may not follow form, to possibly follow their favourite number, or favourite colour. The consistency with this is that the numbers and colours will always be the same. For example, Number 1 will always be red with a white number. Number 7 will always be orange with a black seven, etc.”

“Our goal will be to make these colours as visible and informative as possible, and to simplify the sport of horse racing to the wider viewing public,” said Heffer.

All these innovations will come into effect on Tuesday, October 1.

Not an easy programme of nine races awaits us at Turffontein tomorrow where they will be on the inside track. Some punters say that the easier the card looks the harder it is to win and the tougher the card looks, the easier to pick winners and that is what is so good about differing opinions.

The Work riders open the meeting at 12.35pm where there are a few first timers so I suggest you keep a close eye on the betting. Of the ones that have raced, Secret Dream looks the one they all have to beat. What makes me that much more confident is that the Lucky Houdalakis yard has come good recently.

In the second, which opens the Bipot, the top selection is Precious Stone who debuted 35 days ago and caught the eye. He kicked on well to finish just four lengths off Marshall whose all-round form line is starting to take shape. With natural improvement, Precious Stone could prove a hard horse to peg back. G I Joe looks the main danger and the interesting runner in the race is Zaahed. He returns from a long rest but has shown nothing in his two races thus far. He could be the huge improver!

In the next race, Mike De Kock sends a beautifully bred, expensive son of Captain Al to the start called Tilmeeth. He gets the services of Callan Murray and they are going the mile on debut. He could be absolutely anything and another good one for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum.

The first leg of the Pick 6 does not look easy although Flagship Fund makes her stable debut and could be the right one. Tulip Way improved in her second run but has not been seen for 149 days. She can go close to winning if not in need of this outing. Invisible from the Tarry yard is another returning from a rest but can improve on her bad second start. Her debut was hugely encouraging!

The fifth race, I am fairly bullish about Category Four’s chances as he was really running on well last time. He just ran out of race track nine days ago and would be deserving to record another career win. Stunning from the Robbie Sage yard in the sixth may to be hard to beat simply because she probably has the most scope to improve out of the field of eight. Miss Cap Mala and Irish Dame could be value selections for your exactas.

Ikigai takes his place in the seventh and could remain unbeaten. He was heavily backed on debut and his supporters were never in doubt as he won easily. Dangers could be Astrix and Mawsool. The last two races on the card look tough so I suggest you try and include as many in the exotics as your budget will allow.

By Warren Lenferna

Image: Raymond Danielson rides OVER THE LIMIT for Sean Tarry in the eighth at Turffontein tomorrow. (Candiese Marnewick)

Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge, who began last season’s campaign with a win in the Matchem, will this time wait until the WSB Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on December 14. The subsequent WSB Champions Cup winner and Vodacom Durban July runner-up was beaten only millimetres when fourth in that famous four-way photo for last year’s Green Point.

Eric Sands said: “He is a lot stronger horse this year and he has been back in for a few weeks now. When he was on the farm he trotted in the mornings, and I just cantered him to begin with when he returned, but he is now doing pace work.”

Three Two Charlie, comfortable winner of the 1 200m Sophomore Sprint, will step up a furlong in the Cape Classic at Kenilworth on October 26. Candice Bass-Robinson, asked if this indicated that the What A Winter gelding is not considered purely a sprinter, answered: “That we don’t know – he could be – but we will find out in the Classic.”

Wild Coast, Beach Beauty’s son who scored convincingly at Durbanville 12 days ago, is one of those Justin Snaith is considering for the R150 000 Listed Racing Association Stakes over a mile at Fairview on October 25. “He won his maiden nicely but he is still very immature. I will gallop him and see how he goes,” said the trainer.

Computaform Sprint winner Pacific Trader, despite a near five month-absence and a difficult draw, has opened 18-10 favourite for the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday. Recent course and distance winner Celestial Storm disputes second favouritism with Pacific Trader’s stable companion Traces at 5-1.

Belgarion, who returned to win over a mile at Kenilworth earlier this month, is 13-10 favourite to give Justin Snaith a sixth Settlers Trophy and Richard Fourie his fourth. The hat-trick seeking Crome Yellow is next on 9-2 with the Geoff Woodruff-trained Winter Derby winner Dharma on 13-2.

By Michael Clower

Last season’s champion apprentice Luke Ferraris probably has ambitions of a career in Hong Kong where his father is one of the leading trainers. To date his two terms in the saddle as an apprentice have gone well and if he can keep reproducing rides like that on Abbey in the Soccer 6 FM 66 Apprentice Handicap at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday then he does have a future in what is probably the planet’s most competitive riding environment.

That said, Ferraris still has a lot to learn and he was taking on fellow apprentices yesterday. But his decision to take on the front runners before the home turn indicated a thorough understanding of pace and judgement and also correctly assessing what was under him.

Ferraris rolled Karen and Greg Anthony’s filly wide up the hill and before the penny dropped among his fellow apprentices, the bird had flown. Chatty Cathy was out of her ground at the top of the straight with only one behind her, but Julie Dittmer’s filly rattled home for second.

After Justaguything bolted up in the first, giving log-leading Warren Kennedy a welcome winner after taking a tumble at Turffontein last Saturday, Gavin van Zyl gave punters some insight into the result of the second, warning them that they ignore Cantata Choir’s current form at their peril.

It didn’t quite work out as the more race-ready Mr Minister gave Serino Moodley the first leg of his double. Cantata Choir was in full voice a furlong out, but her condition gave out the last bit as Mike Miller’s filly worn her down to win going away.

Favourite Hot Money behaved in the gate as if SARS had her number and blew her chances at the jump.

If Abbey’s form needed scrutiny, her supporters were buoyed by Sacred Ibis in the preceding race as Moodley sent Garth Puller’s filly for home early, a move that paid dividends as Guadeloupe came good over the extended trip and was shutting down the odds-on favourite with every stride.

Be Happy is a quick filly and ran the opposition off their feet in the fifth. With a strong tailwind helping them home, multiple champion jockey Mark Khan took full advantage to turn the tables on Noemi and a game Starlight.

It has taken apprentice Thabiso Gumede a little time to get his opportunities and he has doubled his tally of winners in the space of a few days. A winner for Paul Peter on Saturday, he added Mokoko to his list as he kept Paul Lafferty’s gelding hard to his task in the sixth although fellow apprentice Gabriel Pieterse, hunting his first winner, had a difficult time on second-placed Bedazzled Joker who was looking to run in under pressure.

Lowan Denysschen’s string are looking a million dollars at his Ashburton base and apprentice Jason Gates has struck up a good relationship with the mare Eternal Words. There was a glitch in her form when pulling up lame last time out, but there were no mistakes yesterday as Gates got her home ahead of a late-charging Liquid Irish.

There is not an apprentice more confident in his abilities than the talented Gates although the stipes will have taken a dim view of his whip-waving before the line. In his relatively short career, he has copped more suspensions than most have traffic fines.

By Andrew Harrison

Punters face a difficult card on the Vaal Classic course tomorrow but as the cliché states, ‘the bigger the risk, the greater the reward’. And it’s not going to get any easier in the future as mid-week meetings have been cut to eight races on the Highveld, a move that is especially likely to see the lower division races filled to capacity.

Heading the Vaal card is the International Jockey’s Challenge 16 November Pinnacle Stakes where backers are again faced with the dilemma of ability as opposed to race ready.

Rebel’s Champ, an accomplished sprinter in the top echelons, is well in at the weights in this five-furlong dash in spite of being lumbered with 61.5kg, the rider being that Paul Peter’s charge has not been out since early May when down the field in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint.

In his day, Rebel Champ would be a confident choice, and with Warren Kennedy aboard, he must still be the preferred runner of the Peter trio, but he will not have things all his own way.

Veteran galloper Talktothestars rarely has a month off but is tough as nails and with the handicappers giving him some relief in the ratings, he has come good again, winning over course and distance last time out in spite of casting a shoe.

A 10-1 chance in the ante-post market, Connie De Beers soldier has ability, fitness and 4kg claimer Yuzae Ramzan in the plus column and although he takes on considerably stronger opposition than in recent outings, he is a proven Gr 1 galloper.

Pire Strydom teams up with Mike and Adam Azzie’s Down To Zero, a gelding who also has recent races under his girth so should not be short of a gallop and a must inclusion in all calculations.

Mike de Kock and Sean Tarry take the wraps off two fillies bred in the purple in the opening leg of the Pick 6 where Riqaaby and Cosmic Ray are up against some fairly modest opposition.

The odds-makers have not taken any chances, marking them up as first and second favourites respectively, although 28-10 and 3-1 are not cramped odds. The fully exposed Zodiac Pearl, and probably short-priced favourite had these two not been in the race, is third favourite at 7-2 with Madox Tune (8-1) the only other runner quoted in single figures.

The fourth is something of a guessing game with a number of runners in with chances. Slay The Dragon was narrowly beaten at his last start and is seldom far back while Jagesa Jagesa came from well back to win his latest and although second-placed pacemaker Rocky Path is now 1.5kg better off he may not be able to turn the tables.

De Kock could have pulled off a master stroke with Bold Ellie in the sixth. Still a maiden, she has had two warm-up sprints and judged on pedigree, should much prefer this trip in what is not a strong field.

In the seventh, top weight Destiny’s Game has not been out of the money in her last five starts and can go one better in this small field although she will face strong opposition from the likes of Shivers, Elusive Butterfly and Sammi Moosa who are all evenly matched.

Lone Survivor and Tierra Del Fuego are at the top of the ante-post boards for the last but 33-10 does not inspire much confidence. However, Lone Survivor has been in mustard form and goes well over this trip and has the benefit of a good draw. Tierra Del Fuego has been rested. He won an Assessment Plate last start but rarely runs a poor race.  Big Blue Marble has dumped many of his supporters after two disappointing recent efforts when well fancied but the step up in trip may be what he is looking for. Tricky draw but he may be worth another chance.

By Andrew Harrison

To take a bet go to www.tabgold.co.za or www.trackandball.co.za

Stakes cuts in Cape Town begin with the Matchem and Diana Stakes at Durbanville on Saturday week when each of these Grade 3 races will be run for R200 000, R50 000 less than last year.

They had both been R250 000 races since 2014 when the Matchem was upped from R200 000 and the Diana from R150 000. Neither race is sponsored for the first time in three years.

The sahorseracing.co.za website reveals the cuts in Grade 2 and Grade 3 races to the end of November, with the forward programme being amended to show the Western Cape Fillies Championship, Cape Merchants and Concorde Cup (all Grade 2) having been reduced from R400 000 to R350 000 while the value of the Grade 3 Cape Classic will be dropped by R50 000 to R200 000.

However the programme does not yet show the races for December and January when the Group 1s will be run – including the showpiece Sun Met whose value was upped from R2.5 million to R5 million in 2017.

Phumelela racing executive Patrick Davies stressed on Monday that the cuts will fall across the country (or, to be more accurate, in the jurisdictions in which the company is responsible for stakes), and added that he is discussing the situation with the various Racing Association regional chapters. Phumelela plans to make a detailed announcement once this has been done.

The sahorseracing website indicates that the values of ordinary handicaps and maidens are unaffected by the cuts – at least so far as the end of November – but Davies pointed out that the programme was drafted some time ago. He didn’t specifically say so but seemingly it would be unwise to assume that these races will necessarily continue at the same level.

The cuts have been caused by falling betting revenues which, in turn, are believed to be mainly the result of the weak South African economy.

This year’s Matchem, won in the past decade by subsequent L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winners Variety Club and Capetown Noir and 12 months ago by Rainbow Bridge en route to landing the Sun Met, has again attracted a quality entry.

Vaughan Marshall says he will probably run both Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth and prolific scorer One World while Joey Ramsden, successful with Variety Club and Act Of War, has nominated Twist Of Fate (winner of the Cape Classic and KRA Guineas, and second in the Cape Guineas).

Brett Crawford, who won with Captain America three years ago, has three entered and said: “They are due to gallop on Thursday but it is more than likely that Undercover Agent and Search Party will run.”

Crawford will also gallop Front And Centre tomorrow before deciding whether last season’s WSB Cape Fillies Guineas winner begins her campaign in the Diana. Surprisingly Crawford has yet to win this race.

Candice Bass-Robinson has the biggest Diana entry with six and said: “Freedom Charter, Star Fighter and Lesedi La Rona will all run. I will decide about the other three (Santa Clara, Nastergal and Intothelimelight) nearer the time because they are all drawn in the bush.”

Dean Kannemeyer, successful woth Roman Charger in 2001 as well as with Capetown Noir six years ago, has nominated five for the Matchem including his Umkhomazi winner African Warrior and the highly regarded Seventh Gear who runs in this Saturday’s Tellytrack.com Handicap.

Kannemeyer said: “I believe my three-year-old crop is much stronger than last year’s but I am trying to box smartly with them and I need to place them well to get them where I want them.”

This Saturday’s Listed Settlers Trophy is unaffected by the cuts with stakes remaining at last year’s R150 000 level but the distance has been shortened from 2 400m to 2 000m. Elusive Silva (Louis Mxothwa), third in last year’s Vodacom Durban July, shoulders 60kg top weight in the nine-strong field which also includes the Geoff Woodruff-trained Winter Derby winner Dharma (Anthony Andrews).

Last season’s Computaform Sprint winner Pacific Trader is the star name in the 1 000m Interbet.co.za Pinnacle Stakes with Corne Orffer facing the by no means straightforward task of tacking his way over from pen eight in a field of 12.

By Michael Clower