The Robbie and Shannon Hill-trained Camphoratus was the only horse to win two awards at the KZN Racing Awards on Friday night and she is now being prepared for a tilt at the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup.

The five-year-old Byword mare was named KZN Champion Older filly/mare and KZN Champion Middle Distance horse.

There is not a Champion Miler award at the KZN Racing Awards, so the Middle Distance award incorporates distances from 1600m to 2200m.

Of the four nominees, which also included Head Honcho, Eyes Wide Open and Lady In Black, she was the only one to win a Grade 1 last season.

She won the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein Standside. 

She had earlier won the Grade 3 Flamboyant over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

She later finished a fine sixth place in the Vodacom Durban July and she ended a memorable season for her owners L J Muir, S Manicom, G R Sadleir and Mr & Mrs Rob Pickering of Middlefield Stud by finishing second in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m. The Pickerings of Middlefield Stud also bred her.

The Empress Club was the first Grade 1 win for the yard, although as a jockey Robbie won many Grade 1s. 

The chestnut is capable of a strong finish and proved when winning the Empress Club Stakes and earlier finishing second in the Listed Jacaranda Handicap, where she gave the winner Insignis 4,5kg, that she loves the Turffontein Standside track.

Her regular pilot Gareth Wright knows her well now. She runs best when left alone in the early stages and patience is also required in the straight as this maximizes the effect of her excellent turn of foot.

Her current merit rating, after the across the board ten point raise, is 118.   

Robbie said she would be given two preparation runs before the Summer Cup, one in Durban and one in Gauteng.   

Coral Fever in recuperation

Last year’s Grade 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile hero Coral Fever is still recuperating on the farm and it will be touch and go whether he can get back in time for the Gauteng Summer Cup.

The Robbie Sage-trained seven-year-old Judpot gelding was last seen finishing a fine 1,20 length fourth with topweight in last year’s G-Bets Summer Cup.

He subsequently had a slight niggle on one ligament and a scan revealed a slight tear.

He was thus sent to the farm to recuperate.

Sage said, “I don’t want to force anything and when he comes back we will still have to build him back up.”

Therefore, he was not sure whether he would be back in time for the Summer Cup.

By David Thiselton

The eight race Hollywoodbets Scottsville meeting yesterday saw fairly favourable results for punters until the last leg of the Pick 6 and PA which produced a bombshell.

In the third race the Dennis Drier-trained Maidens Prayer looked the best bet on the card, having finished an unlucky 1,80 length fourth in the Grade 2 Debutante over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on eLan Gold Cup day and now facing an uninspiring maiden field over that same trip. She duly went off paying R1.30 on the Tote. The What A Winter filly gave her supporters a few anxious moments as she had to be driven by Sean Veale to get into the leading line. However, with challengers all around her she shook them off and was drawing away at the line to beat Retail Therapy by 0,90 lengths.

Drier’s progressive sprinter Cabo Da Cruz jumped off at odds-on in the next, a MR 104 handicap over 1200m, where he was going for a fifth win in succession. However, the Yogas Govender-trained Filippo caught him napping when swooping past at the 300m mark. The latter, a Piemonte Stud-bred Toreador gelding, is best at the minimum trip so Cabo Da Cruz was able to fight back but it was too late and he was 0,25 lengths shy at the line. Filippo was ridden by Sherman Brown.

The meeting started on a dramatic note when Athandiwe Mgudlwa’s mount in the 1200m Maiden, Forest Jump, stumbled on to his knees and threw him off. At the same time Raymond Danielson was left clinging to the front of the starting stalls as his mount Staff Sergeant put his head into the neighbouring stall before jumping. The latter incident could not be blamed on a handler or faulty starting machinery so Staff Sergeant could not be declared a non-runner.

It was a day to forget for Danielson as his mount in the fourth race Mr Roy collapsed after the line, forcing him to jump off, and thereby hurting his hip. He was booked off for the rest of the day.

The first race in the end was won in easy style on debut by the Mike Miller-trained Dynasty colt, Monarchy, who was bred by G and J Davies and ridden by Sereno Moodley.

Mgudlwa bounced back from his fall to win the second over 1200m on the Garth Puller trained favourite Winter Chill, a What A Winter colt bred by the late GJ Royden-Turner.

The fifth race, a Mr 68 handicap saw the Michael Roberts trained favourite Great Dictator, a six year-old Great Britain gelding bred by GJ Armitage and ridden by Warren Kennedy, holding off Jonathon in a stirring duel.

The sixth, a MR 98 handicap over 1600m, also produced an exciting finish. Statute, a five-year-old Dynasty mare bred by Cheveley Stud, enjoyed the step up in trip and under a well-timed ride by Mark Khan got the better of Heart Of A Legend and Red Al to give Roberts a double.

In the seventh, a MR 80 Handicap over 2400m, the Sean Tarry-trained five-year-old Await The Dawn gelding Before Noon, bred by Summerhill Stud, held on under Luke Ferraris from a fast finishing favourite Paybackthemoney.

In the last race, a fillies and mares Maiden over 1400m, the Louis Goosen-trained five-year-old Linngari mare Linnger Longer, bred by Summerhill Stud and ridden by Deon Sampson, was allowed to go off at 50-1 despite never being far off them. She came from the box seat and got the better of the pacemaker Class Of Eight, who was a 16-1 chance. The third home was 25-1 shot Enrapture so it was a bombshell result for the exotics.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track has a mine race meeting tomorrow in which the exotics look the best way to play.

In the first leg of the PA over 1500m Little Sparrow, who is by Var out of Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic winner Bambina Stripes, has proven ability to stay this far and has been consistently close up in her last few starts. She is the one to beat but on the downside she has a tough draw which will provide a problem for Warren Kennedy considering she likes to be handy. Tartan Dancer ran a fair race second time out when stepped up to 1400m and being by Ideal World has scope for further improvement and she will enjoy the slight step up in trip. The well bred Princess Penelope, who is out of four time Grade 1-winning sprint-miler Princess Victoria found no extra from the front last time over 1450m but with more conservative tactics she can get this trip and being by Silvano she start coming into her own.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1800m Left Hook could enjoy the probable good pace of this race, which won’t take much beating. Turf Master will likely go to the front from a wide draw and will make a bold bid, but he might have to contest the lead with In For A Penny, who just failed from the front last time. Grey Street moved up well over 2400m last time before finding no extra so is interesting over this trip. Gentleman’s Wager ran on well over 1400m in his comeback from a four month layoff and this lightly raced five-year-old is interesting over a more suitable trip.

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1800m Arabian Sunrise is knocking on the door and has a middle draw over a suitable trip so this represents a good opportunity. Varquera has run on over 1600m before so could be a contender from draw two. Hope For Millions has fair KZN form and from pole position could make her presence felt as she moved up well over 1900m at Greyville last time, although over this trip the altitude could be a factor.

The sixth is an uninspiring MR 68 handicap over 2400m and Gold Griffin could follow up on his Maiden win over this trip. He has improved continuously since gelding and being stepped up in trip and is well drawn. Kamakura could reverse form with Village Dero at the weights although both have chances.

In the seventh, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m, Lake Kinneret has caught the eye lately with his powerful finishing runs and this trip could be his forte. However, he is 3kg under sufferance with the best weighted Unagi. Puget Sound has processed into a useful sort and is drawn in pole over an ideal trip but this is his second run after a layoff. Unagi used to be considered a Turffontein Inside course mile specialist but has become consistent lately and has won the only Time he ran over this course and distance. He has a good draw of two but his high rating is judged on just one run, a third in the Grade 1 wfa Horse Chestnut Stakes, and he will be hard pressed to repeat that effort.

In the eighth over 1000m Sugoi is a strongly built son of Noordhoek Flyer who should be coming into his own. He is three points higher than his last win but the latter was over 1200m and he is better over this trip. He didn’t appear to act on the sand last time. Singfonico all gets an ideal course and distance having run below par on the poly and the sand in his last two starts respectively. Moon Warrior is another with a chance as a progressive sort although he has to overcome an effective four point raise.

In the last race over 1000m Comaneci has talent and makes plenty of appeal with a 1,5kg claimer up, although he is wearing first time blinkers. Chief Of State impressed when just failing you beat Mr Whatson in March and if he repeats that effort he has a shout. Sacred Castle has not raced since a below par effort in February but showed a lot of ability on debut and if he can repeat that effort he has a chance in just his third career outing.

By David Thiselton

Punters had their fingers badly burned at Durbanville yesterday when Anse Lazio, backed down to 13-20 for the 2 400m handicap, proved unable to get on terms with 6-1 stable companion Metropolitan on whom Anthony Andrews made almost every metre.

True, the favourite was beaten less than a length into third at the line but seemingly those who backed him have the drying ground (and just possibly the handicappers) to blame.

Andre Nel, trainer of both horses, said: “Anse Lazio is a mudlark and the softer the ground the better for him. I walked the course beforehand and the going is good but in some places it is quite firm. That said, I still thought he would outstay them.

“We were reluctant to let Metropolitan go the front but we needed the pace for Anse Lazio and Anthony rode the winner superbly. But I think the handicappers over-handicapped him for his last win. They put him up four kilos and I was thinking of appealing. I rang them and, as they said they would reduce the increase by a pound, I decided against it.”

Richard Fourie, who rode Anse Lazio, had better luck in the opener when his judgement proved correct. The Snaith stable thought he had made the wrong decision when he opted for Silver Host rather than 2-1 favourite Winter Is Over but, if he ever had doubts, they were dispelled in no uncertain fashion inside the final furlong.

“He was taking his time but about 300m out he changed his demeanour and I knew I was going to win – and I was able to put my stick away,” said Fourie, adding: “This is a quality horse.”

The majority of punters had to wait for race three before getting the better of the bookmakers when the Eric Sands-trained 22-10 shot Larentina quickened nicely well inside the final furlong. “I was happy with the way she turned it on once I got the split,” reported Greg Cheyne.

By Michael Clower

The highest rated race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville tomorrow is a MR 104 handicap over 1200m and the progressive Cabo Da Cruz looks capable of making it five wins on the trot. He was a four-year-old when first winning so started handicapping off a lowly mark which has allowed him to progress. He has to overcome a four point raise for his last win and looks to have the class to do it. On That Boulevard was unlucky in the Grade 2 Post Merchants and that was his last turf start so he can go close here too. Hard To Play has a win and a third in three starts over course and distance and should also be involved.

Later there is an interesting fillies and mares MR 98 handicap over 1600m which could go to Red Al. She would have come on from her last start and is drawn in pole, as opposed to her draw of nine out of ten last time over course and distance. The topweight Twice As Smart faced tough opposition in the SA Champions Season without being disgraced and should be right there from a fair draw of five over an ideal trip. Stelvio beat Red AL last time and should also be in the shake up from a fair draw with a first time tongue tie on.

The best bet is in race three over 1200m where Maidens Prayer drops back to Maiden company after being an unlucky fourth last time in the Grade 2 Debutante Stakes over 1200m.she should hold too many guns here.

In the seventh race over 2400m Paybackthemoney impressed in his first start over this trip and off an effective four point higher mark could follow up. Before Noon tries a staying trip for the first time and looks likely to get it considering the way he fought on last time to win over 2000m at Greyville. He is only two points higher in the merit ratings and well drawn. Deposition has consistent form and stays this trip so us another possibility. Crime Victim can never be ignored in staying events although his best finish over course and distance is a runner up spot, which he has done twice, and he hasn’t won for close to two years. On The Bright Side should be coming into her own being by Ideal World and the 1, 5kg claim of Jason Gates will alleviate the burden of being 1kg under sufferance. In the last race over 1400m Mission Beach ran on well over 1200m last time and now gets a plum draw over a more suitable trip so should make her presence felt. Class Of Eight should be the shake up over a course and distance she enjoys. Wintertime has not been disgraced against a couple of fair sorts over 1200m and 1600m and from a good draw should enjoy this trip.

In the last race over 1400m Mission Beach ran on well over 1200m last time and now gets a plum draw over a more suitable trip so should make her presence felt. Class Of Eight should be the shake up over a course and distance she enjoys. Wintertime has not been disgraced against a couple of fair sorts over 1200m and 1600m and from a good draw should enjoy this trip.

By David Thiselton

Paul Lafferty said there was a valid excuse for the below par run of his highly regarded horse Share Holder on eLan Gold Cup day and he expects this horse to be a feature race contender this season.

The strapping Zoffany colt started a weak favourite for the Grade 2 Haval Motors South Africa Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m but could only manage a 6,80 length eleventh.

However, Lafferty put it down to there being no size eight aluminium bar shows being available throughout the country that week so they had to put on normal shoes for the race and he returned with his “foot on fire.”

He had earlier ripped part of his hoof off when overreaching on the training track which explained his long layoff after an impressive 3,90 length debut win over 1000m at Scottsville on February 6.

Before his Gold Cup day engagement he had impressed in a Barrier Trial.

Lafferty felt he would likely follow the same route as his stalwart Harry’s Son did in the 2014/2015 season so the Graham Beck Stakes and the Dingaans, run over 1400m and 1600m respectively on Turffontein Standside, are the likely first targets. 

By David Thiselton

Mike de Kock said he was taking a one to two year view on getting his pending training operation in Australia going and thus his star horse Hawwaam would be racing in South Africa for the whole of this season.

De Kock commenting on Hawwaam’s starting woes said, “He is fine in the pens, in my opinion he just doesn’t need a handler, he becomes unsettled when they are standing above him.”

Hawwaam will thus be on course for the three-way clash of the century in next year’s Sun Met.

The country’s three big guns, Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam are due to do battle in that race.

They were set to face each other in the Vodacom Durban July last month in an Equus Horse Of The Year decider.

However, Hawwaam had to be scratched after charging the gate and hurting himself.

Fortunately, the lameness was temporary and he was sound by the time he had returned to the parade ring.

Do It Again went on to beat Rainbow Bridge by 0,40 lengths despite giving him half-a-kilogram, thus exacting revenge for his 0,75 length defeat in the weight for age Sun Met.

De Kock still has to have stables built in Australia, work through the red tape of visa requirements and send staff over for work experience.

He said Hawwaam would obviously be a candidate to run for him over there when things were in place but it would all depend on the instructions of his owner Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. 

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith has had two significant retirees from his stable, Oh Susanna and Snowdance, who will both be standing at Drakenstein Stud, and the rest of his top horses have just come back into light work.

Snowdance will be covered by Drakenstein’s new stallion Lancaster Bomber, who is the only Group 1-winning son of leading international sire War Front to be standing in either South Africa or the UK. A decision on who Oh Susanna will be covered by is yet to be made. 

Among the horses back in light work at the Snaith yard is Equus Horse Of The Year Do It Again.

Next year’s Sun Met is being billed already as the clash of the three titans, Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam, but Snaith said, “There will be more, it is going to be a very competitive season and there are a lot of good horses around.”

One of the challenges he is facing is how to place General Franco, who was lumbered with a 103 merit rating after his debut win.

Snaith felt his career was set back six months by this rating and felt the handicappers should have allowed him one more run, where they could have seen something more, “before penalising him so drastically.”

He said the plate races usually did not stand up due to lack of entries and putting him as a young three-year-old into a handicap with such a merit rating might discourage him.

His plan was therefore to nurse him at home and build him into what the handicappers believed him to be.

He said the same had happened to Oh Susanna and the handicappers had been proven right but added if they were not proven right in this case he would be dealing with a three-time winner at most due to the mark he was being asked to start off with.

Snaith said General Franco had returned a bit shin sore after his second start but it was not enough to explain his poor last place finish.

He said jockey Greg Cheyne had reported him to be the “first horse gone” in that race.

Snaith was nonetheless looking forward to another good season and said he would have one of his strongest recent strings. He added he had particularly exciting two-year-olds.

He said his first call rider Richard Fourie would be one of his biggest assets considering the current jockey situation in South Africa where a few big names are on the sidelines while others have left for Hong Kong.

By David Thiselton

One World, winner of more than R3.3 million and beaten only twice in nine starts, may bid to resume his winning ways in the Matchem Stakes at Durbanville on October 5.

Vaughan Marshall said: “I haven’t worked out a programme for One World yet but he could possibly start in the Matchem.”

The four-year-old won a progress plate on the day of the Matchem last year and his other victories included the Langeman, Concorde Cup, CTS 1600 and the Winter Guineas. His only two defeats came in the Cape Guineas (third) when things did not go according to the trainer’s plan and in the Winter Classic in which he finished second to Vardy. Marshall last won the Matchem with Tales Of Bravery in 2010.

Stable companion Captain Of Stealth, who raised hopes for big race glory when romping home by wide margins in his first two starts, is to have his injury rescanned at the end of October but at this stage there is no suggestion that the original prognosis of being out for ten months is likely to be changed. He did the damage by rapping himself below the joint and just above the coronet.

By Michael Clower

The Hollywoodbets Greyville poly has an eight race meeting on Sunday and punters could have a better time of it than they did on Wednesday.

In the first leg of the PA over 2000m the three-year-old Greys Inn gelding Uncle Frank is 2,5kg under sufferance but his maiden win over 1600m has worked out well as the 1,75 length runner up has won his next two starts. He also looks likely to enjoy this trip as quite a big immature sort who ran on well in that last start. However, he can’t be bankered with that hard task facing him. The back up is Samsonite, who won the last time he tried this course and distance and is now well drawn off an effective five point higher mark.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Indigo Tractor and Velvet Season are both hard knocking course and distance suited four-year-olds and must both be included. The former is given the vote as he has a better draw. Myrrh is a frustrating sort to follow as he has ability but does not really put it in. However, he has a plum draw and will relish the step back up in trip, so is an outsider to consider. 

In the first leg of the Jackpot over 2000m Highveld raider Gottalottaluv has always had plenty of talent and has a fine record over this trip with one win and four seconds in seven starts. If Luke Ferraris can find a good position for her from a tricky draw of six she should be right there, although this is the Var mare’s first run on the poly. Irish Wonder Girl is a four-year-old filly on the up and being by Irish Flame she loves this sort of trip. She has a plum draw of four and is going for a hattrick, so will be a big threat.

In the fifth over 1200m Johnny Black had some useful Cape Town form and after two runs in KZN should be cherry ripe. He stayed on over the tough Scottsville 1000m on his first KZN start so should enjoy this step up in trip. He has a plum draw of five and is effectively two points lower in the merit ratings so looks the one to beat. Bestday Of Mylife has been running over further in the strong centre of Cape Town, where merit ratings often become suppressed due to the high class of horse. From pole position he will be an interesting runner and must be included. Missibaba has two wins and three places in seven starts over this course and distance and has been competitive off this sort of mark before, so she could be a threat, although it is never easy against the boys.

In the sixth over 1200m Cherry Road starts off handicapping off a reasonable mark having showed natural pace on debut over 1000m and finding extra. She looks likely to relish the step up in trip, but does have a tough draw of ten. La Valette also has a tricky draw of eight but has the form to go close. Keep It Real ran an improved race last time under the improving 4kg claimer Jabu Jacobs and from a plum draw of four she could be in the shake up.

In the seventh over 1400m Mastagambit comes off a flying win over course and distance and has a fine chance of following up. Triple Fate Line is fulfilling the early promise he showed and this trip should be ideal so from draw two he can overcome the effective two point raise he was given for his 1600m win last time and be right there. Zanzibarian runs fresh over a trip sharper than ideal but has some class and will be staying on so must be included.      

In the last race over 1400m Cavalieri went close on debut over 1400 on the turf. He was green and should improve, Jalapeno has a wide draw but has shown enough to be able to earn. Red Hot Night is a hard knocking distance suited four-year-old with a plum draw so he has to be included too.

The meeting starts with an uninspiring 1000m maiden for fillies and mares where the right one looks to be Dune Dance, who improved with blinkers on over this trip last time and was a touch unlucky as she was bumped early. 

By David Thiselton