The weather gods appear to have it in for Scottsville. In recent weeks it’s either been blistering hot or pouring with rain as was the case on Sunday.

A soft track doesn’t suit all, but there are horses that revel in the mud and don’t often get a chance in these conditions in KZN. That said, the Scottsville outside track was a little more than soft and after two races around the turn, a jockey protest and a track inspection in pouring rain the Listed The Sledgehammer was called off and postponed until this coming Sunday.

The underfoot conditions had no obvious affect on the two at the top of the weights in the Highland Night Cup as Silver Rose and favourite Strathdon took up the cudgels shortly after the start and finished in that order.

Once in front, Silver Rose settled for Gareth Wright and the race was run on his terms. Strathdon tried gallantly to get to grips in the home straight but Silver Rose kept finding to win comfortably.

Byron Foster, assistant to Andre Nel in KZN, expressed reservations about Silver Rose staying further than 2400m but the gelding did it rather easily under testing conditions so he may well be a factor come the big staying races in Champions Season.

Justin Snaith, on the other hand, has indicated that some of his runners are short of one run after the Cape summer, Strathdon and Pinkerton, third in the second when starting favourite, prime examples. But Listed The Scarlet Lady winner Miyabi Gold handled the heavy going comfortably and put up her hand for inclusion in the final field for the Vodacom Durban July.

She plugged away in the mud to win comfortably but the runner that caught the eye was Sabina’s Dynasty. Having her first outing for Brett Crawford, she was closing fast from well off the pace and it will not come as a surprise to see her name added to the list of July hopefuls at second entries alongside stable companion Charles.

Dennis Drier is responsible for two of South Africa’s promising locally-bred stallions, Master Of My Fate and now Captain Of All. Master Of My Fate already has a sophomore crop performing well but Captain Of All is still among the freshman ranks.

Captain Of All, winner of the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint as a two-year-old, signed off his career with victories in the Gr1 Gold Horse Sprint and the Gr1 Mercury Sprint, all for Drier. KZN’s current champion trainer has stayed faithful to both Master Of My Fate and Captain Of All.

Cartel Captain gave notice that he could be in line to emulate his sire in the Tsogo Sun Sprint as he scored comfortably in the card opener. He was up against quality field of maidens and his experience over the often tricky Scottsville 1200m will count in his favour.

Robbie and Shannon Hill enjoyed their finest hour with Cascapedia winning the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes a fortnight back and look to have two nice juveniles in Into The Future and Fools Gold, first and second in the All To Come Juvenile Plate. Both came off smart barrier trials and look to have some scope.

One that does have scope for breaking his duck sooner rather than later is third-placed Pinkerton. A seven-furlong maiden will be at his mercy when next he steps out.

By Andrew Harrison

Justin Snaith achieved the most dominant finish in Vodacom Durban July history last season and his filly Miyabi Gold was the first of this year’s July entries to put up her hand when winning the Listed Scarlet Lady over 1750m at Scottsville on Sunday under Richard Fourie.

There were a number of July entries engaged in the Sledgehammer, a race which was scheduled to follow the Scarlet Lady, but it was postponed until next Sunday due to unsafe conditions around the turn caused by steady rainfall.

Miyabi Gold has one big factor in her favour as a July candidate and that is she is by Champion Stallion Silvano. The latter has a superb record in the July, siring four winners, Bold Silvano (2010), Heavy Metal (2013), Power King (2015) and Marinaresco (2017). Furthermore in 2015 he sired the first three past the post, an unprecedented feat.

Miyabi Gold ran off a 105 merit rating on Sunday, which fortunately put her at the top of one of the merit rated bands under the conditions of the race. She is typical of a Silvano filly in that she has strengthened and matured as a four-year-old. From a handy position she stayed on well in the straight to win by a cosy one length. Sabina’s Dynasty made a fine debut for the Brett Crawford yard, running for the first time in the Ridgemont Stud colours, who are new part-owners. She ran on strongly from off the pace for second and is one to follow. The talented Folk Dance bounced back to form in only her second attempt at a trip beyond a mile. She appeared to relish the rain softened ground and finished a 2,60 length third. She is trained by Paul Peter, who previously trained Sabina’s Dynasty.

Prolific Durban-based owner Nick Jonsson owns Miyabi Gold. Last year Jonsson part-owned the one-two in the July and the runner up, Made To Conquer, had started his SA Champions Season campaign with an easy victory at Scottsville, so perhaps history will repeat itself with Miyabi Gold. The filly enjoys Greyville having finished a 2,25 length fourth to Oh Susanna in last year’s Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 and then following that with victory in the Grade 2 Kuda Gold Bracelet over 2000m on Gold Cup day. In December she gave the useful Fresnaye 2kg in the Grade 3 WSB Victress Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth and was beaten into second by only 1,50 lengths. She followed that with a disappointing run in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes, beaten 8,1 lengths by Oh Susanna and she was also unplaced in the Grade 1 Bidvest Majorca Stakes over the too sharp 1600m. However, she proved on Sunday she is thriving in Durban and appears to be coming into her own.

Her current odds July odds with Track And Ball are 60/1.

Snaith and Fourie had earlier combined to win with Jonsson’s first-timer Miss Florida. This two-year-old Captain Al filly has speed and class and pulled away to win a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m by a comfortable 2,10 lengths, despite being green.

The other feature run on the day was the Non-Black Type Highland Night Cup over 2400m and this also saw success for Silvano, who sired the first two past the post. The Andre Nel-trained Silver Rose won by a comfortable two lengths under Gareth Wright from the Snaith-trained Strathdon. There was a promising third-place finish in this race by the Gareth Van Zyl-trained Noble Tune three-year-old gelding Paths Of Victory and he is going to be one to follow over staying trips.

Dennis Drier’s two-year-olds must always be noted at this time of the year as he has a magnificent record in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. His Captain Al colt Cartel Captain will almost certainly be a contender in that race at the Festival Of Speed Meeting on May 25, having come from off the pace in the first race over 1000m on Sunday with long strides to win in impressive style on debut under Sean Veale. Drier had a treble on the day, also winning with In The Stars under Veale and Cabo Da Cruz under Gavin Lerena.  

The Robbie and Shannon Hill yard recently clinched their first Grade 1 win with Camphoratus and they have a promising two-year-old in Visionaire gelding Into The Future, who was an easy winner on debut in the second over 1200m.

On Friday Snaith won the Listed East Cape Oaks over 2000m at Fairview with Drakenstein Stud’s Dynasty home-bred Madonna, who was ridden by Ryan Munger, and she will now be on her way to join Snaith Summerveld’s Champions Season string. The Woolavington 2000 is likely her chief target. 

By David Thiselton

Betting World and market rival World Sports Betting are engaging in a battle royal with their prices on the Vodacom Durban July and punters are the beneficiaries.

When the country’s biggest bookmaker posted its prices on the great race over the Easter weekend most of the leading fancies were half a point or so shorter than those quoted by WSB. Favourite Do It Again was 9-2 compared with WSB’s 5-1 while Hawwaam and Rainbow Bridge were on 6-1 as against 13-2.

However by mid-morning yesterday the position had changed completely with Betting World extending the favourite’s odds to 11-2 and, while Rainbow Bridge was still on 6-1, Hawwaam was out to 7-1. WSB, on the other hand, had cut Do It Again to 9-2. If this sort of thing is anything to go by there will be plenty more competition-induced fluctuations over the next ten weeks, and that can only be good for the customer.

WSB has opened last year’s July winner 11-2 joint favourite with Undercover Agent for the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville on Friday week while Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge is on 13-2. Betting World does not normally bet on the race until nearer the time.

In this Saturday’s Kenilworth Winter Guineas (the race last season in which Rainbow Bridge first gave notice of his talents) WSB makes One World evens favourite. Twist Of Fate, beaten a length and a half by One World in the R5 million CTS 1600, is next on 33-10 and Vardy  (two and a quarter lengths further back third) is on 13-2. The Glen Kotzen-trained Cape Derby third Herodotus is a 17-2 chance with 14-1 and upwards others.

By Michael Clower

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, Keagan de Melo and Sandile Mbhele will be the main beneficiaries of Aldo Domeyer’s decision to leave for Hong Kong at the end of the week.

Candice Bass-Robinson, for whom Domeyer rode as first jockey, said at the weekend: “I will use Bernard for my heavyweights, I like Keagan’s riding and I will also use Sandile.”

Domeyer, 32,  had expected the Hong Kong call to come in June or July after his CV –submitted on the encouragement of his good friend Grant van Niekerk – received a positive response from the Jockey Club.

He said: “But they gave me a ring and told me ‘We think something is going to become available pretty soon. If you can come we would like to have you.’ I felt I should grab the opportunity.”

Domeyer is now concentrating on making a speedy recovery from the damage he received when After Glow fell with him at Kenilworth a week ago and he said on Saturday: “I hurt my back and there is a little chip in my hand but as soon as I think I am getting there it starts hurting again. It feels OK when I rest and I am not mobile but after a little while it becomes uncomfortable once more.”

His three replacements share five of the six Bass-Robinson rides at Kenilworth tomorrow – Greg Cheyne is retained by Ridgemont and so partners Silvery Heights – while Fayd’Herbe and De Melo both rode winners for the stable at Durbanville last Saturday.

De Melo dominated proceedings with a treble and attracted plenty of attention with his daring tactics on Lip Service in the Tellytrack.com Maiden. This was the filly on whom he was unable to get a clear run a week earlier and she was backed from 63-20 to 17-10 favourite to make amends.

Corne Orffer on Tuyuca, leading the field up the straight, cleverly left a gap between himself and the rails not quite wide enough for a horse to get through but big enough to tempt a jockey coming from behind to think it would probably open sufficiently.

De Melo sat like a cat waiting to pounce while those riding their own race in front of the television screens, particularly those whose money was down, began to fear that Lip Service was going to be unlucky for the second week running. Silently at first, and then increasingly verbally, they urged De Melo to act.

At the 200m mark he did just that. The leader, tiring and sensing the challenger coming, eased a few centimetres further away from the rails – despite Orffer swinging his whip in his right hand to stop her doing just that – and De Melo was through. The pair touched but not seriously enough to press the stipes into action.

De Melo related: “I had to wait until the gap was just big enough and, when I made my move, I had to really put my head down and get into it. Thank goodness I had a little bit of horse under me.”

By Michael Clower

The Turffontein Inside track has an ordinary nine race meeting tomorrow but there will still be a lot to enthuse about.

The best bet is chosen as Eightfolds Lass in the fifth race over 1600m, but she is an inexperienced filly running from a wide draw and so punters might want to exercise caution in the Pick 6. Last time out from a wide draw at this course over 1450m the jockey managed to drop her out on the back of a fast pace and she was then able to use her stride. She then ran on strongly from last and just failed. So it all depends on the pace and, although her sire Eightfold Path was a stakes winner over a mile, her Jallad dam’s only win was over 1100m so there could be a slight stamina question mark. The dangers are Tuscan Light and Kayla’s Eagle, who should both enjoy the course and distance, although the former has a tough draw. Diamonds ‘N Rubies and Vijeta could improve and can also be included.

The PA first leg is over 2600m and Humour Me, being by Ideal World out of a Fort Wood mare, should relish the step up in trip and is drawn in pole. The rangy Byron Bay can be included from a fair draw as he stayed on well over 2000m last time despite over racing a touch early after being dropped to last from a wide draw. Flame Fella is proven over this trip so has to be included despite a wide draw being against him.

Latin Opus is a PA banker in the next over 1600m as he is a progressive sort who stayed on over this trip last time and he is well drawn again. The Brass Way has run three fair races and gets a good draw for a change so can be included in the Pick 6.

In the sixth race over 2000m American Indian is on the up and from a plum draw can make it two-in-a-row off a three point higher merit rating. Gift For The Gap impressed in the Derby Trial and will be improving all the time being an immature sort. Yamoto is a well-bred gelding by Dynasty who has plenty of substance and will be coming into his own, so he must be included.

In the seventh over 1000m in form Roy Magner’s pair Pool Party and Opera are the fancies from good draws. However, it is an open race and La Bella Mia, Winter Watch and See You Tyger are hard to ignore.

In the eighth over 1600m Witch Of The West has always struck as being a nice sort and has probably been looking for this trip. Only To Win has good form against some fair sorts over this trip and Abelie is improving. However, its open and the whole field can be included with the exception of Until Dawn who is hopelessly out at the weights.

In the last race over 1600m Missouri has dropped to a competitive mark and has been staying on over 1400m so should enjoy this trip and is selected to beat Genesis and Picadilly Square. 

By David Thiselton

Sanskrift looks nailed on for the TAB Telebet Maiden Juvenile Fillies at Durbanville on Saturday. This R800 000 full sister to Santa Clara ran above expectations (in terms of readiness, not ability) when making much of the running on debut here last month only to be pipped on the post.

Aldo Domeyer’s mount will have learned a lot from that and should have come on enough to beat the badly drawn Third Runway and Linda Loves Lace who riding arrangements suggest is the pick of Justin Snaith’s five runners.

Two races before Sanskrift went so close Rio Querari did much the same, the principal differences being that he had had a run, started at odds-on and was caught by a 50-1 stable companion. The drop in trip in the Betting World Maiden should suit Richard Fourie’s mount.

However he is taking on older horses at considerably worse than weight-for-age. The official scale says he should be receiving 8.5kg from the three-year-olds but in fact he gets only 3kg. In practical terms he is the equivalent of four lengths worse off than he should be.

This is not as bad as it sounds because he, and the other two juveniles, are up against horses who have not proved good enough to win a race in the first 16 months of their careers. Rio Querari seems sure to start favourite and he is a fairly confident selection. The most obvious dangers are Kingston Rock and Empire Glory who is a fair bit better than last Saturday’s effort would suggest.

There are four two-year-olds up against the three-year-olds in the 1 400m Tellytrack.com Maiden but their chances are nothing like so obvious and the vote goes to Lip Service who was most unlucky not to win over a slightly shorter trip here last Saturday. Her path was repeatedly blocked but she still finished like a certain future winner.  Silver Dazzle is the obvious danger but there is a line of form that gives the Joey Ramsden filly the edge.

The puzzle of the day comes in the last with Boomps A Daisy who so far has been something of a Jekkyl and Hyde. She has looked a bit special In two races at Kenilworth, and certainly far better than her current 73 rating, but on her only appearance here she was hardly the same horse. She lost ground at the start, had trouble finding the right leg on the bend and didn’t really pick up.

Brett Crawford reports that she has not been back to Durbanville in the interim but he is optimistic that she will be OK this time. Her nine draw is a negative but she has so much ability that she has to be the selection – but don’t have too much on!

By Michael Clower

High Green has been frustrating for Lowan Denysschen and jockey Anton Marcus and both trainer and jockey will be determined to snap a string of runner-up berths on the Greyville poly tomorrow. Five seconds on the trot helps pay the bills but a visit to the winner’s enclosure would be a welcome change.

High Green just doesn’t quite get there on time but Marcus should know the gelding well by now, having ridden him in his last three outings.

Legend finished a well beaten third behind Collabro and High Green when last they met and subsequently disappointed when seemingly well handicapped last time out. Handicappers gave him a further two-points relief and with Duncan Howells stepping him up to 2000m, that could be the key that opens the door.

Tommy Grand could also prove a threat. Nathan Kotzen’s gelding is at home on the synthetic surface as he showed when a close-up fourth to Last Of The Legend at his penultimate start and the form has panned out well. But he does give weight to both High Green and Legend which could prove his undoing.

High Green can further boost Collabro’s form when Marcus takes over the reins on Dennis Bosch’s charge in the fourth. The gelding has hardly put a foot wrong this year and after trying ten furlongs last time out, reverts to what looks to be a trip more in his comfort zone.

Red Shift ran way below form last time out and will be a threat given his previous form while Mastergambit somehow landed an 89 MR after his maiden win and could find this tough going.

Mary Liley is one of KZN’s stalwart owners and she and trainer Tony Rivalland are enjoying a great run at present. The Liley-owned Tristful looks good enough to contest the Champions Season Classics and she should get an idea in the fifth of how far Clara has progressed after her recent maiden win when the filly lines up in the sixth.

There were some bookmakers shedding tears into their satchels after Clara was supported in from 33-1 to 11-1 in her maiden win and she showed enough that day to suggest that she can go in again tomorrow.

However, she will first have to get past Shane Humby’s filly Suzi Woo. She too was well supported when starting favourite last time out but her saddled slipped badly at the jump and she was never in the hunt after that.

By Andrew Harrison

First entries for the R4.25 million Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run over 2200m at Greyville racecourse on Saturday, July 6

The Vaal straight course stages an eight race meeting and the exotics look the best way to play it.   

In the first over 1200m Arabian Sniper is a Bipot must-include having been left too far out of his ground on debut over this course and distance before running on in eyecatching style with long strides. With the experience under the belt he should be closer to the action and can run on to win. Potjie does not have a long stride but has been thereabouts a few times and over this distance last time finished a fair second with second-time blinkers on. Lion King showed good pace throughout last time over course and distance when finishing one-and-a-half lengths clear of Arabian Sniper. However, he now has a potentially unfavourable number one draw. Apache Too is a chip off his sire The Apache and won a barrier trial in a slow time on the Greyville poly over 1000m back in November.

However, he accelerated smartly in the straight. One Of Our Own is drawn on the right side by trends and ran a fair second last time over course and distance with first-time blinkers on when caught late, but the form is suspect. Succession is a two-year-old gelding debutant trained by Sean Tarry. He is by Captain Al out of an unraced USA-bred Dynaformer mare whose mother won the Group 1 Prix de Moulin over 1600m at Longchamp and she also finished second in the Group 1 Juddmonte International. However, she did not produce much at stud.  The other two-year-old Land Of The Brave is by What A Winter and is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Croc Valley and Listed winner Galileo’s Night. He made a fair debut when drawn on the wrong side in a good field, finishing seven lengths behind Look To The Sky. The two-year-olds are receiving only 3kg from the three-year-olds but in a weight for age race would receive 8.5kg so they have tough tasks.

In the second race over 1400m, the first leg of the PA, My Elusive is the choice. She has substance and was too strong in the running last time when handy over 2000m, yet still managed to stay on. So despite her form suggesting this will be too sharp, it might be just what she is looking for and she is drawn on the right side too. Notquitethereyet also gets a good high draw and this is a suitable trip. He showed good pace to get handy from a tricky draw on his Highveld debut on the Turffontein Inside track and then showed a good turn of foot before being overtaken late.  

In the third race over 1400m Alyaasaat beat Soqrat the last time he ran over this trip and he has a favourable high draw. He is hard to oppose at the weights. Reach For The Line is well regarded and on debut was beaten just a length by Hawwaam over this trip, so he can be considered for Pick 6 inclusion receiving 3kg from Alyaasaat.

In the fourth race over 1600m Steady Way is a progressive daughter of Dynasty who will relish this step up in trip. Serendipity is 5,5kg better off with Samarra, if apprentice claims are included, for a one length beating over this trip. She moved up well last time over 1800m before finding no extra so should relish the step back to this trip and has a nice high draw. Walnut Dash just failed from a tough low draw the last time she tried this trip. She is by Crusade, who won a Group 1 over six furlongs but who appears to get them to stay further, and she is out of a Fort Wood mare who won over 1400m. However, she does have a low draw. Samarra is in fine form at present and this front-runner to handy type will likely try and steal a march from the number one draw. Elusive Coral has won her only start over course and distance and from a nice high draw with a 4kg claimer up is hard to ignore. 

The fifth over 1200m is a competitive sprint handicap and Danza is the choice. He beat the classy Mardi Gras easily the last time he went this course and distance. That race was in soft going. He then only just failed to beat the promising Old Man Tyme over 1100m. He has gone up in the weights as a result but dropping back to this trip will suit. Palace Chapel is progressive and has to handle a four point raise for his last win. Silver God is the dark horse from a nice high draw of ten as he likely needed his last run when making up ground late over this course and distance. Clever Guy, Torre Del Oro and Angel’s Power also warrant consideration. Raasmaal’s betting should be monitored as he is useful but returns from a rest of over a year.

In the next over 1200m Certifiable is the choice as one who loves this course and distance, although he has to handle a three point raise. Bold Coast was a revelation with blinkers and must be included alongside Life Is Good. Tarsus is hard to ignore and the talented Sugoi, who has been effective over 1000m, has another crack at 1200m.

In the seventh over 1000m Mademoiselle is admirably consistent and is drawn on the right side. Dalai’s Promise should be right alongside her on form but has a low draw. The speedy Miss Khalifa can’t be ignored off a plummeting merit rating.

The last over 1000m is a competitive Apprentice Handicap and Rebel Renegade is the form choice. Brigtnumberten has a chance although he does not enjoy the soft. Hear The Trumpet won well last time when under sufferance so could follow up. However, as many as possible should be included.

By David Thiselton