Rain has not only bedevilled racing in KZN but also on the Highveld and some trainers are looking elsewhere for relief. Turffontein-based Paul Peter is in the vanguard with three runners at Scottsville today and some of his Highveld colleagues, notably Chesney van Zyl, have also cottoned on.

Sunday’s rescheduled meeting is headed by the umThombothi Stakes (Non-Black Type) over 1950m where weights are allocated according to number of wins which sees Legend at the top of the handicap.

On official merit ratings, Legend will have his work cut out in this company in spite of two recent forward showings, especially as he is up against a quartet of progressive three-year-olds.

Chesney van Zyl raids with top-rated Marchingontogether and Stream Ahead while his father Gavin also holds a competitive hand in Affranchi and the year older Blackball. Add to this the progressive Duke Of Spin and the smart filly Flichity By Farr and we have the ingredients for a good contest.

Marchingontogether and Stream Ahead both took their chances in the Gauteng Guineas, both finishing down the field. The race was run in yielding going but Van Zyl Snr confirmed that those runs were way below par. Speaking on behalf of his son he said the blinkers come off Marchingontogether and the tongue-tie comes off Stream Ahead and both were in a good space as was Affranchie.

“He’s coming on nicely and I think we have finally got to the bottom of him,” confirmed Van Zyl. Affranchi has not run up to expectations since switching to the Van Zyl yard but he has been showing signs of life at recent outings.

“Blackball raced wide with no cover last start so I’m expecting a better showing from him as well,” said Van Zyl. “I can’t single out any one of our runners but I think the winner will come from one of them.:

Duke Of Spin, the lowest rated of the three-year-olds was palpably in need of his last run and his efforts were not helped by stable companion Legend giving him a rough passage. He looks like a smart colt and a win would not be unexpected.

Best weighted is Alyson Wright’s filly, Flichity By Far. However, she has not been out since October last year where she proved to be more than useful over marathon trips so this race, her first in over three months over a trip short of her best, does look like a warm-up although she will probably race fresh.

The White Horse Function Room Handicap is a competitive sprint but it may be worth following Anton Marcus who stays with the Nathan Kotzen-trained Cumulus. The gelding has shown flashes of ability, having run recent eight-time winner Ronnie Rocket to within a length and his last two efforts have signalled a change in fortune.

A change of tactics could also be in order and Cumulus is likely to be running at them late. Given all the recent thunder storms, his name could be an omen.

Of the balance, Buffalo Soldier is smart on his day while the grey Isca hacked up in a weak four-horse barrier trial but did show his well-being and he loves this course.

Finally, Darryl Moore looks to have a potential star in the making in Woodstock Festival and a win in this company will set him on the road to bigger things.

By Andrew Harrison

Brett Crawford, who won the Daily News two years ago with subsequent July third Edict Of Nantes as well as with Jackson in 2012, is to aim Charles at the R2 million Greyville Grade 1 on June 1 following the colt’s fine run in the G-Bets Cape Derby when he was only beaten a fifth of a length by the Mike de Kock-trained Atyaab.

Crawford said: “Charles ran a great race that day and he goes to Durban. There is a seven furlong race (Byerley Turk on April 7) as a starting point, he then definitely runs in the Daisy Guineas (May 4) and after that he will head for the Daily News.”

The precise value put on the form of the Cape Derby has been lowered by two kilos after Robert Bloomberg – acting for De Kock, Crawford and Justin Snaith, trainer of fourth-placed Bunker Hunt- lodged a successful appeal against the revised ratings of three of the first four.  The Glen Kotzen-trained Herodotus, who was third, was not included in the appeal but his rating was also lowered by 2kg.

The mystery of Mushi Sterek remains. Nothing has shown up – even the blood tests were clear – to account for her poor performance when odds-on for her handicap debut at Kenilworth on January 12. She was in trouble after little more than a furlong and finished a long way last. The only outward sign that all was not as it should be came when she was tossing her head around going down to the start.

Crawford said: “She has now gone for a rest. We will give her a nice break and then start again.”

Much has rightly been made of Sean Tarry’s feat in training his 2 000^th winner with Flash Burn at Turffontein last Saturday. However the corresponding achievement of his great championship rival passed under the radar during the 2015/16 season. Snaith’s total now stands at 2 530. Cape Town’s current winningmost trainer started operations in 2001 when he was 26 while Tarry was 28 when he first took out his licence in May 1997.

By Michael Clower

Three-times National Champion trainer Sean Tarry talked about his 2000^th winner achieved with Flash Burn at Turffontein on Sunday and revealed his superstar Legal Eagle would be heading for the Champions Season and might well line up in the Vodacom Durban July.

Tarry’s career started in stunning fashion at Turffontein on 11 May 1997 when his battling one time winner Supreme Magic won over 1400m under Francois Herholdt and returned odds of R199 on the Tote. It was his first meeting as a licensed trainer. Nine days later at Newmarket he won his first feature when Sorevof won the Listed John Breval Handicap over 1200m at Newmarket under Greg Cheyne at odds of 7/1.

Tarry recalled, “In those early days you thought anything could win! If it was sound and eating well it could win! You didn’t realise how many things could go wrong. To just judge a horse on well being and how well it is working is not enough. There are underlying factors and you also need a real understanding of form and ratings. An astute form studier probably has a better chance of predicting a result.”

Fortunately, Tarry has always been a form studier and had soon learnt to relate form with well-being.

The merit rating system was introduced in 1999 and as one who took the time to learn its ins and outs he became an expert in placing horses.

Tarry once said coming from a non-racing background had been an advantage as this had allowed him to be dynamic and never stuck in his ways.

He did have a well documented lucky break early in his career. The successful businessman Chris van Niekerk had decided on an afternoon off to go and visit a training yard or two as he had wanted to get more serious about racing and needed a new trainer. His first two phonecalls went unanswered. He then phoned Tarry and the rest is history. However, Van Niekerk would not still be with Tarry without results and those results have been achieved through Tarry’s professionalism in every aspect of the game and his meticulous attention to detail.

Tarry said, “Attention to detail is really important. There are a lot of things to measure. There are also a lot of things that can’t be measured, well they can be but you can’t go to that expense on every horse, so there are still a lot of things to trip you up.”

It is a high pressure job but Tarry has always been known for his cool, calm and collected demeanour. 

He said, “Your expectations have to be realistic otherwise is can cause stress. Public expectations are not the same as yours and when everybody else thinks you can win it is not always the way you are thinking. If you have six or seven well prepared horses for the day running in the right races you would be a fool to think you are going to have six or seven winners. I don’t pay attention to websites. If you take abuse thrown at you as a noteworthy injustice it creates a lot of negative energy which can drag you down so I don’t allow myself to get involved and stay away from it.”

The big wins create the opposite kind of energy.

He said, “You feel elated because it is so hard to win those big races. So much can go wrong and when realising you have got it right it is very gratifying.”

He paid tribute to his big team and said, “Most of them are low profile and it says a lot for them, they keep their minds on the job.”

He found his future goals difficult to quantify but offered, “Winning more Grade 1s, consistency and keeping earnings up.”

Tarry’s winners were all in South Africa with the exception of his top class sprinting filly National Colour’s single victory in Dubai.

His first classic win was with Golden Apple in the 1999 Grade 2 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas and it turned out to be one of the most impactful victories of his career. Golden Apple became the dam of the Jet Master colt Pomodoro, who gave Tarry the first of two victories in the country’s premier race, the Vodacom Durban July. Tarry has also been one of the biggest supporters of Pomodoro at stud and it has paid immediate dividends as his first crop colt Cirillo is the highest earning thoroughbred in the country this season, having already amassed R3,85 million courtesy of victories in both the R2,5 million CTS Ready To Run Stakes and the R5 million CTS 1200.

Tarry’s first of 50 Grade 1 victories was with the 50/1 shot Alastor in the 2005 J&B Met.

He concluded with the news of a change to Legal Eagle’s routine programming. In discussion with owners Braam van Huysteen, Hedley McGrath and William Henderson it has been decided to send the seven-year-old gelding down to Durban for the Champion Season. Legal Eagle has only ever raced once in Durban, finishing an unlucky fifth in the July as a three-year-old when starting favourite in 2015. His obvious Champion Season target this year is the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. Tarry said the July could well be another race he would run in although due to his high merit rating it will likely depend on who else is taking part. The son of Grey’s Inn will be going for his fourth successive win in the Grade 1 weight for age HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein on March 30.  

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith said the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship winner Kasimir was in “good shape” and would “take a lot of beating” in Saturday’s Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m.

He also spoke about some of his plans for the rest of the season.

He said, “We always knew Kasimir was a very nice horse and the gelding in Durban made all the difference. He is a class act.”

The Diadem is run under weight for age plus penalties conditions and off his 117 merit rating plus a 2kg Grade 1 penalty he is officially second best in at the weights, half-a-kilogram under sufferance with the 114 merit rated three-year-old Chimichuri Run. Kasimir has to carry 60kg together with the other Grade 1 winners in the race, stablemate Sergeant Hardy, Bold Respect and Attenborough. 

Sergeant Hardy will be an interesting running as he has quite a low draw of five. He has a habit of jumping to the left but the rail will be close enough for him to not waste too much ground, presuming he can jump fast enough to cross over to it.

Snaith will wait until after Saturday’s race to plan Kasimir’s next move but he said it was unlikely he would go for the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein.

He said not only was it a tough journey but he was not a 1000m horse either, despite having won the Cape Flying. Turffontein is probably the fastest 1000m course in the country, whereas the Kenilworth 1000m is undoubtedly the toughest.

He said Kasimir would also likely avoid the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville due to his high merit rating but would line up for the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Greyville..

Snaith reckoned the Vodacom Durban July would be dominated by older horses this year. He reckoned a look at the three-year-old crop revealed that the best of them would be stretched by the July trip. He was not sure yet which three-year-olds he would be taking to KZN. He did say one of his promising ones, Belgarion, would be staying in Cape Town for the Winter series.

Snaith mentioned Doublemint as his probable best July horse. Like African Night Sky last year, Doublemint was the lucky horse to finish sixth in the Sun Met, which meant he escaped any merit rated raise and will be well handicapped. He reckoned this horse would be suited to Greyville and, asked whether he had a turn of foot to match African Night Sky’s, he replied, “There is not much in it.”

He added, “One horse I wouldn’t count out for the July is Magnificent Seven, he has done nothing wrong.”

Magnificent Seven has won seven of his last nine starts including the Algoa Cup over 2000m and the Grade 2 New Turf Carrier’s Stayers over 2800m.

He said July champion Do It Again would arrive in Durban in April and his route would initially be the Drill Hall and the Rising Sun Gold Challenge and it would then be taken from there.

Equus Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna’s program would be planned carefully due to her value but he said there was not much for her other than the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province unless she took on males.

By David Thiselton

Randjesfontein-based trainer Sean Tarry on Sunday day joined a unique band in the world of horseracing by notching up his 2,000th winner.

The moment came as the sun set over Turffontein racecourse in race nine, the second last race of the day, with Flash Burn, Tarry’s last runner of the evening.

Ridden by champion jockey Lyle Hewitson, the three-year-old colt took the 1600m Maiden Plate by leading virtually all the way.

Tarry (50) has risen rapidly to the top of the ranks of South African trainers in recent years.

To date, he has saddled 50 Grade 1 winners including the winners of the unofficial ‘Big Three’, the Vodacom Durban July (twice), J&B Met and Summer Cup.

Alastor was his first really big race winner when winning the Met under Garth Puller in 2005. His two July winners, Pomodoro and Heavy Metal came in 2012 and 2013 respectively, Piere Strydom on Pomodoro and S’Manga Khumalo on Heavy Metal both for stalwart owner Chris van Niekerk. Aslan won the Summer Cup in 2009 and the Gold Cup two years later.

Most recently it was his expert handling of twice Horse of the Year, Legal Eagle, who until recently had been unbeaten in 10 starts over 1600m, the gelding’s record including the L’Ormarins Queens Plate and the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes three times each in succession.

Other champions among his 50 Gr1 winners included the two crack sprinting fillies Carry On Alice and National Colour. Sean with the assistance of his very strong team build a horse’s physical condition progressively, never forcing a horse to race before it is ready to ensure that it will do itself justice. “The horse will show you when it is ready,” is his motto.

Tarry savoured the moment of his 2000^th winner, praising his team for their hard work and said he was happy to be joining a select band of about half a dozen trainers who had achieved the feat.

Saturday will be the seventh consecutive time that Kenilworth hosts the Cape Town Prawn Festival and events officer Clinton Theys, who has been working at the course for the past ten years, is aiming for a record crowd.

“The idea is to keep people entertained while they are here and I always believe that their day starts in the parking lot,” he says as he outlines his marketing strategy with all the fervour of kid entering a sweet shop. “Coming in from the Wetton Road side, you walk through the market and, as you do so, you are already getting some sort of vibe of the excitement.”

This is the Barn Market which Theys used to boost the crowds during the Durbanville season and add atmosphere to Guineas day. “You move from there into the eventing area, you purchase your prawns – this year there is also a variety of other sea food, get your kids sorted out in the entertainment area and then you’ve got seating, shading and everything you need plus R70 000 worth of prizes.

“These giveaways are household appliances which seem to be the favourite for draws other than a car. But when you have a car you only have one winner and we are trying to spread the love. At the end of the day all the tickets go back into the drum – just one entry per person – and the winning ticket gets one prize of R20 000 worth of appliances.”

Not a word about the racing you will note. The critics regularly seize on this point and every year the crowd – usually second only to Met day – is tinged by negative comments about the event doing nothing to attract people to racing and little to boost racecourse revenue.

Theys is used to it and he strongly disagrees. “Before the Prawn Festival started there were no people at this meeting. Last year we had over 4 000 through the gates and at any given time there were plus or minus 2 000 of them here. On Saturday, despite the difficult economic times, we are hoping to have between 4 500 and 5 000.

“We particularly want to encourage people who have never been to a racemeeting before. I know admission is free but people add value and atmosphere, and they have a positive effect on turnover.  We are giving them a taste of what racing is all about as well as letting them know that it is open to everybody – not just for the elite as some critics were saying last month – and that it is about celebrating the equine factor which, for me, is the key element. It’s not just the racing, there is something about the horses that attracts you.

“Kids get excited by them and that in turn excites the parents. You will hear a father say ‘My son loves that horse, let’s put ten bucks on it.’ These small bets are racing’s bread and butter. So why charge the people to come in? We want them here, we want to introduce them to horseracing and show them a different world – and that’s what racing is, an entertainment but an entertainment with a difference.”

The Theys enthusiasm is infectious and he is the first to admit it. “I love what I do and I love doing it properly. I know we can’t please all the people all the time but we are going to do our damnedest to give them the experience we want to give them, to let them feel the excitement that racing generates and which will help us to build our industry.”

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Classic tracks stages an eleven race meeting tomorrow and there could be one or two opportunities for punters on an otherwise competitive card.

An MR88 handicap over 1800m is the highest rated race on the card and forms the first leg of the Jackpot. Odd Rob could be the one to side with. This seven-year-old by Mambo In Seattle has always had talent but appeared to have an aversion to being in front so his finishing run had to be timed right. However, lately he has become ultra consistent and has won two of his last three so he has fulfilled his potential late in his career. He proved last time he is effective over this trip, having generally raced over further, and off only a two point higher mark and a fair draw he can fly up to win again. On paper Hakeem should beat him being 1,5kg better off for a mere 0,4 length beating but he is the sort who needs a good draw as he likes to sit handy. If he has some luck from a draw of six out of nine he will be right there. Divine Odyssey has ability and has dropped to a competitive merit rating over what should be an ideal trip. 

In the first leg of the PA Mighty And Magic is coming into his own in the typical style of a son of Twice Over and is a proven stayer so is the one to beat under Hewitson. Village Deep was only just touched off by a fair staying sort in Earth Sky last time and he now has pole position. Highlander can be relied on to be running on and it is tough to ignore the topweight Brand New Cadillac, who is a decent stayer, as well as the improving Festive Linngari. Kurt’s Approval also warrants consideration in his first attempt at a staying trip. 

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 2000m Spring Poetry was raised four points for her win last time over this trip but has a fair draw and could follow up as she is coming into her own. The ultra consistent Sunshine Silk has to be included. Guns And Roses has always been one with talent so is interesting over this step up in trip being by Trippi, whose progeny have speed but can stay too. Seville Orange is improving and has good form and can be considered despite a tough draw. It is hard to ignore Pilgrim’s Progress who is course and distance suited.

In the sixth race over 1600m Electromagnetic has caught the eye before and is interesting with first time blinkers on, although it is his second run after a layoff. Whosethebossnow was earmarked for big things at one stage and having dropped down to a mere 68 merit rating must come into the equation. Ragoon won well last time and looks to be fulfilling his potential now so must be included.

In the seventh race over 1450m Royal Italian is made the value bet of the day. He should be able to dictate in this small field and he showed last time he can kick well from the front and he is obviously improving too. Polar Ice will be dangerous from a good draw over an ideal trip and those two should be enough for the exotics despite some other fair types being in the race.

The eighth over 1450m is the most competitive race on the card although Isovar does look to have a fine chance from pole position as she steps back to the trip of her maiden win having not been disgraced in stronger assessment plate races over shorter in her last two starts. Florida Quays looks to have ability too and has her third run after a layoff off a reasonable opening mark having won her maiden well last time. However, it is wide open and as many as possible should be included. 

In the ninth race over 1200m Soul Of Whit has a tough draw but ran well in a strong assessment plate over this trip last time and being by Ideal World will be improving all the time. Generous Notion has a shout too from a good draw if she bounces back from a disappointing run last time. Written was raised only two points for her good last win over this trip and has a plum draw again under Hewitson. Ancient Spirit has good form over this trip and is well drawn. Parental Control can also be considered from a good draw.

The best bet comes in race ten over 1000m. Blonde Vision looks to have plenty of speed so should enjoy the step down in trip and she can outclass them off an 84 merit rating. By David Thiselton

By David Thiselton

Head Honcho, who ran the race of his life to take third in the Sun Met, heads for KZN and the Vodacom Durban July in a week’s time.

Andre Nel said: “He went to the farm in George in the week after the Met and he leaves there for Durban on either the 25^th or 26^th.  I calculate that he has improved some 40lb as a five-year-old – and this year I will be prepping him to run in the July rather than to qualify him for it and that will be a lot easier.”

Head Honcho was raised eight points to a new merit rating of 122 for his Met performance and is an 18-1 chance in World Sports Betting’s recently-issued pre-nomination prices. Entries for the great race do not normally close until April.

Met winner Rainbow Bridge is 5-1 favourite with Buffalo Bill Cody on 13-2 and last year’s winner Do It Again on 15-2. Other leading prices are 17-2 Hawwaam, 11-1 Doublemint, 18-1 Soqrat, 20-1 Cascapedia.

Undercover Agent, fourth in the Met, is a 25-1 chance but punters should hold fire because at the moment the race is not on his agenda. “He will go Drill Hall, Rising Sun Gold Challenge and Champions Cup,” said Brett Crawford on Saturday.

By Michael Clower

With only two meetings left before Scottsville undergoes treatment to prepare for Champions Season, it should be all systems go for Sunday’s meeting. However, there are more thunder storms predicted for the weekend so a switch to the Greyville poly track is a possibility.

With only two meetings left before Scottsville undergoes treatment to prepare for Champions Season, it should be all systems go for Sunday’s meeting. However, there are more thunder storms predicted for the weekend so a switch to the Greyville poly track is a possibility.

Sunday’s card is headed by the umThombothi Stakes (Non-Black Type) over 1950m where weights are allocated according to number of wins which sees Legend at the top of the handicap.

On official merit ratings, Legend will have his work cut out in this company in spite of two recent forward showings, especially as he is up against a quartet of progressive three-year-olds.

Chesney van Zyl, who is looking to relocate to Summerveld from Gauteng, raids from the Highveld and saddles top-rated Marchingontogether and Stream Ahead while his father Gavin also holds a competitive hand in Affranchi and the year older Blackball. Add to this the progressive Duke Of Spin and the smart filly Flichity By Farr and up have the ingredients for a good contest.

Marchingontogether and Stream Ahead both took their chances in the Gauteng Guineas, both finishing down the field. The race was run in yielding going but Van Zyl Snr confirmed that those runs were way below par. Speaking on behalf of his son he said the blinkers come off Marchingontogether and the tongue-tie comes off Stream Ahead and both were in a good space as was Affranchie.

“He’s coming on nicely and I think we have finally got to the bottom of him,” confirmed Van Zyl. Affranchi has not run up to expectations since switching to the Van Zyl yard but he has been showing signs of life at recent outings.

“Blackball raced wide with no cover last start so I’m expecting a better showing from him as well,” said Van Zyl. “I can’t single out any one of our runners but I think the winner will come from one of them.:

Duke Of Spin, the lowest rated of the three-year-olds was palpably in need of his last run and his efforts were not helped by stable companion Legend giving him a rough passage. He looks like a smart colt and a win would not be unexpected.

Best weighted is Alyson Wright’s filly, Flichity By Far. However, she has not been out since October last year where she proved to be more than useful over marathon trips so this race, her first in over three months over a trip short of her best, does look like a warm-up although she will probably race fresh.

The White Horse Function Room Handicap is a competitive sprint but it may be worth following Anton Marcus who stays with the Nathan Kotzen-trained Cumulus. The gelding has shown flashes of ability, having run recent eight-time winner Ronnie Rocket to within a length and his last two efforts have signalled a change in fortune.

A change of tactics could also be in order and Cumulus is likely to be running at them late. Given all the recent thunder storms, his name could be an omen.

Of the balance, Buffalo Soldier is smart on his day while the grey Isca hacked up in a weak four-horse barrier trial but did show his well-being and he loves this course.

Finally, Darryl Moore looks to have a potential star in the making in Woodstock Festival and a win in this company will set him on the road to bigger things.

By Andrew Harrison