Winter Is Over looks nailed on for the Betting World Maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow even though the price is unlikely to do a great deal for your finances.

This grey gelding – as short as 15-20 yesterday – looked a certain future winner when, despite showing understandable signs of greenness, he ran on strongly to be beaten less than a neck by the more experienced Ashbury Park on debut last month. Significantly the ground that day was soft.

Winning Ways singled out the Justin Snaith runner as one to follow and Luke Ferraris’s mount, odds-on yesterday, should have few problems confirming the form with Brother Louis who was over a length behind and has far less scope for improvement.

Grant van Niekerk was a talented jockey long before he went to Hong Kong – horses really run for him – and it will be interesting to see how a season in that pressure cauldron has improved him but I think the bookmakers are going overboard if they expect him to justify favouritism in four races out of six.

Most of his supposed best chances need to find a bit but Doppio Oro can start his ball rolling in the first despite being drawn one from the outside. The going on the sprint course last Saturday was significantly faster on the inside than in the middle or the outside.

The Candice Bass-Robinson runner has marginally the best form although it is a concern that we have no idea how he will handle the soft. Watch out for newcomer Bag Of Tricks. This is a Ridgemont runner, he has already been nibbled at and Brett Crawford won with a few first-timers last term.

In race two Van Niekerk’s mount Larentina ran well in the soft on debut but Calypso Beat, although untested in this going, also showed plenty of promise first time. She is a slightly better price and at the odds may prove a better bet. Missisippi Burning also has claims but 13 out of 14 means Craig Zackey is going to have to get across.

Snaith is responsible for 19 of the 74 runners (25%) and in the 1 000m Tabonline.co.za Maiden he has four out of seven but original favourite Tambora has been scratched. The Joey Ramsden runner Celtic Voyager accounted for all except the show-stopping Yorktown in the soft over a furlong further a fortnight ago and looks the one they have to beat.

BLOB Michael Clower’s winning run faltered when the ground changed and the profit on his tips to a R10 level stake in the last six months of the season dropped from a high of R307.40 to R195.40.

By Michael Clower

The drop in class from Champions Season fields to bread-and-butter fare is dramatic but there are always a few nuggets to be mined no matter what.

Coldhardcash rounded off what for him was a disappointing season at Hollywoodbets Greyville last Wednesday, but Duncan Howells can turn the page for the new season as he saddles a few with definite chances at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

Best of these could come in the last race of the day where stable companions Candy Apple and Rocket Fire could have the race to themselves.

Howells rated Candy Apple as one of his better two-year-olds last season but the colt ran way below expectations in the Gr1 Gold Medallion. He had shown promise before that and races in first time blinkers which could bring out the best in him. Stable companion Rocket Fire was not far back first start out of the maidens, his first run in nearly six months. The spectre of the ‘second-run-after-a-lay-off’ syndrome looms large but he looks a likely threat.

Bravo Zulu was second best behind Coldhardcash on Wednesday but trainer Louis Goosen is confident of another forward showing. “The stable has turned,” he said yesterday, “and Bravo Zulu is my little ATM.”

Bedazzled Joker is another that should be in the firing line as he is holding form well.

Howells saddles the mare High Altar in the sixth where she faces half-a-dozen opponents. She loves this course and distance and was running on well last start over a trip arguably short of her best. Andre Nel saddles the consistent Agenteus who seldom runs a bad race. But she has been off the track since February and if it comes to a tight finish she may just be found wanting.

Of the balance, Classic Guard is lightly raced but has steady form over shorter while Roy’s Pony was only run out of it late by Jamaica Bay on Wednesday. She has a handy galloping weight and can turn the tables on Irish Wonder Girl who got up late to touch her off when tried in blinkers for the first time.

Dennis Drier is the perennial master in KZN and finished on top of the pile for the third season running with his 61 local winners.

So his charge, The Master, is well named and has good form over Sunday’s 1600m trip and has yet to run a bad race. From the best draw he should be right there again although he will face stiff opposition from Farland who has run two promising races over course and distance and his stable is finding form while Noble Joshua, who was an easy winner last start, can go in again.

Howells holds another strong hand in the seventh with his two fillies Wildly In Love and Starlight. Wildly In Love was much improved when tried in a tongue-tie last time out and was only caught late for second, finishing ahead of stable companion and favourite Marsanne. A repeat will see her go close. Miss Calypso has been in good form since returning from a lay-off and was a comfortable winner over the Greyville 1400m on the poly last time out. She showed good pace that afternoon so this 1000m should not be a factor against her.

Of the balance, French Legend found good market support at her last start and has been consistent while Starlight has been in good form since her maiden win and has a light weight.

There are two novel races on the day, the first a work riders plate where Aron Xabendlini will be looking to make it a hat-trick of work rider wins and the second for Drier where he partners Liquidity. The gelding gets first time blinkers and a tongue-tie and he could prove a little too quick for Dancing Princess and Class Of Eight.

The SA Jockey Academy is currently hosting a party of apprentices from Qatar and they get a chance to display there skills in the tenth race, although it will be run between the fourth and fifth races and is not included in any of the exotic bets.

Abdulla Saleh won this race two years back for Paul Lafferty and he will be aboard Lafferty’s runner Mokoko on Sunday but Krishnies Jet and Great Dictator look better propositions.

By Andrew Harrison

Lyle Hewitson has retained his national jockeys championship although nearest rival Muzi Yeni fought until the last.

Going into the last meeting of the season at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday Hewitson was on 216 winners, two clear of Yeni.

He went four clear with a double in the first and third races.

The first of these was aboard the well backed Garth Puller-trained favourite Wishful Girl Linn, who pulled clear of the Yeni-ridden second favourite Cersei.

The second of the winners was the Gary Alexander-trained Marula and Hewitson showed why he is a champion here, getting this horse to dig down deep in a thrilling tussle with the favourite Ninotto.

Yeni had tried gallantly in the second race on Minister Without to overhaul the favourite Wolfgang but had to settle for his second runner up finish in succession.

However, he kept his hopes alive by winning the fourth aboard the Duncan Howells-trained 7/1 shot Coldhardcash.

However, when both riders went winnerless in races five and six it was all over.

Fittingly Hewitson was wearing the colours of the season’s champion owner Chris van Niekerk when Gold Circle’s Graeme Hawkins officially congratulated him on winning the title. Van Niekerk’s colours are associated with Hewitson’s guv’nor Sean Tarry, who secured his fourth national trainers title on Saturday.

Hewitson ended on 219 winners for the season when winning the eighth race on the Dennis Bosch-trained Padre Pio.

Yeni finished on 215 and Anton Marcus was third on 189.

By David Thiselton

Yeni calls foul

Two strikes and you’re out! In a ruthless display of riding, Lyle Hewitson put the jockey championship to bed within the first three races at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday and the championship was done and dusted after the sixth with Yeni three behind and out of ammunition.

To seal it, Hewitson added one more to his tally as the Dennis Bosch-trained Padre Pio stretch his lead to four in the eighth.

However, an upset Yeni, who is already facing an inquiry into his conduct in the steward’s room last Saturday, claimed foul and made his views clear after winning on Coldhardcash.

Speaking post-race; “Yes, I was giving it my all. I just find it very much injustice in the whole system in the jockey’s championship. Lyle was served a two-week suspension in April and they prolonged it until the end of the season when he can take it and I thought that is was very unfair to me.

They call it the rainbow nation but there is no fairness. I was forced to stand down when I was 12 winners ahead while Lyle was riding so to call it a fair contest? Everyone is coming here to support the championship but then they must make it clear. How come he can ride?

Interviewer Sheldon Peters tried to defuse the situation but Yeni was adamant in his views although he would have been well advised to check the suspension rules before sounding off.

“I can’t talk anymore because obviously I’m not allowed the playing field to talk, but I’m saying this is all in the media why someone is in front and why someone is not so. Obviously if I am not allowed to voice my concerns. Why some people are allowed to ride and some people are not allowed to ride. If I was good enough to serve out my suspension why not be allowed to ride out the season.”

 In what must have been one of the most exhausting championship battles ever, Yeni fought all the way to the line. 1819 rides is no mean feat in itself and Hewitson’s 1554 had him chasing hard after starting 40 behind after a two-month injury break at the start of the season.

Hewitson, Hong Kong-bound in the next fortnight, is confident in his abilities which will stand him in good stead in one of the world’s toughest racing jurisdictions.

“Ten days ago (when he was six winners clear on the log) I did not have the best book of rides but I realised that I was riding well. But Muzi did a fantastic job coming back.”

Hewitson started the last day of the season two winners ahead of Yeni but had stretched that to four by the third race with wins on Wishful Girl Linn in the first for a former champion jockey Garth Puller, and Marula in the third for visiting trainer Gary Alexander.

 Yeni picked up a ride on Cersei for Kom Naidoo in the first but had to be content with a well-beaten second as Wishful Girl Linn skated home three lengths clear.

Yeni made a fist of it in the second as he gave his all aboard on the Tobie Spies runner Minister Without but favourite Wolfgang proved more than a match. Spies has been one of Yeni’s biggest supporters this season and a win would not have been out of turn.

Duncan Howells is another Yeni supporter and Hewitson’s lead was cut to three after Coldhardcash made all the running under Yeni to hold off Louis Goosen’s runner Bravo Zulu with the balance in another race. It was a fine training feat by Howells as Coldhardcash is not clean winded and races with a cornel collar.

It pays to follow in form stables and yards that tend to come to form at certain times of the year. Richmond-based Doug Campbell is always one to keep an eye on once Champions Season has run its course. With few runners that can compete with Champion Season raiders, Campbell keeps his powder dry for this time of the year and although Jamaica Bay did have two races during the season, she was primed for the fifth yesterday as she and Craig Zackey out-gunned Such A Rush and luckless apprentice Xola Jacobs.

Lowan Denysschen had a hard taskmaster in his father Paul who was a supreme horseman and although winner’s have been hard to come by this term, Denysschen came within an ace of a double yesterday. Such A Rush had to bend her knee to a faster finishing Jamaica Bay but Thru’ The Trees did the business for the stable as Mark Khan got him going to get the better of pacemaker Roy’s Pony in the sixth.

Hewitson ended the season on 219 winners, Yeni on 215 and Anton Marcus third on 189.

By Andrew Harrison

Grant van Niekerk is going to have a good day on his return to Kenilworth on Saturday if the early-price bookmakers have got it right.

Last year’s Sun Met-winning jockey numbers five favourites among his seven rides – Tambora and Sleeping Single for Justin Snaith, Doppio Oro and Machiavelli for Candice Bass-Robinson and Larentina for Eric Sands.

Luke Ferraris also has a strong hand with some strongly fancied mounts for Snaith including odds-on shot Winter Is Over and favourites Love Happens and Alsflamingbeauty.

By Michael Clower

The strength of this past racing season can be seen in that there were no fewer than six multiple Grade 1 winners as opposed to just three the previous season.

The highest rated horse in the country Do It Again won three Grade 1’s and so did Hawwaam and all of Rainbow Bridge, Soqrat, Celtic Sea and Kasimir won two apiece.

In the previous season Equus Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna won three Grade 1s and Legal Eagle and Snowdance won two each.

The highest earning horse of this past season was Hawwaam whose Grade 1 wins included the R2 million SA Classic, the R4 million Premier’s Champions Challenge and the R2 million Daily News 2000.

He won six out of seven starts and earned R5,628,125.

He had to be scratched before the start of both the Grade 1 SA Derby and Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July.

The latter scratching was particularly disappointing as the eagerly anticipated three-cornered clash between Do It Again, Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam became a duel between the latter pair.

Hawwaam ends the season as possibly the world’s most unexposed three-time Grade 1-winner as all of his wins at the highest level have been achieved with consummate ease, although none of them were against vintage opposition. Nobody knows yet how good this Silvano colt is.

However, the July’s loss might become the Sun Met’s gain as the trio could clash there next January.

Do It Again earned R5,102,500 and Rainbow Bridge earned R4,895,000.

Do It Again became the first horse since El Picha in 1999/2000 to win back to back Julys and he will attempt to become the first to win three-in-a-row next year.

He beat Rainbow Bridge by 0,40 lengths giving him half-a-kilogram and the latter then came out and produced one of the performances of the season by winning the Grade 1 WSB Champions Cup over 1800m, despite the race not panning out well for him. He was one wide without cover throughout and did race a bit strongly. Yet he was still able to fetch the three-time Grade 1-winner Soqrat in the straight and win a tad cosily. 

So, it was not surprising to see Do It Again appearing alongside Hawwaam in joint 16th place in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings, which was taken from races around the world from January 1st this year until July 7th.    

The season also showed that the dream industry is still very much an appropriate term for horseracing.

Twist Of Fate cost just R20,000 and earned R2,777,500 this season alone.

Most of the season’s heroes will be staying in training, so the Cape Summer Of Champions season is going to be a humdinger.

By David Thiselton

Numerous offers have been made for the impressive Dean Kannemeyer-trained African Warrior but the D K Kannemeyer Racing Syndicate, which consist of local and overseas members, is “having such fun” with him they have turned them down.

The best of Kannemeyer’s current Summerveld contingent will be travelling down to Cape Town next week and will then be given their African Horse Sickness vaccinations because if given them in KZN they have to wait 40 days before departing.     

African Warrior was one of the most impressive winners on eLan Gold Cup day under a fine ride by Keagan de Melo.

The Vercingetorix gelding is a handful in the preliminaries but is the pole opposite during a race and relaxes beautifully in the running.

De Melo’s aim was to simply find cover from the widest draw of all, knowing the athletic bay has a devastating turn of foot.

He dropped him out and managed to slot him in behind a line of horses who were running two wide.

De Melo, with a double handful, remained patient until the 300m mark before unleashing him. 

The response was instantaneous and after sweeping past the pack he joined the leader Spring Break at the 50m mark and saw her off to win by 0,30 lengths.

Appropriately he paraded in front of the grandstand to the sounds of Johnny Clegg’s hit Impi.

African Warrior was coming off a win in the KZN Yearling Sale Million.

He was purchased for a bargain R100,000 at that BSA Sale and has already earned R1,032,375.

Kannemeyer had a quiet season by his standards but it ended with a bang as his Querari colt Liberty Hall finished second in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m.

This colt runs in the colours of popular Cape partners Mike Fullard and James Drew and DG Abery, RL Gabler and CL Gabler are also owners.

Kannemeyer has an enviable record in the Cape Classics but has no set plans for these two young horses yet.

Liberty Hall has already proved he stays a mile. 

African Warrior has plenty of natural speed but being by Vercingetorix out of a Jet Master mare who won over 1600m he should stay classic distances, especially as he relaxes so well in the running. 

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Classic track usually provides fair racing and good form results, although tomorrow’s nine race meeting is competitive and those who do their homework should enjoy healthy dividends.

The Pick 6 legs are all tough.

The first leg is the highest rated race on the card, a MR 96 Handicap sprint over 1 200m, and any one of the six contenders could win.

The vote goes to bottom weight Premier Show as he gets on well with Calvin Habib and has dropped to an attractive merit rating.

He has a nice galloping weight of 55kg and this is his favourite distance. Valbonne has Gavin Lerena aboard and will go close to claiming his third win since joining Roy Magner’s yard for despite not being the biggest he has speed and some class.

However, he does have to overcome a three point hike for his last win.

Old Man Tyme has his second run after gelding and has the ability to be a contender, although he does tend to make breathing noises.

Donny G obviously enjoys the current fast ground as he finished strongly last time over 1 000m and just failed.

This is probably his best trip and he can be involved if overcoming the highest draw of all.

American Hustle at his best would be the horse to beat but he has run below par this winter and has not been lowered by the handicappers so will need to bounce back to his best.

Clever Guy is only 2kg better off with Valbonne for a five length beating so is up against it.   

The second leg is a 1 600m Maiden Plate for fillies mares and the selection is Flying High, although there is reason to exercise caution in supporting her.

She is a full sister to Maleficent, who looked top class when winning the Devon Air Stakes over 1 400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville. However, she never went close to reproducing that run again.

Flying High comes out of a strong 1 200m race in which she was a runner up by just a length to Risk Taker.

The latter and the third-placed horse in that race have both won since.

Flying High has substance and on running style and pedigree should enjoy this trip but she does have a tough draw of nine.

Another young three-year-old Queen Of Soul could be a threat as she caught the eye last time over 1 450m.

She was wide and well back in the running and ran on steadily in the straight and should relish this step up in trip although she does have another tricky draw.

Incognito stayed on steadily last time over 1 200m and is likely also looking for this trip.

Forever Indigo

Forever Indigo looks to have plenty of scope so should be improving and will be dangerous from the front.

She can reverse form with the older and more exposed Sea Like Glass, although the latter warrants consideration as she shows tremendous improvement last time over this course and distance when staying on from a handy position and he has a a similar draw and the same jockey aboard.

Our Buscuit, on her best form, also has a chance.

In the third leg, a MR 94 Handicap over 1 600m, Arabian Air is an effective front runner who has done well in the Highveld since moving up from the Cape.

He became involved in a battle last time with Approach Control and the less considered Tierra Del Fuego snuck past them down the inside to win it.

This time the same could happen as the handy to front-running sort Folk Dance is in the field.

The one who will be a big danger to them is Lake Kinneret as he packs a strong finish and was a touch unlucky when last running over this trip as he had to be switched inward to avoid traffic problems. However, Lone Survivor went past Lake Kinneret last time over 1 450m and is another who should be in the mix.

Folk Dance is proving competitive off her current mark and Royal Italian, with first-time blinkers on, will have a shout over this suitable trip if this revitalizes him.

The next leg is a MR 76 handicap over 1 450m for fillies and mares and Westwing Belter has shown promise before and showed signs of her promise again when fitted with a tongue tie last time.

This step up in trip should suit although she does have a tricky draw.

Walnut Dash is drawn well and went close the last time she went over this course and distance.

Sammi Moosa is capable of a strong finish and can run on from a wide draw Samarra’s last run didn’t pan out well and she has a firm chance.

The two bottom weights Kapama and Picadilly Square are both under sufferance but are in good form and can be included.

The eighth race is a nightmare to assess and any of the nine horses could win with the exception of Gonnafly.

However, Fitzwilliam is selected on the grounds he was so highly rated he started favourite in the Gatecrasher Stakes as a two-year-old against the like of Soqrat and Barahin.

A breathing issue was the probable reason for the below par run and the subsequent layoff, but he is now stepping back up to a more suitable trip after a couple of fair comeback runs.

In the last leg, a MR65 Handicap over 2 000m the top weight El Sereno looks the firm choice and could be pressed by Waqaas.

By David Thiselton

Grant van Niekerk takes over from Aldo Domeyer as the jockey to display his Hong Kong talents at Kenilworth on Saturday and he rides in all but one of the eight races.

He has two mounts apiece for Justin Snaith and Candice Bass-Robinson and one each for Eric Sands, Piet Steyn and Mike Stewart. But his hand is nothing like as strong as Aldo Domeyer’s last Saturday, let alone the veritable bonanza that last season’s Cape champion appeared to have at yesterday’s abandoned meeting.

Van Niekerk did well in his first Hong Kong season, riding 31 winners from 422 rides, finishing ninth on the log and building a reputation with many of the local trainers.

Kenilworth was hit with 17mm of rain during Monday night and, although the course was passed fit after horses were galloped on it, further downpours saw racing called off following an 11.00am track inspection. No more than three millimetres is forecast between now and Saturday’s meeting so that should go ahead.

Justin Snaith is a runaway winner of the Western Cape trainers’ championship with 132 winners and stakes of R15.4 million, nearly R7 million in front of Mrs Bass-Robinson (73 winners) and Brett Crawford (82). Sabine Plattner is the leading owner. 

Snaith’s first jockey Richard Fourie heads the Western Cape log with 106 winners and Domeyer, despite spending so long in Hong Kong, is second with 60, six in front of Bernard Fayd’Herbe. Greg Cheyne is the highest Western Cape-based jockey on the national log in fifth with a personal best of 160 boosted by a fabulous five-timer at Fairview on Monday.

By Michael Clower 

Gary Alexander brings a string of five runners down to KwaZulu-Natal today for an eight-race program at Hollywoodbets Greyville on the poly and has a strong chance of bagging a few winners.

See Me Run jumps from gate two in the sixth race with Denis Schwarz up and is currently trading at 5-1 with Track & Ball. The 3 year old Visionaire filly ran a creditable 4.5 lengths behind Running Brave who won the Gold Bracelet last Saturday. The yard is expecting a good run as Alexander said ‘’she must have a decent shout from a good draw’’.

The second race sees them saddle up Amandla who put in a solid debut finishing 2.25 lengths behind Var And Away over 1160m at Turffontein, “He is working well and should have a good each way chance in this line-up” commented Alexander.

In race three, Marula is joint favourite with the Dennis Drier trained Ninotto currently trading at 19-10 on the books. ‘’His last two runs have been decent and this is not the strongest of fields with all due respect so he should be in the firing line” said Alexander. Eighties Rock ran a useful barrier trial and could be one to watch at decent odds. Magnificus is another who wasn’t far back in a barrier trial which makes the opening leg of the place accumulator very tricky.

Ideal Cut in race five doesn’t have the best draw but should be in with each way chance if taking to the poly. The last to be saddled up from the Alexander yard is Liberado in the eighth. ‘’He is looking for a mile plus but we’ll take our chances from a good draw and he will be doing his best work late’’. Alexander concluded that many of his runners haven’t been on the poly so if they do take to it good runs are expected overall.

The seventh sees an interesting contest where Myrrh and Luxemburg should fight it out. Myrrh from the Wayne Badenhorst yard gets an eye-catching jockey booking Lyle Hewitson from gate four and was running on well very late in the day. If he has a decent position this time around he will be right in the thick of things as he will be receiving all the assistance from the saddle. Luxemburg comes off a second on paper, however he lost his race in the boardroom. He took well to the poly at Fairview and if repeating that performance has a decent winning chance.

By Devonne Govender