Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge was yesterday reported very much on song for Saturday’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge and by the time you read this he will have done a vital piece of pacework at Summerveld.

Eric Sands said: “He was in the position where I wanted him, from the point of view of wellbeing and fitness, when he ran second in the Drill Hall. As it was his first run back he would have been a little bit above himself and racing a bit on nervous energy.

“He has definitely come on since, he now knows Greyville and he strips fitter. Indeed the stepping stones towards the big one are going well. He does a bit of pacework in the morning and he will have a sprint-up on Thursday.”

Anton Marcus’s mount has seven opponents including last year’s Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again who was three-quarters of a length second in the Met and has not raced since.

A bullish Justin Snaith said yesterday: “Do It Again is doing very well, he looks amazing and everything has gone to plan. His gallop was franked when Made To Conquer came out and ran third in the WSB 1900 so everything seems spot on and he will be ready come Saturday.”

Rainbow Bridge, with his race fitness advantage, is favourite at 22-10 with Track And Ball with Do It Again on 5-2 and Soqrat 9-2. Undercover Agent is a 5.25-1 chance to become the first dual winner since Variety Club in 2013 and then it’s 8-1 Cirillo, 12-1 Matador Man, 13-1 Lady In Black and 25-1 New Caledonia.

Favourites have had a poor record in recent seasons. Snowdance, second 12 months ago, was the first to even finish in the first three in five years.

Bunker Hunt, 40-1 for the July and the subject of some encouraging comments from his trainer after being forced to miss last Saturday’s Daily News – he was lame on his left hind – was due to be checked out by the vets yesterday.

Snaith said: “It would have been very hard to beat Hawwaam but I think he would have been a big runner and that he could have been in the first three. He kicked a wall and, although it’s not a train smash, I need to see the extent of the damage.”

And the all important question: will he make the July? “I think he should,” replied his trainer. “But I need to wait and make sure he is 100% right.”

Silvano’s Pride, Snaith’s fourth Woolavington winner in six years, looks like missing a clash with her elders in the Garden Province on July day. “She has already had three races in the Durban season and they have all been tough races,” reasoned her trainer. “In the Garden Province she would be taking on older fillies, tough nuts to crack, so I might put her away and bring her back in the Gold Bracelet at the end of the season.”

By Michael Clower

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Justin Snaith has some important runners at Saturday’s big meeting at Greyville, including Do It Again in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.

He said, “Do It Again is doing well, I’m very happy with his prep. He had a nice gallop at Greyville and Made To Conquer came out and franked the gallop which was quite important to give us some sort of line where we were. So I am very happy. Everything has gone to plan. I think we have got Soqrat to beat, he was very unlucky last time, so it is going to be interesting. It is going to be a helluva race.”

The race has cut up and Snaith said the draw of five out of eight was “perfect.”

Richard Fourie rides and Snaith said if all goes well he will stay aboard for the Vodacom Durban July.

The reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna will run in the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m from the widest draw of all in an eleven horse field.

Snaith said, “Over 1400m from the Drill Hall it is very hard. She has got her work cut out. But she is flying at home, absolutely flying, she is at her best. So she has just got the draw to negotiate, that’s all I am worried about, everything else is spot on. She will take some beating. She is at her one hundred percent best.”

Snaith said in the event of the draw letting her down and her running a bad race she will be retired.

He said that would be a “sad ending”.

However, if she does come through the race well she might then line up in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on Vodacom Durban July day.

In the Grade 2 Cup Trial over 1800m he runs Made To Conquer from draw ten out of ten and Doublemint from draw six.

He said, “Made To Conquer has his work cut out from a wide draw but it is a prep for the July. I just feel he needs one more run. Remember they took the Sledgehammer away (switched to the poly track), so he missed one run, so I’ve put him in here so he will be fit come July day. Doublemint is flying. He just needed that last run (7^th in the WSB 1900). It was a hard run race and he’s a colt, so being a colt he just needed that one good blow and he’s ready now.”

Snaith believed Doublemint had done enough to get into the July already as a winner of the Grade 2 Peninsula this season and the winner of the Grade 3 Politician Stakes as a three-year-old as well as the Grade 3 Winter Derby. He also finished sixth in a strong renewal of the Sun Met this season, a significant placing as it allowed him to escape any merit rated raised.

Snaith added, “He will be a lot higher in the July log after the Cup Trial!”

He concluded by saying, “If Doublemint doesn’t finish in the first two in the Cup Trial, he doesn’t deserve to be in the July. It will take a nice horse to beat him and Made To Conquer on Saturday.”

Doublemint is currently merit rated 104 so even a win in the Cup Trial is unlikely to effect his July weight, considering his 125 merit rated stable companion Do It Again will likely be in the July.

In the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m for two-year-old fillies Snaith runs Innogen, who is by Master Of My Fate out of the twice Listed winner Cymbeline, who won from 1600m up to 2200m.

Snaith said, “She ran well first time out and I think she is a runner. I wouldn’t put her in the race for no reason and in these races the previous winners get a penalty, which makes a big difference because some horses have won weak races. Coming in as a maiden you get an allowance so under those conditions she will run a good race.”

The yard run Rip It Up, carrying 52kg, in the Non-Black Type Durban Dash over 1100m. Snaith said, “He ran very disappointingly at Scottsville last time, so I am hoping it can just be put down to Scottsville. I’ve taken the blinkers off so he will run a better race.” 

Snaith won the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 on Saturday with Silvano’s Pride, but due to the strength of the older females it is unlikely she will be lining up in the Garden Province. Snaith mentioned the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m on Gold Cup day as a possibility for her.

Bunker Hunt had to be scratched from Saturday’s Daily News 2000 after kicking a wall. Snaith believed he would have “definitely” finished in the first three.

He said he would monitor the damage to the outside of his fetlock, which he said was “nothing too hectic”.

He said, “If it is all good he will go back into training and contest the July.”

Snaith believes getting weight from Hawwaam, Bunker Hunt will be a “big runner in the July.”  

Meanwhile, Snowdance is being targeted at the Garden Province and the Grade 1 Allan Robertson winner Miss Florida will be nominated for the Grade 2 Golden Slipper on Vodacom Durban July day, although if she draws badly she will be scratched.

By David Thiselton

South Africa are readying themselves to embrace a new equine hero in the Mike De Kock-trained  Hawwaam, who cantered to victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and now has his eyes on the Vodacom Durban July.

The Silvano colt arrived in Durban as a twice Grade 1 winner, of the SA Classic over 1800m and the Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m, both at Turffontein, but he still had something to prove in the Daily News as he was up against the toughest opposition he had faced to date in the form of Twist Of Fate.

The latter, merit rated four points lower than Hawwaam on 117, had the run of the race as he went to the front and led at a comfortable pace and then got a tow from Zillzaaal from the 1100m mark onward.

Meanwhile, Hawwaam had missed the break and his plan to lead was out the window. He followed Zillzaaal but when that one went to the front he was trapped one wide without cover. This did not phase him as he continued to relax and Anton Marcus then edged him forward to join Zillzaaal.

In the straight the top class Twist Of Fate’s chase was always in vain.

Out in front Marcus rode hands and heels. He said later this was in order to keep him straight and he might have been thinking of his mount in the previous race, Front And Centre, whose hanging antics might have cost her victory in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

Hawwaam looked to have something in hand when crossing the line 1,60 lengths clear. There was a further 4,90 lengths back to the rank outsider Capoeira, an 81 merit rated horse who proved the decision to supplement him had been  worthwhile.

De Kock said if it was up to him Hawwaam would line up in the July, but the final decision will rest with owner Sheik Hamdan and his racing manager Angus Gold.

Hawwaam will carry 56kg in the July if his merit rating stays unchanged on 121. If he does get a raise the very most he can carry is 57kg, the maximum weight for a three-year-old male.
De Kock said Hawwaam had now proved himself against the best and pointed out his big heart, as it was the second time he had won without the race panning out in his favour. He said he was on his way to being rated alongside the like of Vercingetorix and Variety Club, whom he said were the last “proper” horses he had trained.

Anton Marcus said it had been a win full of merit and he believed in a couple of months’ time “the world could be this horse’s Oyster.”

.Marcus is contracted to ride Hawwaam’s half-brother Rainbow Bridge in the July. Gavin Lerena seems the likely replacement as he was aboard Hawwaam for his SA Classic win. However, it will depend on whether any Wilgerbosdrift Stud or Mauritzfontein Stud-owned horses are in the big race as Lerena is retained by them.

Hawwaam has shortened into 2,35/1 for the July with Track And Ball and Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge have now drifted out to 5/1 apiece.

Hawwaam was the second Grade 1 winner of the day to be by Silvano out of a Jet Master mare.

Earlier the Justin Snaith-trained Silvano’s Pride had led from start to finish to win the Woolavington 2000 under Richard Fourie. This horse has always led in his races or at least been handy due to her tendency to take a keen hold. However, Snaith said in the build up to this race he had been working on this problem and as it happened the strongly built filly settled well in front and dictated at a good gallop. She kicked well in the straight and it was going to take a good one to catch her. The 21/10 favourite Front And Centre made a storming run from second last but unfortunately hung all the way from the outside to the inside despite Marcus’s efforts. She was only 0,3 lengths shy at the line of the 16/1 chance winner so this antic might have cost her the race. The progressive Blossom ran on well for third ahead of Seville Orange and the twice Grade 1-winner Return Flight.

Silvano’s Pride did not attract a bid at the sales and has therefore been raced by breeder Anthony Peter.

Snaith said in the post race interview how disappointed he had been by Bunker Hunt’s scratching in the Daily News as he believed this one would also have caused an upset.

Earlier, the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m saw the former Sean Tarry-trained Summer Cup winner Liege bouncing back to his best. He won comfortably under Raymond Danielson from Gimme One Night and Silver Rose. The step up in trip appears to have been the key to this horse.

By David Thiselton

Hawwaam’s price for the Vodacom Durban July has predictably been slashed following his convincing win in Saturday’s Daily News and Mike de Kock’s public confirmation that he wants to run his latest star.

Track And Ball, one of the first off the mark, cut the colt from 10-3 to 2.35-1 but by mid-morning yesterday he was as short as 16-10. Rainbow Bridge and Do It Again have been pushed out to 5.25-1 while Saturday’s runner-up Twist Of Fate has come down markedly, from 25-1 to 13-1.

De Kock, who will be bidding for his fifth July but his first for eight years, answered ante-post punters’ prayers by spelling out the exact scenario in his post-race interview with Deez Dayanand.

He said: “The July is our premier race – it’s the one everyone wants to win – and I have always maintained that I am very happy to run this horse in it. If it is up to me, he runs. But I must emphasise the fact that this decision will be made by Sheikh Hamdan and Angus Gold (his racing manager) – the Sheikh likes to be involved in this sort of thing – but they will be encouraged by me to run and, as soon as I get the agreement from them, the public will be told.”

De Kock made the point that Hawwaam’s year older half-brother Rainbow Bridge (who runs in Saturday’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge) is second favourite – “It would be fantastic to see Hawwaam with an older sibling in the same race. It would be a great spectacle and something which I would hope can happen.”

By Michael Clower

Brave Move is to race on despite finishing plumb last on her reappearance in the Interbet.co.za Pinnacle at Kenilworth on Saturday

The Ladies Mile and Final Fling winner went from hero to zero in the Cape season, showing about as much enthusiasm towards the end of it as a turkey for Christmas. Adam Marcus, though, reckoned he could rekindle the sort of spirit that had won the mare six off the reel: “I put her in a paddock and let her soften up – and I waited until she showed me she was happy before bringing her in again.”

The treatment seemed to work: she was alert, on her toes with ears pricked and taking a keen interest, as she walked out onto the course and it was only the punters who were sceptical, allowing her to drift from 10-15 to 16-10. They looked like being proved wrong when Diego de Gouveia pressed the button. She moved up like a winner but just as suddenly she emptied and dropped away.

Marcus was not surprised: “I brought her into this very fresh expecting it to be a 1 000m race but almost at the last minute they changed it to 1 400m and she had had no grass gallop. But she did look happy and her work has been good so we will carry on from here.”

The race was won by the Snaith-trained Libra ridden by Robert Khathi who picked up two whip fines  – more than 12 strokes – in successive races earlier in the afternoon.

Many racegoers were openly wondering how Anthony Andrews would get hotpot Constable across from the slower inside to the better going on the outer without giving away too much ground in the maiden juvenile. He seemed to manage it pretty seamlessly, and well after the initial 200m keep-straight section, but seemingly appearances were deceptive.

Andrews reported: “It wasn’t that easy but I didn’t want to get beaten on an odds-on favourite by staying on the inside when my instructions were to come up the outside.”

Jockeys tend to take a jaundiced view of instructions, certainly those of the verbose sort, and for the last two meetings a quote from Lester Piggott has adorned the weighing room wall. It says, beneath a picture of the great man: “A good jockey doesn’t need orders and a bad jockey couldn’t carry them out anyway. So it’s best not to give them any.”

Morne Winnaar gives them to himself, particularly now that he is doing so well. After completing a Glen Kotzen double on Pearl Tiara he said: “When you go out there you’ve got to have a plan and beforehand I said ‘when she comes out of the pens I am going to be close.’ You don’t want to be at the back with too much ground to make up.”

Backers of Var Express in the Betting World Maiden can count themselves unlucky. The 2-1 favourite cast a front shoe on the way to the start and then lost the replacement during the race. He managed only fifth behind M.J. Byleveld on the Geoff Woodruff-trained The Perfect Wave.

Liam Tarentaal had a good week, following up a winner for Vaughan Marshall at Durbanville on Tuesday with success for Justin Snaith on Fortune Flies here. The 21-year-old’s total now stands at 35.

Work riders’ races are not popular with punters – the form is unreliable – but they play a vital part in racing’s labour relations and, something the rest of us tend to forget, they are looked forward to for days beforehand by the participants. “This was a big day for me,” said Dean Kannemeyer staff member Bulelani Thwalani after making all on the Mike Stewart-trained Hollywood Belle, adding that it was his second winner and rattling off where he had finished in a string of other races.

By Michael Clower

Two questions were answers at Greyville yesterday. Hawwaam is the best three-year-old in the country over a middle distance and it is almost a given that he will take his place in next month’s Vodacom Durban July.

Given the hype around Mike de Kock’s colt, it would have been a mighty let-down had he not landed the odds in the Gr1 Daily News 2000. But he did it with the minimum of fuss as he comfortably held off recent G2 KRA Guineas winner Twist Of Fate with the balance in another race.

There were fears before the race that Hawwaam’s suspect temperament may get the better of him in the preliminaries but he behaved like a gentleman although De Kock was granted permission for the colt to do one lap of the paddock before heading to the start.

“He’s a pretty straight forward horse,” said De Kock, “but he is a real man and likes to dominate. He gives you time to put the saddle on, time to get the jockey on but if you leave it too long, he can be difficult. He is a strong-minded horse and there are temperament issues.”

General expectations were that stable companion Atyaab would set the pace but that never materialised as Twist Of Fate went to the front with Anton Marcus sitting off the pace, Hawwaam keen to get on with it.

“The pace was just ordinary,’’ confirmed Marcus. The pair took up the challenge at the top of the straight but Marcus did not have to resort to the stick. “I kept the stick off him and just kept him as balanced as possible.”

“You have got to be impressed. Races like this are never a gimme. Twist Of Fate was only rated 4lbs inferior so it was a win full of merit. A couple of months down the line the world will be his oyster.”

A relieved De Kock said the race was always going to be a test. “You have to beat the best and the second best three-year-old around (Twist Of Fate) was going to test him today.”

“Nothing went well and he still came through. The plan was to go to the front today.”

De Kock heaped praise on Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum and his racing manager Angus Gold. “Sheik Hamdan is a massive asset to South African racing. All owners are important but Sheik Hamdan as been a staunch supporter, just frustrated by the current export protocols.”

De Kock confirmed that he had always intended to run Hawwaam in the Vodacom Durban July. “I was always happy to run the horse in the July – if it’s up to me the horse runs. It’s the most important race in South Africa but I must stress that it is up to the owners whether he runs or not.”

Twist Of Fate put up a cracking performance in second but found one too good for him on the day.

The Gr1 Woolvington 2000 proved to be something of an upset result as 11-1 chance Silvano’s Pride went to the front and never looked like getting caught although there were a few hard luck stories behind Justin Snaith’s filly.

Marcus lost his compass aboard favourite Front And Centre drifting across the entire width of the track to the inside rail causing a few runners to ease but finishing a clear second. He now faces a stewards inquiry.

“We have been looking for the right race,” said Snaith. “In her races the others always seemed to quicken past her. But everything came together today and I’m very proud that my horses always run to the line.

Silvano’s Pride is not among the Snaith nominations for the Vodacom Durban July, Oh Susanna withdrawn on Friday, but there is still one further supplementary stage so Silvano’s Pride may well still feature in the final field. Second declarations for the Vodacom Durban July are on Monday and will be accompanied by the final VDJ log while the final supplementary stage is on Tuesday, June 18.

Snaith has been relatively quiet so far this Champions Season but sounded a warning yesterday saying that this was now the sharp end of Champions Season and he was about to get serious.

By Andrew Harrison

The Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 to be run on Saturday at Greyville will see a fascinating clash between top class fillies from top yards.

Return Flight from the high flying Sean Tarry yard won both the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic over 1800m and Grade 2 SA Oaks over 2450m and followed up with a win in the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg over 2000m. That would seem like a tiring program but Tarry pointed out she was not hard pressed in two of those wins. She has drawn in pole on Saturday, so will likely try and take up her customary front-running position under Lyle Hewitson, who replaces Anton Marcus as the latter is retained by the connections of Front And Centre. Return Flight as a galloping type would seem unsuited to the tight Greyville track but she did win the Grade 1 Thekwini here as a two-year-old.

Front And Centre won the Cape Fillies Guineas and was second in both the Grade 1 Majorca and Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas. This is the first time she tries further than a mile.  She is a half-sister to Poatala Palace, whose best win was over a mile, but her sire Dynasty should help her stay and she was staying on well last time in the KRAFG. She has a tough draw of ten.

Santa Clara won the KRA Fillies Guineas in fine style and showed a fine turn of foot. She is by Duke Of Marmalade out of a full-sister to Silvano so should be improving all the time and should relish this trip. However, she has a tough draw of eleven. 

One of the most interesting runners is Blossom, who has her first run for Mike De Kock having previously been with recently retired legend Ormond Ferraris. Her mother Cherry On The Top won the Triple Tiara and was a warm order in this race but failed. Blossom could well do the opposite as she won none of the Triple Tiara races but she did place third in the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m and second in the Grade 2 SA Oaks over 2450m and strikes as one who will continue to improve. She is drawn eight and should be staying on strongly if able to find a good position from a tricky draw of eight.

Bize has always struck as a talented sort who would improve continuously and this trip should be ideal. She was a four length fourth to Return Flight in the SA Oaks but has drawn well here over a probably ideal trip. She looks to be the dark horse.

Seville Orange has some class and as a daughter of Duke Of Marmalade should be starting to come into her own. She finished third in the SA Oaks and was only 1,9 lengths behind Bize in the Oaks Trial over this trip when giving her 8kg, so she could also earn from a fair draw of six Chitengo is also a progressive sort and  wasn’t far back in any of the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the SA Fillies Classic and the SA Oaks. However, Gavin Lerena has opted for Blossom and Raymond Danielson has opted for Bize. Chitengo has the widest draw to overcome too.

Silvano’s Pride tends to take a keen hold, which is why she often leads. Justin Snaith had plans in mind to help her relax and settle better in the running and if they haven’t worked this trip will stretch her. However, she does have courage and some class and being by Silvano will be improving all the time. Furthermore, a similar type in Viva Maria won this race from the front in 2012.

Richard Fourie is aboard Silvano’s Pride from draw seven and the stable companion Madonna will be ridden by Luke Ferraris from draw nine. This horse has plenty of scope and is better than her 82 merit rating suggests. She comes off a good win in the LIsted East Coast Oaks over this trip.

Snapscan was a head second to Madonna in the East Cape Oaks and then franked the form by running on strongly for a cracking fourth in the Listed East Coast Cup over this trip at Greyville. She faced some good older horses in that race and showed she was better than her 81 merit rating suggests.  

Princess Irene will relish this step up in trip having stayed on from behind in the KRAFG. She had previously won the Listed Jamaica Handicap over this trip and is another daughter of Duke Of Marmalade who will be improving all the time.

Count Dubucks stayed on resolutely to win when stepped up to 1750m last time at Scottsville but she will need a lot of further improvement to feature here. 

By David Thiselton                                            

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Adam Marcus is still in discussion with owners about the future of his Grade 3 Winter Classic winner Vardy.

Marcus believes the Var gelding is not quite ready for the Vodacom Durban July yet.

He said, “As a still immature three-year-old I think we could be dealing with a very special four-year-old if we nurture him into the Cape Summer season.”

Vardy reversed the Winter Guineas form by beating the highly regarded Vaughan Marshall-trained One World in Saturday’s Winter Classic and he did it by a comfortable 2,25 lengths.

The strength of the form was shown by the gulf back to third-placed Majestic Mozart. 

This horse was beaten 2,85 lengths in the Winter Guineas and by 8,50 lengths in the Winter Classic.

Marcus was confident Vardy would improve from his Winter Guineas run, where he did not settle well.

The problem is his “severe parrot mouth and very soft palate” and Marcus looks to have solved it with a plastic bit used in dressage competition which he imported from Italy.

Saturday was the first time he had raced with the bit.   

By David Thiselton                                            

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Twist Of Fate delighted Joey Ramsden in his final piece of work at Summerveld yesterday and the trainer expects his colt to really put it up to hotpot Hawwaam in the Daily News at Greyville on Saturday.

Ramsden said: “Twist Of Fate has done fabulously well since winning the KRA Guineas and I give him a serious chance – he is such a tough, hard-knocking horse. He did 1 800m in the Politician at Kenilworth looking like he loved it and wanted further while he seemed to like Greyville in the KRA Guineas and he was only getting into gear when he crossed the line.

“We grassed him last Thursday and he went really nicely in his last serious bit of work this morning. I like him a lot for Saturday – he has had a great prep going into it with no problems. I am sure it is the same with Hawwaam and it looks like being a fabulous contest.”

S’Manga Khumalo, who rode him in the CTS 1600 (second to One World), will be back on board and his mount is rated 2kg behind Hawwaam but 2.5kg and more in front of the rest. He is generally available at between 9-2 and 5-1 whereas Hawwaam is as short as 3-10. Cape Derby runner-up Charles (8-1) is the only other in single figures. Favourites have won three of the last five runnings and five of the last ten.

By Michael Clower

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