Betting World is sticking its collective neck out with One World in the Winter Classic at Kenilworth on Saturday offering the Vaughan Marshall star at even money whereas main market rival World Sports Betting has the colt odds-on at 17-20.

WSB is more generous with second favourite Vardy despite clipping the Adam Marcus runner from 15-10 to 14-10 yesterday. The gelding has no more than a head to find with One World on Winter Guineas form and he is only 12-10 with South Africa’s biggest bookmaker.

The one that has been backed, though, is Greg Cheyne’s mount Majestic Mozart who was third, beaten nearly three lengths, in the Winter Guineas. His price has tumbled from 9-1 to 11-2 with WSB while Betting World was still offering 8-1 yesterday afternoon.

Marshall and his jockey M.J. Byleveld look set for a good day according to the market -they have three favourites and two joint favourites. WSB is taking no chances with Run Fox Run (Cheyne) who puts her unbeaten record on the line in the Olympic Duel Stakes and has opened her at even money. The Paul Reeves-trained Helen’s Ideal is, as expected, favourite for the Stormsvlei Mile at 5-2.

By Michael Clower

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Sean Tarry has a strong hand in all four of the Grade 1 features at Scottsville’s Festival Of Speed meeting on Saturday.

In the R1 million Tsogo Sun Sprint he has three contenders and has kept Lyle Hewitson aboard Trip To Heaven, who has had a new lease of life since the champion jockey first climbed aboard him towards the end of last season. He said loading him early had not helped his cause in the Computaform Sprint, as he had lost more ground than his customary couple of lengths, so he is hoping he is one of the last to load on Saturday. The 1200m trip allows him plenty of time to make up the ground and he is attractively weighted on his best form. 

Luke Ferraris has ridden Africa Rising twice for two wins so Tarry has put him back aboard this honest five-year-old gelding. Tarry said his win three runs back in the Grade 2 Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein had been impressive, while his following run could be ignored as he did not pull up well. His last outing was very much a preparation run for Saturday’s big race. 

The consequence of those two riding arrangements is that Raymond Danielson lands the ride on the ruling Track And Ball favourite, Chimichuri Run. Tarry pointed out Danielson had had Grade 1 success with him in the past.

Tarry said it had probably been a mistake to put the blinkers on Chimichuri Run last time as he had hung a bit worse than usual. He had originally thought of avoiding this race for the three-year-old due to his high merit rating but when he was surprisingly set to carry only 54,5kg, due to the presence of Undercover Agent, he kept him in. He said 1200m was arguably his best trip.  He added he was tailor made for 1200m around the turn or 1400m at Greyville but said there had been little wrong with his form down the straight. He finished third in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion last year. 

Tarry said all three runners had enjoyed good preparations.

Tarry believes the Johannesburg two-year-old form could well be the strongest in the country particularly among the fillies. He pointed out the time of the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery had been faster than that of the SA Nursery. He has thus kept SA Fillies Nursery runner up Cavivar against the girls in the Allan Robertson Championship, but has put his other good filly Spring Break in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion against the boys. 

He said Cavivar’s penultimate start could be ignored as she did not settle with a tongue tie on. He said watching her 0,3 length second in the SA Fillies Nursery, where switching inward might have been costly, he believed Scottsville might well be to her liking and hoped she could turn the tables on Basadi Faith.

Spring Break was much talked about before staying on strongly to get up on debut and she must have a shout receiving 2,5kg from the boys in the Gold Medallion.

Tarry said it would have been pointless putting his well beaten SA Nursery unplaced runners in this race. He decided instead to opt for Eden Roc who did admittedly win over the further trip of 1400m on debut but Tarry pointed out he had won effortlessly in that Juvenile Plate event.

He said all three of his SA Fillies Sprint contenders Celtic Sea, Green Plains and Exquisite Touch had been doing well and had enjoyed good preparations.

He said Celtic Sea’s most disappointing runs had been when stepping her up to a mile, so maybe he had misinterpreted her strong finishes over 1400m and had thus decided she might be effective over 1200m. 

“She is a very good filly and will be right there,” he said.

He believed Green Plains had hit the front quite early last time out when finishing a 2,75 length third in the Grade 2 Camellia Stakes with topweight and he believed she would benefit from a more patient ride. 

In that same race he pointed out Exquisite Touch was unable to get a run so it could be ignored. She had previously been doing well against the boys.

Green Plains ran a 2,40 length sixth last year and Exquisite Touch a 5,65 length ninth, while Celtic Sea was a half-a-length second in the Allan Robertson.

By David Thiselton

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Paul Matchett will arrive at Scottsville tomorrow (Friday) with the unbeaten Basadi Faith. 

He will walk her on the course ahead of her attempt to convert favouritism in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship over 1200m on Saturday. Matchett first saw this Master Of My Fate filly before the CTS April Yearling Sale at Durbanville last year.

Her second dam, Kaleido, is a full-sister to the brilliant sprinter and broodmare National Colour.

Matchett said, “She was a good specimen and from a family like that I just had to buy her.” National Colour was known for her exceptional gatespeed and natural pace coupled with a finishing kick. 

At her best she was just about unbeatable in South Africa. She ended her three-year-old season by winning the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint (by 4,25 lengths), the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint and the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint. Overseas she won in Dubai and finished a narrow second in one of Europe’s top sprints, the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes. 

At stud National Colour has produced Grade 1 Computaform Sprint winner Rafeef and Grade 1 SA Nursery winner Mustaaqeem.

Basadi Faith was born at Favour Stud but was brought up at Philip Kahan’s The Alchemy Stud.

Matchett’s determination to buy her saw him approaching Kahan after the sale, as she went through the ring unsold at R45,000, and he secured her for R100,000. 

The tall bay showed Matchett a lot from day one.

Before her debut over 800m at Turffontein on 15 December he told jockey Devin Habib and owners Joe Abreu and Juanita Van der Merwe that this was “a very good filly and not just for now but for the future.”

She was backed in from 16/1 to 8/1 that day and swooped late to win going away by 2,75 lengths under a clearly excited Habib.

Next up at the Vaal she had to give 3kg to the rest of the field in a Juvenile Plate over 1000m but won just as easily at odds of 8/10.

However, in her third start in the Listed Ruffian Stakes over 1000m at Turffontein she was allowed to start at odds of 6/1 as she faced the exciting prospect Gin Fizz and had to give her 2kg. She slammed the 1/4 shot by 4,50 lengths and the country suddenly had a star in the offing.

She made it four on the trot by winning the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m in a quick time of 66,98 seconds, 0,28 seconds faster than the SA Nursery time.

Matchett is regarded as a small yard trainer but has had an illustrious career. He was the three times champion trainer of Zimbabwe and his Grade 1 successes in South Africa include two at Scottsville. In 2006 he won the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Tsogo Sun Sprint) with the Zimbabwean-bred Let’s Rock’n Roll and he caused an exotics meltdown two years ago when his 30/1 outsider Brave Mary spread-eagled the field in the Allan Robertson.

Matchett goes in to Saturday’s race fancying Basadi Faith’s chances and said the improving Cavivar, whom she only beat by 0,3 lengths in the Fillies Nursery, and the unknown strength of the Cape Town horses, were his chief concerns.

By David Thiselton

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Dean Kannemeyer has been relatively quiet these past months but his stable sounded a warning with a treble at Greyville yesterday.

Favourite Caprera opened their account in the card opener as stable rider Keagan de Melo benefitted from Land Of Mystery taking the scenic route home.

As Land Of Mystery ducked wide out on the bend, De Melo slipped the favourite through inside of him and the race was over in a few strides.

The Sultans Bazaar provided the second as he scored a bloodless victory in the fourth where scratchings reduced the field to six runners. De Melo simply settled at the back of the bunch but once he turned The Sultans Bazaar loose it was just a matter of how far with favourite Blackball chasing shadows as he battled to quick ahead of his younger rival.

Bernard Fayde’herbe is one of the riders who has been roundly criticised for his seemingly over-use of the stick but he remains one of the finest around.

Land Of Mystery may have proved difficult to pilot in the first but he sent Scarlet Chill through the middle of the pack to land the second. This was the filly’s first outing for Alyson Wright and Fayd’herbe took full advantage of his one draw, always an advantage over the Greyville mile.

Orient Express will come under scrutiny of the handicappers after she rounded off the Kannemeyer treble in the sixth.

Fresh from her maiden win and escaping a penalty, she got home narrowly from the two Duncan Howells-trained fillies Bold Beauty and Crystal Ball who were both closing fast on the winner.

The maxim in tough handicaps the world over for the betting desperados is; ‘when in doubt back the top weight’ they obviously being the best performed. In KZN the refrain changes to; ‘when in doubt back Anton Marcus’. His presence in the saddle generally trims a few points off any horse that he rides but you most often get value for money.

Glen Kotzen’s filly Anuchke’s Wings was not an obvious choice judging on form in what was a lowly maiden but Marcus, who does his homework and is one of the hardest working riders in the mornings, is generally a good option if you are in a quandary.

Anuchke’s Wings, who’s last two runs were in the wet after making a smart debut, made short work of her opposition

Similarly, those that set store of on one-runner one-trainer on the day, cashed in with the Johan Janse van Vuuren. He struck with his only runner with Marcus aboard as filly Giglio cruised to a four-length win in the fifth.

By Andrew Harrison

Dennis Drier has won six of the last nine renewals of the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m and he has a shout at ending this decade with an incredible seven wins of this prestigious two-year-old event as he has two livewires in Cartel Captain and Master of Illusion. 

Drier also won the race way back in 1990.

The Gold Medallion forms the second leg of Saturday’s Jackpot of Grade 1s at Scottsville’s big Festival Of Speed meeting.

Cartel Captain is a son of Drier’s 2013 Medallion winner Captain of All. He won a good race over course and distance on debut. He is an impressive specimen who found a strong finish from off the pace in that race.

He is 12/1 with Track And Ball, which looks good value.

Master Of Illusion won on debut over 1200m at Greyville and followed up by finishing a short-head second in the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes over 1100m at Greyville on May 3.

This gelding is also by a Drier-trained horse, Master Of My Fate, whose racing career was cut short by injury before he was able to fulfil his huge potential. Master Of Illusion is out of Captain Al mare Victorian Secret and is thus from the family of the like of All Is Secret and The Secret Is Out, who both won the Grade 1 Allan Robertson at the Festival Of Speed meeting. 

Master Of Illusion is a 14/1 shot with Track And Ball. 

Drier’s assistant trainer Stuart Ferrie said it was hard to call between the pair. He said on pure ability he would probably side with Cartel Captain and this colt’s work had also been very good at home. However, he added Master Illusion had more experience, which counted for a lot at this age.

The Johannesburg challenge will be strong in this year’s Medallion.

Frosted Gold is priced up as the 5/2 favourite. This New Zealand-bred won the Grade 2 SA Nursery from the usually tough number one draw. He has all the credentials of a horse who will enjoy Scottsville i.e enough pace to stay in touch as they hurtle down the hill in the early part and he is a resolute galloper who will relish the tough climb to the finish line from the 500m mark onward. He has the advantage of Anton Marcus aboard.

Second favourite  Got The Greenlight used his long stride to run on for second in the Nursery and will be finishing strongly again on Saturday.

Alramz is a solidly built colt by former SA Nursery winner Soft Falling Rain and he led from start to finish when winning over this trip on debut on the Turffontein Inside track. He was extending at the line so he should also be climbing up the hill strongly.

African Warrior is an eyecatching sort who showed resolve when winning the Godolphin Barb, his second win in a row in just his third start.

Spring Break is the only filly in the race. She is by Trippi out of the speedster Miss October and after being backed and winning on debut over this trip at the Vaal the form was franked when runner up Solar Flare came out and won yesterday.

Her Sean Tarry-trained stablemate Eden Roc beat winners on debut over 1400m so this might be sharper than ideal but the tough nature of the track will suit him. 

Candy Apple is an improving sort who was beaten by Master Of Illusion on debut but won well third time out.

Emerald Band bring strong Cape Town form, which is always to be feared.

High Voltage was half-a-length behind an extending Cartel Captain when they met over this course and distance and he followed up with a close up third in the Godolphin Barb.

Master Jay is interesting as he beat High Voltage easily over 1100m at Scottsville, although he had a 1,5kg claimer up that day.

Special Blend won going away over course and distance on debut and could be anything. Wave won easily over 1100m at Scottsville on debut and then finished a close fourth in the Godolphin Barb.

Guantanamo Bay looks held on Johannesburg form. Loosen Your Tie is a maiden who will need plenty of improvement.

It is a bit early in the week to make a call but it is going to be a humdinger of a race, possibly the day’s classiest event.

By David Thiselton

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Suspensions – as opposed to fines – for exceeding the 12-strike whip limit could be on the way but it looks as if thoughts of including the use of the whip in the backhand positon in the 12 permitted will be dropped.

When the whip rule was introduced on May 10 the initial stipes reports stated that “The general use of the crop will be monitored until 31 May. Until this time the limit of 12 crop strikes will apply.”

Senior racing control executive Arnold Hyde explained yesterday: “The monitoring of crop use really pertains to the use of the crop in the backhand position with the hands on the reins, and to see if the 12 strikes should include the backhand but it looks as if the backhand is not being abused at all. It’s possibly a bit early to say this but at the moment 12 strikes is where we want to be bearing in mind that we only introduced a number on May 10.”

So far fines have usually been the order of the day, even for repeat offenders (Serino Moodley last week was a notable exception), but more suspensions are on the horizon. Hyde said: “We are still in the initial stages of our rule but in other jurisdictions there are harsher penalties and the way the world of racing is going we definitely have to consider that angle.”

In France, for instance, jockeys are limited to five strikes as they are in Germany where the five includes slaps down the shoulder. German jockeys also face a mandatory 14-day suspension, even for the first offence, and the loss of their share of the stakes. Sliding scale suspensions apply to jockeys in France who use the whip more than ten times – 11 days for 11 strokes, 12 days for 12 strokes etc.

In Australia the rules have recently been changed to allow objections to be made against a jockey who exceeds the limit, and that could also come here.

Hyde said: “There is a view that if a jockey contravenes the rule he is gaining an advantage over the rest who are keeping within the rule, so we would have to look very seriously at this. There needs to be a level playing field for all and, if someone breaking the rules gains an advantage, there should be a penalty that is appropriate.”

By Michael Clower

Clinton Binda has found a happy hunting ground amongst the lower divisions in KZN of late and Pearl Of Siberia can add to his tally in the Inanda FM88.4 Handicap over 1000m on the Greyville poly today. The gelding took an age to shed his maiden, scoring at his 24^th attempt, but to his credit he has been ultra consistent this year, not once further back than third in seven races.

Stretched an extra furlong at Scottsville last time out, Binda removed the blinkers and it nearly paid dividends as Pearl Of Siberia ran the much improved Fives Wild to a neck.

Its back to his preferred trip of 1000m today with the blinkers back on and a handy draw in his favour.

Pearl Of Siberia is currently 5-1 along with Bravo Zulu who was down the field in the race won by Fives Wild, but it was a performance way below his best. He is back over his best course and distance and with Bernard Fayd’Herbe to help him along he should be a big runner. Great Dictator, with Anton Marcus aboard, is 33-10 favourite but Hondo and Panza, who steps out for the 81^st time, are also not out of it.

Roy’s Novice has come into her own since reverting to the synthetic surface, winning three on the trot. Last time out she accounted for Arizona Sunset who paid tribute to that form with victory, albeit a narrow one, last Saturday.

Alyson Wright’s Aussie-bred steps up in trip in the sixth but appears to be a late developer and can go in again with Lyle Hewitson aboard.

Julie Dittmer will have other ideas when she saddles Chatty Cathy who has come to hand on the poly and was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out. These two head the market, 33-10 and 4-1 respectively.

Dennis Drier holds a strong card in the card opener with Land Of Mystery and Liquidity, the latter possibly the pick with stable rider Sean Veale in the irons. The Querari gelding has two sprints to his credit, most recently being out-paced late over 1200m. Given his pedigree, this extended trip looks right up his street and 9-2 looks a juicy price at current odds. Dean Kannemeyer’s runner Capera is at the top of the boards at 28-10. He was narrowly beaten when casting a shoe on his return to KZN and a repeat could see him justify favouritism.

Marcus looks to have landed a plum ride in the opening leg of the PA where he partners Chesney van Zyl’s filly Itsapleasure who caught the eye with a strong finish when second on debut and is understandably 11-10 favourite.

The opening leg of the Pick 6 looks to be a far more difficult affair. Anuchke’s Wings is favourite as she makes her poly debut, bookmakers possibly wary of the Marcus, Glen Kotzen combination, as the form is hardly striking.

Frank Robinson is enjoying a good run with Roy’s Riviera putting up a smart showing last Saturday and Isikhwami Sami will have her supporters. The daughter of Golden Sword steps up to what should be a more suitable trip and Fayd’Herbe, who did the honours aboard Roy’s Riviera, has the ride.

In the fourth, High Green is way overdue after a string of placed runs and given that Lowan Denysschen’s gelding is at the bottom of the handicap he should have a strong chance of finally recording his third win. 7-2 looks a fair price with top weight Blackball (5-2) having to give the consistent High Green 9kg.

Fillies Handicaps are notoriously tricky as reflected in the ante-post market with three horses bracketed on 5-1. Lady Abigail bids for a hat-trick while Josephine Baker will be aiming to go in again along with visiting filly Giglio from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard.

By Andrew Harrison

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Frank Robinson will nominate Listed East Coast Cup winner Roy’s Riviera for the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on June 8.

His other Vodacom Durban July entry Roy Had Enough will be entered in the same event but has other qualifying options too.

Robinson had no doubt Roy’s Riviera would stay the 2000m trip on Saturday and said in retrospect she had been the form choice. She had finished on top of Matador Man in her previous start in the King’s Cup and the latter came out and beat July livewire Head Honcho in a Pinnacle event on Saturday.

Roy’s Riviera’s performance was all the more impressive on Saturday because she did not have the best luck in running. She was caught three wide for much of the race. Yet she still found plenty in the straight and held off a strong challenge from topweight Miyabi Gold, who was eventually beaten into second by lightweight outsider Perfect Air.

Roy’s Riviera carried 60kg and was receiving 1,5kg from Miyabi Gold, whom she beat by 0,65 lengths.

Miyabi Gold was ranked 18^th on the first July log.

Robinson said the Australian-bred All Too Hard filly had pulled up well and had hardly even appeared to have been in a race.

He said if she failed to qualify for the July she would go for the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes instead.

She has clearly come into her own as a four-year-old and will be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of the season.

Robinson said Roy Had Enough was in even better shape at present.

He said, “Last season he had a few unsoundness issues and aches and pains but is a different animal this season and I hope he can get in the July.”

Robinson said Bernard Fayd’Herbe had got off after riding Roy Had Enough to second place in the Sledgehammer and called him the best horse in Durban.

The well bred Pierro colt has plenty of stamina in his classy pedigree so Robinson also has the option of running him in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m on July 1 instead of the Cup Trial a week later.

Another option would be the Grade 1 wfa Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m on June 8, although he would have to take on the best in the country if running there.

Roy Had Enough avoided the WSB 1900 after drawing 28 of 28. 

Meanwhile, Robinson has acquired two horses from the Ormond Ferraris yard, Dame Kelly and Shogun. They are both owned by the recently retired legend. Both are merit rated in the mid 80s and still have racing in them.

By David Thiselton

General Franco is to be given a lengthy rest following his flop when long odds-on at Kenilworth last Saturday but tests and follow-up inspections have so far proved inconclusive.

Justin Snaith said yesterday: “He has pulled up a little bit shin-sore but bar that we cannot find anything. Whether it is enough for him to have run such a bad race I just don’t know but I am hoping it is the reason. He will now be put away for a while.”

The champion trainer, bidding for his fifth Winter Classic, runs only 30-1 outsider Clouded Hill in Saturday’s R250 000 Kenilworth feature. The six-strong field will be the smallest since Naughty Prince beat only four home in 2007. The Vaughan Marshall third string Blackbeard was the only one of the original entries to drop out at yesterday’s declaration stage. Stable companion One World, whose only defeat in eight starts came in the Cape Guineas, remains odds-on at 17-20.

Donovan Dillon, successful on Kheelan Dynasty at Scottsville on his second day back last week, regains the plum ride on Helen’s Ideal in the Stormsvlei Mile. He rode the Paul Reeves filly in her first six races.

There will be a lot of punter interest in Run Fox Run in the Olympic Duel Stakes.  The Australian-bred has comfortably won all her three starts and she steps up to Listed company for the first time. Greg Cheyne takes over from Anton Marcus.

By Michael Clower

Paul Lafferty’s Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint contender Sniper Shot put up an outstanding gallop on the beach sand at Summerveld on Sunday and his big race jockey Mark Khan returned impressed and excited about his chances.

Lafferty spoke about the plans for some of his other Champions Season feature race campaigners too.

Sniper Shot last ran in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Halls Stakes over 1400m but went into that race on the back of treatment with anti-biotics for loose bowels. He was likely not himself but was still not disgraced against some of the best in the country, finishing 4,70 lengths back in eighth.  

He will carry 53kg off a 106 merit rating on Saturday.

The yard’s promising Australian-bred two-year-old Share Holder was scratched from the Grade 1 Gold Medallion due to a clipped heel.

The injury has healed well but the yard did not want to take a chance with such a good prospect.

He will now be put in to a Juvenile Plate race over 1200m before targeting the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day and the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m on Gold Cup day.

This Zoffany colt, who won easily over 1000m at Scottsville on debut in early February, was bought by Lafferty at a Magic Millions Sale in Australia.

A Zoffany colt called Zodiac Ruler, who Lafferty also bought in Australia, won the Golden Horseshoe in just his second start for Justin Snaith three years ago.

Meanwhile, Lafferty and his assistant trainer Roy Waugh disagreed with jockey Warren Kennedy’s analysis that Dark Moon Rising had not quickened as well as usual when running fifth in the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge but were rather of the opinion that dead going towards the outside had cost their charge a place.

Lafferty had hoped for a top three finish in the Premier’s Champions Challenge for Dark Moon Rising, as that is often enough to secure a berth in the Vodacom Durban July.

The five-year-old Ideal World gelding Dark Moon Rising will now be relying on the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on June 8 to earn a July place.

Lafferty rates the three-time winner The Bayou and this 83 merit rated Mogok gelding will be aimed at the KZN Breeder’s Million Mile.  

The yard have acquired Top Classman, a good looking four time-winning middle distance to staying type by Mogok.

He is going to be aimed at a KZN Chapter Challenge 2000 final and then go for the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby at Scottsville on June 22.

By David Thiselton