The postponed Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes has been moved in its entirety to the Turffontein meeting to be held this Saturday and the Non-Black Type Ladies Stakes, which was reopened for entries yesterday, will also be run on Saturday so Highveld racegoers can look forward to more races than usual this weekend.

Meanwhile, the first entries for the G-Bets Summer Cup will take place on September 25.

Both the Spring Spree Stakes and the Ladies Stakes fell victim to a leaking water pipe at Saturday’s meeting, which was called off after the running of the fourth race.

Jeterio (JC Photographics)

The main supply pipe which feeds the sprinklers was leaking and a section of ground at the 650m mark became waterlogged.

Such a problem is only known about when the water seeps to the surface.

However, the good news is there is no long-term damage and the Phumelela Racing Executive Clyde Basel said they could have raced the next day. However, a plan to continue the meeting on the Sunday had to be shelved after an attempt to fit it into the existing local and international schedule failed.

The racing could not be moved to the Standside track as the latter is being scarified in preparation for the Summer Cup, which will be run on December 1.

Phumelela recently announced a new sponsor for the Summer Cup in G-Bets. There is sure to be a classy entry list on September 25. The four races run on Saturday still produced some interesting results.

The former Grade 1 J&B Met winner River Jetez, a full-sister to the great Pocket Power, had her second runner and her second debut winner. In Saturday’s first race, a Maiden for fillies over 1600m, her daughter Jetorio by Oratorio came from last with a good rattle to win by half-a-length from the 50/1 outsider Miss Patriot with the favourite Sweet Red third. The R4 million Frankel filly Frankly over raced from another tough draw so did well to finish fourth. She is better than her record suggests and will win soon, especially if landing a draw for a change. Jetorio was bred and is owned by Mr and Mrs CA Amm and Avontuur Stud. The Amms were the part-owners of River Jetez when she was racing.

Jetorio is trained by Sean Tarry and was ridden by S’Manga Khumalo.

Tarry later made it a double when Africa Rising followed up on his recent 1160m win with victory over 1450m under 2,5kg claimer Luke Ferraris. This five-year-old Visionaire gelding has always been talented and looks to have come into his own so it will be interesting to see where Tarry races him next.

By David Thiselton

The Vaal Outside track had a draw bias towards the outside last time they ran here but the early races must be monitored in tomorrow’s eight race meeting as the bias has varied over the last year or so.

The meeting does not look to be a difficult one for punters on paper.

The first leg of the PA is an Assessment Plate over 1200m and Prince Of Kahal is tipped to win despite being 6kg under sufferance with the filly Shufoog on official merit ratings. Prince Of Kahal has always been well regarded and has shown glimpses of class. He was unlucky in the Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes against some of the top horses in the country. He has now been gelded and this trip should be ideal. Hakeem looks to be the Mike de Kock stable choice on jockey bookings. This disappointing sort has the plum standside draw in the small field of six and he could have benefitted from his six month layoff, being a son of Redoute’s Choice who is now a four-year-old.

Viking Trail (JC Photographics)

Shufoog has only had four starts but after an easy win on debut went close to the like of Just Sensual and Speedpoint over 1000m. She hasn’t raced since January but should get away with it over this trip. Rule The Night is an imposing sort and won well last week, heralding a return to his best after some disappointing runs. If he can continue progressing the right way he can make his presence felt. Mr Flood was an easy winner on debut but then disappointed in the SA Nursery. He will likely need this run. All About The Bass has impressed on more than one occasion but after a good win on August 16 on the Vaal Classic track he was asked to run at Flamingo Park four days later and after not striding out ran poorly.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m punters should only have to include the two form horses, Las Salinas and Parental Control, and the blinkers-strike Landela, who has been supported in all of her starts and now drops back in trip. They can also consider two interesting first-timers. Rudhra’s Eye is a R50,000 filly by the promising sire Pomodoro and is a half-sister to Grade 3 Godolphon Barb runner up Fly At Em. Over The Limit is an R800,000 filly by Twice Over out of a National Emblem Listed winner who has produced a Listed winner.

A first-timer makes most appeal in the next race over 1400m, which is also an uninspiring maiden. Mike de Kock introduces Zaberjad, an Australian-bred gelding by Dawn Approach. He is a half-brother to the Grade 2-winning De Kock-trained Mushreq and would not have to be a star to win this race. Of the raced runners Philos is a typically big and rangy son of Philanthropist and after overcoming the widest draw of all over this trip on the Turffontein Inside course last time out he was not disgraced at all in finishing a 4,2 length eighth as it has turned out to be a strong form race. He has since been gelded so can improve further. Lunico was slow away on debut over 1200m on the Vaal Classic track and after initially being outpaced in the straight was staying on strongly, so will relish the step up in trip. The form of that race is not vintage so It Must Be Fate and Ice Eater can also be considered for the Pick 6 and Jackpot.

In the next race the well regarded Pietro Mascagni is a shoe-in at the weights, being 6kg better off than any other horse on official merit ratings. He should have strengthened during his seven months layoff and as he finished just 1,8 lengths behind Surcharge in the Gauteng Guineas he should be too strong for this field. His three-year-old stablemate Viking Trail won second time out over 1450m and will relish the step up in trip so is the one to side with for those looking for an upset.

In the sixth race Winter’s Forge was well weighted in a 1600m event last time out and held on. She will much prefer this 1200m trip, so can follow up. The best weighted horse is Rings And Things, who finished third in the CTS 1600, thus displaying her class. However, she has been a touch disappointing since then. She is also drawn on the wrong side by trends and would likely prefer further. Free And Easy has to be considered despite being 8.5kg under sufferance with Rings And Things on official merit ratings as she is an eyecatching sort who returned from a five month layoff last time over this trip and beat a good field.

The last leg of the Jackpot is a MR 66 Handicap for fillies and mares and Quebec Queen is tipped to win it from a plum high draw by trends. She ran on well last week over 1450m on the Vaal Classic track for second and before that ran a fair race against the boys. Kissmeinmydreams has improved and went close first time out the maidens against some useful male handicappers over this trip so she will be a lively runner here back against her own gender. Get Your Grove On always looked to have promise and proved it when returning from a layoff to smash a maiden field over this trip last time. Against her is topweight, albeit off a reasonable 68 merit rating, and a low draw. Rock Pigeon has useful sprint form recently and should enjoy this step up in trip on pedigree, so this lightly raced four-year-old can go close from a standside draw. Ponchielli drops back to the trip of her good win at the beginning of the month and also has to be included.

The last race over 1400m should be fought out by Virginia and Seville Orange, both of whom caught the eye on debut and will be distance suited at this stage.

By David Thiselton

Grant van Niekerk made a sensational start to his Hong Kong venture at Sha Tin yesterday, landing a first and last race double.

He won on his first ride, 73-20 chance Triumphant Jewel in the opening Harcourt Handicap. He was then unplaced on four rides before teaming up with the Tony Millard-trained World Record in the concluding Albert Handicap. The gelding drifted out to 162-10 just before the off and seemed to have no chance when sitting in last place for much of the way.

But Van Niekerk had other ideas. He got the horse running into the bit going into the final turn and, as he rounded it, he asked his mount to race in earnest. The gelding fairly ate up the ground to pip the favourite Rattani in the last half stride and win officially by a nose.

Grant Van Niekerk

Hong Kong owners, and therefore trainers, are notoriously fickle with so much depending on whether the jockeys are considered lucky. After this performance Van Niekerk’s name will be top of the popularity charts. He and Callan Murray (who had to be content with a half-length second from five mounts) were well supported by Millard and fellow South African trainer David Ferraris.

At Durbanville on Saturday the unbeaten Rainbow Bridge and Pleasedtomeetyou will both miss the 1 250m Pinnacle.

Eric Sands was unable to get permission to gallop the Winter Guineas and Winter Classic winner at Kenilworth on Saturday so Rainbow Bridge won’t be ready – “He takes quite a lot of sharp work until he is fit.” The Milnerton trainer still has the Matchem on October 7 on the agenda but he wants the horse to first prove that he is ready enough and that he will handle the course.

Andre Nel, who also has La Favourari and Percival in the Pinnacle, said: “Pleasedtomeetyou will either wait for a handicap at Durbanville on September 11 or the Fairview Wine Sophomore Sprint there four days later.

“Everything about him says that he will get further but Querari’s offspring have caught me out before and so I will run him over 1 200 or 1 250m next and see how he goes.”

Nel lost his appeal against the impressive debut winner’s 92 merit rating and both the adjudicators and the handicappers will be patting themselves on the back after the way Trip To The Sky, beaten over seven lengths into third, emphatically franked the form at Kenilworth on Saturday.

No specific plans have yet been made for Whisky Baron after his encouraging  return at Goodwood nine days ago but Ridgemont racing manager Craig Carey expects last year’s Met winner to run quite soon because autumn is approaching in England and Whisky Baron doesn’t act in the soft.

Piet Botha, who had his first runner as a trainer on Saturday – the pace-setting Head Of The Pack who was sixth to Trip To The Sky- broke his right ankle in a fall when riding work and arrived at Kenilworth on crutches.

By Michael Clower

Jack Mitchell and Nick Jonsson, who combined with Bernard Kantor to win the July with Do It Again, may have struck gold a second time.

Certainly their decision to buy Crown Towers out of a Markus Jooste dispersal at Durbanville looks a good one. The Australian-bred had some of those closest to him reaching for predictions -Richard Fourie: “He is going to the top” and Jonathan Snaith: “He will be a serious horse” – after the powerful way he drew clear of his rivals on debut at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Justin Snaith

The colt is bred in the purple, being by triple classic winner Camelot out of a Galileo mare who won five races, and he cost Jooste A$280 000 (then almost R2.8 million) at the 2017 Melbourne Premier. The present owners paid R1.7 million for the colt at the Central Route Trading sale in July.

Justin Snaith said: “The owners saw him at the sale and said they had to have him. We haven’t done a lot with him since so this was quite impressive.”

Snaith’s decision to adopt a far more patient approach with his two-year-olds last season, and so avoid the high ratings that so many juvenile winners prove unable to live up to, is making his three-year-old maidens a formidable proposition and Trip To The Sky’s rivals in the St Dalfour were simply unable to live with him in the final furlong despite some concern from the man on top.   “He was gasping for air the last bit but I did go a bit soon on him,” said Fourie.

The champion trainer and his jockey won four of the first five races and the Settlers Trophy at Durbanville on September 23 is next on the agenda for Magnificent Seven who made it four wins from his last five starts when comfortably leading throughout the Pravda Vodka Open Handicap.

But Nordic Breeze’s strong run to lead over 100m out in the Protea Toyota Bellville Conditions Plate was her swansong as she is to be retired to stud. Her first mate is, according to Oliver Foulkes, to be decided over several glasses of red wine “and the stallion we can remember the next morning is the one she goes to!” An early, and considerably more sober, assessment apparently makes Twice Over favourite.

The Snaith fancy that got away was Without Limits in the Carl Greaves Brokers Work Riders Maiden. Star stable rider Levis Kuse proved unable to weigh out at or near the required weight and the stipes suspended him for one race as a result. The change of rider came too late to be included on the yellow Card Changes Report and many of those who backed the filly from 13-10 to odds-on were unaware of the switch until after they had seen the hotpot drop away in the final furlong.

Lungisani Geledu, who has been with Vaughan Marshall for more than seven years, made all on 11-1 shot Double Rosie and the stable doubled up with the MJ Byleveld-ridden Potawatomi in the last.

Joey Ramsden’s vaccination nightmare is apparently almost over. Although Made In Hollywood had to be withdrawn after yet another dirty trach wash, Fours A Crowd got up in a blanket finish under Fransie Herholdt to spring an 18-1 surprise in the Infiniti Insurance Handicap. “We have gone very easy with the horses in the last two weeks but they are coming right and we are almost there,” said assistant Ricardo Sobotker.

By Michael Clower

After 30 successful years of training Ivan Moore has decided to retire and take up a more passive role in his recently licensed grandson’s yard. Young Darryl Moore struck up a partnership with his grandfather but has now taken the plunge and gone on his own. Darryl is extremely grateful to his grandfather for all the support and guidance he has given him over the years.

Moore said that this had enabled him to step up and take the yard to the next level. Ivan will still be active in the yard and Darryl will be able to call on his expertise at any time. “I do believe that I have youth, experience and a huge amount of passion and hopefully this will bring new owners into the yard as well as the racing industry,” said Moore.

“I have a solid base of current owners and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their continued support and trust in me. I look forward to growing the stable along with my grandfather,” he added.

Moore stated that he was excited for the great things still to come. He was also an assistant for many years to the now retired Charles Laird and Darryl’s father, Robert, is the chief riding master of the South African Jockey Academy. He is based in Gauteng. Two of the stables shining stars are, Ballymaine and Unbelievable Lad and there is no doubt that when racing is in your blood, it is in your blood!

By Warren Lenferna

Featured Image: Newly licenced, young Summerveld based Trainer Darryl Moore  with one of his stable stars, Ballymaine. Moore is looking at taking his yard to the next level with the guidance of his recently retired grandfather Ivan and he is excited for the yards future.

Image by Candiese Marnewick

Scottsville turned up three gems yesterday and if you have a notebook of horses to follow, add Solid Gold, In The Stars and Thanksgiving to a list of horses that look headed for the top.

Master Of My Fate was not the easiest of horses to train as Dennis Drier will attest to and he appears to have passed on both his ability and temperament to In The Stars. Master Of My Fate stands at Varsfontein Stud and the filly races in the stud’s silks.

Seemingly hopelessly left at the start of the second race, she made up ground relentlessly. “When we got left five lengths, I thought I would just ride her for a place,” confided Sean Veale. “But going through the 500 I knew it was race over. I just had to find the right gaps.”

Captain’s Girl (Candiese Marnewick)

Well Veale’s name could have been Moses as the field opened up like the Red Sea and In The Stars simply cruised home.

“She’s not easy but she’s not a dilly filly. In her barrier trial she was well behaved until she got to the pens,” explained Drier. She was promptly hopelessly left which accounted for her seemingly poor trial.

“I rate this filly very highly. Her work at home has been phenomenal and I think she has a bright future.”

Duncan Howells expressed similar sentiments about the Dave MacLean-owned colt Thanksgiving in the Soccer 6 Maiden. Drawn wide, Muzi Yeni allowed the big-striding son of Dynasty to use his action and with a clear run to the line Thanksgiving won in the manner of a decent horse.

“I knew that I had a good horse coming to the races today and with a bit of luck he would pull it off for us,” said Howells. “Like all Dynasty’s he’s maturing and starting to come on nicely.”

Yeni had little more to do than keep his mount out of trouble and his mind on the job without using his stick as Thanksgiving was still green. “He’s a scopey horse. He takes time to get rolling so he should be well suited to a track with a long run-in like Turffontein.”

The third on the list of horses to follow got home by the smallest of margins but Solid Gold won like a good horse as apprentice Ashton Arries gave him a tremendous ride, coming from off the pace to snatch victory on the line.

“He’s a bit of a handful,” said Michael Roberts, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a bite-sized bruise on his bicep. “He’s not nasty, just playful.”

“He’s a horse that should go a mile easily but he shows a lot of pace. I was looking for a 1200 for him but because he shows so much pace I took a chance over the 1000.

Solid Gold has the pedigree for a mile and further and the fact that he was able to win over 1000m is usually a sign of a good horse.

By Andrew Harrison

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Conghua Racecourse officially opened Monday marking the beginning of a new era for the sport of horse racing in Hong Kong and for the ever closer relations between Hong Kong and Guangdong.

The Club celebrated this momentous occasion at an opening ceremony attended by more than 500 guests, including government officials from the Mainland and the Hong Kong SAR, Club members and horsemen, as well as partners involved in the development of the project.

Situated in the Conghua District of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, Conghua Racecourse is the first world-class racecourse and thoroughbred training centre in the Mainland. Operating as part of a dual-site model, Conghua Racecourse complements the existing training centre at Sha Tin.

Stabling

With its state-of-the-art stabling, training and horse-care facilities, it will enable the Club to further develop the quality of its world-class racing.

“The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world leader in the sport of horse racing and home to some of the world’s top racehorses. Conghua Racecourse will enable us to elevate our racing to an even higher level of excellence,” said Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip.

“It has outstanding training and horse care facilities, including the first world-class equine hospital in the Mainland. Conghua District itself has high environmental standards, with excellent air and water quality. In short, it is a superb place in which to train our horses.”

Essential to Conghua’s operation is its location in the Mainland’s only large-scale internationally recognised equine disease-free zone, which ensures that Hong Kong horses have the same health status in Conghua as in Hong Kong. Under a series of special arrangements agreed between authorities in the Mainland and the Hong Kong SAR, horses are able to travel freely between Conghua and Hong Kong.

Racing tracks

“At Conghua, we have highly experienced staff, ranging from racing, tracks and veterinary management to stables staff from Hong Kong, who are working alongside local employees trained under internationally accredited programmes developed in Hong Kong. Together they will provide an excellent level of horse care, equal to that available in Hong Kong,” said Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.

Also speaking at the ceremony were Mr Chen Jianhua, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Guangzhou Municipal People’s Congress, and Professor Sophia Chan, Secretary for Food and Health of the Hong Kong SAR.

“After years of persisting efforts by relevant parties, a modern, high-tech, world-class racecourse and China’s largest world-class horse sport training center is now rising in front of us,” said Mr Chen.

“The opening of Conghua Racecourse lays a solid foundation for horse industry co-operation between Guangzhou and Hong Kong, opens things up for imagination and presents a promising prospect for development. The establishment of Conghua Racecourse is a collaborative achievement involving the Hong Kong SAR and the Mainland, building on the strengths of the Mainland’s infrastructural facilities, the Hong Kong SAR Government’s experience in equine inspection and quarantine, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s expertise in equestrian sport,” said Professor Sophia Chan.

“The establishment of Conghua Racecourse is in line with the direction of the Bay Area development, the equestrian sport and related fields in the area, setting an excellent example of the Bay Area development.”

Conghua Racecourse will also contribute to the development of equine sports in the Mainland as well as to the economy and to employment.

This continues the Club’s support for equine sports in the Mainland, including for the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

Some 90% of employees are recruited from Guangdong and the training they will receive will help advance professional standards. Conghua will also become a showcase for the sport of horse racing; the only place in the Mainland to experience world-class horses in action.

All of this will help raise Conghua’s profile both nationally and internationally.

Looking forward, Conghua Racecourse has great potential to support the development of an equine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and in the Mainland as a whole.

“In other parts of the world, equine industries contribute substantially to the economy and to employment. They could do the same here,” said Dr Ip. “With its world-class expertise, the Club stands ready and willing to give its full support.”

The Pinnacle Stakes race at Scottsville on Sunday looks something like a Louis Goosen benefit as he saddles six of the nine runners. But the Ashburton-based trainer is not all that confident.

“I may have six in the race but there are a couple of others in with big chances. I may run second and third.”

“There were 16 nominations for the race but owners want their horses to race and there were no other races for these horses.”

Louis Goosen

Goosen is not easily drawn on what his chances are, preferring to wait until the day of the races after his five-point check before committing himself so it is up to the ante-post speculators to make their assessments.

All of Goosen’s runners show tremendous pace, as one would expect in a five-furlong dash but best of them could be Winter Blues. The diminutive son of What A Winter is a model of consistency and only once finished out of the money. He gets a 2.5kg claimer on board in the form of useful apprentice Luke Ferraris and his claim could prove the difference between winning or losing.

Hashtag Strat and Captain’s Girl are both quick and have form over course and distance while Effortless Reward is no slouch and she too gets relief from the saddles in the form of four-claimer Jason Gates. Like stable mate Lloyd’s Legacy, she does have breathing issues but if right on the day is not out of it.

However, the trio on opposition are no slouches either and as Goosen has intimated the race is no pushover. Bottom weight La Ferrari has been knocking hard at the door for his third success and finish ahead of all Goosen’s runners in the Umkomasi Stake on Gold Cup day. He must be a big runner on that form.

Vision To Kill ran well below form last time out but is a smart mare on her day while Statute still has something to offer.

It is an intriguing race but forced into a corner Winter Blues is taken to get home ahead of Hashtag Strat.

The so-called ‘off-season’ is not for the feint-hearted punter. The fields generally consist of the battlers, sick, lame and lazies and those that are not guaranteed to hold form.

That said, there are opportunities for the astute follower of form and one runner that has been under the radar for much of his career is Cat’s Legacy. As a young horse, Alyson Wright’s charge promised more than what he has shown recently and the handicappers have finally conceded that he was not quite as good as first rated and dropped him seven pounds in the handicap from his last effort behind Silver Rose. He takes on much lower rated opposition on the sixth off what may now be a competitive handicap mark.

Escape Club in the fifth has not been that fortunate and earned a further three-pound penalty for her runner-up berth behind My Zinzara on the Greyville poly last time out. However, Dennis Drier’s four-year-old filly has only had four outings and has yet to finish out of the money. Given that she is still relatively lightly raced she may still have further improvement to come as expected by the handicappers and could prove the ‘right’ one in the where Rae’s Dyna Jet, Arizona Sunset and Marsala look the most obvious threats.

Many have taken the view that barrier trials are misleading but if one takes the time to analyse each trial in the right context then they can prove beneficial. Antigonus showed up well in his trial and Belinda Impey’s charge was only run out of it late behind the strongly fancied Celebration Rock in his race course debut proper. That was an excellent showing and he should come on lengths from that effort when he lines up in the card opener. Recent triallist Wendylle showed good pace and was geared down over the last 100m. It was a useful time and he looks to have a chance while Alfonsa Spagoni showed up well on debut after a good barrier trial and can feature over this shorter trip. Add to that Solid Gold who was not asked to do much in his trial but still finished close-up. He should prefer it a bit further judged on pedigree and could find this on the sharp side but he looks to have a touch of class about him

By Andrew Harrison

Nordic Breeze, only fourth over 1 000m last time, should be much more at home over the extra furlong of the Protea Toyota Bellville Conditions Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow and looks value at 3-1.

Her good run over this trip in the Champagne suggests she should be able to confirm the placings with 33-10 shot Goodtime Gal despite Anton Marcus taking over from an (admittedly very useful) apprentice. The Mike Robinson-trained mare has to give weight all round including 2kg to the selection and is at her best over further.

Anton Marcus

Made In Hollywood has already been nibbled at from 3-1 to 28-10 favourite with World Sports Betting and it easy to see why Joey Ramsden described the race as “too good to miss” despite the vaccination cloud hanging over the stable. On merit ratings she has 3kg in hand over 16-1 outsider Midnight Moonlight and a minimum of 5.5kg over everything else.

And it’s not just the ratings. In the Champagne she was only three-quarters of a length behind Goodtime Gal and two lengths off Nordic Breeze. She meets them on terms 8.5kg and 6.5kg better.  In normal circumstances she would be odds-on.

But will she be able to run up to her best? Ramsden wouldn’t be running her unless he thought she could but the after-effects of those vaccinations has kept all but one of the rest of the stable in their boxes. For punters that should be a tip in itself.

The bookmakers seem to have heard what they believe are the right vibes about Sovereign Spirit (by Dynasty out of the Woolavington winner Viva Maria) in the first and accordingly WSB opened her favourite at 2-1. The Candice Bass-Robinson runner gets a tentative vote despite being drawn on the slower side of the course. So too is Marcus’s mount Silver Plains who has already been supported from 6-1 to 9-2. “He is a very nice horse but the race comes a little bit too soon for my liking, “says Eric Sands. “He is too big for Durbanville and this is my last opportunity to run him at Kenilworth for some weeks.”

Levis Kuse won on three of his five rides at Kenilworth last season and accordingly 15-10 favourite Without Limits gets the nod in the Carl Greaves Brokers Work Riders’ Maiden.

The Brett Crawford newcomer Engage And Beware (Marcus) has been backed from 7-2 to 22-10 favourite for the St Dalfour Maiden but the experience of Richard Fourie’s mount Trip To The Sky may swing the balance. This one was slowly away when over seven lengths third to the highly rated Pleasedtomeetyou.

Fourie and Justin Snaith should also win the next with odds-on shot Magnificent Seven while stable companion The Boston Rose has proved profitable for this column and can go in again in the Infiniti Insurance Handicap.

By Michael Clower

The Grade 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m is the main race tomorrow on the Turffontein Inside track and it is a typically competitive sprint handicap.

Splendid Garden has proven his current merit rating is competitive. This seven-year-old by Black Minnaloushe is a half-brother to Soft Falling Rain and he over raced last time early on when the jockey restrained him from a wide draw over 1400m. Therefore, he should appreciate the step down in trip and in fact his last win was over this course and distance. He is off a three point higher merit rating now but he was drawn 12 out of 12 in that win and now has a plum draw of three. Chimichuri Run is highly regarded and showed his class last time when cruising home in the Grade 3 Umkhomazi Stakes over this trip at Greyville. It does not matter how good they are destined to become, early season three-year-olds running off high merit ratings generally battle to beat toughened older horses and his merit rating is 108.

Chimichuri Run (Candiese Marnewick)

However, he should still go close as it is not a vintage line up and he is well drawn. Angel’s Power was runner up last year, albeit from a better draw than this wide one of 12. If the six point raise given to all horses in March is taken into account he is effectively five points lower this year and should be staying on. Talktothestars is a former Equus Champion Sprinter and is known for his toughness, so he might well have benefited from his six month layoff and can’t be ignored jumping from pole position, despite a tailing off of form in his last few starts. Clever Guy won well from the front last time over 1000m with blinkers on and this might be the key to him. The blinkers stay on and he has a chance if able to find a handy position without using up too much energy from his wide draw.

Tar Heel had a lot of pace in his heyday and should have come on from his last start, which followed a five-and-a-half month layoff, so he can make his presence felt from a good draw off a competitive merit rating. Premier Show is not finding his current merit rating easy although he could earn. Mujallad has a wide draw and is off a tough merit rating but he should be staying on and could earn. Finchatton has a tough draw and it will be tough as he would likely prefer further. Wrecking Ball has a lot of pace but is usually found wanting in the closing stages. Mrs. O has come into her own but won’t find it easy against the boys. Just As I Said has pace but will find it tough returning from a three month layoff from a wide draw.

The first leg of the PA should see Dan The Lad following up on his last win as he packs a strong finish and proved last time when winning from a handy position over 1160m he doesn’t have to be held up to be at his best.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1450m Full Mast makes appeal as an in-form gelding by Go Deputy as this sire’s progeny improve noticeably in their four-year-old year.

In the next race over 1000m there is another horse who has come into her own, Mademoiselle, and from a plum draw she can make it a course and distance hattrick off just a two point higher mark than last time and a better draw.

The sixth is a minor feature, The Non-Black Type Ladies Stakes over 1200m, and the promising Pretty Penny is the one to beat. She cruised in last time by 4,75 lengths over this trip and might still be ahead of the handicapper. She was given the maximum eight point raise for that last win and looks to be running off a capped rating.

The eighth over 1200m should pan out well for the attractively merit rated Alex The Great.  He likes to be handy and there is not much pace on his inside so he might be able to find the box seat. Seventh Rule has good pace and will appreciate the step down to 1200m. He is widely drawn but without much pace in the race he can get to the front without using up too much. Furthermore, he has dropped to a competitive merit rating.

The Rising Legend can round up the meeting as he has some class and can use his fine turn of foot and sustained finish to mow them down after being dropped out from a wide draw.

By David Thiselton