A MR 80 Handicap over 1600m heads a low key card on the Vaal Classic track tomorrow.

Lord Silverio is a talented sort and had too much ground to make up last time over 1800m. The step down in trip is probably not ideal but from a much better draw he is likely to be closer to the pace and can mow them down.

Lord Silverio (JC Photographics)

Alssakhra met Mambo Symphony over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track on May 20 and was beaten 2,3 lengths by him. He is now only 1kg better off and if apprentice claims are included is 7kg worse off. A 4kg apprentice rode him that day and the same claimer is now on Mambo Symphony. However, Alssakhra is now being ridden by the maestro Piere Strydom. Strydom is a known good judge of pace and is tailor made for front-running types like Alssakhra. Furthermore, he has a good draw of three and the prevailing fast going should also be suitable. The Seventh Rock gelding is coming off a good performance in a Graduation Plate where he was beaten 2,55 lengths by the 101 merit rated Royal Crusade. He was receiving 3kg that day but is back in a handicap off an 85, so if he repeats that run he should be right there. The downside is he has had quite a tough campaign, which included a trip down to Durban to be pacemaker for stablemate Majestic Mambo in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000.

Mambo Symphony was caught wide without cover for most the way last time over this distance on the Turffontein Inside course. He now has a 4kg claimer up, so will make his presence felt if it pans out better from a draw of seven out of 12.

Bush Pilot is drawn in pole and is ideally distance suited. He can earn again if repeating his penultimate start.

Miss Bulsara is a full-sister to the Graded winner Bulsara and ran a good race over 2000m last time. This is likely a touch sharp but she is improving in the typical style of a four-year-old Silvano filly and could make her presence felt with a 4kg claimer up.

Querari Viking is 4kg better off with Mambo Symphony for a 4,1 length beating on their meeting on May 1 over this trip, but the latter will have improved further being still a three-year-old so Querari Viking has a tough task from draw ten.

In the last race over 1800m Dawn Flight showed she is competitively handicapped at present when going close over this trip on the Vaal Inside track 16 days ago. She now has a plum draw and runs off the same mark so should get it right under a jockey she runs well for, S’Manga Khumalo. Empress Valley beat her last time by 0,2 lengths despite casting a shoe so will have a fine chance again from pole position, despite being 1kg worse off. The dark horse in this race is White Out, despite her having been well beaten by the aforementioned pair last time. She did not have much luck in that race but is capable of a strong finish and gets on well with Karl Zechner, so if it pans out well from a wide draw she should be charging home late.

By David Thiselton

There were the usual aggrieved parties after the announcement of the Vodacom Durban July field in the Classic Room at Greyville yesterday and this time it centred around the omission of Pack Leader, who was chosen instead as first reserve.

Trainer Glen Kotzen pointed out Pack Leader had Grade 1 form, having run in four Grade 1s in his career, including two third places, the latest one being in the Investec Cape Derby when finishing two lengths behind July second favourite Do It Again, from whom he receives 1kg in the July.

Pack Leader

Owner Hugo Hattingh said Pack Leader had just been “coming into himself”. He revealed, in order “to put it into perspective”, huge money had been offered for Eyes Wide Open from an overseas party after his Cape Derby victory and the same amount had been offered for Pack Leader at the same time. Both offers were turned down. Monetary concerns are of no concern of the final field panelists and in their defence, Pack Leader’s disappointing sixth place finish in the Grade 1 Daily News was always going to put him under pressure for a July spot. He was unlucky in that race but luck should not be a factor either. Matador Man’s unlucky run in the WSB 1900 should also not have been of concern and he finished a 2,75 length third in that Grade 2 event. It was deemed better form than Pack Leader’s 3,75 length third in the Cape Derby and his 3,5 length sixth in the Daily News. Matador Man also has a stamina doubt, so his excellent form at Greyville was probably what counted in his favour.

Kotzen did make the valid point that in the Listed Sledgehammer, when having a preparation run and beaten a short-head, Pack Leader had beaten Dark Moon Rising by 0,75 length when giving him 1,5kg and he was now due to face him at level weights, not to mention that if weight for age changes were taken into account Pack Leader would in effect be 3kg better off in the July.

However, Paul Lafferty, trainer of Dark Moon Rising, responded by pointing out the Sledgehammer was only a Listed event and had just been a preparation run for his charge. He also pointed out he had been finishing like a train and added, “If Pack Leader does get in to the July we will race him for a car.” Lafferty did not specify what make of car it would be.

Dark Moon Rising (Candiese Marnewick)

Dark Moon Rising is certainly a progressive sort, like most progeny of Ideal World, and he will relish the step up in trip. His eye-catching finishes in both the Sledgehammer and WSB 1900 came behind unsuitably slow paces. He only failed by half-a-length in the 1900, a Grade 2 event. Lafferty makes Dark Moon Rising the horse to beat in the July and his only concern is the perceived lack of pace.

Another question raised was how two horses from the Jubilee Handicap formline, Yakeen and Tilbury Fort, had made it into the final field despite being under sufferance in the weights. The winner of that race, Yakeen, is 2,5kg under sufferance and Tilbury Fort is half-a-kilogram under sufferance.

“I remember winning the Jubilee with a horse who had won four out of six and he didn’t get into the July,” grumbled one trainer. Indeed last year’s Jubilee Handicap winner Coral Fever did not get into the July.

However, in the panellists’ defence Coral Fever has proven them mightily wrong this season as he is this season’s July topweight. Furthermore, Yakeen is a progressive three-year-old who is improving all the time and once he was included it was tough to leave Tilbury Fort out, considering the latter ran to the same rating and is better weighted in the July.

Pack Leader will need a horse to be scratched before 8:15 a.m. next Friday in order to get in and the connections of second reserve Crowd Pleaser will be hoping for two scratchings.

By David Thiselton

july final field

One of the most competitive Vodacom Durban July fields for some years, that will go to battle over 2 200m at Greyville in Durban on July 7, was unveiled at the special function at Greyville yesterday.

While the winners of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met – Legal Eagle and Oh Susanna – will not be in action as a matter of choice by their connections, the field to face the starter on the day contains many top performers in the country’s important races including the winner’s of the Premier’s Champion Challenge, the Sansui Summer Cup, the Cup Trial, World Sports Betting 1900, the Daisy Guineas and Daisy Fillies Guineas, the Jubilee Handicap, Lonsdale Stirrup Cup and South African Oaks.

In many cases the runners-up in those races will also be in action which will ensure a high-quality group of the country’s thoroughbreds and a race that could be a lot more open than the short price odds on offer on favourite African Night Sky might suggest.

As expected, Cape trainer Justin Snaith will have a busy day with five runners to saddle and his Highveld counterpart, Sean Tarry, will be kept busy preparing three runners for the race. But only one of the eight runners from the two stables, the Snaith-trained Silvano mare Star Express, has drawn a pen inside barrier 10 with stable companion and big race favourite, African Night Sky, filling the 10 berth.

The draws for the other Snaith runners are Elusive Silver (14), Do It Again (16) and Made To Conquer (12).

The Tarry runners did not fare well at all in the draw with Sansui Summer Cup winner Liege drawing at 18, Matador Man at 15 and Tilbury Fort at 20.

With second reserve runner Crowd Pleaser drawing on the rail, the former Highveld Triple Crown winner Abashiri from the Mike Azzie stable got the best draw at two and is likely to jump from the inside berth on the day with trainer Paul Lafferty drawing the number three berth for his Ideal World gelding, Dark Moon Rising.

There were no surprise exclusions from the field which basically fell in line with the betting on the race. Of the top 23 in the betting, the only runners excluded were Platinum Prince, 22-1, and Royal Crusade at 33-1.

With the announcement of the final field and the draws, the betting for the race could well change considerably, particularly when the names of the seven missing jockeys, including that for favourite African Night Sky, are announced.

The official and compulsory public gallops at Greyville for the Vodacom Durban July runners will take place from 7am on Thursday with horses still stabled out of the area having to complete a filmed and timed gallop in the area they are stabled which can be aired on Tellytrack on Thursday.

The gallops will be followed by a panel discussion on the gallops and views of the panelists on how they see the big race panning out on July 7.

By Richard McMillan

Featured Image: Coral Fever (JC Photographics)

The ability to act in soft ground could be crucial at Durbanville tomorrow when ten millimetres of rain are forecast for the morning – and this puts a question mark over Celestial Storm in the TAB Telebet Maiden.

Greg Cheyne’s mount is the type of speedy horse that is made for the country course, the sort that can shoot straight into the lead, skim round the turns and sprint for home. But what happened at Philippi last week has filled Riaan van Reeenen with doubt.

Greg Cheyne

“She is a decent filly and normally her sand work is good,” he relates. “She was going well the other day but there was a wet patch and she faltered when she went across it so I am a bit hesitant.”

What happened is not conclusive but it’s a useful hint and suggests that Celestial Storm is short enough at 28-10. In the circumstances the vote goes to Winter Five who opened at 5-2 with World Sports Betting and has finished second in soft ground on her last two starts. She is out of an Irish mare by Rock Of Gibraltar who won a Group I when it was almost unraceable. Vodka Lime, who has also run well in soft ground, is an obvious danger at 7-2.

The Candice Bass-Robinson pair Go Snow Girl and Happy Girl dominate the market for the opening Fillies Maiden Juvenile and dispute favouritism at 5-2. It is surely significant that Aldo Domeyer partners the former, a six length-third to runaway winner Helen’s Ideal who runs in the Irridescence on Saturday. Mulan and Marmalade Sky were miles behind. Worth noting is 5-1 shot Creme De Menthe as she was not disgraced in decent company last time yet Grant Behr came in reporting that he felt there was something not right.

The connections of Black Indy were toying with the idea of going for Saturday’s Langeman so that is a tip in itself in the Tabonline Maiden Juvenile and there is a line of form that puts the 5-2 favourite in front of Sacred Night (28-10). The latter is badly drawn but is clearly on the upgrade and gets a tentative vote. Riding arrangements also point to the chance of Carlas Mambo here.

Blue Roller, second on all three starts, is odds-on to go one better in the Betting World Maiden but gets the vote only because 2-1 shot Black Sail is drawn wide. This one met with interference last time and had Giant Flag and Captainofthesea well behind.

By Michael Clower

Dean Kannemeyer had an important 10 o’clock phone call yesterday morning with Fred Crabbia, owner of It’s My Turn, and the latter instructed him to run the five-year-old Dynasty gelding in the Vodacom Durban July.

This was bad news for the borderline horses as It’s My Turn won Saturday’s Grade 3 Track and Ball Derby in good fashion and panellists will have to seriously consider him for the July final field.

Dean Kannemeyer

He finished a 2,35 length fourth in the July as a three-year-old and a 1,4 length eight last year, both times carrying 55,5kg, so those results will count in his favour as he only carries 55kg this year.

The one statistic which will count against him was the strength of the field on Saturday, as he was well in at the weights.

On the other hand he won comfortably by 2,25 lengths. Kannemeyer said It’s My Turn had pulled up well. The competition for places in this year’s July is tighter than ever.

The horses who have certainly booked their places are African Night Sky, Do It Again, Majestic Mambo, Elusive Silva and Coral Fever, while those who have likely booked a place are Fiorella, Made To Conquer, Abashiri, Secret Potion and Liege. That leaves eight places to be fought out by 28 horses who, in ante-post betting order, are Tilbury Fort, Dark Moon Rising, White River, Pack Leader, Platinum Prince, Yakeen, Royal Crusade, It’s My Turn, Cascapedia, Gold Standard, Crowd Pleaser, Star Express, Matador Man, Rocket Countdown, Ngaga, Social Order, Head Honcho, Sabina’s Dynasty, Perovskia, Strathdon, Flichity By Farr, The Slade, Glider Pilot, Mambo Mime, Girl On The Run, Roy Had Enough, Deo Juvente and Roy’s Riviera.

The easiest of those to eliminate are Glider Pilot, The Slade, Roy’s Riviera, Girl On The Run, Mambo Mime and Deo Juvente. Those whose last runs made them logical targets for elimination include Perovskia and Flichity By Farr.

Social Order’s fourth place in the Jubilee and Head Honcho’s fourth in the Cup Trial would have dented their chances, while Matador Man’s third in the WSB 1900 might not be good enough, despite him having been unlucky. Platinum Prince could also be eliminated on those grounds as he was beaten by Social Order in the King’s Cup, by Matador Man in the WSB 1900 and his subsequent third in the Cup Trial might not have been enough.

It’s My Turn (Liesl King)

That leaves 16 fighting it out for eight places.

The chief difficulty for the panellists will be assessing class versus good handicap performance, because after all the race is a handicap of sorts.

Those who have performed well in Grade 1 events during the season are White River, Star Express, Pack Leader, Gold Standard, Royal Crusade and Roy Had Enough. Some of these have not been placed in those events, but did perform to a high rating.

Among the above’s final sixteen Yakeen, Star Express (Grade 3 Victress Stakes), It’s My Turn,  Sabina’s Dynasty (Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes) and Cascapedia (Garde 3 London News Stakes) have won Graded events this season. Yakeen won the traditional July qualifying race, the Jubilee Handicap, but last year the winner of that race was left out of the July. If Yakeen does get in it will be difficult to leave Tilbury Fort out, who finished a shorthead behind him and ran to the same rating.

Dark Moon Rising finished second in the Grade 2 WSB 1900 and Crowd Pleaser was second in the Grade 3 Cup Trial, both traditional July pointers, Rocket Countdown finished second in the first two legs of the Cape Winter series and Strathdon finished a narrow second in the Grade 3 Lonsdale Stirrup Cup.

The prediction for the final 18 in weight order is: Coral Fever, Abashiri, African Night Sky, Elusive Silva, Liege, Cascapedia, Star Express, It’s My Turn, Do It Again, Majestic Mambo, Fiorella, White River, Pack Leader, Tilbury Fort, Yakeen, Dark Moon Rising, Made To Conquer and Secret Potion. Gold Standard and Roy Had Enough were the toughest to leave out as they were both staying on in eye-catching style in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and ran to ratings of roundabout 115.

By David Thiselton

The top sire Dynasty will have a fine chance of landing the Vodacom Durban July this year as he could well have four runners in the final field, including the hot favourite African Night Sky.

Dynasty won the July himself in 2003 and his son Legislate won it in 2014. However, he has never had a progeny of his cross the line first in the big race as Legislate won on objection.

Legislate’s trainer Justin Snaith is a twice July winner but has never had a horse of his cross the line in front, because his other July victory was with the 2008 dead-heater Dancer’s Daughter.

Legislate

Snaith trains African Night Sky so will attempt to bury that anomaly.

Dynasty’s other likely runners in this year’s race are the Sansui Summer Cup winner Liege, Track and Ball Derby winner It’s My Turn and the Snaith-trained Made To Conquer. He is also the sire of borderline horse Sabina’s Dynasty

The twice South African champion sire Silvano is a record-breaking July sire and will be well represented this year again. Four of his progeny have won the race, a record. They are Bold Silvano (2010), Heavy Metal (2013), Power King (2015) and Marinaresco (2017). In 2015 Silvano’s progeny filled the trifecta, another record if not a world record for a major race. Silvano will represented this year by Elusive Silva and by any one or more of the borderline horses Star Express, Platinum Prince, Royal Crusade and Strathdon.

The final field is being announced today at Greyville and the competition for places is tighter than ever.

In Betting World’s final ante-post market African Night Sky was the firm 18/10 favourite with Do It Again next best on 13/2 and Majestic Mambo was the only other one on single figures at 9/1.

By David Thiselton

Candice Bass-Robinson will run 40% of the field in Saturday’s Highlands Stud Winter Derby in a bid to extend her stable’s historically high success rate in the Kenilworth Grade 3. Her father Mike won the race five times in 16 years.

Candice Bass-Robinson hamishnivenphotography

But it is the Justin Snaith-trained Doublemint who looks most likely to start favourite. The Politician winner has to concede a kilo all round but he had five of Saturday’s ten runners behind when third to the unbeaten Rainbow Bridge and Durban July candidate Rocket Countdown in last month’s Winter Classic. Grant van Niekerk takes over from Callan Murray.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe, bidding for his fourth Winter Derby win, rides Ancestry for Joey Ramsden who has decided against pitting the high class filly Fresnaye against male opponents and instead runs her in the Winter Oaks.

Ramsden has pretty much made the Langerman his own and runs four in his attempt to win the race for the tenth time in 18 seasons but, on paper at any rate, the one that stands out in the 1 500m test is the unbeaten One World, representing Vaughan Marshall and M.J. Byleveld who were successful 12 months ago with the subsequent Cape Guineas winner Tap O’Noth.

In the Irridescence Paul Reeves takes on the might of the Bass-Robinson two-year-old filly powerhouse with highly regarded runaway debut winner Helen’s Ideal (Donovan Dillon).

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Outside track meeting tomorrow is low key but there could be one or two good opportunities for punters.

Dress For Success

In race 5 over 1400m Pachanga looks set to get off the mark. She cracked bad draws in her first four starts on the Highveld but has gone close in her last three starts over this sort of trip. She took well to blinkers last time and was a touch unlucky as she had to take evasive action when a horse went amiss. She is no great shakes but faces an uninspiring field here and it is down the straight so she shouldn’t be inconvenienced by her middle draw. The two first-timers, Bel Canto Chorus by Philanthropist and Oona by Duke Of Marmalade were both relatively cheap purchases but the betting should be monitored as there is not much to beat in this field. Our Biscuit has run some fair races but would probably prefer a bit further. Elangeni has run two fair races in her last two over 1500m and 1400m respectively but has made breathing noises in the past.

In the first leg if the Pick 6 over 1400m Seventh Rule could run them off their feet in the expected fast conditions. He has never raced beyond 1160m so there is a stamina doubt but he stands out in terms of ability. Camel Walk has been disappointing in his last two starts but on debut over 1600m got going late so he should enjoy this trip and he has the ability to upset. Money Matters is improving and has Strydom up over a trip he should enjoy as he has not been finding a lot from handy positions over 1600m.

A fillies and mare MR 84 handicap is the highest rated race and Braxton should relish the step up in trip. She is in good form, having gone close over 1400m last time. Noceur has always struck as one with ability and she was not at all disgraced last time against the useful Emily Jay. She has a low draw which used to be unfavourable on this track but these days it is difficult to predict where the going will be. Teenage Dream has shown tremendous improvement this season and ran in features in her last two starts. Before that she finished just two lengths behind Al Danza over 1500m and the latter went on to finish a close second in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes.

Make Me Happy looked at one stage to be on her way to better things but her last start was most disappointing. If bouncing back to her best she will be a big runner. Zulu Dawn improved with blinkers last time and comfortably reversed previous form with Make Me Happy. She was unlucky in her only start over this trip and has claims. Hafla disappointed in that same race but was found to be coughing. She is capable of running on well and could earn. Comme-Ci-Comme-Ca’s last two wins have been when held up over 1400m and running on strongly and she might be ready to step up to this trip.

By David Thiselton

It’s My Turn has been slashed from 75-1 to 33-1 for the Vodacom Durban July following his timely win in Saturday’s Track And Ball Derby and in advance of tomorrow’s announcement of the final field.

Some observers had expected Betting World to react even more sharply given Dean Kannemeyer’s record in the great race. He is bidding for his fourth win following Dynasty in 2003, Eyeofthetiger (2006) and Power King three years ago.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

The country’s biggest bookmaker has left African Night Sky an unchanged 18-10 favourite with stable companion Do It Again on 13-2, Majestic Mambo 9-1 and Made To Conquer 12-1.

It’s My Turn has come down from 100-1 to 35-1 with World Sports Betting which has African Night Sky on 2-1 and Do It Again shaved half a point from 7-1 to 13-2. Track And Ball, which goes 19-10 about African Night Sky, has cut It’s My Turn to 33-1.

Perovskia has been marked out from 75-1 to as big as 125-1 in the last few days but Harold Crawford is now much more confident about his Drill Hall winner being ready in time to become his first July runner in 42 years as a trainer. Indeed the four-year-old seems to have made a remarkable recovery from the injury he picked up in the Cup Trial.

Crawford said: “The wound is healing up nicely and the horse is doing well. He is 100% sound and working good.”

Horizon, beaten little more than half a length when sixth in last year’s July and at R5.2 million the country’s highest-priced yearling until Silver Coin and Charles came along, has been on the missing list since finishing not striding out in the Sun Met.

Candice Bass-Robinson reports that he had a successful knee-chip operation and will be back for the Cape summer season.

Justin Snaith, bidding for his third consecutive Winter Derby on Saturday, is putting Grant van Niekerk on top weight Doublemint while Richard Fourie has been booked for Love Happens in the Highlands Stud-sponsored 2 400m test.

The capable Brandon May, who hurt his hip in a car crash earlier in the month, hopes to resume riding work this morning.

By Michael Clower

Racing at Kenilworth on Saturday lasted no longer than shortly after the second race when the jockeys lodged what is officially known as a protest, a complete misnomer if ever there was one.

No angry scenes or waving of placards, just two riders going into the boardroom to explain why they felt they should not continue.

Grant Van Niekerk

Grant van Niekerk, who won the Liquidity Services Maiden Juvenile on the Justin Snaith-trained 8-1 shot Kawakami and was fined R1 500 for using his whip with excessive frequency, said: “The track is very heavy and coming into the straight I couldn’t see anything. My goggles were covered in mud.”

Donovan Dillon, caught close home on 17-10 favourite Sparkeling Fire after trying to make all the running, added: “The ground is becoming false and that is the real problem.”

Fifteen minutes after the race had been run the meeting was abandoned. “The trainers weren’t happy either. It was a unanimous decision,” said stipe Nick Shearer who was presumably referring to the two trainers co-opted onto the decision-making panel. Some of those on the other side of the weighing room counter would have preferred the meeting to continue.

Apparently it was the ground on the bend from the back straight into the straight that was the major cause for concern but for Quarllo in the opening 1 000m Data Simplified Maiden Plate the testing going was manna from heaven.

This Glen Puller-trained gelding was running for the 22^nd time and, despite rising six, had never once finished in front. Little wonder that none of the punters wanted to know and allowed him to drift from 8-1 to 36-1 outsider of the seven runners.

Piet Botha had him well placed throughout and gained the advantage in the final furlong to score by three-quarters of a length.

Botha said: “Quarllo has a lot of niggles and so he enjoyed this ground. It was nice and heavy and they were going in quite deep.”

Just a pity that none of the punters could do the same.

By Michael Clower