Bernard Fayd’Herbe, in Dubai since Met day, can score on his first ride back at Durbanville tomorrow when European Roller has a favourite’s chance of giving Justin Snaith a belated first Cape Town two-year-old winner of the season.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)

Snaith used to go for it from the start with his juveniles – he won the Listed race on the day of the Met five years in succession – but high handicap marks convinced him that it was in the long term interest of his horses to adopt a more patient approach. Snowdance did not race until mid-February and it was April before Oh Susanna saw a racecourse in earnest.

This season the patience has been even more pronounced but European Roller has two runs under her belt and, after running green first time, she beat all except future stars Nous Voila and Canukeepitsecret. She is 19-10 favourite for the Fillies Maiden Juvenile, is well drawn and looks the one they all have to beat.

Fayd’Herbe’s mount holds 22-1 shots Talk The Tiger and Ducky Fuzz. Second favourite Yolta (15-4) was beaten seven lengths when third to stable companion Carioca but it’s the newcomers who may prove the biggest dangers. Million Rand purchase Santa Clara is the most expensive of these and it’s worth noting that three of Candice Bass-Robinson’s four two-year-old winners this term have been with first timers.

Grant van Niekerk rides 6-1 stable companion Lesedi La Rona – he is retained by Drakenstein – and Greg Cheyne is on R275 000 buy Marmalade Sky as the filly is part-owned by Ridgemont. With Vaughan Marshall’s juveniles on fire it is surprising, and possibly significant, that Dancing For Rain (by Rock Of Gibraltar) has drifted from 3-1 to 5-1 but they all have it to do to beat European Roller.

The log leader may also win the next with 33-10 chance Master’s Spirit who failed on Met day but on his previous start is 2.5kg better with Phelan Lucky for a length and a quarter. That should be enough to turn the tables.  Phelan Lucky is 5-2 favourite with World Sports Betting. Vincente (33-10) second favourite, has been raised three points for his win earlier in the month while stable companion Olympian (7-2) has been off for almost four months.

In the Tabonline Maiden Miss Smarty Pants is very short at 8-10 for a horse who has been a beaten favourite on her last two starts but main market rival Strawberry Fire has not raced for four months. The latter’s stable companion Love Of My Life should beat Oloye and Blue Flower in race seven.

By Michael Clower

The Vaal Classic track stages a low key nine race meeting tomorrow ahead of the fireworks in two weeks time at Turffontein’s Classic meeting.

The highlight will be the fourth race, a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1450m, in which some good horses appear as a likely preparation event for the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes over 1600m next month. Nother Russia has speed and class and from a good draw looks the one to beat. She is certainly weighted to win, being 3kg better off than any other horse according to official merit ratings. Silvan Star has always struck as one with class and has not had much luck in her career. However, being by Silvano she will be as good as ever as a five-year-old and will make her presence felt over a suitable trip from pole position.

Nother Russia (JC Photographics)

Secret Star has speed and a fine turn of foot and will also be a threat. The last time she met Nother Russia over this trip was also in a Pinnacle event at level weights and she finished just 0,7 lengths behind her. Gimme Six finished just behind Sylvan Star in the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes when running on well from a high draw and should be right there with Strydom up. Kilauea has a tough task at the weights but has done well against the boys twice over this trip recently so can’t be written off with Lerena up, although a wide draw doesn’t help her cause.

The best bet on a tricky card could be Nightwatchman in the eighth over 2000m. He won his maiden over 1600m in workmanlike fashion and will relish this step up in trip. He is drawn well and Gunther Wrogemann will know him well by now. He doesn’t face a strong field, although Yer-Maan, winner of the Grade 1 Castle Tankard three years ago, has proved recently he has dropped to a competitive merit rating and he and the disappointing Inn A Million could be the main dangers.

The value bet could be Cape Infanta in the sixth race over 1600m. She has ability and usually goes close if things go her way. They should go her way here as she has a good draw and with the like of Shelly in the line up there should be some pace. She can then run on in the final stages. The consistent Flowing Gown will be a danger. The last time they met Flowing Gown beat Cape Infanta by three lengths over 1600m, but she is now 5kg worse off, so there is not much in it on paper. Fish River Canyon should also bounce back from a poor run as she is reunited with Lyle Hewitson. She is drawn well and her last win was at this course over 1500m.

The Tin Man in race five has plenty of ability but unfortunately has breathing issues. Over this 1200m trip he can get away with and has a plum draw with Gavin Lerena is up.

Lerena could also win the second race over 1450m on Leslies Pathtofame as she has faced some fair types over this sort of trip without being disgraced and now faces an uninspiring field. She has some pace too and from pole position should be able to dictate.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is a tricky fillies and mares handicap over 2000m, but Lyle Hewitson is an interesting booking for A P Chanel, whose last win was over this trip and she is now effectively one point lower in the merit ratings and well drawn.

By David Thiselton

This year marks the tenth anniversary of one of the Vodacom Durban July’s most celebrated renewals and two of the big race’s finest rides.

In 2008 the great Pocket Power and the gallant filly Dancer’s Daughter dead-heated in an epic tussle, which had the crowd delirious with excitement.

Marinaresco

Five-year-old Jet Master gelding Pocket Power had arrived in KZN with his name already stamped in history, having just defended his crowns in both the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and the J&B Met.

However, he was yet to win a Grade 1 outside of Cape Town.

In 2007, he had been desperately unlucky to have lost the Grade 1 Gold Challenge by a whisker. He had been continually baulked in the straight before producing a devastating finish. Legendary trainer Mike Bass had found that result particularly hard to bear, as he had done wonders to have the big bay so fit. Pocket Power had missed his intended preparation when scratched at the start of the Drill Hall Stakes, a scenario which could have been avoided had Bass been on course to offer advice about the gelding’s perennial foot problem. To cap it all his 2007 July preparation had then been interrupted not only by his bothersome foot but also by unseasonable rain. He still ran a great race, though, finishing a 0,45 length dead-heat fourth carrying topweight of 58kg.

So, 2008 was going to be the year Pocket Power made amends.

One horse with the ability to stand in his way was the robust four-year-old British-bred grey filly Dancer’s Daughter, who was coming off a Grade 1 double in the Paddock Stakes over 1800m and the Majorca Stakes over 1600m.  However, after being backed from 5/1 into 2/1 for her Champions Season opener in the SA Fillies Sprint, she didn’t raise a gallop and finished a well beaten eleventh.

Trainer Justin Snaith could see she was not herself. Dancer’s Daughter, like many top fillies, was often unfriendly, but there were two beings in the world she doted on, her stablemate Crimson Blossom and her groom Cyprian Mkhonowana. She had a grate between her and Crimsom Blossom at her Champions Season stable at Clairwood so she could see her. Justin’s mother Sue suggested she was missing Cyprian and consequently the Snaiths flew the filly’s regular groom in from Cape Town.

Sue Snaith recalled at the time, “When she saw him coming she began neighing her head off and kicking the door, she was so happy to see him.” The turnaround in the powerful grey was immediate. However, the public had written her off and she started 10/1 for the Gold Challenge, with Pocket Power 8/10 favourite. Dancer’s Daughter’s run was opposite to her one at Scottsville. She tore off, pulling Weichong Marwing’s arms off, and running three wide. Yet, incredibly, she still found extra in the straight and won by a comfortable 0,75 lengths from Imbongi. Pocket Power was possibly given an overconfident ride and was left with too much to do. He was a fast finishing 1,5 length fourth.

The Conglomerate

Marwing jumped off Dancer’s Daughter for the July, not surprisingly considering how strongly she had raced in the Gold Challenge. She had also over raced when winning the Paddock Stakes and Justin Snaith pointed out what a “serious horse she must be” to have won two Grade 1s in such fashion. Snaith had no doubt she would stay, having ridden her in work himself. He maintained she would drag him twice around Clairwood if she could such was her love of galloping. Ironically, he used to regularly ask Pocket Power’s jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe to workride her, knowing he was strong enough to hold her. Snaith’s only concern was about her settling and he needed the right jockey. He found the perfect one in Kevin Shea, who had two of the best pair of hands in the business.

And so the big day dawned with an age old family rivalry set to do battle again. Mike Bass and Justin Snaith’s father Chris had shared a house as students and had started their training careers together in the Cape Hunt amateur ranks. Chris was the first to take out his professional license and Mike was his assistant for a year. They were each other’s best men and their children grew up as close friends. Justin was assistant to Mike at one stage too, while Bernard Fayd’herbe, Pocket Power’s jockey, and Justin are great friends.

Pocket Power started 28/10 favourite and Dancer’s Daughter, receiving 5kg, was 8/1 second favourite. The gates opened and Dancer’s Daughter was slowly away from a draw of 13, surely by design, as Shea then tucked her in behind runners. The ultra-tough filly was unphased by the jostling she received before the first turn. Meanwhile Pocket Power had jumped beautifully from draw three, but also experienced some rough and tumble before the turn. Dancer’s Daughter raced two wide most of the way, but had cover, and coming up the hill Shea had managed to get her one wide and between horses.  Pocket Power was travelling well in midfield on the rail. Both horses were poised to strike. Fayd’Herbe bided his time in the straight as he had a wall of horses in front of him, but upon switching outward at the 300m mark the big bay showed an explosive turn of foot.

However, the filly had crept up and was on his flank. Pocket Power’s huge stride carried him past the horses inside of him, but Dancer’s Daughter was galloping resolutely, her nose bobbing up and down with determination, and was gaining inch by inch. She put her head down on the line and after an agonising wait the second ever July dead-heat was announced. The photo finish showed Pocket Power’s hoof across the line, an illustration of his enormous stride. The pair had another titanic clash in the 2009 Met, but on weight for age terms this time Pocket Power won by a quarter of a length.

By David Thiselton

Last week it was Glen Kotzen, today it’s Vaughan Marshall and tomorrow Justin Snaith. The annual racehorse migration to Durban is on in earnest and in the vast majority of cases the man organising the great trek is Peter Choice.

Choice (“the best in the business,” according to Marshall) is a 62-year-old Australian who once trained a Group 1 winner and who has been in South Africa since 1994. His Choice Carriers firm has eight trucks (he doesn’t use the word float) each specially built for horse transport.

Taking anything as highly strung as a racehorse on the open road can be fraught with danger and few in the industry have forgotten that dark day in 1989 when ten of the legendary Terrance Millard’s best horses were injured in an accident on the N1 and July winner Right Prerogative was among those killed.

Pack Leader (Candiese Marnewick)

Choice, somewhat understandably, places particular importance on his drivers and on ensuring they avoid fatigue. “Anyone can drive a truck,” he says. “But with racehorses the driver has to be special. He is carrying a very valuable cargo, he mustn’t brake too suddenly and he has to know how to load horses.”

The principal driver and his co-driver split the journey into two hour-plus shifts and aim to leave Cape Town by 7.00am. The trucks take 16 horses, each in a partitioned stall, but the normal load to Durban is restricted to between ten and 13 to allow for all their accompanying baggage.

The horses are given roughage such as oat hay, but no concentrates, and are watered in Laingsburg, Beaufort West and Colesberg. Depending on roadworks Choice expects them to make the 1 000k to the Bloemfontein stopover between 7.00pm and 8.00pm.

“They go into five star accommodation there and stay for two hours minimum and possibly longer, depending on how they have travelled.”

The remaining 600k to Summerveld is done through the night and, as it is so much cooler, usually only one stop for water is required. They arrive at dawn, importantly before the heavy N3 traffic begins in earnest.

The cost to the owner – there are no subsidies – is between R4 000 and R 5 000 per horse and the same again when they return to Cape Town at the end of the Durban season.

Choice, who has been doing this for the past 15 years, has been planning his loads for weeks. “Vaughan has 19 or 20 horses going and so we split the load because we try not to have colts and fillies on the same truck.

“When that’s not possible we put them on different levels – each truck has three levels as transporting racehorses is such a specialised thing.”

By Michael Clower

Yesterday’s Greyville meeting ended on a farcical note as a false start resulted in the favourite Fire Song galloping 800m and being scratched at the insistence of jockey Anton Marcus along with offender, Sandcastle, who broke through his gate moments before the starter sent the field on its way.

After a lengthy delay, the situation was compounded by a second false start, this time not called by the starter, resulting in the ‘winner’ and favourite Lord Of Glencoe being declared a non-runner after a review of the start by the stipendiary stewards, Lord Of Glencoe charging his gate which opened fractionally ahead of the rest.

The race eventually went to the Ivan van Wyk-trained Sherman.

Pure Logic (Candiese Marnewick)

The meeting started with a double for Doug Campbell. The card opener always looked to be a match between Campbell’s Rose Hill and the luckless Esstoora and it went according to script with Rose Hill getting the upper hand in the two-horse contest, although it got a bit sweaty for Rose Hill supporters at the top of the straight.

In the box seat on the fence turning for home, pacemaker Bhavani dropped back suddenly and Anthony Delpech was force to check Rose Hill only to find himself hemmed in on his outside by Esstoora and forced to drop back even further to get around.

“The kid in front of me stopped and Anton tried to keep me in but that’s race riding,” reasoned Delpech. “I would have done the same. It just showed that my filly was a bit better than his.”

The ‘Del Mar’ show kicked off early with Delpech winning the first and Marcus the next two with a pair of straight forward rides.

Tracking the pace deep into the straight, Marcus extracted Pathway To Glory out from behind a tiring Grizzard before setting sail for home for a bloodless victory in the second.

Seattle Silva finally got her maiden out of the way much to the relief of Peter Muscutt who runs Brett Crawford’s satellite yard at Summerveld. “Mission accomplished Lance!” said Muscutt, referring to owner Lance Sherrell. “She’s been frustrating,” he said of the filly who had run into the money six times in her dozen starts.

The ‘Del Mar’ show came to an abrupt end in the opening leg of the jackpot with favourite Moon Bird disappointing as much improved apprentice Khanya Sakayi accounted for the first upset of the afternoon on the 30-1 chance Royal Rustler for Dennis Bosch.

“The kid rode a good race,” summed up Bosch who was also a little taken aback by the win. “He’s a weird horse. He likes to run up alongside a horse and hang in there for a while and then taker off. That’s how he won his maiden. But the kid rode an ‘un-panicked’ race.”

Sakayi took advantage of the strong tail wind as he went clear in the straight to win unchallenged for the tenth victory of his short career.

The poly track is not every trainer’s cup of tea but there is little doubt that horses with miles on the clock generally take to the surface.

A case in point is Tuscan who notched the ninth win of his career at eight years old and his fifth win on the synthetic surface. With apprentice Julius Mphanya, second on Tuscan at his previous two starts, back in Port Elizabeth, Diego de Gouveia took over in the saddle for Kom Naidoo and the pair took command inside the final furlong to win well.

Marcus’s talents were back on display in the sixth, booting home his third winner of the afternoon on the Duncan Howells-trained Sitia. Taking the filly to the lead shortly after the start, they looked to be in trouble with a furlong to run as the chasing pack, led by Expresso Martini, looked set to swamp the pair. But Marcus extracted extra from his mount and they eventually drew off to win quite comfortably.

The ‘Del Mar’ express was back on track as Delpech drove hard in a tight finish to get Dean Kannemeyer’s runner Pure Logic home in the second last to make amends for his recent defeat when favourite.

By Andrew Harrison

The ‘Del Mar’ show, a phrase coined by former jockey and now television pundit Kevin Shea, looks set to continue in the first on the Greyville poly today with Anthony Delpech and Anton Marcus most likely to be going head-to-head on the two fancied runners in the race, Rose Hill and Esstoora.

Both fillies have proved expensive to follow but although Rose Hill has had more chances, her form looks slightly superior. Marcus has had two stabs at getting her home and Delpech is back for his second try so it could be a game of cat and mouse between the two.

Anthony Delpech

Esstoora, a 1-4 favourite, tried gamely behind Sheik’s Storm last time out but was unable to peg back Paul Gadsby’s runner.

These two look the pick of the race where only the recent trialist Escape Club could pose a threat.

Verdier has come well since arriving in Mark Dixon’s yard from the Cape and two runner-up placings finally led to victory when beating Impact Zone over 1950m at Scottsville.

He appeared to enjoy the extra two furlongs of that race and he can go in again in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap that heads the card although it is not an easy race. He gives weight all round but looks capable of going in again.

Amor Ardiente can be a difficult customer at times but has been consistent. A beaten favourite last run, and in the money at his last four starts, Belinda Impey has resorted to cheek pieces and they may be what’s needed to bring out the best in the gelding.

Likely favourite is Pure Logic who has started at the top of bookmaker’s boards at his last four outings, obliging once when touching off Coys at Scottsville.

The stable has been a little quiet of late but Pure Logic is never far back.

Course and distance specialist is Pure Valor. Four of his six wins have come on the poly, three over course and distance so Lowan Denysschen’s runner cannot be ignored in open event.

Anton Marcus

Shane Humby’s stable is starting to turn after a difficult time with coughs and colds and Roman Courtisan rounded off Sunday’s meeting with Marcus aboard. Humby and Marcus team up again with Moon Bird in the fourth. The lightly raced four-year-old was touched off by Gadget Man in his first start on the poly when sporting blinkers and has a strong chance in some fairly modest company.

Of the balance, Nauticus has his first run back from a trip to the Cape and although he has shown flashes of ability, he may just be short of peak fitness after a two-month break. Captain Cobalt on the other hand, was a smart maiden winner over course and distance when fitted with a tongue-tie and could be good enough to feature again.

Brett Crawford’s KZN satellite yard keeps simmering and Border Control can snap a string of seconds when dropping back a furlong in the fifth. The gelding has been up with the pace only to be run out of it late in his last three starts over course and distance and he could well prove a better proposition over this shorter trip.

War-King strikes as a likely danger as he is lightly raced and steps up in trip while the ‘old man’ of the race, Tuscan has been touched off over course and distance at his last two but his four-kilo claimer, Julius Mphanya, has moved to Port Elizabeth and replacement Diego De Gouveia’s 1.5kg claim may not be enough to get him home.

By Andrew Harrison

Duncan Howells said he would be “taking it easy” this SA Champions Season with Saratoga Dancer and his Vodacom Durban July horse at this stage is the Listed Michael Roberts Handicap winner Wild Wicket.

He said about Saratoga Dancer, who finished fifth in last season’s July, “He was injured in the July. A horse ran into his side and he rapped a tendon. We rested him and he has come back very well and there have been no problems. His barrier trial the other day was pretty good and I would like to keep him fresh and go for a Listed or Grade 3 race.”

Wild Wicket

The rangy six-year-old Mambo In Seattle gelding won that barrier trial over 1000m on the Greyville poly by 9,5 lengths in a time of 58 seconds, despite not being asked to do a lot. The second and third-placed horses in the trial, Roy’s Stingray and Palmieto, both came out and won on Sunday on the Greyville turf.

Howells said about Wild Wicket, “I don’t know if he’s good enough for the July but I have been getting the impression that the good three-year-olds are going to avoid the race. We will see if he’s good enough in his preparation races.”

Howells had always felt Wild Wicket was hitting the front too soon and a plan to hold him up for as long as possible in the Michael Roberts Handicap worked as he produced a late burst to just get up. However, Howells said it would have to be seen whether he could do the same against stronger horses before labeling that tactic as “the key” to the horse.

He continued, ”There is no reason not to aim him at the July, I don’t think he will have a problem with the distance and the track suits him as he is a short-coupled horse.” Another thing in the four-year-old gelding’s favour is he is by Dynasty, who won the July and whose progeny love Greyville.

Howells current big race mission is with the Captain Al filly Fiorella, whom he has entered in the Grade 1 R1 million SA Fillies Classic, to be run at Turffontein over 1800m on April 7.

She has won three races form seven starts, but is yet to be tried beyond 1600m. However, she is out of Jallad mare Arcola, who won the Grade 3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m, and she is a half-sister to a Var colt who has won over 1950m. She will need to improve on her last start in February when a 2,3 length fourth over 1600m at Scottsville in a fillies and mares handicap when running off a merit rating of 90.

Neptune’s Rain

Howells said, “She will stay all day. Our recent virus meant she has not had the ideal preparation as I would have liked her to have gone for the Gauteng Fillies Guineas first. I feel the Cape three-year-old fillies are much stronger, so I suggested going for the Grade 1 in Johannesburg to the owner. Due to her rating there is no other way really.”

Howells will be aiming two of his best fillies, Neptune’s Rain and Lunar Rush, at the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint.

He said of the former, a three-year-old by Antonius Pius who finished an unlucky third in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson last season, “She will go the normal route into the SA Fillies Sprint, including the Poinsettia. She has been doing very well and is a lot more mature. She is above average, although it will be tough as there are some good sprinting fillies around, but she has done nothing wrong in her career.” Neptune’s Rain showed her class last time out when giving the speedy Effortless Reward 4kg and running her to a 1,35 length third in the African Holly Handicap over 1000m. Her merit rating after the across-the-board six point raise is now 110.

Lunar Rush is merit rated 102 after her good win over 1200m at Greyville recently. Howells said, “She will follow the same route as Neptune’s Rain as there is nothing else for her. She is just below Grade 1 level and if she gets any black type I will be over the moon.”

He will be aiming the talented Querari gelding Procal Harum at the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas. He said, “He has been off due to the yard virus, but if I have him ready he will take his chances.”

Dawn Calling

A filly he had high hopes for last season, Dawn Calling, won her first race for close to two years two weekends ago when cruising in by 2,25 lengths in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m at Greyville. However, that win has seen her raised to only a 95 merit rating, which is a long way off the top rated fillies in the country. Howells said, “It is debatable how good she is but if she proves good enough I might aim her at the Garden Province, although it will be tough against those good Cape Town horses. But I will also run her again in the KZN Breeders Mile (a R1 million race in which she finished second last year).”

Others to mention are Legend, who finished second in the Listed Christmas Handicap over 1600m, and Brighteyebushytail.

However, Howell said he did not know whether Legend was good enough and revealed Brighteyebushytail had copped the worst of the virus and he was not sure whether he would have him ready in time for the Champions Season.

He added he had some strong two-year-olds, whom he hoped could make an impact in Graded features.

He took his yard out of racing for about three weeks due to the severity of the virus, where the symptoms were temperatures and coughing, but he said they were now on top of it.

By David Thiselton

Featured Image: Brett Crawford (Liesl King)

The Vaal Classic track stages an eight race meeting tomorrow and a MR 96 Handicap over 1000m is the highlight.

Tandava is a versatile sort who has recently run in races from 1000m to 2000m. However, his 1000m form is very good and he has won half of his six career races over this minimum trip. He packs a strong finish and is sure to be running on strongly again. Gunther Wrogemann, the man who won on him over course and distance two runs ago, regains the ride which augurs well. Sporting Monarch has always had a lot of speed and was only 0,3 lengths behind Tandava in the aforementioned race. He is now half-a-kilogram better off so has a fine chance. Donny G is another who has shown a lot of pace on occasion and he is most interesting returning fresh and having his first run for Bradley Maroun.

Gunter Wrogemann

All Night Flight has dropped to an attractive merit rating and finished close to a good form horse in January. Cathedral County has a touch of class and Gavin Lerena will be aboard him in his first outing since December. Queen Laurie is packed with speed, but carrying a big weight against the boys will be tough and she is an unlikely winner. Greasepaint is a seven-year-old but has been in fine form, although he hasn’t won a race for nearly a year. Whorly Whorly is 2,5kg better off with Tandava for a 1,4 length beating, so has a chance on paper, but he has to bounce back from a poor effort over 1160m where he was found to be coughing. Just As I Said is having his second run after a layoff and on recent form looks to need a bit of a drop in merit rating.

Golden Man would prefer a touch further as his customary late charge might come a bit too late over this trip. Clever Guy has his third run after a layoff and will need to improve considerably on his last two runs, although Piere Strydom will give him every chance of doing so. Le Tigre looks outgunned on recent form. Magic has speed and the ability to stay on but this is his first run since October. Laurent du Var runs fresh and on his best form he could be dangerous off a lowered merit rating, although overall he has been a touch disappointing since his good first two runs as a juvenile.

The best bet of the day vote goes to Gottalottaluv in the sixth race over 2000m. She has been chosen because she looks to have class and is going places, but this is her first try at the trip so he can’t be considered an overly confident best bet. She is by the speed influence Var but has plenty of stamina in her female line being out of a mare who by Model Man out of Olympic Duel. Both of the latter went close in the July. In fact, Gottalottaluv is a half-sister to the top class Gold Standard, who finished a close second in last season’s Grade 1 Cape Guineas before finishing an excellent fourth in the Sun Met. She looks the part too, being an imposing filly with plenty of scope.

She relaxed well in front over 1700m last time and found extra to stave off the challengers. She is now drawn two, which is ideal for her front-running style. Strydom rides her for the third time in succession, which is significant. The two horses who could pick up the pieces if she fluffs her lines are Our Shining Star and Littlewood, so have both been included in the Pick 6. The former was staying on behind the decent Waity Katy last time over 1500m and is interesting stepped up to this trip being by Silvano. The latter is by Fort Wood, so should also enjoy the trip and is from the yard of Lucky Houdalakis, who gets them to continually improve.

In the next race Red Ridge unsuccessfully objected against a decent sort in Awfaa last time and she will be coming into her own now being a four-year-old by Silvano. She is drawn in pole over a suitable trip of 1500m and is made a PA banker along with Gottalottaluv. However, for the Pick 6 two others have been included, Regal Graduation, who looks to be going places and should enjoy the step up in trip on pedigree, and Oh My Darling, who has always struck as having class. The latter was staying on well over 1400m last time and now has Delpech aboard.

By David Thiselton

The expected influx of Stellenbosch students at the St Patrick’s Day meeting at Durbanville on Saturday failed to materialise because the university put the mockers on the promotional project.

According to a Racing It’s A Rush press release it did so as a result of the “Students’ Representative Council being concerned that students will be influenced with the gambling aspect of our sport.”

Fortunately for racing such a puritanical attitude (if it existed at all in those days) failed to deter the likes of Mike Bass, Charles Faull, Andrew Harrison, Liesl King and – dare I say it – Markus Jooste who in his own way proved to be the biggest gambler of all.

Despite the snub Kenilworth Racing is determined to try again after getting the SRC on side. “The racing and betting industries are huge employers in this country and we want the students to hear about the broad spectrum of professionally qualified people that are needed,” said Donna Bernhardi who had arranged to take various groups on tour throughout the afternoon.

Significantly the SRC viewpoint was in marked contrast to that of the students when Luella Robinson visited the university earlier to distribute some 500 leaflets. Mrs Robinson, who came up with the original idea and did much of the groundwork, said that the general reaction was “Sounds like a great day-out. We’ll be there.”

By Michael Clower