The Vaal stages a ten race meeting tomorrow and the highlight will be a Progress Plate over 1200m for three-year-olds, which has attracted some classy sorts.

Mike de Kock must have one of his most powerful ever crop of three-year-olds and this race sees the return of the exciting Dynasty colt Noble Secret. He showed an effortless turn of foot on debut over this course and distance and with Randall Simons looking over his shoulder sauntered to a 9,25 length victory. He was accorded a merit rating of 88, which he will surely rise above in time. Simons has been given the ride again and although Noble Secret has not run for 119 days his class will give him a good chance. The officially best weighted horse is the Mike Azzie-trained Down To Zero, who showed pace throughout when winning a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m by a comfortable margin in June. He had the classy Surcharge beaten in that race and will appreciate the step back to this trip, having been well beaten in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m in July.

Rebel’s Champ looks to have the beating of the top weight So Var on paper, although it could be a different story at the races. Rebel’s Champ was beaten 1,5 lengths by So Var over 1160m in June and is now 5,5kg better off. However, So Var subsequently beat the classy Alfolk, despite giving him 2kg, and was then runner up to another classy sprinter in Al Mariachi, whom he also gave 2kg. The concern is that he made a breathing noise in his comeback run last month, so Rebel’s Champ is given the nod for third. Rebel’s Champ made a fair comeback against older horses two months ago over 1160m and has subsequently been gelded. Another interesting runner having his first outing since gelding is Pinnacle Peak from the Dorrie Sham yard as he ran two decent 1000m races in his first two starts in Port Elizabeth.

The De Kock machine should also win the fourth race over 1200m with Afdeek. He was a touch unlucky on debut over this trip as the winner crossed his path at a crucial stage. He does not have a lot to beat and should have improved with that run.

The three Pick 6 legs following the Progress Plate are all fillies and mares handicaps and punters will have their work cut out getting through the exotics. However, De Kock could possibly claim a quick hattrick in the sixth race over 1200m with Rajasthani Queen. She is not an imposing sort, but ran on well to win over 1000m on debut and the horse she beat, Schippers, then went close next time out over 1160m.  Rajasthani Queen was accorded a reasonable merit rating of 76 and will appreciate the extra 200m. The topweight Momo is by Ideal World so should be coming into her own as a four-year-old. In her last two runs she was widely drawn at the Turffontein Inside track so can be forgiven those runs. She has been dropped two merit rated points and can bounce back and go close. Kungfoofighting went close on her Highveld debut and although raised four points for that run she has to be considered along with her stablemate An Air Of Success and Amoretta, who lost her jockey last time but before that won her maiden in good style and runs off a mere 61 merit rating for the in-form Paul Peter yard.

In the seventh race over 1000m the Dorrie Sham-trained Lawdy Miss Clawdy could be the one having also made a fine Highveld debut. She finished close up to two useful sprinters in Shivering Sea and Mrs. O. Sham’s regular jockey Raymond Danielson is aboard Singing In Seattle, who beat Lawdy Miss Clawdy the last time they met in Port Elizabeth and faces her on the same terms. However, she has not had the benefit of a run on the Highveld yet. Those two could be split by Twelve Oaks, whose best form appears to be over this trip and she can use her long stride to run past horses late.

The eighth over 1400m could also go to the topweight, Isolde. The Sean Tarry yard have had a rare dry spell lately, but such is his professionalism they are sure to bounce back. This mare is by Silvano so should be coming into her own as a five-year-old. Furthermore, she runs well fresh and this is her ideal trip. Promise looks promising and passed her acid test by placing first time out the maidens having won on debut. Polly Wolly Doodle made a cracking comeback over the too sharp 1200m, so should be involved. All Over The World once looked a fair sort in the making so can surprise now that her merit rating has dropped to a lowly 63. Leopard Lily has a fine turn of foot when things go her way and she has dropped to an attractive merit rating so could also be involved with Strydom up. Wrap It Up can’t be ignored.

By David Thiselton

Dennis Drier is confident that Miss Frankel will make a full recovery from the strained high suspensory ligament damage she suffered when odds-on for her handicap debut at Kenilworth last Thursday.

He said yesterday: “A strained suspensory is a nasty injury but I am sure that, with treatment and rest, she will be back.”

The three-year-old daughter of champion sprinter Val De Ra was found to be lame on her off-fore after finishing only fifth of seven. She will go home to Avontuur for her recuperation.

By Michael Clower

The altered quarantine status of Sha Tin has claimed its first Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) victim with Emirates Stakes winner Tosen Stardom unlikely to make the trip from Australia next month.

The former Japanese galloper, now trained for Australian Bloodstock by Darren Weir, produced an explosive finish on Saturday to win the 2000m Gr1 at Flemington but, paradoxically, has probably ended thoughts of the Hong Kong Cup.

Since Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources changed the rules on October 2, any horse targeting Hong Kong must do six months’ quarantine in a third country before returning to Australia.

Tosen Stardom, a son of glamour stallion Deep Impact, has now won Group Ones in Melbourne at two of his last three starts and Australian Bloodstock principal Jamie Lovett indicated that increased interest from stud farms had changed the landscape.

“Before the weekend, we were quite keen to come to Hong Kong. The quarantine thing was certainly an issue but we’re really keen to bring one over there and he was a real possibility,” Lovett said.

“But now we are looking at quite a bit of interest in him to stand at stud and, as we’re looking around for the best deal we can do, the feeling is that any Australian stud farm who does buy him would prefer to see him run in Gr1 races here in our autumn.

“If he goes to Hong Kong, that effectively ends his racing career in Australia because he has to go to New Zealand for six months afterwards.”

By the time that quarantine period is over, it would be the eve of the new breeding season in Australia and Tosen Stardom would be off to his new career.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

“The other thing we have to think about now is that, Winx or no Winx, we know how good Tosen Stardom is and he’s going to be a solid chance in races like the Doncaster or the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in Sydney and there’s A$7 million in prize money in those races alone,” Lovett said.

“And if they do take Winx to Royal Ascot, I’m not sure of the logistics of that. If it meant that she has to miss the Queen Elizabeth, we wouldn’t want that situation to happen and our horse, that we think could win it, is standing in a paddock in New Zealand due to the Hong Kong trip.”

Lovett said Australian Bloodstock had also been keen to bring its German-based stayer Red Cardinal to the Hong Kong Vase and he would not be affected by the quarantine problem.

“I think our best way to handle the quarantine situation is to bring one back from Australia after the Melbourne Cup through Hong Kong on their way back to Europe,” he said.

“And that has been a good formline for the Vase in the past, too. That might have been Red Cardinal but he jarred up in the Cup on Tuesday so that plan is also out.”

– South China Morning Post

Arrogate retained his top position on the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings released last Thursday with a rating of 134. Australian mare Winx remains number two, rated 132. Cracksman, on the strength of his victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes, is rated 130, up from 122, edging Gun Runner, whose Breeders’ Cup Classic victory bumped his rating from 127 to 129. The top five is rounded out by super filly Enable, at 128.

Arrogate retains the top spot despite three straight losses because the standings are based on each horse’s top performance during the year. For Arrogate, that was the Dubai World Cup, where he came from last, passed Gun Runner in the stretch with total ease and won going away.

After the Longines handicapping panel sorts things out during its December meeting in Hong Kong, the final year-end rankings for 2017 will be revealed during the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Ceremony in January. The top rung is unlikely to feature Arrogate.

No question who’s atop the Churchill Downs all-time training list. Dale Romans is the guy, breaking out of a tie with Bill Mott as he sent out Storm Runner to win Sunday’s sixth race. Romans, the quintessential south side Louisvillian, now has 703 wins under the Twin Spires, leaving Mott second with 702. Mott had held the record for more than 31 years and said, “That’s long enough. That’s long enough for anybody to hold a record.”

Romans said, “It is truly an honour to stand here as the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs. With everything I’ve done in my career at Churchill Downs, and around the country, nothing beats this moment right now.” He heaped praise on his staff and life partner Tammy Fox.

“Everybody knows there’s one goal left out there – one major goal – and that one takes a lot of luck to get to it,” Romans said. “That would be to win a Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Every 2-year-old in the barn is a Derby horse until they prove they’re not.”

Romans trained Shackleford to a fourth-place finish in the 2011 Run for the Roses.

– thoroughbrednews.com.au

Passionate racing man Sean Singleton made a big impact last season as the owner of history-making stayer Hermoso Mundo and his colourful “Woer Woer Masjien” warcry has become so keenly anticipated he is now expected to deliver it whenever stepping up on to the winner’s podium.

Singleton now finds himself in dreamland once again as Hermoso Mundo has shot to the top of the Sansui Summer Cup boards and is quoted by Betting World at 8/1.

The five-year-old Ideal World gelding made his seasonal reappearance earlier this month in the Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile.

He appeared to run a bit of a flat race at first sight when finishing a 9,25 length 14^th .

The run hardly seemed to justify him becoming Summer Cup favourite.

Singleton said he had also initially been disappointed with the run, but soon had a different view.

He said, “He was running over a distance short of his best and if you watch the replay he accelerated superbly at the 300m mark. Weichong (Marwing) was beaming from ear to ear when he returned to the parade ring. He will be cherry ripe for the Summer Cup and I am sure he will bring his ‘woer-woer’ when it counts at his home course over a more suitable trip (2000m).

Hermoso Mundo became the first horse to win the “gold” triple crown, consisting of the Gold Bowl (3200m), the Gold Vase (3000m) and the Gold Cup (3200m).

He is obviously at his best over two miles, but another key is his turnaround in form since joining the Weiho Marwing yard. His record for the yard is three victories in four starts and he has gone from a 73 merit rating to 100.

He has a beautiful, long-striding action, so is perfectly suited to the galloping Turffontein Standside track with its long straight.

Hermoso Mundo will carry a featherweight of 52kg in the Summer Cup as things stand, but that will depend on whether 115 merit rated Deo Juvente stands his ground.

The big bay is sure to be staying on strongly on November 25 and racing fans will be looking forward to that warcry if the bookmakers are proven to have it right.

By David Thiselton

Justin Snaith was very happy with winter triple crown hero African Night Sky’s seasonal reappearance in a Pinnacle Stakes race over 1400m at Kenilworth on Saturday and Black Arthur’s poor run has been explained as he pulled up a bit sore on his off hind.

The yard are also looking forward to good runs in big races this Saturday with a trio of three-year-olds, the unbeaten Twice Over gelding Do It Again, the Choisir gelding Sir Frenchie and the well-bred Trippi filly Miss Katalin.

Snaith said about four-year-old Dynasty gelding African Night Sky’s 1,75 length fifth place on Saturday behind three Grade 1 winners, Edict Of Nantes, Sail South and Captain America, and the progressive Black Cat Back, “It was a very good comeback run. He was still big in the parade ring and will strip fitter next time.”

He said the Green Point Stake would come too soon for African Night Sky and he was targeting another race instead.

Black Arthur finished a disappointing last in Saturday’s Pinnacle.

Snaith said the five-year-old Silvano gelding’s Black Arthur’s problem was not serious and it would just require a lot of hard work from the yard to have him ready for the Cape Summer Of Champions Season’s big races. He was not sure yet of the timeline for his return to form.

Do It Again runs in Saturday’s Grade 2 Selangor Cup over 1600m. The big galloper stayed on strongly to win over 1200m on debut and followed up with a comfortable win over Saturday’s course and distance.

Snaith said, “He is a nice horse who needs further. He is drawn wide and we will have to drop him in and see how he goes.”

Snaith was impressed by Sir Frenchie last race in the Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m. He stayed on strongly from way back in the running for a 3,55 length fourth to Tap O’ Noth.

Snaith said, “That was a prep run so there will be improvement and he could be in the money. He is drawn alright so we will tuck him in and he should run on nicely, but the track is running very quick and it’s not easy for the horses coming from behind.”

The race will still be run on the Winter Course, with its short straight, and this makes it even tougher for horses coming from off the pace.

Miss Katalin, who is out of a Grade 1-winning Jet Master mare Little Miss Magic, was a bit keen in her last run in the Grade 2 WCF Championship over 1400m so was not disgraced in sixth place, 8,15 length behind  runaway winner, her stablemate Snowdance.

Snaith said, “She has a soft mouth and does settle, she just needed that last run, it was a prep for this race. She will run okay and this race always produces upsets.”

Miss Katalin is drawn nine out of the 23 entries and Sir Frenchie is drawn 14.

Meanwhile, Snowdance is doing well and her next run will be in the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas on December 2.

By David Thiselton

The champion trainer’s quartet include three of the four highest-rated with S’Manga Khumalo’s mount Wonderwall 3.5kg clear of the next best. This is Bold Respect who beat Wonderwall to win a R1 million sales race on Met day. However the Brett Crawford runner is badly drawn at 14.

Candice Bass-Robinson, successful with Live Life in the $500 000 CTS Sprint in January, runs three with stable jockey Aldo Domeyer on Virtue who is drawn widest of all.

Premiers Champion winner Eyes Wide Open has to give 2kg to the rest of the field in the Selangor Cup. He represents the Glen Kotzen-Richard Fourie combination that won last year’s race with Gold Standard.

Last month’s Woolavington winner Strathdon misses the Kenilworth Cup as Justin Snaith is keeping him for the Cape Summer Stayers Handicap on 16 December. Instead the stable runs top weight Master’s Eye (Bernard Fayd’Herbe).

Saturday’s scheduled first two-year-old race of the Cape season has been scrapped after attracting only four runners. Paul Reeves supplied two while Kotzen and Paddy Kruyer declared one each. Normally there is no juvenile race at Kenilworth until December.

Snaith reports Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Snowdance in good shape, saying: “She came out of the race very well and at the moment she is in cruise control for the Fillies Guineas (2 December).”

Dean Kannemeyer plans to make haste slowly with Sugar Girl, the R2.5 million National Yearling Sale-topper who made such a big impression when winning first time out at Kenilworth last Thursday.

He said: “Sugar Girl has lots of potential, she won exceptionally well and she will get better as she matures. I would have been happy if she had finished in the first three but Grant Behr told me that, when he asked her, she simply dropped the gears and went.

“But you have got to have patience with a filly like this. I took her to Durban but didn’t run her and it was only two months ago that she began to turn the corner.”

By Michael Clower

Township Melody can bring Justin Snaith’s uncharacteristic Cape Town losing run to an end in the opening maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The former champion trainer turns out winners more consistently than almost anyone else in the business, certainly in the Western Cape, and he has already had 47 this season – more than any of his rivals.

Yet, he has not had a Kenilworth winner since Sergeant Hardy’s all-the-way Pinnacle success at the end of last month. In the three meetings at the course since he has sent out 35 consecutive losers including six beaten favourites. Only Razed In Black at Fairview last Friday got on the score sheet.

But Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount has the form to resume the stable’s normal service, running well to take three successive seconds in big fields, each time beaten on average only three-quarters of a length. The one negative is that she has not raced for 11 weeks.

“I haven’t galloped her but I don’t think she needs it – she is a light filly,” says her trainer. “She is doing exceptionally well at home and she is my best of the day.”

She opened favourite at 22-10 with World Sports Betting yesterday. The firm makes Glen Kotzen’s Var newcomer Royal Sensation next best at 7-1 with Madame De Guava (a first-timer trained by Paul Lafferty) on 8-1 along with the Brett Crawford-trained Love Dove. Bendy Bullet (good form until Durbanville last time) is next on 9-1.

William The Brave and Pacific Chestnut stand out in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden. There was less than a length between them over 2 000m here a fortnight ago and on adjusted ratings there is only half a kilo in it. A lot will depend on which appreciates the extra 400m the most.

Pacific Chestnut has the more scope for improvement – he has only raced four times while the Ramsden runner has had twice as many outings – and so he may reverse the placings. Louis Burke is a good value for his claim and, even though he is up against a world class rider, 4kg is a huge advantage. His mount opened at 15-10 with William The Brave fractionally odds-on at 9-10.

Red Eight, second in his last four, looked certain to win halfway up the straight at Durbanville last time but Akshay Balloo did one of his front-running specials on a 50-1 stable companion and beat him a length.

MJ Byleveld’s mount is 16-10 favourite to finally get his head in front in the Betting World Maiden but he may again have to give second best, this time to 19-10 shot Final Chance who was a length adrift when the pair met at the end of September. The Crawford horse lost quite a bit of ground when hampered leaving the pens and in the straight he had to wait for a gap.

Streetfighting Man kept on well to show significant improvement when upped to a mile a fortnight ago and at 28-10 looks a second Snaith winner in the Interbet.co.za Maiden. Saltoro Ridge heads the market at 22-10 with Photocopy next on 5-2.

Hopefully there will be no snakes in the grass this time. At last Thursday’s meeting a particularly big one was spotted on the course and the start of race seven was delayed while cautious efforts were made to encourage it to get out of the way of the runners.

By Michael Clower

Miss Frankel will have her off-fore x-rayed and scanned today after managing only fifth of seven when odds-on for her handicap debut at Kenilworth last Thursday.

Dennis Drier said: “She was very lame after the race and there is something not right.”

The filly appeared to be travelling strongly up with the pace only to suddenly weaken in a matter of strides.

Captain And Master, Sean Tarry’s runner in the Selangor Cup at Kenilworth on Saturday, impressed in a gallop at the Cape Town course before racing last Saturday. No jockey has yet been declared but Lyle Hewitson rode the horse in the gallop.

Cape Classic winner and leading Guineas candidate Tap O’Noth was not entered for the Selangor and Vaughan Marshall (in double form with stable jockey MJ Byleveld on Saturday) confirmed that the colt goes straight for the Guineas on 16 December.

So too does Cape Classic third Cot Campbell with Justin Snaith saying: “He needs to improve a little bit but he will be a better horse on the longer straight on Guineas day.”

By Michael Clower